It is hard to believe that the 2-year anniversary of the Green Monster is coming up on January 20th!
In January 2009, I felt a huge void in my life. I was unhappy with my career and I was often up late at night until 3 or 4 in the morning worrying about work. I dragged all day long and I was turning into someone I didn’t recognize anymore. I started blending green vegetables in my blender after reading about Kris Carr’s green juices. While I didn’t have a juicer, I did have a blender, and I was excited to blend my green ‘juice’ any way that I could.
In my Story of the Green Monster post, I explained:
Determined to feel alive once again, I crammed the healthiest foods into my blender and I blended my little heart out. Of course, the first few attempts looked horrific and they tasted no better. But, I didn’t care. I drank every last drop of those green monsters before I made the long commute to work each morning. The green monster not only gave me energy, but it represented something much deeper than that- inner peace and self-love. I knew that the stress I had put myself through over the past few years was nothing short of damaging to every cell in my body. I created the Green Monsters as a way to take time out for my health. Even if I knew it was going to be a hellish day, drinking my Green Monster in the morning provided me with a sense of calm in my life.
This was one of my first concoctions:
No almond milk, just kale, an English cucumber, and baby carrots. lol. It was scary to say the least!
Thankfully, my Green Monsters have improved greatly since those initial days.
On January 26, 2009, I gave my two weeks notice at my job. It was a very, very bad week for me and I was at an all-time low in my life. I drank those green monsters every single morning despite everything going on. I imagined that I was Popeye with superhuman strength. And boy did I need it.
I still receive a lot of emails and tweets from people who have just tried their first green monster. Many people have challenged themselves to drink Green Monsters in 2011 and I’m always excited to hear about other’s experiences! The most frequent message I receive is, ‘I thought they looked so gross, but they actually taste so delicious! Now I am hooked.’
I am also asked a lot what my classic go-to recipe is so I thought it would be fun to do a post on my most frequently enjoyed Green Monster recipe.
This is a recipe that I keep coming back to again and again and it never fails me.
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Classic Green Monster Smoothie
Yield
2 cups (500 mL)
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
To this day, Green Monsters are one of my favourite drinks for glowing skin and increased energy. If you are newbie, feel free to start off with baby spinach since its taste is undetectable, but I encourage you to experiment with kale, romaine lettuce, or other leafy greens as well. Just be sure to use a sturdy high-speed blender that can handle the task of blending thick greens. If your blender is on the weaker side, stick with spinach as it blends more easily.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250 mL) almond milk or other non-dairy milk
- 1 cup destemmed kale leaves or baby spinach
- 1 large ripe frozen banana, chopped into chunks
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) almond butter or peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds or ground flaxseed
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- 1 scoop of your favourite protein powder (optional)
- 2 to 3 ice cubes
Directions
- Add all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
When I am feeling a little frisky, I love to add in some powders too! I keep Navitas Maca powder, Vega Shake & Go, and Amazing Grass Wheat Grass on hand whenever the budget allows.
Yesterday I added into the classic mix: 1 tsp Maca, 1 tbsp Vanilla Almond Shake & Go, and 1/2 scoop wheatgrass powder. It was my first time trying Vega Vanilla Almond and I thought it was pretty good, but I greatly prefer the Choc-O-lot flavour. I love making a Chocolate-Mint GM using Vega’s Choc-O-Lot and some fresh mint leaves.
Add your liquid in first. This just helps the blender do its job better.
Next add in your powders, chia seeds or ground flax, and your nut butter:
Now add the greens. I use two handfuls of whatever green I have on hand. I most often use spinach, but I also like to use red or green kale now that my Vita-Mix can handle it.
Finally, add the banana. The weight helps pack all the ingredients down!
Blend away until smooth!
I added in 2 large ice cubes and blended some more.
Pour into a glass and enjoy!
I love my Glass Dharma straw.
Mmm, this one is absolutely delicious. Creamy, sweet, smooth, and loaded with nutrients!
I’m always asked how I can drink smoothies during the cold winter months and my answer is easy:
I often drink Green Monsters following my workout when I am often craving something liquid and cold.
I’m also always asked if you can taste the spinach and the answer is no. =) Kale, on the other hand…YES (unless you make it super sweet to overpower the bitter quality of the kale).
Good to the last drop!
