Introducing the Shrek Smoothie
By barbergirl28
Going green....
How many servings of fruits and vegetables should you consume in a day?
According the Food Pyramid, you should have at least 3 to 5 servings of vegetables and another 2 to 4 servings of fruit. Even on the low end, you should be munching down a minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. For a person who doesn’t like fruits and veggies, that can be a whole lot of torture to endure on a daily basis.
If you are one of those people who struggle making healthy choices, then the Shrek Smoothie might be a good option for you. It will pack in your fruit servings and even help get those yucky veggies in as well.
The base of this smoothie is a couple handfuls of spinach and a two bananas. This is great for the person on the go, whether looking for a quick breakfast or just an afternoon snack, this smoothie can be made with ease. With the amount of essential minerals in vitamins in both of these foods, it will improve your digestive health, your immune system, and is also great for weight loss.
Why Spinach
Popeye had the right idea when he ate his spinach. Spinach is a great way to get your fiber. In fact, it offers twice as much fiber as any other green leafy vegetable out there. What does this mean - it will do a better job of making you feel full! This wonderful vegetable is also great for getting a daily dose of Vitamin C and Iron.
Loaded full of vitamins and minerals, spinach is a nutrition superstar! Not only has studies shown this vegetable is great for fighting heart disease and cancer, but it is also a good anti-inflammatory and does wonders for your skin. So, if you are trying to slow down the aging process, don’t shy away from the spinach. After adding spinach to your diet, you are sure to notice the difference in your hair, skin and nails!
Why Bananas
Bananas are probably best known for being a source of potassium, but they have many other benefits as well. With an abundance of vitamin B6, they will not only give you energy, but they can improve your mood and help out your immune system.
Bananas are also high in fiber. Not only will this make you feel full, but it will also help your digestive track. Bananas can also maintain and improve the metabolism, an obvious perk if you are trying to lose weight. Bananas have many great benefits: they can improve muscle and nerve disorders, they can level out blood sugar levels, and they can also minimize the effects of nicotine withdrawals. (Just in case you are a smoker looking at quiting!)
Get your blender here!
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Breaking out the Blender
This recipe is not only healthy, but sure to please. So grab your blender and lets get going!
Ingredients
- 2 bananas
- 2 handfuls of spinach
- ½ cup of frozen peaches
- Selection of fruit (your choice. Recommended is ½ cup of frozen mangos)
- Water
- Ice (if desired)
When I first made this, I used the frozen peaches, but forgot to pick up the frozen mangos. From this little mishap, I realized you can use whatever fruit you have on hand or you prefer. Since I didn’t have mangos, I substituted with pluots, plums, grapes, red raspberries and a variety of other fruit. Depending on your taste preferences, choose a fruit you like or that have on hand. My favorite combination was with the grapes. Frozen fruit will also make the drink ice cold and will stay preserved much longer than if you use nothing but fresh fruit. I recommend a variety.
Instructions
- Grab your blender. Place in all ingredients. Add a little bit of water (about ½ cup, but use your best judegement) to the ingredients in the blender. Blend until smooth. Pour in glass. Add a straw. Enjoy.
Yes… it really is that simple. And the kids love it as well! So if you are looking for a way to get your children to eat their spinach, this will have them wanting more! And it really is that delicious. I can vouch for it because when it comes to eating healthy, it seems easier to just grab a chocolate chip cookie. This, on the other hand, is so easy even I don’t even mind eating my fruits and vegetables!
Featuring the Shrek Smoothie
- The Betty Situation
If you think this recipe is great and you want to give it a try, this fellow hubber knows the benefits of this fantastic drink and featured it in this hub. Read it! I promise you will laugh until you cry!
Even the kids will love this smoothie...
Get your green on with this Smoothie recipe!
Looking for another smoothie recipe that includes spinach? Check out this hub, Healthy Spinach Juice Smoothie Recipe by MissOlive!
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It is like Reeses Peanut Butter cups in a bowl. If you are a fan of pudding, don't miss out on this delicious dessert. - Chocolate martini
If it has been a rough day, a Chocolate Martini might be just what you need.
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Comments
Hi Barbergirl...I love fruit (it is nature's candy) tho...usually not so thrilled by vegetables...you know (not nature's candy) but this will make it doable...I loves me a good smoothie!
I never knew bananas improved your mood...explains the lack of cranky monkeys I suppose. Nice job! Voted every kind of Up I could find.
Barbergirl, what a great name for a smoothie! It immediately caught my interest. I love making smoothies but have never really thought about putting veggies in them, only fruit. I think I could handle a couple of handfuls of spinach, though. Nice idea!
Voted up and useful.
Cloverleaf
I was half expecting you to come out of computer screen and pop me in the head..I am just assuming you have seen those V8 commercials. Smoothies are great and I will be trying the Shrek Smoothie just as soon as I get some spinach.
Love the pic of the girls....
heyy this is awesome please check out my blogs 2!! http://fivehundredfortythreeroxy.hubpages.com/hub/
BG.
