And On To Greener Pastures…The Famous Glowing Green Smoothie-A Review

In my quest to become a successful nutritionist, I often spend time researching not only articles and recipes, but other nutritionists. I want to see what the most successful people in my industry are up to and what is making them so…well…successful!

A girlfriend of mine told me about this certified nutritionist Kimberly Snyder, who has definitely made a name for herself in the wellness industry and has a multitude of followers worldwide. Kim has a holistic approach to nutrition. She is a vegan and raw foodist, and like myself, wants her clients to try their best to incorporate fresh, whole and organic foods that nourish and fuel their bodies properly.

A major part of Kim’s nutrition plan to detox clients from previous negative eating behaviors includes her famous Glowing Green Smoothie. This smoothie is actually quite simple and includes purely fruits and vegetables.

Kim has the instructions to the smoothie set up so it is easier on the blender. Ideally, the person making this smoothie has a Vitamix, which makes the blending super easy and gives the smoothie a creamy consistency, even though there is no dairy in it.

The recipe starts with two cups of water (preferably filtered), a head of organic romaine lettuce (chopped) and 1/2 a head of organic spinach. I personally have never seen a head of spinach, as I buy mine in bunches, so I use half of a bunch. Blend all of this until smooth.

Next, add 2-3 stalks of organic celery, 1 organic apple, cored and chopped and 1 organic pear, cored and chopped. Blend again until smooth. Another option is to add fresh herbs like organic parsley or cilantro. I added cilantro to mine because cilantro is not only a powerful detoxifier, but it also has a little spicy kick to it I enjoy in my smoothie.

Lastly, add 1 organic banana and the juice of 1 lemon. I use regular bananas, because I don’t eat the peel, which is where organic labels are important. Blend again and your smoothie is ready.

I was definitely surprised by the volume of smoothie produced by this recipe. As you can see in my picture above, I filled three mason jars. It is recommended to drink all of the blend, but you can spread it out throughout the day if you have a way to store the smoothie ( I recommend mason jars!) or leave it in your refrigerator. The full serving of this Glowing Green Smoothie contains 3 cups of green leafy vegetables, which, as Kim says (and she is right!) is more than most people get in a week.

Not only is this an easy way to get your greens, this smoothie is also quite delicious. There is a good ratio of sweet fruits to vegetables, so  it can mask the taste of greenery if you are a person who is not fond of the taste of vegetables. You can also mix up the fruits. I made a version this morning that used organic strawberries instead of pear and kale instead of spinach. For the vegetables, however, I would not recommend straying too far from the basic. If you are not used to making fruit and vegetable smoothies, vegetables like kale or chard can seem bitter. Spinach and romaine are more mild on the taste buds but still pack a lot of nutrients in them.

The Glowing Green Smoothie is a great breakfast for someone trying to make a healthy change and incorporate more fruits and vegetables into their eating regimen. Personally, I find that I get enough fruits and vegetables on a daily basis, and some mornings I want a bowl of hot oatmeal and berries or eggs and toast, not a smoothie. However, if I am feeling sluggish and know I am not ingesting the proper amounts of fruits and vegetables at any point in time, this is a recipe I would definitely turn to.