Thick and rich!
I was feeling full today and not really into eating, but I knew I needed my nutrients. I had no intention of writing a post about this today… I just wanted something quick and easy. Therefore, I don’t have all the usual pictures I would take showing the ingredients and the process.
I took one sip of the finished smoothie and knew I had to share it with you.
I was planning on using the organic berries I had in the freezer, but instead I opened the refrigerator and my gaze fell on the ripe cantaloupe already sliced and ready to go. Bham – that’s what I wanted. I gave it a quick taste after blending in the Vitamix and fell in love.
If you’re looking for a light and fresh smoothie, this is not that. This smoothie is dark and rich. Some might think it is more like drinking a dessert. If you want to keep it light, blend without the dates.
Ingredients
2 cups Water
1-2 cups Greens
1 Banana
1 cup fresh Cantaloupe
3 fresh Basil leaves
6-8 sliced Dates (to taste)
2 tablespoons Whole Flaxseeds
1 scoop Green Protein Powder
Directions
Add all the ingredients to the blender container in the order listed.
Blend for 35 seconds.
Serve topped with a few slices of cantaloupe.
Greens
Use any green you like that is not going to overpower the cantaloupe such as spinach, kale, dandelion, etc.
If you are drinking green smoothies daily, don’t forget to rotate your greens so you’re getting access to the many different kinds of nutrients that each raw green has to offer.
Rotating your greens means rotating between different types of greens so you’re not eating from the same green family every day. For instance, I purchase 2-3 different greens every week which might include kale, carrot tops, and dandelions. If I purchased different types of kale I would not be rotating my greens because they all came from the same green family.
Flaxseeds
Although I don’t always add extra vegetable fiber to my smoothies, I always add whole flaxseeds. They’re full of Omega-3 essential fatty acids, “good” fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects.
Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s. They also contain Lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. Flaxseed contains 75 to 800 times more lignans than other plant foods. And of course they’re a good source of Fiber. Flaxseed contains both the soluble and insoluble types. There are other sources for these health benefits, but whole, organic flaxseeds are relatively affordable compared with the others.
Types of Blenders
If this is your first time making a green smoothie, you need to know why I prefer a Vitamix to other blenders. I have many other blenders, including a Cuisinart and several Ninjas, but they don’t break down the raw ingredients as well as a Vitamix.
What you will find after using other types of blenders blenders is bits and pieces of green and pulp floating in your smoothie, which is not very palatable – I don’t like to chew my smoothies!
Give this recipe a try – I hope you like it. Leave a comment and let me know if you’ll make it again!
P.S. I absolutely LOVE my Vitamix. I have used it every single day since I purchased it… best investment I ever made. The Vitamix blends all the greens and fiber to a smooth consistency – nothing is left at the bottom of the blender!
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