On Aug 19, 2008, at 9:53 PM, Robyn Kozierok wrote:
>
>
> Wow, could you post a recipe for the smoothie?  I wonder if my kids  
> would
> drink it?
> ===========

sure, I'll post the recipe, but there is a caveat, kids don't  
normally take to green smoothies right off the bat. you need to ease  
into it, very slowly.

I started off with a fruit smoothie that my children really loved.  
Then I moved the smoothie to a translucent, colored plastic cup with  
lid and straw.   after a few days I added some spinach and then  
slowly but surely changed the recipe until I had it as I wanted it.   
Then I left alone for a few days.

Once I was convinced that the kids enjoyed the smoothie, I took off  
the lid.   Once they noticed the color, I told them that this was  
what they'd been drinking all along.   it became a non-issue, so then  
I moved back to a regular  glass.

My standard kid smoothie is as follows:
4oz slightly defrosted frozen mango (I buy mine from trader Joe's)
1 banana
iced water - sufficient to get the blender moving.
8 oz slightly defrosted frozen spinach.
handful raw cashews (change nuts to increase the different EFA's the  
children get
some sesame seeds or sunflower seeds.

IF you do not have a high speed blender like a Vitamix or a blendtec,  
soak your seeds and nuts over night in some water. it makes them  
easier to blend into a smooth paste.

if you have a high powered blender, toss everything into the blender  
and blend till smooth (Like a pudding)

If you have a regular blender, start with the water and the nuts and  
seeds. blend till smooth, then add the rest of the ingredients a  
little at a time. you do not want to see bits of green floating  
around, you want something that's the texture of pudding.

Sometimes I use kale instead of spinach or berries instead of mango.   
Once the kids are into the "groove" you can play around with the  
smoothie.

I now add 1/4 of a bunch of watercress to the children's smoothie  
each morning but don't try that until their tastebuds are well adjusted.

Shez


   The spinach with the mildest taste is the fresh baby spinach. if  
you use this, then use ice instead of water.   I've tried dozens of  
brands of frozen spinach and find that the mildest one is Trader  
Joe's pesticide free one. get chopped leaf spinach, when too many  
stems are included, you get an "earthy" taste.
--http://homeschooledtwins.blogspot.com