Other Mentionables:
1) Need more encouragement to eat your veggies? Check out this article: ‘Want a Golden Glow? Don’t Bother with a Suntan- Eat Your Greens Instead.’
2) My Winter 2011 training plan is now up on my Races page. I will be talking about this in more detail soon!
3) Check out these 30 new Green Monster reader recipes on GMM.
Are you a smoothie or ‘Green Monster’ fan? What’s your favourite go-to recipe?
I haven’t read the comments yet, so I will apologize if someone already asked this…can you make a green monster the night before? I get up at 4am to workout, but I’m afraid running the blender at that time of the morning might not be so kind to the sleeping boyfriend and cats :)
I used to make them the night before…they are not as good as fresh….BUT in a pinch, it works, Just give it a good stir in the morning. Also be sure to put in a sealed container in the fridge.
Thank you! I have all the ingredients, so I am going to make my first Green Monster tonight. Thanks also for all your great recipes and for sharing them (and yourself) with all of us!
I often make a batch to have the next morning…fresh is best, but it’s still good.
I drink Green Monsters all the time, and my recipe is basically the same except I use half a frozen banana, no ice, and 1 scoop of Amazing Grass.
Oh man, I love my greens, but I seriously don’t think I could handle drinking your first concoction! :P My go-to recipe is basically the same as yours. I haven’t experimented much with other ingredients/flavours though because the original is so tasty the way it is!
I have always wondered the back story on those Green Monsters. Now I understand.
The article about the healthy skin is SO interesting too. I always get commented on how beautiful my skin is. I knew I was blessed with dry, pimple-free skin, and I take fairly good care of it, but I didn’t know that my healthy diet could also contribute to the sexual appeal. Hahaha.
Green monsters are a definite staple here at my house. I use the same go-to recipe, but lately I’ve been mixing up the fruit – peaches are a definite favorite!
mmm peaches are a great idea!
I gotta get back to my green monsters. It’s just not as appealing in the winter, but so good for you.
I love the classic almond milk-spinach-banana-flax meal recipe but sometimes I do half almond milk have apple juice. Its a little tangy and very delicious. I haven’t experimented with anything else yet because I love the original so much!!
I was so excited to try a green monster the other day for the first time. It was delicious, but it left me wondering… Does drinking a green monster have the same benefits as drinking the same smoothie with the greens on the side?
Some say that when the ingredients are blended, they are absorbed better into the body. I’m not sure if this is the case or not.
I was so excited to try a green monster the other day for the first time. It was delicious, but it left me wondering… Does drinking a green monster have the same benefits as drinking the same smoothie with the greens on the side?
I am going to try this! I love making smoothies, but I’ve never added greens. My go-to smoothie is 1 cup of almond milk, 1 ripe banana, and 2 or 3 frozen strawberries. Yum!
I am going to try this! I love making smoothies, but I’ve never added greens. My go-to smoothie is 1 cup of almond milk, 1 ripe banana, and 2 or 3 frozen strawberries. Yum!
Ohh..I bombed my first GM about a week ago. I’m considering a Friday morning challenge…GM Try Two!
Nothing better to start your morning than a Green Monster! They Rock :)
Thank you! I bought a Vita-Mix with Christmas money this year, and have been experimenting (to greater and lesser effect…) with green smoothies. It’s always wonderful to have a “classic” recipe to try!
Ooh you got me. I think I might have to cave and try one! I was always a little apprehensive about spinach going into a smoothie like drink, but what have I got to lose?
I’ve blended spinach ino my smoothies before but I guess I’ve never tried the Classic Green Monster. Now that I know this recipe I for sure will!
Your green monsters have changed my life! I love that I can get a serving of green veggies in anytime I want! Thanks OSG
I am drinking my very first Green Monster right NOW! Holy cow is it fantastic! I used 1/2 a banana instead of the whole one and removed the ice. It’s too darn freezing in Calgary to even contemplate drinking anything cold.
These are GREAT!
I LOVE green monsters! I’m so happy they were created :)
Over the summer I had my favorite one that I haven’t recreated yet… it had strawberries, flax seed, and chocolate protein powder in it. I forgot the banana and I didn’t even miss it!
My most recent smoothie creation was apple, pear, cranberries, collard greens and fresh ginger poured into a nice tall pilsner glass. It was delicious!