I use frozen spinach in mine. I just break open the container and put in the microwave for about 30 seconds to soften it, then I cut it into 4 portions.

I like:
spinach
1 apple (I am lazy and leave the peel on.)
1/2 banana
Cinnamon
Almond milk

Blend all together. It is so yummy, and you only taste the
apple/cinnamon.

Yes to bananas for ice cream! I got a "yonanas" machine for xmas... Makes ice cream from frozen fruit!!

Those smoothies look great, can you do frozen spinach or is that ridiculous? Ha i want to make one in the morning but only have frozen!

You know if you freeze bananas you can make ice cream out of them in the blender? All you do is freeze the bananas (peel before freezing) and then whip up 2-3 of them in the blender and the texture is incredibly like real ice cream. Add a dash of vanilla extract for flavor.

My morning smoothie:

big handful of spinach
1/2 frozen banana
1 cup of frozen fruit (cherries are great, wild blueberries, strawberries or pineapple)
1/4-1/2 cup liquid (usually almond milk)

after blending, add:

1 scoop protein powder (usually chocolate - Arbonne is my favorite brand because it doesn't contain artificial sweeteners)
1-2 tablespoons chia seeds

blend until just mixed. (I find that if I process the protein powder too long it changes the texture)

I change this up a lot. Sometimes add peanut butter or powdered peanut butter (PB2). I've added canned pumpkin and nutmeg for a nice fall taste.

I've also added oranges/clementines and used vanilla protein for a creamsicle flavor.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I make mine differently each time, but here's the base

1 cup liquid (almond milk, cows milk, oj, or coconut water)
3/4 cup frozen fruit
Add ins (raw spinach or kale (handful), tablespoon of sun butter or almond butter, handful of oats or coconut flakes).

Yummy combos:
--Frozen banana, almond milk, cacao powder, almond butter
--Almond milk, frozen blueberries, kale
--Coconut water, frozen pineapple, frozen banana, handful of coconut
--frozen strawberries, frozen banana, milk, spinach, sunbutter
--frozen banana, almond milk, cacao powder, oats, walnuts

NP here. These sound really good. Can you taste the spinach or the kale? Does it matter what kind of cacao powder you use? (I've never used it) Thanks!

Hi! I don't taste the greens--I really only throw a handful in. I usually throw it with the milk and blend it totally first then add the fruit/extras if it's for the kids--the greens disappear more that way.

I get cacao powder from whole foods or order on amazon (when we got a huge bag when my dh was on a homemade protein powder kick). Raw cacao powder has a ton of fiber and protein. Great nutritional profile and it's chocolate, so it's tasty but not on it's own without the milk and sweetness from the banana mixed in.

OP Again. Thank you all so much. 11:57 thanks for the those website links, they are excellent! 11:56. Thanks to everyone, I'm going to the grocery store today. I'm so excited to get started. Happy New Year Everyone!

My absolute favorite summer smoothie is a combo of watermelon, banana, and soy milk (like regular silk soy milk). Freeze chunks of watermelon and slices of banana for this one. Yum. Never again will you have trouble finishing a giant watermelon.

OP here. Yes, Magic Bullet Blender.

Thanks for the recipes! More! More!

Keep those easy, simple smoothies coming!

We've found that Trader Joe's has the cheapest frozen fruit.

I like to use 1 cup of either coconut milk or cow milk. Coconut milk from a carton - 30 can per serving - not from a can.

Then 1 frozen fruit and one fresh.

Frozen strawberries + ripe banana + cow milk
Frozen peaches + fresh pear + almond milk
Frozen mango + fresh pineapple + coconut milk

Made this green smoothie last night...really good.

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/m/recipes/green_smoothie/

The spinach will turn the smoothie green but you can't taste it. Use a handful at first.

My go-to smoothie is strawberries, grapes and a frozen banana. With or without spinach. Yum.

Anonymous wrote:I make mine differently each time, but here's the base

1 cup liquid (almond milk, cows milk, oj, or coconut water)
3/4 cup frozen fruit
Add ins (raw spinach or kale (handful), tablespoon of sun butter or almond butter, handful of oats or coconut flakes).

Yummy combos:
--Frozen banana, almond milk, cacao powder, almond butter
--Almond milk, frozen blueberries, kale
--Coconut water, frozen pineapple, frozen banana, handful of coconut
--frozen strawberries, frozen banana, milk, spinach, sunbutter
--frozen banana, almond milk, cacao powder, oats, walnuts

NP here. These sound really good. Can you taste the spinach or the kale? Does it matter what kind of cacao powder you use? (I've never used it) Thanks!

A magic bullet isn't a juicer. Do you have both? Or did you mean you have a magic bullet blender?

http://www.superskinnyme.com/how-to-make-a-smoothie.html

http://www.budgetbytes.com/2012/01/smoothie-packs-my-favorite-smoothie/

Visit those two sites. They will be very helpful.

I make mine differently each time, but here's the base

1 cup liquid (almond milk, cows milk, oj, or coconut water)
3/4 cup frozen fruit
Add ins (raw spinach or kale (handful), tablespoon of sun butter or almond butter, handful of oats or coconut flakes).

Yummy combos:
--Frozen banana, almond milk, cacao powder, almond butter
--Almond milk, frozen blueberries, kale
--Coconut water, frozen pineapple, frozen banana, handful of coconut
--frozen strawberries, frozen banana, milk, spinach, sunbutter
--frozen banana, almond milk, cacao powder, oats, walnuts

I purchased a juicer, Magic Bullet last summer, used it a couple of times and that's it. It's a new year and I want to start using it more. Please share with me your go to easy simple recipes. I'm a beginner so I got turned off by some of the complicated ingredients.

Looking for ingredients that I could find at Trader Joe's, Shoppers, Whole Foods and other grocery stores. I just read online how you can freeze bananas. Recipes that can use frozen fruits, yogurt, vegetables. I'm willing to try things like almond milk. I'm willing to try new things. Maybe even some healthy smoothies that my very picky husband school aged kids would like.

Thank you in advance, experienced smoothie makers!