Best Green Smoothies on the Planet

A couple days ago, in a review post about the new Vega One protein powders, I said something along the lines of "A smoothie without Vega One is just icy fruit in a glass."

And I meant that. But that said, there's nothing wrong with icy fruit in a glass ... for a snack! I love all smoothies, with and without protein powder. But some are full meals and others are healthy snacks. The green smoothies in the new cookbook, The Best Green Smoothies on the Planet, are more like snacks. But snacks are very important! In fact, my New Years resolution is to eat more healthy snacks.

And lawd, after last night's deep-fry party, I needed a healthy snack. This Banana-Orange Smoothie from The Best Green Smoothies on the Planet really hit the spot!

The "green" in this beautiful smoothie is kale. Lush, curly green kale. I enjoyed this as a snack between meals, and at around 250 calories, it was perfect for staving off afternoon hunger. And it had a full 2 cups of kale! I often add a handful of greens to my smoothies but I'd never used that much in one smoothie. And you know what? Couldn't taste it at all, thanks to the yummy banana, orange, and ginger.

The Best Green Smoothies on the Planet is FILLED with green smoothies! There are smoothies for every need - immune-boosting smoothies, weight loss smoothies, energy smoothies, detoxing smoothies, and even mood-enhancing smoothies. Each chapter focuses on the special ingredients that give your smoothie the above-mentioned qualities. For example, energizing maca is used in some of the fitness smoothies. And fresh berries are used in the antioxidant-rich smoothies. Plus, there are tips on fixing smoothie mistakes, the best green smoothie ingredients, and saving money on smoothie components.

Over the years, I've learned that there's an art to smoothie-making. You can't just chunk some fruit and plant milk in a blender. Ingredients must be carefully thought out and perfectly paired, else you'll end up with some poop-brown slush. Nobody wants that. And if you want your smoothie to do something specific, you should focus on certain foods with the qualities you're looking for. This book helps you do just that.

Whether you're a green smoothie newbie or a pro looking for new flavor combos, this book has you covered. And even though there isn't a chapter of protein smoothies - my fave - in this book, that doesn't mean you can't add a scoop of protein powder to some of these and make it a meal. If I make this banana-orange one again, I'm totally adding a scoop of Vega One vanilla.