Green Smoothie

As the onslaught of rich meals and desserts continues in this season, I like to balance out with light, healthier foods whenever possible. I don't believe in any diets, or cutting out on any food groups. My strong philosophy towards eating has always been that of moderation - Consume  sensible portions of everything ( unless there are medical reasons not to do so), exercise at least three times a week, treat yourself kindly.

And so after a night of Diwali party, its a good idea to detox, soothe and energise yourself  with this  utterly delicious Green  Smoothie  the next day! 🙂

Now before you turn up your nose , hear me out...apart from the gorgeous green colour, there is no telling its got spinach in it, taste-wise.  I use very lightly steamed or blanched spinach ( with its water), primarily because  I digest it better cooked . And for my fussy family, it works because there is no raw taste...and God forbid, I give  them any raw veggies. To drink!!

Spinach is a store house of nutrients -  fat soluble vitamins A, E & K, water soluble vitamins C & B minerals like potassium and magnesium. Freshly squeezed orange juice with pulp  ( more Vitamin C) in this smoothie aids in better absorption of high iron available in the vegetable. Because of its high water and fiber content, it also promotes a healthy digestive  system.

Ginger, with its anti -inflammatory and gut friendly properties adds  a slight sharpness to offset the sweetness of fruits here. Now add  some wheatgrass powder, homemade vegan protein powder ( recipe below and on my Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls post) and oats to the mix and you got yourself one amazing nutrient rich, high protein, high fiber smoothie to keep you charged for a few hours! And it really is so creamy and tasty,  just take my word for it and try it out!

So enjoy all the festivities and keep the balance. I’d love to hear from you!  Please leave a comment below and share a picture of your creation on INSTAGRAM using the hashtag #tashasartisanfoods.

NOTES:

• I like to use lightly cooked spinach ( with its water). But by all means go ahead and use raw, if you'd like to.
• You can leave out the oats to make a lighter smoothie or add some popped amaranth to the mix.
• I've started using lightly roasted oats in my smoothies as I digest them better. You can use them raw if you want though.
• Please drink this smoothie immediately as it will lose its nutritional value the longer it sits.

Print Recipe

Green Smoothie

Servings: 2 persons

Calories:

Author: Natasha Minocha

Ingredients

Smoothie

• 1/4 cup Oats lightly roasted
• 1 cup Spinach, lightly blanched use its water too
• 1 Banana, sliced and frozen
• 1 Apple, diced
• 1 Tbsp Homemade protein powder See the recipe below
• 1.5 tsp Wheatgrass powder
• 1/2" Fresh ginger root, sliced thinly
• Freshly squeezed juice of 2 oranges

Protein Powder

• 1/4 cup Popped Amaranth
• 1/4 cup Peanuts unsalted, roasted
• 1/4 cup Almonds unsalted, roasted
• 2 Tbsp Flax seeds unsalted, roasted
• 2 Tbsp White sesame seeds unsalted, roasted
• 2 Tbsp Pumpkin seeds unsalted, roasted
• 2 Tbsp Sunflower seeds unsalted, roasted
• 2 Tbsp Chia seeds

Instructions

Smoothie

• Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
• If you'd like a thinner consistency, add some water to thin it down.

Protein Powder

• Place all the ingredients except for chia seeds in your coffee grinder and blend till you get a coarse powder. Add the chia seeds and pulse it 3-4 times to break it down coarsely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

Recipe for homemade protein powder  adapted from Ticklingpalate