Green Power

In honour of St. Patrick's Day (I don't think I have any Irish blood but my husband's grandma was from Dublin) I decided to "think green" in a healthy way, in stark contrast with most people I know who celebrated the day with copious amounts of green beer.


Green Protein Smoothie:
(My 10-year-old loves these, especially to power him up before a soccer game or practice, and sometimes it's the only way I can get him to eat his greens!)

Blend:
8 - 10 oz spring water
One banana
One cup or two of frozen fruit or fresh (strawberries, blueberries, peaches, mangoes, etc. Organic is ideal. If using fresh then add ice to make it nice and cold.)
Tablespoon of olive oil
Two or three handfuls of baby spinach leaves
One scoop of protein powder (my 10 year old likes this brand called Vega Choc-A-Lot)
Optional: A couple tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt (or to keep it green, how about lime Greek yogurt. I love the Oikos brand.)

Other green things you can add to a smoothie that are good for you:

Avocado - Its mild flavour mixes well with fruit and it makes your smoothie extra smooth.
Kale - I haven't tried it in a smoothie, but because it's such a great super food, I think I'll try it one day.
Pistachios - If almonds and walnuts work, why not pistachios?

A St. Patrick's Day Green Salutation List:

Habanero pepper
Alfalfa sprouts
Parsley
Poblano chiles
Yard long bean

Spinach
Turnip greens

Pears
Arugula
Turnip greens
Rapini
Italian parsley
Cabbage
Kale
Swiss chard

Dill
Avocado
Yu Choy








(Most of the produce from this "green list" came from "Dr. Richter's Fresh Produce Guide" published in 2004 by Try-Foods International, Inc.)