breakfast criminals: green smoothie 101 + 3 recipes

Green smoothies can be intimidating, but they can also be fun, really delicious, easy to make, nutritious, and satisfying. As an intuitive cook, I rarely follow any recipes or rules, but—let me confess—after a few not-so-successful experiments with green smoothies that ended up tasting like a soup of greens, there are some rules that I never fail to abide.

So, what is a green smoothie? Basically it’s a smoothie that combines a liquid (I recommend nut milk or coconut water), fruits of choice, and dark leafy green vegetables (I go for kale or spinach, usually frozen). Simple, quick, easy to digest, versatile and energizing, when done right green smoothies could become your favourite breakfast.

Here are my top five ingredients for green smoothie success, as well as three of my all-time favourite green smoothie recipes.

1. Frozen banana: my freezer is always full of very ripe frozen bananas. They are my #1 ingredient for a creamy green smoothie.

2. Nut or seed butter: 1-2 tablespoons of nut butter (almond or cashew are my favorites), seed butter (sunflower, pumpkin or tahini can do no wrong) with give your green smoothie thickness and great nutty flavor.

3. Tropical twist: sweet fruit like pineapple, mango and grapes are also a great ingredient for a green smoothie, and add a refreshing tropical taste.

4. Chocolate mint: a combo of raw cacao and green mint was meant to live in a green smoothie. You won’t even taste the greens.

5. Sweeten it up: if you prefer your greens to be on the sweeter side, add 1 tablespoon honey or agave.

BREAKFAST CRIMINALS ALL-TIME FAVOURITE GREEN SMOOTHIES

Directions: blend all the ingredients in a blender, then serve with toppings of your choice. Welcome to the green life—there’s no way back now!

Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie

Ingredients:
1.5 cup coconut milk
1 cup kale
2 frozen bananas
1 tbsp pumpkin butter (I’m utterly in love with raw vegan sprouted pumpkin seed butter from Dastony)
1 tbsp raw cacao nibs
1 tbsp matcha for energy (optional, I use Got Matcha)

Kiwi Mint Detox Smoothie

Ingredients:
1.5 cup almond milk
1 cup kale
1/2 cup frozen green grapes
2 kiwis
2 stems mint
1 tbsp tahini (nothing beats Al Arz or Dastony brands)
1 tbsp chia seeds
1.5 tbsp maca for energy (optional)

Pineapple Chia Sensation Smoothie

Ingredients:
1.5 cup almond milk
1 cup spinach
1 frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
1 stem mint
1 tbsp chia seeds (optional)
1 tsp maca (optional)

Want to learn more about green smoothies and the power of superfood breakfasts prepared with love? Join Breakfast Criminals on a Yoga & Superfoods Retreat in Nicaragua in November 2014. Daily playful yoga, surfing lessons, massage, and beach bliss included. Must book by July 5!

Ksenia is a traveller, yogini and superfood breakfast aficionado who believes that better breakfasts make you a happier person. By day, she’s a digital marketing consultant for fashion brands and and co-founder of #FairTuesday, a grassroots ethical shopping movement that aims to change lives of whole communities by inspiring people to buy fair trade. Follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest and Twitter, if ya like!