How to Make Your Own $9 'Green Goddess' Smoothie
By Jane Poretsky
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Every other morning of 2014 started the same way, with a cup of nonfat, organic Greek yogurt. It was tart, fat-free—and relatively flavor-free. I’d make efforts to spruce it up by adding in flaky salt shards, thick honey, and blueberries, but even after the embellishments, I found it over all too quickly and I’d be starving a mere 30 minutes later.
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One November day after reading this article, I decided to consume fewer dairy products. Considering the massive hunks of feta that normally garnished my salad and the downpour of Parmesan that hit my pasta, chicken, and [insert any food here] at dinnertime, my diet needed a revamp, starting with the milkiest meal of my diet: breakfast.
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From over-filtered and hyper-processed Instagram photos, I knew $9 smoothies were a “thing" so I figured I’d give them a try—even at that steep price. With my very first sip, I was sold. Before I even realized how satiated these made me feel (hello, healthy fats), I’d fallen in love with the silky blended nut butter and maple syrup sweetness, but I hated the soon-to-be bankruptcy I would face if this expensive habit lingered for too long. So I set out to re-create my favorite breakfast smoothie at home, which most places marketed as a “Green Goddess.” Hey, I’ll take it.
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I knew that with my laissez-fare attitude about getting ready in the morning, that time was of the essence, so I pre-packed zipper bags with fruit and vegetable at night and placed them in the refrigerator so I could just dump their contents, then blend, zip, and sip upon waking. I began combining 1 bag of pre-packed vegetables with with 1 cup of almond milk and 1 (heaping) teaspoon of nut butter. The results were truly magnificent. The only thing that I wanted to improve upon was the smoothie temperature. By the time I transported breakfast, it wasn’t very cold and had thinned down significantly. On a hot summer morning, I needed a beverage that was frosty and refreshing. I tested keeping the bags in the freezer instead, and my final problem was solved. The best part? I can toss it in a cup with a tight lid and throw it in my purse for an easy, fresh deskside breakfast at work.
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Now every week, on Sunday nights, I pack an army of smoothie packs that sit in the freezer and wait to meet their fate: Slurp-able, delicious, vegan breakfast treats.
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Green Goddess Kale Smoothie
Makes 5 smoothies, enough for a week’s worth
For the freezer bags:
10 leaves of de-ribbed kale
5 medium-sized bananas
2 ripe pears
For the morning:
5 tablespoons almond butter, I like Trader Joe’s Raw
5 cups almond milk, I use Califia Farms Unsweetened Vanilla
5 pinches flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
Set aside 5 pint-sized zipper bags. In each bag, place 2 kale leaves, 1 banana, and ¼ cup pear pieces.
Keep the bags in the freezer until you are ready to use. They will last for up to one month.
In the morning, dump the contents of 1 bag into a high-power blender and add 1 cup of almond milk and 1 tablespoon of almond butter. Add a pinch of sea salt and blend until smooth and creamy.
Optional: To up the flavor, feel free to add any of the following to your smoothie: a dash of cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract and/or 1 teaspoon of maple syrup. When I have time, I add all 3 and blend!
Photos by James Ransom.