I'm a bit of a health nut I'm afraid. Not weird, just healthy. I love any vege God made and fruit also. For breakfast I throw two bananas, 5 large strawberries, and palm full of blue berries, a palm full of fresh pineapple, a hand full of whole grain ceral, and a scoop of whey protein in the blender every morning. Then lots of veges, turkey, and chickern breast. For lunch and dinner. My indulgnce is my peanut butter. I have a massive ..MASSIVE, peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the evening or for lunch.
Excellent hub my dear friend, but spinach and bananas in the blender?? WHOAGHHH!! No freaking way. You CAN NOT be serious! Love ya like a sister, but please don't ever whip that one out on me.
Be watching for my 100th hub celebration. It's going to be a unique hub experience I think. lol You and Real Housewife are both on my very special card!
jim
How did you know this is my favorite smoothie of all time...lol I look green smoothies..and are part of my diet everyday..my little grandson loves them too..Thanks for a great hub.
Sunnie
BBG - I do love spinach - and even make a spinach casserole (it was Laurel's favorite!) So I am not gonna dis it until I give it a try. Do you swear the girls love it - or did you pay them to give it the thumbs up? lol Maybe Abbey and Bella need to tell us in a video:)! ha!
@Arlene - Thanks so much for the comment. I hope that this recipe doesn't dissappoint. I think it is delicious, but I know others who won't even try it because of the spinach. Let me know what you think of it!
@ThoughtSandwhiches - YOu know, I never made the connection between happy monkeys and bananas, but now that you point it out... it makes sense. I too would rather eat my fruits than my veggies. So, if you can mix in the veggies with the fruit... what a winner! Let me know what you think of it once you give it a try!
@Cloverleaf - I was a little skeptical about adding the spinach. They say you can add any green leafy vegetable. I haven't tried anything but spinach in it yet, but the spinach mixes rather nicely and doesnt' overpower the taste. I actually liked adding the grapes to it because it added a good flavor to it as well. I hope you enjoy it!
@Just Ask Susan - you know - if you look really closely it almost looks like the straw is going to poke you in the eye. Was not the intention so I hope I don't get any hate mail from people trying to lick the screen and damaging their computer! ;) I haven't seen those V8 commercials though - I might have to youtube them.
As for the picture - I had to prove that the kids liked it too (even though it had spinach in it!) It was purely for evidence reasons! ;)
@543Roxy - Thanks for the suggestion. I will check it out!
Jim, Jim, Jim, Jim (shaking my head...) you can't be a hater with the spinach and banana mixture until you have tried it! ;) Personally, I like my share of fruit - but it is usually the normal stuff like bananas, strawberries, blueberries... ok, so I like all fruit with the exception of apples (for fear of breaking my front tooth) and oranges (but only cause I hate peeling the damn things), but when it comes to veggies, my palate is very limited. The spinach in here is actually almost unnoticeable with the exception of the green color. For me, just try a little sip. If you absolutely hate it... feed it to some kids you know! :)
I will keep my eyes open for your 100th hub - can't wait for the celebration. I am trying to kick myself into high gear. I set a goal in February to double my hubs (I had 70) by the next year and I am trying to get way ahead of that! I am not to far off!
Okay, maybe just a taste .. Yeah, I'm going to hit the publish button tomorrow. I got over on the hub with this one. I figured out a way to get crazy without having my hub pulled. I think it's a first. Bring some friends to the party, but get a baby sitter for the kids!
jim
@Sunnie - I have to agree... this is one fine recipe. And even better cause the kids will eat it as well. Glad to hear someone else loves this as well! :)
@Real - I pinky swear - the kids love it... maybe I will make the smoothie and video them drinking it just for the heck of it. Unfortunately we have been short on quiet time for video taping... Max has been trying to skip his naps and videos don't turn out as good with him singing Rango in the background! LOL I bet you will get everyone hooked on this too - just like the meatloaf! LOL
Jim, as long as you try just a sip I will be happy. Thanks for the heads up - I will head over there sometime tomorrow and check it out! Curious as to how crazy it is. I will have a babysitter waiting in the wings ;)
Hey - that meatloaf is famous now. Mick had visited in July - I made one for him and he took it home. I spoke to him about a week later and he said it was long gone! So you know, I do totally trust you now that you remind me of that. And - I do love spinach:) I am surprised my forearms arn't bigger!lol
YUM. This does look and sound great. We will give it a try. My boy loves veggies though and eats spinach, cauliflower, okra and most everything else. This will be a nice treat after a long walk or working in the garden. Can I have one now?!
I love this! What a smart, healthy, delicious snack. When I was a kid, I REFUSED to eat fruits AND veggies, but my mom managed to sneak them in via pureed soups. I bet I would have liked a smoothie like this, too! What a great vegetable-phobic-kid recipe.
