I’ll Confess, I Like Whipped Spinach

Last Updated on June 20, 2024 by Michelle

Yes, I will fess up. I whip my spinach.

When I first heard of green smoothies, I thought it was a waste of perfectly good (often expensive) fruit.

When I came across another friend talking about the ridiculous green shakes, I asked her–quoting a lovingly used phrase of my down-home, southern-boy father–why in tarnation wouldn’t she just eat her spinach on a salad, like the rest of the known world?

pineapple mango smoothie

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As Elizabeth Barrett Browning penned, “the luck of the third adventure was proverbial.” (Yes, I will quote a Victorian poet to avoid using a cliche.) The third friend who tried to convince me to eat scourged spinach succeeded.

Although I acquiesced that it was surprisingly sweet, I figured I’d never actually join in on the green smoothie craze after I watched her load her mixer with large cupfuls of the most expensive fruit I ever buy–blueberries. After all, considering the cost per berry, I’d greatly prefer eating them unadulterated than smashing up their deep-violet mellowness with bitter spinach leaves.

But I couldn’t get away from these avocado-colored drinks. Everyone talked of how deliciously good they were. I knew they’d be a healthy alternative to Toblerone when my daughters and I had a When Calls the Heart week-long marathon. (Yes, it’s sappy, but sometimes girls want sappy.)

And they’d be a worthy substitute to chocolate-ladden trail mix when we played a Phase 10 Family Standoff.

So when I saw a huge sale at a local store, I bought myself a $5 smoothie maker. (Really. It was on sale for $25, with a $10 rebate. And I received a $10 coupon in the mail.)

pineapple mango smoothie

I soon realized that cheap blenders do a cheap job… but I didn’t need to sacrifice expensive blueberries to the cause.

In fact, I make pretty decent flavored smoothies from whatever I have in the kitchen… often over-ripe bananas, bruised bits of strawberries, or hard pieces of pineapple that I scrape off from the rind. Pieces that would have went in the trash otherwise, but they add delectable sweetness to my crazy green concoctions.


 

You might wanna check out this crazy delicious Lilac Blueberry drink too.

And your kids will love you if you whip up this homemade DIY gatorade.

 


pineapple mango smoothie

Pineapple Mango Smoothie

How to Make a Smoothie With What You Have

My main staples that I include in every smoothie are spinach and non-fat, plain yogurt. I get both locally for less than $2.50 each, and they last me for a week or two. (Another bonus to the smoothies is they are a great way to use the not-so-fresh spinach in the fridge drawer.) I often include frozen mangos as well, at least whenever they’ve recently been on sale.

For banana, I peel them and toss them in a ziploc bag in the freezer whenever one is getting too ripe.

So for almost no cost, using things I might have even thrown away in the past, I enjoy delicious, wholesome desserts. (Mind you, that was pre-chickens. My 3 beloved hens are the recipients of most of my scraps these days. In turn, they happily give me 3 farm-fresh eggs every afternoon. See my #7 on this list if you’d like to know the only scraps I DON’T give my hens.)

My favorite recipe (adding a little water if it’s too thick):

pineapple mango smoothie

Pineapple Mango Smoothie

1 cup of cut fresh pineapple

2 TB yogurt

1 cup of spinach

1/2-1 frozen banana

2 cups frozen mango chunks

 

UPDATE: as much as I loved my claim-to-fame of a $5 smoothie maker, sadly it held up to its price tag… honestly I don’t think it even lasted me through the year once I started making smoothies.

I tried two other options, upscaling each time but never satisfied. 

About My Blender

Today, I’m in love with my Cadillac of blenders.

I saved up for this baby but man was it a wonderful investment. I use it many times a week, sometimes many times a day, to make wonderfully thick smoothies and protein shakes and homemade peanut butter. 

I hesitated investing the extra funds for the vacuum attachment, but I’m glad I did.

It removes excess oxygen and maintains maximum nutritional value, not to mention the fuller flavor. Because the air is removed before things get mixed up, this blender creates a light, fluffy texture without things turning foamy… so good in a smoothie. And, blending in vacuum prevents emulsification, meaning your ingredients won’t be separating–extra awesome in peanut butter.

I figured with the 15-yr warranty I couldn’t go wrong. I’m going on year 3 now and very glad I made the investment.

 


He gives food to every creature. His love endures forever.” Psalm 136:25

 

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4 thoughts on “I’ll Confess, I Like Whipped Spinach”

  1. I’m a big fan too! They are a great way to use up little bits of fruit, aren’t they? My favorite “recipe” uses the wild blackberries that grow on our land. I always use a frozen banana in mine, that’s what makes them thick and creamy.

    1. “Yes!” to the frozen banana. We always have one or two every batch that I buy that gets too ripe for anyone to want to eat it. So I remove the skin and stash it away in a ziplock bag in our freezer with other bananas. There are always plenty for making smoothies or banana bread.

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