Creamiest Green Smoothie... in Pink!

For those of you who tried the creamiest green smoothie but couldn't get over the color, I tried it the other day with raspberries and blueberries instead of mango and this is what it looked like: 

So here is what was in it:

a bunch of swiss chard

1/2 avocado

1 banana

3/4 cup frozen raspberries

3/4 cup frozen blueberries

2tbsp chia seeds, soaked

water

Creamiest green smoothie ever

Have you heard of green smoothies, tried them and found them disgusting or hard to get used to? Is it the color, the smell, or the texture that turns you off? Or is it in your mind? Perhaps you have decided it looks like swamp and is very unappetizing....

I have never had that problem, but my kids certainly have. So I've had to come up with little tricks to make those more appetizing. At first, it was the color. I figured that if I put frozen raspberries, cherries or strawberries, or a mixed berry blend in their smoothie, the color turned red, pink or burgundy, and that helped. I could "lie" and tell them it was a strawberry smoothie, when in fact I had also put a bunch of kale or collard greens in it. Little by little, they got used to it.

Then one day, I handed them a green looking smoothie that tasted really sweet. Because of the color, my oldest son refused to try it. I kept telling him it tasted really sweet, told him about all the fruits that were in it, but he was categorical: NO!
Then I had his little brother try it, and since he is more willing (at times), he took a big gulp, then another one, then another one... which was convincing enough for my oldest to try it. Much to his surprise, it WAS delicious, and he finished the whole thing in no time. 

Another strategy I have for them is that they have to take a "no thank you bite" of everything that is on their plate. Most of the time, they take that bite and say "no thank you", but on rare occasions, they are pleasantly surprised. This was one of them.

Ever since then, the color hasn't been so much an issue. However, the texture has. So I had to come up with other combinations of foods. Unless you have a Vitamix or a Blendtec, it can be difficult to turn kale into a very smooth drink. I noticed that kale and collard greens are harder than spinach or swiss chard.
Since we have a truckload of swiss chard growing in the backyard, I use it a lot in my smoothies. This recipe is the creamiest I have ever tasted, and the kids love it! So if you are sensitive to texture, try it out! Because of the ingredients, it will fill you up real quick too :) Good option for a healthy breakfast. 

If you are sensitive to color, add some berries in it, or substitute the mango for some berries.


Swiss chard avocado smoothie:

A bunch of swiss chard (as many as you can)
1/2 banana
1/2 avocado
1 cup of frozen or fresh mango
2 tbsp chia seeds, soaked in water (or thrown directly into the blender, but it gets creamier if they have been soaked)

Blend everything until you reach a smooth, creamy texture. You can add more greens, or put a whole banana in it for a richer smoothie, or a sprinkle of stevia for a sweeter taste, but I think the banana and mango make it plenty sweet.

Cheers!

En Francais:

une poignee de cotes de bettes
1/2 banane
1/2 avocat
1 tasse de mangue fraiche ou congelee
2 cs de graines de chia, gonflees dans l'eau pendant la nuit, ou mises direct dans le mixer, mais la texture sera moins cremeuse.
Si vous etes sensibles a la couleur, rajouter des baies, ou remplacer la mangue par des baies our des fraises.

Sante!

Sauteed Swiss Chard with olives and pine nuts, or sneaky veggie burgers

We are lucky enough to have a little vegetable garden and a few months ago, I went and bought seeds that my husband planted. We pretty quickly had a few leaves of swiss chard pop up, but over the last few weeks, it has exploded and we can't keep up with our swiss chard. The good thing is that we love it, and we eat it both cooked and raw (stay tuned for a greens smoothie recipe coming soon). 

Yesterday was a busy day hosting a birthday party for my son and making this beautiful cake:

 So last night, after a wonderful but exhausting day, I needed a simple dinner. And there is something about just walking outside and picking something fresh out of your garden that makes me feel very alive.

So Here is the recipe:

A big bunch of swiss chard, washed and chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/3 cup kalamata olives, sliced
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Heat up the olive oil in your frying pan or wok on low to medium heat. Add crushed garlic and let it fry for  a minute, without it getting brown. Then add the chards and mix until the leaves soften. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix and continue cooking for 2-4 minutes.

Serve over rice or quinoa for a complete meal

En francais:
Une grande poignee de cotes de bettes, lavees et coupees
1 cs d'huile d'olive
4 gousses d'ail pressees
1/2 tasse d'olives kalamata, coupees en rondelles
1/4 tasse de pignons
1/3 tasse de persil
sel et poivre selon gout

chauffer l'huile dans la poelle, ajouter l'ail presse et laisser fremir sans laisser brunir. Ajouter les cotes de bette et melanger jusqu'a ce qu'elles se ramolissent. Ajouter le reste des ingredients et melanger en laissant sur la plaque pendant 2-4 minutes.

Servir sur du riz ou de la quinoa pour un repas complet

Now of course, my picky eaters will never just eat sauteed swiss chard. So I have had to come up with creative solutions when it comes to eating greens and I often have to blend them in soups or turn them into a veggie burger. So here is what I did last night:

For a kid friendly meal, mix in the blender:
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup swiss chard dish
1 egg
a pinch of salt

Form into patties and fry in the frying pan with a little bit of olive or coconut oil until it's solid enough to look like a burger.