Spinach in a smoothie? You are very creative. Prasetio30 posted a hub several months ago about spinach. If you didn't see it: http://prasetio30.hubpages.com/hub/All-About-Spina
@Real - I am totally thinking shake weight... ha ha... when you are up to it let me know. We can both go out and get shake weights, try them for a week and see if we notice a difference with our arms... while eating spinach and a week with no spinach... ha ha! LOL
Did you tell Mick that when he is feeling up to it you are gonna make him some meatloaf! I am sure he will be jumping for joy with that one... and tell him you got a smoothie for him as well... it's full of everything he needs to recover faster! :)
And of course, when you get a chance to try it - don't forget to tell me what you think of it! :)
@Hyphenbird - if you were closer I would make you one right now. Unfortunately I have to run to the store - I ran out of spinach. And I can honestly say - that phrase has never come out of my mouth. With exception of green beans and cauliflower (and the occasional iceburg salad) I have never been much of a veggie eater. This will definately help my healthy choices a whole lot. Hope you enjoy it when you get a chance to make it! :)
@Simone - if only your mom would have gotten this recipe sooner. She wouldn't have had to struggle getting you to eat your fruits and veggies. The best part about this drink is that my kids truly do enjoy this. While they are ok with their fruits, sometimes the veggies are hard for them to eat. With this, veggies are no longer a problem!
@Truckstop Sally - I would definately give it a try. I have gotten a lot of people who absolutley refuse to try it, but it really isn't noticeable. If anything, use less (the color might not be so green) and get yourself use to it. I know the first time I made it, I didn't use nearly enough spinach and the smoothie was a little brown. Not appealing to the eyes like a green smoothie is! ;) - I will check out that hub now. I must have missed it! Thanks for the suggestion!
Oh yes I hide the smoothie in a cup that my grandson and husband can't see then they don't see the the green lol
What a great way to get those green vegies into the kids without them wincing or having a battle on your hands trying to get them to eat their greens. Can't wait to make one. Thanks Barbergirl for this great idea.
Excellent hub and ideas for a very healthy smoothie. I'm not a kid but I'd like to try one of these.
Great idea for a smoothie. I will try it with my daughter. Bookmarked it and voted Up, Useful, and Interesting. :0)
The name of Shrek Smoothie is perfect for this. It's a more creative way to get young children to try and and like it. I've done the same thing with sticking different veggies and fruits together with milk and some ice. We had some Instant Breakfast packs on hand and threw that in to give it more of a sweet flavor with some of he concoctions. Smoothies are so economomical, too! Thank you for the Shrek Smoothie recipe!
A friend of mine used to bring strawberry spinach smoothies to work with her. I always wanted to try it. My smoothies are green because I use a powder called Greens. Its like a natural cheat sheet for extra veggies. Unfortunately, my child only likes to drink water. It isn't a bad thing, but she doesn't do smoothies. I will try it anyway. Thank goodness I can still feed her Juice Plus gummies to up her veggie count.
Great idea! Can't wait to try it because I am a big smoothie drinker especially after I work out.
@Sunnie - that's the way to sneak in the nutrition... lol... my kids watched me pour it into the cup... so it is a good thing they like green stuff! :)
@Chrisand - My kids definately goobled it down. I am out of ingrediants so I need to go pick up some more. Let me know what you think of it once you try it! :)
@Fiddleman - Well it is mother-tested and kid-approved... even if it is a kid at heart! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
@Seafarer Mama - Thanks for you kind words. If you get a chance, let me know what you and your daughter think! :)
@Serendipitypalace - YOur suggestions also seem like great ideas. I might have to try that as well and see what I can come up with. I am glad you enjoyed the Shrek smoothie. Now, all we have to do is make them and pop in the movie. That would be a fun night! :)
Hey Barbergirl...mind if I provide a link to this here hub in my next offering?
@Moms-secret - wow - a kid who doesn't like smoothies. That is pretty unusual. But at least she likes water. I think I might have to try the strawberry and spinach smoothie. That sounds delicious. I have had a salad with both in there so mixing them together can't be too bad. As for the powder called Greens - were do you get something like that. I probably could use a cheat sheet for my veggies as well! :)
@Samantha Gold - I think that would be fabulous to have after a workout. It is light yet fills you up. And with all the vitamins and minerals you will be restocked! Good luck - hope you enjoy it!
@Thoughtsandwhiches - Links are golden. Link to me anytime you see fit. I appreciate it! Can't wait to see what your next offering is :)
This is really a great hub I am glad It was recommended to read.Me and My Family Tried This and it was good.Thank's for Sharing.
@legitimo - I am glad that this was recommended to you. Even happier that your family really enjoyed the smoothie! Thanks for stopping by and commenting! :)
OOOOOooohhhh right BBG - I am going to have Mick try this! Oh and I always let you guys know after I try the recipes - part of the fun for me.
Mick already asked for the Meatloaf - he has been going grocery shopping with me:) I can't get him to exercise so I make sure I "forget" items in the store and we walk from one end to the other a lot:) hahahahah! He hasn't caught on yet...lol
Ha ha - that is sneaky sneaky sneaky. I bet you this would really help Mick. After all, with all the vitamins and minerals you are shoving down his throat he is bound to heal faster ... right! He must be doing pretty good if you are taking him to the grocery store with you and he is walking it. After all, it wouldn't be much exercise if he was driving a cart. Glad to hear that.
