The Purple Monster (Green Smoothie)

Green smoothies are all the rage right now.  I was intrigued when I started seeing them pop up on Pinterest all over the place.  I, like many people, was wanting to start some new healthy habits at the start of the year.  I like vegetables, but I do find it difficult to eat enough throughout the day.  So I thought this would be a great way to sneak extra vegetables into my diet, as well as my kids' diets.

I decided to start with a smoothie containing strawberries, blueberries, and bananas.  My kids were already used to these fruits in a smoothie, so I thought it would be easier to get them to drink it.  To my surprise, the blueberries in this smoothie gave it a purple color instead of green (hence the name "Purple Monster"), making it even easier to get them to try it! Score!

I have to admit that I was skeptical, at first, about the taste of this smoothie.  I was sure that I would be able to taste the spinach.  To my delight, I didn't notice the spinach at all, other than a sweetness that it added.  This was also my first experience with almond milk.  I loved it, and my kids did, too!  Sweet success!



The Purple Monster (Green Smoothie)
1 cup  unsweetened almond milk  (I used a vanilla flavored almond milk)
1/2 cup strawberries (I used frozen)
1/2 cup blueberries (I used frozen)
1 banana
1-2 handfuls of spinach

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.  *Blending hints: To make your smoothie thicker, blend in some ice cubes.  Using frozen fruit also helps to thicken smoothies.  If you freeze your banana ahead of time, be sure to peel it first, or you'll have a mess on your hands!  I have also found that if I blend my almond milk with the spinach first, I am not left with any large pieces of spinach.  It blends very smoothly, and then I add the fruit.  Makes 2 smoothies.  Enjoy!