It’s not breaking news that kale is the wonder food of late.
Basically, it’s dark leafy green-ness make it insanely good for you.
BUT… I’m a big fan of enjoying how my food tastes, not just eating to survive. I love food. I love naughty foods like sugar and all of it’s offspring…brownies, cookies, cakes, regular coffee. I love pasta and bread and cheese and a whole host of foods that are not exactly considered clean eating. And my kiddos love all these things too. We eat them in moderation, but still, I am always looking for ways to counterbalance the foods that we really enjoy but are not as good for us.
My favorite way to pack a whole lot of goodness into our day? A smoothie with a hidden kale leaf or two.
For all of you who can’t fathom sucking back a green smoothie, I PROMISE you, a fruit smoothie with kale is the way to go. Surrounded by all sorts of other yummy things, the kale isn’t even detectable. It doesn’t make the taste bitter or, God forbid, healthy tasting. The key for me: I have found that blending the kale as finely as possible before adding other ingredients makes for a better consistency.
Throw a leaf or two into a blender with water (1/4 cup will do) and hit liquefy. You want all those leafy particles to get chewed up and broken down as much as possible so your smoothie is, well, smooth.
Then add any fruits that float your boat. I always throw something frozen in the blender so the smoothie has a shake-like consistency. Frozen strawberries, blueberries or mixed fruit work well, or slice and freeze bananas for this purpose. If you don’t have any frozen fruit add a few ice cubes. And if you have fresh fruit on hand, throw some of that in there too! The combinations are endless. I also like to add a heaping tablespoon of Greek yogurt to my smoothies, and regular yogurt to the kids’, to give the smoothie a bit of creaminess.
The fruit does add natural sugar to your smoothie, but it can also serve to satisfy your sweet craving.
Be creative – try new combinations and sneak some goodness into your diet. I have experimented with nuts and seeds in my smoothies but find they don’t break down as much as fruits and veggies, leaving me with a sand-like texture that I don’t love. Also fruits with seeds like raspberries or blackberries give the smoothie a granular texture.
Do you have any secret ingredients for your smoothies? Do share – I’d love to hear!
{And yes, kale is part of the brussel sprout family….in particular the Brassica family from which cabbage, collard greens, and broccoli hale from also!}
Elizabeth @ The Little Black Door says
That really is a great idea. I'm trying to come up with some smoothie recipes. These are great!
Nantucket Daffodil says
I am also a fan! In fact, the extremely picky 14 year old who won't eat ANYTHING begs me to make kale chips. Go figure.
pam {simple details} says
That's so similar to our smoothies ~ oj, Greek yogurt, banana, frozen blackberries, raspberries and blueberries – every.single.morning! I'm going to try to sneak in some kale ~ wish me luck! 🙂
pam {simple details} says
That's so similar to our smoothies ~ oj, Greek yogurt, banana, frozen blackberries, raspberries and blueberries – every.single.morning! I'm going to try to sneak in some kale ~ wish me luck! 🙂
Dana Frieling says
My kids are pretty good at eating veges but I'm all about sneaking them in whenever possible. This looks like a delicious option. Thanks for sharing, Lisa.
Kelly @ View Along the Way says
YUM! I used to do this all the time but have gotten away from it. Now I'm craving a big ol' tasty smoothie!
kane @ let property insurance says
Well it seems to be a great smoothie and my kids love it. Thanks for sharing Lisa and look forward for some more recipes.