Simple Green Smoothie Recipe (Yummy + Vegan + Quick)

I drink a green smoothie almost every morning - almost being the key word. So maybe I should say: I drink a green smoothie a lot of mornings. Regardless, whenever I drink them, I make this recipe. This recipe is so yummy that I'm not even curious to try fruit smoothie recipes all that often. Trust me, there is no bitter veggie taste in this smoothie.

Healthy...

This recipe is incredibly easy to make and amazingly healthy. The amount of fiber, alone, in this recipe, is unbelievable.  Expressive juicing is great but the downside is that all the fiber is lost. Not so with smoothies!  All the natural fiber in the produce is retained. In addition, take a look at the nutritional breakdown below!  This green smoothie is chock full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and immune-boosting ingredients.

Adjustable...

I have found that strawberries are a great pick to use as a second fruit in this recipe but honestly, you can sub whatever fruit is your favorite or whatever fruit you have on hand in their place.

Easy...

This is literally a  wash-chop-dump recipe. You can even have your apples and strawberries pre-chopped and then this would be a dump and blend recipe. Also, you can prepare batches of this recipe by layering the chopped fruit and spinach in several mason jars so that in the morning you can just dump, pour a splash of almond milk, blend and go!! The possibilities are excitingly endless :)

Note on Texture:

This green smoothie has a smooth and creamy texture when just prepared but it will thicken up if left to sit for a while due to the high pectin content in the apple. So, if you like thinner smoothies try to drink it right away, and if you like thicker smoothies, you can let this rest for awhile and it will thicken up!

Ingredients
Yield: 1 single-serve Green Smoothie

• 1 Apple
• 4 Strawberries
• 2 cups Spinach, loosely packed
• 1/4 cup Almond Milk

Note: You can add more or less almond milk if you wish to alter the consistency according to your preference.

Directions

1. Gently wash the apple and Strawberries. 
2. Core and roughly chop the apples and strawberries
3. Add all ingredients to the blender and blend on high for 1-2 minutes. I literally mean that. I like my green smoothies smooth and creamy. I find that the flavors soften and meld together in a magical way, so blending them adequately is an important step. If you prefer chunkier green smoothies, then ignore this step. 
4. Pour into a glass. drink with your mouth or with a straw. 

Enjoy!

- Nutritional Analysis -

Look at that whopping 9 grams of fiber. Annnnddd, you get all your Vitamin A and Vitamin C for the day all before 10 am!!

- Cost Breakdown -

Did you try this recipe?

If you try this recipe, please let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with my hashtag #frugalcurlytop!

Massaged Kale Salad with Toasted Walnuts and Cranberries

I love kale salad. But I realize that not everyone feels the same way. But this kale salad recipe has the magical power of persuasion to convert anyone into a kale-loving freak!  Guaranteed. Earlier this year, I participated in the Partners-in-the-Parks study tour with the National Honors Society which was absolutely awesome! On the trip, our chaperones gave us the freedom to choose and cook our meals. Not only did we have an insane amount of fun cooking together but everyone chose their favorite recipes so every meal was incredibly delicious!! Guess what one of the items on my menu was? 

Gosh, how'd you know? 

This recipe was the star of the show. Literally, every person hailed praises to this simple green salad. Even the most hesitant skeptics savory every crunch with delight. The Chaperone said "I have never, in my 62 years, ever tasted kale prepared in such a delicious way"! So, you ready to join the party? I figured so. Let's do this!

Choosing the right quality ingredients are important. The ultimate trick, however, to creating is an awesome kale salad is about two techniques: 1) Finely chopping the kale and 2) Massaging the salted kale.  Read on and learn...

INGREDIENTS

Salad

• 2 bunches of Kale
• 1/2 cup Walnuts
• !/4 - 1/3 cup dried Cranberries

Dressing

• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
• 1/4 cup Honey

DirecTIONS

1.  Heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat. Toast the walnuts for 10-15 minutes or even longer. The toastiness is up to you. Once the walnuts are done. Remove the walnuts from the pan and set aside to cool.
2. Remove the middle ribs (stalks) from the kale. Then chop the kale finely. I chop the kale horizontally then rotate it 90 degrees and chop in that direction again. 
3. Add all the chopped kale to a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, and begin the massage the kale. The massaging is a gentle rubbing, not a pounding motion because you don't want to beat out the juices. The color of the kale will change from an average green to a deep vibrant green hue. 
4. By this time the toasted walnuts should have cooled down. Roughly chop them into smaller pieces. Add the walnuts along with the cranberries to the kale in the bowl.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and honey to make a dressing and pour all over the salad. Toss the salad thoroughly to ensure that every shred is coated with the dressing. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Serve and enjoy!

Did you try this recipe?

If you try this recipe, please let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with my hashtag #frugalcurlytop!