Does That Count?

I will admit that while I am all for a healthy style of living, herbs, and going natural, I had never had a "green smoothie". For those of you who are not acquainted with this odd colored snack, it's simply a shake, or smoothie, in which you put green vegetables. Spinach, kale, lettuce, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, collards... You get the idea. I LOVE my banana smoothies, and the thought of putting spinach and kale (even though I really enjoy both veggies on their own) in it just seemed wrong! Ruin my beloved banana smoothie?!?! No my dears, no green smoothies for me....

But I watched others drink theirs, and say how tasty it was... I read in my herb books how they're so good for you... I guiltily pretended not to hear or read any of it. I wanted my banana smoothie pure. Maybe some strawberries and blueberries in it, but only on special occasions.

 But of course, you wait long enough, and a body is bound to eventually come to their senses. I was reading a blog today, and the post was about, what else? Green smoothies. She made them sound so good! And the pictures... Oh, I will try anything if you make the picture look good. This girl knows what a Canon 5D Mark II can do for things. So on a brave whim, I pulled out the Bosch and fired up the blender.

 In went the idolized banana. Followed by the long list of strawberries, spinach, kale, flax, almonds, bee pollen, and yogurt. I did a big handful each of the spinach and kale. Said blender was put to speed and the swirling vortex of terror mix of colorful ingredients soon melded into one strange color, as though from an artist's palette.

But there was a problem.

My green smoothie wasn't green. 

Ummm, Houston we have a problem. Does that still count as a green smoothie if it isn't really green??? Seriously, when I see other folks with their concoctions, it looks like -- green. Like grass. Mine is more of a brown color with green flecks to show that I did indeed add the veggies. Oh well. Maybe it's not green because I didn't add any wheatgrass powder, spirulina powder, or kelp powder; which are all things that folks say to add to it. But seeing as I had not any of those items, they dutifully did not go into my smoothie. Makes sense to me, anyway...

 Then came the big moment: I actually had to try it. [gulp] I definitely did not leave it sitting on the counter for five minutes, as I eyed it warily and pretended that I was suddenly too busy to try it. Nope. Not me. Would I do something like that? Really? Hey, you would have too if you had seen this thing.

 A tentative swallow ensued, and.... It was really good!! This is where all you green smoothie drinkers start elbowing me and loudly saying, "I told you so." Admittedly, the shake tastes mostly of strawberries and nuts, but I'll buy that. Won't hurt my feelings if I can't taste the greens. ;) 

So I am now converted. A green smoothie drinker. I guess next time I have some spare nickels and dimes I'll have to go to the store and get some spirulina, wheatgrass, and kelp powder. I'll gradually wean myself onto the whole "green" thing...