Continuing the theme of my post-vacation shape up, I went home and drank my veggies for lunch in the form of a Green Monster Spinach Smoothie!
Green Monster Spinach Smoothies are one of my top secret diet weapons, because although they’re packed with baby spinach, which make my skin, hair, nails, and overall self feel totally great, they do not taste healthy at all. I repeat, they do not taste healthy at all.
PLUS!
- Spinach is fat free, cholesterol free, low in calories, and very low in sodium
- Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin A, C, K, iron, fiber, folate, and lutein
- Leutin is an antioxidant that promotes good eye health, and may help prevent cancer of the liver, ovaries, colon and prostate, and even dementia.
- Dole lab tests found spinach juice has twice the chlorophyl, eight times the calcium, six times the magnesium, 10 times the potassium, 15 times the vitamin C and 43 times the vitamin A of wheatgrass juice!
Are you convinced yet? Well channel your inner Popeye and get to blending already!
First add 1 sliced frozen banana, and 1 Tablespoon peanut butter in a blender. Tip: PEEL and SLICE your bananas before you freeze them.
Next add bulking agents for staying power, like protein-packed vanilla Greek yogurt, and creamy unsweetened vanilla almond milk. You could use any kind of milk you want – cow’s, rice, soy, etc.
PS I started calling cow’s milk, well, cow’s milk, after I stopped drinking it last year in favor of almond milk and it freaks. Ben. out. So hysterical.
Fill the blender the rest of the way up with baby spinach. I think I fit about 4 cups in there today!
Start the blender on “high blend” until everything’s mixed up, then switch it over to “liquify” to get the Green Monster velvety smooth.
Pure green gold!
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Green Monster Spinach Smoothie
Description
Green Monster Spinach Smoothie is packed with good-for-you ingredients — it's my favorite way to start the day!Â
Ingredients
- 1 frozen sliced banana
- 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
- 1/2 cup 0% Vanilla Chobani Greek yogurt
- 1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze (or other kind of milk)
- 4 cups baby spinach (or more, or less)
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
I almost feel guilty enjoying one of these babies, as it tastes like a sweet, indulgent ice cream shake. It’s perfect for breakfast, lunch or even a snack.
Try throwing in different kinds of greens, protein powder, and any frozen fruit or berry combo under the sun. The sky’s the limit with this ultra-healthy, not-healthy-tasting Green Monster Spinach Smoothie!
*Sources: Dole, WH Foods, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Shannon 01.10.2012
I made this smoothie over the weekend and featured it on my blog today. I’m eating smoothies everyday thanks to this! Keep up the great blog!
Allison 01.10.2012
I had a “recipe fail” on this. Not sure what I did wrong, either, considering all the rave reviews. I could totally taste the spinach. I was unable to get the mix totally liquified with my blender, so maybe that was the issue. I will try making this again but will add some berries/fruit juice and reduce spinach to increase sweetness.
Jodie Cotter 01.10.2012
Just had this for lunch. It is awesome. Next stop, seeing if i can get my kids to like it.
Green Monster Spinach Smoothie | A Fork In Each Hand 01.10.2012
[…] Green Monster Spinach Smoothie may not look appetizing to some of you but don’t be intimidated by it’s bright green […]
Lisa G 01.09.2012
Any suggestions for us gals with a tree nut/peanut allergy? I’ve been making my smoothies with 1/4 cucumber, 1/2 banana, a handful of frozen fruit and a handful of kale and spinach but I’d like to add something for staying power.
Iowa Girl Eats 01.09.2012
I would try protein powder – I really like vanilla whey protein powder!
Emily 01.10.2012
I have a tree nut/peanut allergy too, try sunflower butter or soy nut butter in this, it tasted great when I did!
Green Monster « chasingamile 01.09.2012
[…] made this recipe from Iowa Girl Eats. I used Cow’s milk and instead of Vanilla Greek Yogurt I used a […]
Lindsay Silsby 01.09.2012
I love this and definitely want to try it…I have however read that too much spinach for women can lead to increased promotion of osteoporosis, is this true?!
