Do you need to find a way to get your kids to “eat” their vegetables?  Maybe when you serve your child spinach he or she looks up at you with adorning eyes and says, “Oh thank you Mom.  May I have seconds?”  Not your kid?  Not mine either.

So, I’d like to introduce you to the sneaky smoothie.  That’s not an actual recipe, but what I call a smoothie that is disguising healthy greens.  I’m sure you’ve heard of green smoothies.  Same thing, different name.  When it comes to getting your children to consume their veggies, who cares if it’s done through a straw.

One trick you can try is to ask your kids if they like the smoothie you just made them.  When they say yes, and I’m sure they will, ask them if they noticed anything different than their usual smoothies.  Tell them how proud you are that they tried something healthy and liked it.  Now that’s sneaky!  Or, you cannot tell them and keep it your little secret.

Adding fruit to the sneaky smoothie is a great help as it sweetens and disguises the veggie taste.  You can turn any fruit smoothie into a green smoothie simply by adding veggies.  Spinach is a popular green to add to smoothies.  Carrots are wonderful as well.  Start teaching your young ones at an early age that “green is good.”

Click here for some of our favorite sneaky smoothies that my kids will actually “eat.”  They’re easy to make and don’t take many ingredients.  Always a good thing in my book.

Do you have a favorite smoothie recipe or helpful hint for getting kids to eat their veggies?  If so then we’d love to hear from you!

Growing a baby is hard work, I can attest to that.  Pregnancy is such a special time in a woman’s life, but it comes with a great deal of responsibility.  As a first time expectant mom, I sometimes find myself struggling to ensure that I am eating a healthy, balanced diet full of the key nutrients necessary to grow a healthy, happy baby.  I love the thought of a fun summer salad, but those deep leafy green salads don’t particularly excite me.  In fact, I often find myself drenching them in calorie-rich dressing just to get those nutrients down.  So, I had to find an alternative way to get my folic acid, iron and antioxidants.  That’s when I started drinking green smoothies.  I think fresh juices are great, but smoothies, which retain all of the fiber and goodness of your ingredients, are better!

And now that I’m in my third trimester, I feel like a green smoothie expert after much experimentation.  And, lucky for you, I have found some simple ways to make green smoothies taste delicious because who wants a drink that just tastes like blending spinach or kale.  I look forward to the extra boost of energy that comes from a green smoothie in the morning and I’m sure baby loves it too.

My favorite green smoothie recipe: The Tropical Green Smoothie

• ½-1 cup of organic apple juice (or white grape juice)
• a handful of ice cubes
• 1-2 large leaves of kale
• 1-2 cups of spinach
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh pineapple
• ¼ small lime with peel removed

Optional additives:

• chia seeds or flax seeds
• avocado
• flaxseed oil
• protein powder

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth or according to your preferred texture. Makes 1 large serving or 2 medium servings. Then enjoy!

The great thing about blended smoothies is that you can substitute ingredients without sacrificing taste.  For instance, try banana instead of pineapple or add some yogurt for a creamier texture.  Everything is customizable and the options are limitless.  And, since the blender does all of the hard work for you, your digestive system just gets to kick back and enjoy all of the amazing nutrients!

If making green smoothies doesn’t appeal to you, look for local vendors that sell green blended smoothies, but try to stick to fresh smoothies because often store bought varieties lose much of their nutritional content due to oxidation.

I’ve recently gotten hooked on busheljuices.com because they deliver right to your door in the San Francisco/Bay Area!

Do you have any green smoothie tips or recipes that you like? Have you found any good fresh smoothie vendors in your area?

• Makes: 1 Servings
• Ready In: 5 mins
• Prep Time: 5-10 mins
• Cook Time:

Like the “little black dress” this basic smoothie can be dressed up by adding a few “accessories”. Not in the mood for pineapple? No problem, use blueberries, or apple, or peach, or mango or … you get the idea. No chard in the fridge? No worries. Use spinach, or kale, or romaine or … Just remember, the nutritionals listed below are for the specific ingredients listed. But seriously, even if the calorie count goes up a little, it won’t be a big deal.

• Makes: 4 Servings
• Ready In: 5 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time:

This Smoothie is delicious and quick to make. It’s great for breakfast or an any-time-snack.

You can use a variety of frozen fruits to make this recipe. Frozen Acai, a super-fruit loaded with antioxidants, is a nice addition. Always select organic, whole bean soy-milk. “Organic” because so much conventional soy is Genetically Modified and the jury is still out on GM foods. “Whole bean” because the protein from soy bean isolates may be harder to digest for some people. Great organic, whole bean brands are available in most markets. One of my favorites is Silk Soy Milk.

• Makes: 2 Servings
• Ready In: 5 mins
• Prep Time: 5-10 mins
• Cook Time:

Smoothies are one of the quickest ways for your body to digest and assimilate nutrients being sure to give you a boost of energy! Have a smoothie any time of day!

• Makes: 1 Servings
• Ready In: 10 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time:

A scrumptious balance of protein, carbs and chocolaty goodness make this smoothie a winner. Dr. Greene suggests you use organic ingredients when possible, especially for dairy and egg products. We’ve partnered with Horizon® Dairy who provide wonderful organic chocolate milk with DHA perfect for this recipe.

• Makes: 1 Servings
• Ready In: 10 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time:

This refreshing green smoothie is a great post workout drink. It is hydrating, full of good greenness and a nice little dose of fat. I like to think of it as a green Piña Colada, or a “Greeña Colada.” I feel so healthy drinking it!

• Makes: 6 Servings
• Ready In: 5 mins
• Prep Time: 5-10 mins
• Cook Time:

This smoothie is creamy and sweet with bright little specks of orange zest in each sip, and the frothy top is a huge hit with the kids. It makes a great treat at brunch or can be served as a light, refreshing dessert.

• Makes: 1 Servings
• Ready In: 5 mins
• Prep Time: 5-10 mins
• Cook Time:

Okay, the image above is stretching it a little — there is no whipped cream topping for this luscious smoothie, but it’s so good it tastes like there could be!

• Makes: 1 Servings
• Ready In: 5 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: