Green Starter Smoothie

For my birthday last year, I got a blender. To some this may sound like a dull 25th birthday present, but I could not have been more excited. As silly as it sounds, that kitchen appliance changed my life. I'm not exaggerating when I say I use it four or five times a week. It is one of the best presents I have received.

For the first few months, I stuck solely to fruits. Then one day when I was feeling brave, I decided to try those green smoothies everyone was raving about. While the idea of downing a green drink did not really appeal to me the promise of a healthier, brighter complexion certainly did. After my first sip, I was hooked. If that was health, sign me up! I can do this all day, everyday.

And since then, green smoothies have become a staple breakfast at my house. I experiment with just about every green I can get my hands on: romaine, endive, kale, swiss chard, parsley, basil, dandelion greens, arugula. But my one true love, the one I will always, always come back to is spinach. It's also the green I pick when I'm trying to convince my friends and family to convert to the green side. The flavor is extremely mild and it blends into a smooth, creamy texture without one of those freaklishly high-performance blenders. This is why it's the star of my green smoothie for starters. This recipe is perfect if you want to get into green smoothies, but find them a little outside your comfort zone. Start with more fruit and less spinach if you are worried about the taste and remember you can always add honey to bump up the sweetness, but the ripe fruits alone should offer plenty of fructose to please your palate.

Green Starter Smoothie

Serves 1-2 glasses

Total Time: 5 min.

Ingredients:

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1 ripe banana, peeled*

1/2 mango, peeled and pitted

6 large strawberries

1 handful of baby spinach (start with less if you are worried)

1 cup of water (add just to desired thickness)

Ice (optional)

Squeeze of lemon juice

*I like to skip the ice cubes and just freeze peeled, sliced banana

Directions:

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1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Adjust liquid to achieve desired thickness.