Courage and Green Smoothies

As some of you know, my husband and I were in Florida a couple weeks ago with a group of 120 teens for the annual Youth For Christ Florida Breakaway trip. It was an awesome time, and we really enjoyed the sunshine and warmth. Unfortunately, going on vacation did not motivate me to eat healthy and run every day. Between the fast food on the ride down, the camp food while we were there, and the countless snacks that YFC provided, I completely lost track of what I was putting into my body.

So, after some hesitation, I decided to bite the bullet and try something new to help my cleanse and get a fresh start... green smoothies! Now, I've never actually had the guts to put something as... weird... as spinach in my smoothie right along with my berries and bananas. But with the help of my husband and the bass player in our band, we took the step together. What I found was surprising!

We tried a smoothie with kale first, and while it wasn't too bad, I didn't like the way that the kale didn't really blend too well. It's texture causes it to stay in little tiny pieces. But I didn't give up. Next, I tried one with spinach, and I really enjoyed it (plus, I was getting all that green goodness and I couldn't even taste it!)

So my challenge to you today is this: try something new! Just because it sounds 'healthy', doesn't mean that it tastes like cardboard, or worse. The best part about this is that my toddler absolutely loves smoothies, and now she is getting her veggies every day!!

Here is an idea on how to make a delicious green smoothie. Remember, the possibilities are endless. Don't be afraid to be creative and try new combinations!

2 Cups of a green: kale, spinach, collards... you choose!
1 Cup ice (optional)
1 Banana (I always use a banana in mine, but you dont have to)
1 Cup Fruit (or to taste): orange and pineapple for a tropical taste, or mixed berries... experiment!
1 Cup Juice: Apple juice, orange juice, pineapple juice... your choice, just try for 100% juice... for the whole health part ;)
1-2 tsp sugar: If you like it a little sweeter, go ahead and add the sugar...

Blend on, my friends!!
(And let me know how they turn out!)