Do you ever feel like you need to hit that reset button? I’ve been feeling that way during this brutally long winter here in Chicago, especially after coming off of the Polar Vortex where it hit -50º windchills.This cold weather just makes you crave comfort food and sometimes you just need a break from all that hearty eating.
I actually started sneaking kale and spinach into our smoothies after Lincoln decided to become a picky eater. I needed some way to get those healthy greens into him! This Super Green Smoothie feels even more rewarding, because it’s chock full of greens and sweetened only through fruits and a homemade raisin paste!
Just whip up a batch of the raisin paste and keep it in your fridge. Then it’s ready for you anytime you want to make a smoothie on the fly and feel like giving your body a healthy jolt.
Watch how I whip it up in EPISODE 8 of Bits + Pieces Cooking Show. For this Season, we’re focusing on easy and yummy snacks, but I would totally have this for breakfast…even on the go! Watch our NEW VIDEO BELOW:
The best part of this Super Green Smoothie is that it actually tastes really mellow and smooth. I don’t know if it’s a combination of the nutty almond milk or the raisin paste, but there’s no grassy raw taste from the greens! It goes down easy and is Lincoln-approved!
In fact, every time I make it, not only does he finish his whole cup full, but he usually goes for seconds. It’s a guilt-free treat that I often will whip up on the side of a meal, especially if I know I’m just going to be giving him mac and cheese or chicken nuggets.
But it’s a tasty good-for-us smoothie that the whole family NEEDS and enjoys. Feel free to make it more “super” by adding any combination of flax seeds, chia seeds, oatmeal, yogurt, and more! the variations are endless and you really can’t go wrong.
My grandmother always used to tell me that looking at objects of nature that were green was healthy for your eyes. I don’t know if that’s true, but it does make me happy. So grab a mason jar and a straw and sip away those winter blues!
Super Green Smoothie
Ingredients
- SMOOTHIE
- 2 ½ cups almond milk
- 3 tablespoons *raisin paste recipe below
- 1 banana
- 1 cup chopped kale leaves
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 cup frozen strawberries or berries of your choice
Instructions
- In a blender, place almond milk, frozen strawberries, banana, kale, spinach, and raisin paste.
- Blend until smooth.
Raisin Paste
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups dried raisins
- 3 cups boiling water
Instructions
- Place raisins in a glass bowl. Pour enough boiling water on top to cover the raisins. Set aside for 10 minutes or more if needed to rehydrate the raisins and make them plump. Reserve ½ cup raisin water and drain.
- Transfer drained raisins into a food processor or blender. Blend until the raisins make a thick paste. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you have a smooth peanut-butter like consistency.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks. You can also freeze raisin paste cubes and store them in freezer bags.
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Hi again Julie,
Shane from Australia here again, I have just tried your Super Green Smoothie and it’s just wonderful.
My wife has a great crop of spinach and kale in the backyard, so what a wonderful way to use it straight from the garden. The raisin paste was so easy to make and was definitely the hero of the smoothie. We found that our first impression was that the smoothie had apple in it, so it’s a huge thumbs up for the raisin paste.
Next on my list to try is your Korean Mapo Tofu, I’m just sourcing the ingredients at the moment.
I will definitely let you know how it goes.
Once again, a huge thank you for sharing with us what you love. You are such an inspiration.
Best regards
Shane