Charlee 01.09.2012
About how much protein powder would you recommend adding? I went out and bought everything today, going to record my little adventure in weight loss! I also bought the frozen fruits to add, the unsweetened kind, since it would be easier and keep longer than the fresh here at my office. Do you just kind of go by taste on that or maybe do a half cup of mixed? Just wondering! Thanks!
Iowa Girl Eats 01.09.2012
Awesome! I usually do half of the scoop that’s usually provided in the protein powder container – probably a heaping tablespoon or so. Frozen fruit quantity is totally up to you – I’d add a 1/2 cup, taste and adjust!
Megan @ Fiterature 01.09.2012
This looks wonderful – thanks for sharing. I’m worried the spinach won’t blend properly and I will have “chunks” in my smoothie – but I use a Magic Bullet (uh-maze-ing!) so I think it should do the trick!
If you want the “sweetness” of the yogurt, but without the dairy, you could add ice for thickness and honey for sweetness. Just an idea!
Gwen 01.09.2012
On my 2nd green monster smoothie since reading your post and they are delicious! I sliced up my bananas and froze them in individual snack bags so they are ready to go when I am…they fit perfectly in my magic bullet right from the snack bag. These are delicous~thank you!
Green Monster | livehalffull 01.09.2012
[…] would it taste like?” I wondered. Finally, after reading Iowa Girl Eat’s post sharing her recipe, I was ready to give it a try. Top secret diet recipe weapon? You’ve sold me, Iowa Girl Eats. […]
Molly 01.09.2012
You can make it for 3 weight watchers plus points…
Banana – 0 pts
Spinach – 0 pts
1 tbsp Better n Peanut Butter (pb substitute) – 1 pt
1 cup UNsweetened almond milk – 1pt
1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt – 1 pt
Total weight watchers points plus -3!!! :)
Nell 01.08.2012
I use pumpkin puree in my green monster as well as a little bit of cinnamon and sometimes a little brown sugar but not very often.
Barbara 01.08.2012
I love green smoothies! I don’t do dairy and I don’t usually add almond milk either but I do add a small handful of almonds or other nuts with water first then add everything else. I like to vary it by using blueberries (covers up the green color too), strawberries…well any kind of fruit works! I keep a lot of frozen fruit around just for smoothies! yum!
Whitney Miller 01.08.2012
I found your blog from Pinterest. I am a green smoothie addict! I liked your recipe. If you want more info on smoothies, their benefits and recipes check out greensmoothiegirl.com and health nut-recipes.blogspot.com
Amanda 01.08.2012
So did you use this to lose any weight, just to be healthy, or both? If so, did you see any results? I did try it this morning and it tastes amazing! Thanks!
Iowa Girl Eats 01.09.2012
I make them for a health boost!
Amanda 01.08.2012
I totally just bought that almond milk to make this! Never tried it before…. can’t wait to make this!
Ariel 01.08.2012
Just curious…can you taste the banana in this? I’m not a fan of them at all and I was wondering if there is an alternative to put in instead of the banana.
Iowa Girl Eats 01.09.2012
I personally don’t think they taste too “banana-y” but I like bananas. You may want to make it with 1/2 a banana, or just sub in some other kinds of frozen I fruit!
Green Monster – aka “salad in a glass” « The Slacker Slim Down 2: My Pants Don't Fit 01.08.2012
[…] was Vince and my first time trying the “Green Monster” spinach smoothie after our morning workout. Someone on facebook suggested this drink and I […]
charity 01.07.2012
just curious, why would you give up cow’s milk and still eat yogurt?
Iowa Girl Eats 01.07.2012
Milk upsets my stomach but yogurt doesn’t for some reason.
Katie @ Pop Culture Cuisine 01.08.2012
I am the same way, I often crave cow’s milk for cereal, but can’t stomach it anymore, but could eat yogurt every day with no problem…odd :)
Love me some green monsters too, thinking I could use a bunch of them this week to get my diet back on track.
Leora 01.08.2012
Not sure if you guys know this but the process used to produce yogurt strains out a lot of the lactose from the milk. Chobani brand is well known for eliminating nearly all the lactose (which is separate from the milk fat that gives it the creaminess we love), resulting in less upset. (I’m also lactose intolerant.)