Oh yeah, and I want to know what Mick thinks of this and if he is requesting it on a regular basis like the meatloaf. I am so excited, I got some more spinach so tomorrow morning I am having a Shrek Smoothie myself! :)
P.S. If you get a chance, I posted a Hub on my facebook page. Another Hubber - ThoughtSandwhiches featured it one of his hubs. It is absolutely hilarious...
Ahhh - I will plug it here in case anybody else wants to read it! http://thoughtsandwiches.hubpages.com/_helper01/hu
go under the supplements tab at BetterLifeBodyWrap.itworks.net
You will find the greens under there.
I have had the strawberry spinach salad too and I am the only one in the house that loved it. Woe is me... LOL. Guess I gotta eat it all alone!
@Moms-secret - I will definately give that a check. It sounds like a good way to add the good stuff into your diet. I am always on some form of health kick so thanks for the suggestion.
As for that strawberry spinach salad - last time I had one of those was February at the Melting Pot. I might just have to do one of those sometime soon! :)
I love veggies and fruit. This sounds like a great way for any in a hurry to get their daily vitamins. I believe I will try this. That is if I can find my blender.
We got our strawberry salad at the supermarket. The Fresh express bagged salad has a great pear gorgonzola and strawberry salad kit. This is just in case you don't get to the restaurant in a while. I am sure theirs must be better, but this may hold you over.
This looks like a good juice fast juice recipe! :)
@PaddyBoy - Definately a tastey way to be healthy... and if you can't find your blender... there are some good ones up above suggested int the article! ;)
@Moms-secret - Yeah - we dont' get to the Melting Pot too often. It is about a 45 minute drive and it can be a little pricey for a family on the budget... so I went out and bought a fondue pot instead! :) HOwever, I am hoping that I will get a chance to go there in September for my birthday! I can taste it already! :)
@weightlossguru - It is absolutely delicious. I think the most time consuming thing might be cleaning out the blender afterwards. I hate cleaning blenders. But it is a necessary evil of making smoothies! :) Hope you get a chance to try it. Let me know what you think of it when you do!
I need to try that out....... :-) Oh and your daughters are too lovely..... :-)
@Sneha Sunny - Thank you so much... I hope you enjoy the smoothie!
Congratulations on your Hub of the Day. Is it smoothies all round!
Yummy! I love to try this smoothie. Bookmark and Voted Up and away. Thanks for sharing. Congrats on the hub of the day.
Hey there barbiegirl28 Superb Hub! Congrats!
What attracted me to your hub was 1. Hub of the day...congrats for that and 2. As an animator the title with the name Shrek and the colour of the drink attracted me.
This got me more interested reading about your magic potion. There sure are quite a few of my family who are adults (by the way) who must me fooled into taking Spinach. I can't wait to make it for all those grown up kids ;o).
Of course right now I am going to give it a try one of these days! Thanks!
I love green smoothies - they are so healthy for you. Great Hub!
WOW, I wonder if I will be able to get my fussy granddaughter to drink this? I have a feeling she will not fall for it.
Congrats on Hub of the Day! As a Shrek fan I've actually made this shake with strawberries instead of mangos just never drank it....my daughter and granddaughter enjoy them more. Great job!!
I love smoothies and the spinach is a great idea since it's hard to get my oldest one to eat it in salads. Raw is always more nutrient dense than cooked so we'll definitely try this. Congrats on your Hub of the Day.
Haven't tried spinach, but kiwi with banana. This is a good alternative. Of course i will try this. Thanks.
Congratulations on being the Hub of the Day! I. Need. To. Try. This. Seriously I've been looking for ways to drink my vegetables since I'm lazy and don't eat them as much as I should. I'm so glad you shared this post. If I had kids I know this Shrek Smoothie would trick them easily. Very clever!
Voted up and awesome.
Congrats on your Hub of the Day award! This is a super recipe from a super hub. :) We like frozen blueberries in our spinach smoothies. All of your suggestions sound fabulous.
Sounds yummy. Congrats on Hub of the Day! Thank you for sharing.
I'm going to have to give this one a try. I don't like veggie drinks but do like spinach. Worth a shot, right? Thanks for the idea.
What a wonderful idea to make this fun for kids and also be healthy... I would totally make this for myself... much better than the banana-chocolate smoothies I make :)
Congratulations on the Hub of the Day!!
Congratulations on being chosen hub of the day
Great for tricking your kids into eating their veggies! My kids would love to drink something called Shrek smoothie!
I never would have thought to put spinach in a smoothie. Great idea for extra nutrients (and color)! Congrats on getting hub of the day.
This hub couldn't have come at a more perfect time. As I write this I realize that of late I have been on a less than healthy path. Years ago I used to juice, and really enjoyed doing that, though the cleanup was always a bit of a chore. Not to say that there would not also be some cleanup in making this, but I think it seems it would be less. A blender is a bit easier to clean than a juicer is. This would be a perfect day starter, and I could take my vitamins along with this as well. I've got this on the list as something I will be starting within the next couple of days indefinitely, so thanks.
