Tonight I decided:
It was time for smoothies.
I’ve been on and off feeling terrible, and I know it’s my diet. So I decided that the kids and I would have smoothies.
We hopped in the car and started our way towards Jamba Juice.
“What kind of smoothie would you guys like?” I asked. “Pomegranate, peach, or mango?”
“O-meal,” said the first. “Crackers!” said the second.
“Guys, those aren’t smoothies! How about mango? Don’t you think a mango smoothie would be good?” I asked, hoping to redirect their focus.
“Mango, ah, mango!” said the first. “Crackers!” repeated the second.
We got to Jamba Juice and ordered a large smoothie. All-fruit mango. Fortunately, Lucy was not disappointed in my choice of smoothies. I was hoping that she would realize that smoothies are better than crackers, after all.
Next we went to Whole Foods Market to get ingredients for our own smoothies at home. We got kale, spinach, carrots, apples, mangos, a lime, some kiwis and chia seeds. None of their bananas were ripe, so we went to Raley’s and picked up some bananas and kombucha (for me).
Smoothies are great, but smoothies are even better when you pack them with greens. It’s a little disappointing with some blenders, which tend to chop the leaves instead of blending them, but fortunately we have a Vitamix blender, which will even turn an avocado pit into juice. Some types of greens will actually add a sweet flavor, and practically all greens are tremendously good for you – particularly organic greens.
We came home and I cleaned up the blender. Here is the first smoothie we made:
- Pineapple juice (from concentrate, about 20 ounces)
- Red kale (approximately one full stem, with the leaves)
- Bananas (two)
- Spinach (one pinch)
- Fuji apple (about one-third)
- Mango (half)
- Lime (one squeeze)
- Chia seed (a third-cup or so)
- Water
It was very good! The kids loved it. I went ahead and made a second smoothie:
- Pineapple juice (from concentrate, about 14 ounces)
- Dinosaur kale (two stems, with the leaves)
- Banana (one)
- Fuji apple (about two-thirds)
- Carrot (a small one)
- Lime (one long squeeze)
- Chia seed (a third-cup or so)
- Water
The second smoothie was also very good. It had more of a “greens” taste, probably because of the extra kale, the carrot, and less fruit, but it also felt more filling. One of the things I love about smoothies with greens in them is that they can feel really filling, in an energizing sort of way. You feel full and more alive, rather than feeling weighed down and sick.
We’ll have to try and make more in the morning. I sometimes forget that eating is meant to give our bodies energy and the nutrients we need. In a sense, we are alive because of the “life” we take from the things we eat and drink. The more raw and alive (and just plain healthy in a common-sense way) our food is, the more “life” there is for our body to use. No wonder this stuff is supposed to heal cancer.
It healed my sweet tooth and my hungry stomach, and that’s good enough for me.