Monday, March 26, 2012

Sneaky spinach

Do you have any healthy foods or habits that you have to trick yourself into adopting? Even though you're no longer 6 and trying to sneak your vegetables to your dog? Personally, I hate greens. I know, that's like blasphemy from anyone who even pretends to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but I despise them. The worst is a restaurant salad that is 90% greens - be they iceberg or romaine, it's all blechhhh to me! I love veggies, but anything leaf-like makes me feel like I'm eating grass.

So anyway. THANK THE HIGH HEAVENS for green monster smoothies, am I right?! My food tastes like a chocolatey peanut-buttery dessert-y heaven, but I am actually devouring at least two {loosely} packed cups o' spinach, which are some serious greens, which seriously yick me out in a salad setting. Yick is a new word, just go with it.

Anyway, there is a small and super simple blog challenge I discovered through one of the lovely hostesses, Jen at Peanut Butter Runner, going around to consume a green smoothie once a day for 7 days. Washing-out-my-blender issues aside, this idea seemed like a brilliant way for me to get in some much-needed darker greens and not even be mad about it. I generally make precisely the same smoothie recipe, so I'm excited to challenge myself to try some new flavor combos!

For today's, I kept it classic and chocolatey (so also it looked sort of like vomit, hence no 'after' picture for your viewing pleasure) with the following mix-ins:

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/2 cup Trader Joe's mixed berries (frozen)
  • 1 tablespoon flax seed
  • 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter
  • 2 cups of SPINACH!


Blend, Devour, Feel good about self.

Any fave green monster recipes I must try?
Any healthy foods you have to sneak in your mouth?