Congratulations! I like fruits and vegetables so I will be trying this one. Thanks for sharing.
I think this is such a neat way of combing fruits and vegetables. I see you have the kids fooled too. Great hub and congratulations on the feature.
Going green all the way! I like it. Definitely good for everyone to experience - a Shrek shake! Clever!
@The Blagsmith - Thank you so much... smoothies are definately a great way to celebrate! :)
@Thelma - Thanks so much. This smoothie is really delicious... and with the numerous amount of combinations - you will never be bored! HOpe you like it!
@rembrandz - Thanks for the feedback. With all the love for Shrek - it seemed only appropriate to give him credit for a green smoothie. Not to mention, for those who don't like spinach it is a great way to sneak in the super vegetable, whether it is kids or the grown up kids! :) Let me know how it goes with your family! :)
@Kristine - Thanks. I hope you like this green smoothie... it is definately a treat with lots of benefits. Makes me wonder - what would it taste like as a frozen popsicle. Hmmmmm.... might have to try that!
@Hendrika - I would suggest using less spinach to start off with if she is really fussy about her food. Or, maybe freeze it and tell her it is a popsicle. What child doesn't like a popsicle. I haven't tried the freezing part yet because I just thought of it only minutes ago, but I am definately going to try that and see how it turns out.
@Sunshine - I have yet to try it with strawberries, but I can only imagine they are much easier to find then the frozen mangos - which I actually struggle with. I will give that a try. And the next time you make it, don't forget to steal a sip. :)
@ChristinS - Let me know how it goes with getting the oldest to drink the spinach instead. :) As with all veggies, fresh and not cooked is always the best option for nutrients. However, I also have a lasagna recipe that calls for spinach and that is absolutely delicious. Hope you enjoy this smoothie!
@carolp - I have been switching up the ingredients with this, mainly using the spinach and bananas as a base. I haven't thought of using kiwi... but that is definately going on the shopping list for next time. Hope you enjoy your smoothie!
@applecsmith - I am horrible with eating my vegetables all the time as well. Howver, this is a great alternative and definately much tastier than drinking a V8 (but maybe that is because I don't like the taste of tomato juice) Hope you like this smoothie... look forward to hearing what you thought once you try it! :)
@RTalloni - frozen blueberries will definately push up the health potential of this. After all, I think blueberries are the new super fruit out there. I have heard they do wonders for your metabolism and losing weight. I will definately have to sneak some of those into it! :) Thanks for your suggestion!
@Labrashear - Thank you. I hope you get a chance to try this really soon and enjoy it! :)
@esmeowl12 - definately worth a shot. Especially if you like spinach! :)
@glassvisage - The banana and chocolate smoothies do sound great and have there benefits,this one is also a great option as well. Hope you give it a shot and enjoy it!
@Thought Sandwhiches - Thank you! I hope it has become a great rememedy for you after all the ManwithnoPants partying! :)
@FloraBreenRobison - Thanks for you support. Hope you get a chance to try one. They are delicious!
@Healty Answers Girl - It is definately great for kids. I made one yesterday and my son drank half of it for me. The best part is, soon they will be asking for it and you won't even have to try and get them to eat their veggies! :) Now - if only I can come up with a Princess Smoothie! :)
@RandomCreative - Surprisingly, the spinach adds the extra nutrients but it isn't so overbearing that your really notice it (other than the color). Definately a great option for starting off the day. I like these for breakfast because I am not much of a breakfast eater!
@Springboard - I am glad that you found this. I have always wanted to try juicing but I don't want to deal with the messy cleanup! However, this is a great deal less involved and you don't have any waste left over like you would necessarily with juicing. I look forward to hearing what you think of it and hear how it has made a difference in your life. Eating right can be difficult, but when you find something you really enjoy, it doesn't make it nearly as hard! :) Good luck!
@Jean2011 - Than you. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! :)
@anglnwu - Thank you. The kids definately like this. And for once I am not pulling out my hair trying to get them to eat the healthy stuff. The best part is - it is so easy and painless to make that I don't mind if they ask for it!
@Bluebird - in today's world, going green seems to be the new fad. So why not do it with your food too! It is a great way to be healthy, whether it is for a meal or a snack. I hope you get a chance to try this. Let me know what you think!
Congratulations on the Hub of the Day. The Shrek Smoothie is a winner in my book too.
I may be an adult but I have the appetite of a small child...I hardly ever eat fruits and vegetables...I will be trying this Shrek Smoothie concoction of yours :) voted up, useful, and above all...interesting
Congratulations on being selected for the Hub of the Day!
Wow, this sounds like a great alternative to that nasty stuff they call V8! I'll have to try this because I don't care for spinach but know it's good for me! Great Hub! Voting Up and Sharing!
JSMatthew~
@Hyphenbird - Thank you for your continued support! It is really cool to be selected for the hub of the day. But now to live up to it... what ever will I write next ;)
@LittlePayday - I too sometimes eat as healthy as a child wishes they could. It is funny that we force kids to eat what is good for them while snacking on a candy bar. I need to slap my own hands. But hopefully this will make all the difference!
