Green Juice or Smoothie – That is the Question

Some days I love a green juice and others I crave a smoothie. There are benefits to both and they each have their place in my beverage repertoire. Juice delivers nutrients straight to your system quickly in the most easily digestible form; best on an empty stomach. A smoothie keeps the fiber of the fruit and veggies intact for a more filling drink to keep you satisfied longer. Since a smoothie is thicker, you can turn it into a smoothie bowl when you’re not on the go and add toppings for flavor and color.

To be honest I can’t remember if I juiced or blended the green drink featured above. Either way, it was delicious and too beautiful not to share. So, I figured why not show you how to make it both ways – either way it’s a glass full of goodness. The flowers were from Bouqs.

Ingredients

• Cucumber 2 big or 4-5 smaller
• Lemon 1 whole
• Ginger (qty depends on how much of a kick you like)
• Celery 4-5 stalks
• 1/2 Green apple
• Spinach (or Romaine for lighter flavor; Kale works too – or any leafy green of choice), a few handfuls

Feel free to add additional items or mix it up – if you love pineapple and want a touch more of sweetness, you can add that; if you want more greens, you can use a variety of different leafy greens all together. There’s no wrong way to make a green juice.

How to Drink Your Greens

To make the juice

I roughly cut the produce.

I use Easy Clean Juicer which is easy enough for my 12-year-old to use too and true to its name, it really is easy to clean!

To make the Smoothie

To make a thick green smoothie, you’ll use all the same ingredients as you did in the juice, PLUS add liquid to help it blend. I love to use coconut water and some aloe vera - either fresh or aloe vera juice.

I also sometimes add some ZenBasil seeds for extra fiber and Hemp Seeds for protein – both undetectable to taste.

Frozen chunks of avocado can also make it extra creamy and filling.

The key to a well-blended smoothie is to start with the liquid that helps everything else combine perfectly. Don’t be afraid to use the tamper tool that the blender comes with. It may seem like the smoothie is stuck and not blending. Rather than rush to add more liquid, use this tool to push down a few times and help the blending along. You will end up with a smoothie that is thick, creamy and full of flavor.

I have been using a Vitamix blender for the past 10+ years, which has certainly stood the test of time. There are newer models, but this one has been irreplaceable, so I am using it until it breaks. It is large, so if you are short on space there are blenders that make individual smoothies for one that are great too (the Ninja is one).

Another key is the cup-ball jars make great containers, but sometimes for on the go, we need disposable. Sharing my favorites here. You can also check out the reusable glass straws here. Also, fun when not on the go to drink out of this milk glass.

Are you team Juice? Or Smoothie?

I would love to hear feedback about the Green Juice and Smoothie. If you’ve tried it, let me know!

Also, be sure to check out another healthy recipe such as my HealthIER Chocolate Chip Cookies.