@J.S.Matthew - I have only had a sip of V8 and definately can't stomach the stuff, even if it is suppossed to be good for you. However, this smoothie definately hits the spot. I hope you enjoy it!
I don't know if I will try this although I like spinach and just bought some for a pasta dish that I'm cooking. Does that count as a veggie? I like smoothies and make my Mom one each morning with fresh fruit and water. She loves it. Maybe I will try the spinach too.
Congrats on hub of the day....
...and kale is even more nutritious than spinach. But you do need to remove the ribs.
and as delicious as it looks, im going to prepare one myself! great hub!
I just made this for my daughter and myself this afternoon. It's delicous...and we will will be making more soon!
Also tried the Peachy Chicken recipe in her "links" last night, and that was delicious, too!
This truly deserves the "hub of the day" distinction! :0)
This sounds real good and great for anyone on a diet. Good hub.
@Marellen - ha ha - you might as well through some spinach in there while you are making your mom a smoothie in the morning. She will never even know the difference. And if it isn't for you, just try a sip, just to quench the curiosity monster. LOL
Thanks for the continued support. I appreciate it!
@raywoltman - I have never actually tried Kale before... hmmmm... I think you could substitute with it, but I am not making any guarantees on the taste because I have no clue how Kale tastes. Thanks for the added suggestion! :)
@Jay - Glad I could convince you to try one. Let me know what you think!
@Seafarer Mama - Thanks so much for the wonderful compliment. Glad you liked both recipes. I like to switch things up when I am cooking so I never get bored of the same old meals. So I have books upon books upon books of recipes. Some I like - well - others I won't even mention! :)
@Moonlake - it definately has good potential for anyone on a diet. With all the extra fruits and veggies you know you will be getting what you need. I think I tried to add it up for WeightWatchers points and figured it is about 4 or 5 points for the entire shake. That isn't too bad at all! And if you fill the blender - you almost have enough for 2!
Now if I could stop being lazy, when I go shopping I could pick up the ingredients instead of just buying a large bottle of Green Goodness. Naaah...
Hi Barbergirl,
So you have lots of recipe books....so do I! Have you read my hub "My Passionate Affair with Recipe Books?" If not, please stop by to read it, and let me know what you think.
http://seafarermama.hubpages.com/hub/My-Passionate
Bottoms up!
@Phil - Green Goodness???? Hmmmm... like a premade bottle of the Shrek Smoothie. I guess it works in a crunch... or regularly ;)
@Seafarer Mama - Ahhhh - you sound like my kind of person. I have the same passionate affair with recipe books. While most people oggle over books with plots, I drool over the ones with recipes! LOL - I will definately check it out!
I am just assuming you have seen those V8 commercials.
Ahhhhh...I was just catching up a little bit....the link was hysterical! So so funny - good times reading;)
@Bride - I have seen a few... but I will definately have to check that link out. Thanks for the suggestion. :)
@Real - The Betty Situation was hilarious. Thought Sandwhiches has a twisted way of looking at things. I like that in a person. I couldn't help but throw it in here. Got to give credit were credit is due! :)
I did really enjoy it! Omg! Perfect.....I went back to my attempts to sleep with a smile on my face:)!
This looks delicious! I admit that the spinach threw me off at first... but I will have to try it soon!
Interesting BBG, but honestly, I don't think I could do the spinach thing. To me, I think it actually looks better than it will taste. I love the concept of getting fruits and veggies in this way but I'd have to do it with another veggie. I also love the pics - so adorable! And I also love the "trillion" comments that are provoked by your writing! Very cool!
Sharyn
@Real - glad you enjoyed it. I hope your attempt finally won over. Not getting much sleep is bad! LOL
@Megan - I think the spinach throws a lot of people off. My mother in law refuses to try it. She doesn't know what she is missing. But really, if you are scared of the spinach being in there, try using a little less and getting your taste buds used to it. It might not be as green, but it is a good option. However, I don't even notice the spinach in there at all!
@Sharyn - Ha ha - you can actually use any green leafy vegetable you want in this recipe. Spinach is the ideal one because of it's super doses of all good things! But it isn't really noticeable. I think the only noticeable thing about it is the green color.
As for the comments. I could have never imagined that this would have taken off the way it did. I am super excited about that! I think this is my most popular hub to date! :)
Sharyn's Slant - try it once! Take the chance. I am completely peer pressuring you but it is for a good cause! Go Sharyn's Go!
I had an avocado smoothie today, so I had to click on this picture when I saw it. Great hub and sounds healthy. I will try it!
@Moms-Secret - love the peer pressuring. Come on Sharyn. Go Sharyn Go!!! :)
@felicitylovespari - it is amazing the things I learn just from this article. All the wonderful different smoothie suggestions. I love avocados so that is something new to make into a smoothie. What do you mix with it?
I really want to try this but I'm scared of the spinach... you know how picky I am!! Do you think I would like it?
Sorry that I'm just getting to you barbergirl28. Congrats on this being the hub of the day!
I tried your stuffed pepper recipe, which was awesome! I think I'll give this one a try too!
@Myth - I know you will like it. You do like fruit! But, if you are intimidated by the spinach, try with only one handful instead of two. I can't really taste it. The fruit kind of disguises it to wear it isn't noticed. But I will see, if you add too much spinach, add more fruit until you find a taste you like! I would go for it. And then tell me what you think. Besides, you need this shake with the lack of food you usually eat!
@imatellmuva - Late is better than never! :) As always, I appreciate you stopping by. Glad you enjoyed the stuffed peppers. I am going to have to make those again real soon. As for this, it is definately worth it. Hope you enjoy it!
Ya... I agree with you that I need to try it. I just hate greens so much that it intimidates me a bit. but I will let you know what i think when i get around to trying it!!
@Myth - get out and get around to it... when you get around to trying it sounds like it will never happened. I promise, you won't even taste it. In fact, it will be your premier way of eating your salads from now on... Now go and get your grocery shopping done! :)
Looking through old emails, I will add to the: Congratulations on the Hub of the Day! What a special talent to teach your kids to love green food. Rate up as special mom in the kitchen, too. Blessings, Debby
@Debby - Glad you came across this while looking through some old emails. I think it is a mighty tasty drink. I don't get much... my son usually tries to steal all mine! LOL
I will definely try this smoothie I love smoothies and will try some of your other recipes Thank You!
@myawn - This is a great recipe. It is so easy to make and full of great for you ingredients. If you try a few other of your favorite fruit combinations it gives it a whole new flavor. Definately one of my favorites! :)
Great suggestion and a good selling point for kids. I'm lazy to eat much fruit, so smoothies work well for me.
Thanks for SHARING.
@Brett - I feel the same way... when it comes to fruits unless it is a banana... I am usually too lazy to actually consume it. I know - it sounds really stupid... but the cookies just seem so much easier to grab. To top it off... this is nice because you can use the frozen fruit which means you save money by not letting fresh fruit go to waste. Thanks for stopping by. Hope you enjoy the smoothie!
Thanks for the recipe. Spinach and banana. Who knew? What a killer combination. If the kids love it, then it's got to be good.
MMMMmmmmmm mangoes and peaches YUM! I LOVE this variation. Spinach smoothies are so good for us. You've laid out a very informative and tasty hub. No wonder you got Hub of the Day. And what can be cooler than a SHREK smoothie? I've written a couple of spinach hubs and I've included this one with my spinach smoothie recipe. Thanks for a great hub! Voted up and shared.
@organicrecipes - I hope you enjooy this recipe... it really is a killer combination - not only in taste but in the health benefits too. And believe me... my kids are picky eaters! :)
@missolive - Thanks so much for the link as well. I love this recipe... it is just so easy to do. I was a little leary at first because I wasn't sure how I felt about mixing spinach and fruit, but I have never really tasted it! I have thrown a few other things in there as well, but the peaches and the mangos will actually make it green. When you start throwin other stuff in there, I can't promise what color it will come out. One time - my shrek smoothie looked like a mud pie! LOL
YUMMY! I love the green smoothies...Never have tried this combination but sure will now! Thank you!
This smoothie sure looks yummy and would taste great as well. Though I love spinach anyway its made, I adore it in yogurt. We give spinach leaves a boil, squeeze out the water, add to yogurt and add black salt, roasted & ground cumin seeds to taste. It tastes awesome.
I need to try this out. I like the fruit variations suggested as this will make the smoothie taste different each time.
Great thoughtful recipe, now that summer is not far away.
Voted up. Shared it on my social network.
Sounds excellent. I love to make smoothies. I can't wait to try it. Voted up and useful. Socially shared.
To think, the idea of a smoothie never did occur! i shall definetly try this! thank you very much, this hub was a great read!!! voted up!
@Sunnie Day - This one is absolutely delicious... I mean - my kids even tried stealing it from me! And you can't deny the taste buds of a kid! Hope you get to try it soon!
@Rajan - Thanks so much for the tip. I will be the first one to admit that I have always shyed away from spinach until just recently. When it came to green leafy veggies I always stuck to the good old fashioned iceburg lettuce. Yet, I can't believe I have been missing out on so much by not eating spinach sooner.
Hope you enjoy this recipe... and it is a great time to try it with summer around the corner. A great way to cool on down! :)
@Kimberly - Can't wait to see what you think of this when you get a chance to make it. I find it absolutely delicious! And my kids enjoy it to. This is the perfect time of year for smoothies. Once it gets warm it will be all about a nice drink to cool you off! :)
@Clayton - I hope you get a chance to try this soon. It definately won't disappoint! :)
I would never have thought of combining banana's and spinach.
What a great idea and so simple. (the best ideas usually are)
And those kids have no clue Mwah ha ha ha!
Think I may try this myself.
Voted up and all the buttons sharing.
I really cannot wait for my CSA to start delivering my fresh veggies every week! I made spinach smoothies last year but didn't try bananas with it, will have to try that this season! voted up and shared!
Perfect timing! I just blogged (at thejoyoffitness.wordpress.com) about my green shake breakfast about which my daughter said, "That looks radioactive." Funny and yet delicious!Good hub.
Great idea! What is a pluot?
pinned it! Although I don't know if i would drink it myself because i am averse to vegetables...I think my son would find it fun! He loves Shrek!
nice idea wonder if the green colour will upset
Great article! Shrek smoothies for me. I'll hold my nose and drink it down, whether it gives me a smile or gives me a frown (cheesy rhyme for entertainment). Anyway, thanks for sharing and keep writing awesome articles!
I'm definitely going to give this recipe a shot. Sounds healthy and delish all at once. Thank you!
I am anxious to prepare this Shrek smoothie for my grandchildren. I expect it to be a winner. They love bananas.
Thanks for sharing.
I would have never thought of spinach and bananas. I will have to try that one! Love pic of the cute little darling. voted up!
Congrats on your "Hub of the Day' award. This hub definitely deserves it.
I love fruit and veggie smoothies; to mask the veggie taste, I use a 3 to 1 ratio of fruits to veggies. Spinach makes the smoothie "hearty," so I love to include it. I also add some protein powder, psyllium husk, and use a combo of (a little) fruit juice and coconut water to liquefy it. I know the purest say you shouldn't add anything other than fruits, veggies, and water but my smoothie makes a really hearty meal.
Voted up and very useful!
Thank you so much for sharing. I am looking for sugar free smoothies. That are also healthy.
@molometer - This really is a good combination... and a great way to get your veggies in if you are a picky eater. While originally it was just intended for me to get in the veggies I was pleasantly surprised my kids liked it. And you are right - they never suspected a thing! :)
@amberld - This is a great combination... and bananas are definately one of my favorite fruits. Funny, because it used to be the only fruit I religiously ate. I hope you enjoy this smoothie when all your fresh veggies start coming in! :)
@greatparenting - That is too funny... but at least it didn't taste radioactive. While I was playing with this I added a few different fruits and one concotion turned brown. It actually looked like you were drinking mud. Yeah - tasted good - but visually didn't look like it would! I can understand what your kids were thinking.
@jenna - A pluot is kind of like a plum variation I believe. They are really good. My father-in-law introduced me to them and I got hooked. Unfortunately, they are a bit difficult to find... so I was looking for them the other day and couldn't find them! Bummer - gonna keep my eyes open for them.
@Peter - I know the feeling. I go through phases... sometimes I like my veggies and other times, I really don't. However, if you do happen to make this for you kid - don't hesitate to try a sip. Who knows - you might like it! :)
@barryrutherford - I hope the green color doesn't upset. When it comes to color therapy it is supposssed to be soothing! Hope you get a chance to try one out! :)
@Robert - Thanks for the entertaining comment - made me smile. Although I hope it doesn't make you frown but yep jump for joy! :)
@vespa - Hope you enjoy this... it is definately nice and refreshing!
@levertis - I hope they love it! Let me know how it turns out!
@adrienne2 - it really is a nice balance. Hope you get a chance to try it! :)
@PWalker - That is a pretty good ratio for making any smoothie. I guess for me, I have always used pure fruits, veggies and water. I have been hearing a lot about coconut milk, almond milk lately, but have yet to really try them. Maybe I should for a heartier meal! Thanks for your added input! :)
@Duchessoflilac1 - Smoothies are great and they are healthy since you don't really need to add anything. Fruits are naturally sweet. Glad you enjoyed this hub! :)
Use coconut WATER, not milk barbergirl28. Big difference :-).
@PWalker - Ahhh... coconut water... probably a big difference... lol... definately will have to try that!
Stacy, I love the title; Shrek Smoothie!!! This would be so good for me and my boyfriend!!! I am not a spinach fan, but this would give me the chance to hide its benefits with yummy bananas!!! Great hub! You definitely deserved hub of the day!! Voted up!!!
@iamaudraleigh - I was a little skeptical about doing this at first as well, but honestly, I didn't taste the spinach at all. To start off though, I would add a little and increase dosage over time... that way you can always make sure you have more fruit to mask the spinach. Hope you and your boyfriend love this!
Love this smoothie recipe, the bananas cover the flavor of the spinach well. This can be a great way to pack in as much nutrition as possible in one easy serving. Excellent hub, rated useful, awesome, and interesting :)
@Olde Cashmere - This is really a great recipe if you are looking for a great nutritional punch. It definately does cover the flavor of the spinach if you are not a fan. Hope you get a chance to try it soon!
I want to check in and tell you that my son loves spinach in all his smoothies now. We tried your recipe and we love it. Thanks for this healthy recipe:)
@KimberlyLake - Oh yeah! I am so happy to hear that! :)
Arlene V. Poma 9 months ago
Ah, yes! Very well-written and illustrated. And enticing enough for this 53-year-old semi-carnivore to give this recipe a try. Voted up, useful and interesting! Blender instead of a juicer. And, I'm following you for future recipes and ideas. Thanks!