Alien Juice (green smoothie)
My sister’s husband is set in his ways. He’s in good health, and he maintains his ideal weight, but he eats like a big kid.
He makes faces at veggies, and the idea of drinking anything green makes him walk away shaking his head.
On a recent visit there, my veggie-eating son found his behavior very funny, and he decided that we needed to come up with a green smoothie that Uncle Joe would love, with a name that would trick Uncle Joe and his cousins into thinking it was something fun.
Just remember, this is NOT a green smoothie. It’s Alien Juice and it tastes really good!
Sweetening this smoothie in a healthy way is the key to getting the kid in your life to love it.
Banana is an easy way to achieve a milkshake consistency, but some people are sensitive to banana’s sweetness. Adding mango is another tasty way to add sweet tropical flavor; my son loves that option.
You can also add protein powder, which turns this into a mini-meal or a pre-game snack.
I sometimes drizzle in maple syrup, just a little, for added B vitamins, or raw local honey if your child is over age two, coconut sugar syrup for a low glycemic option, or stevia if you’re avoiding calories.
Ingredients
1 cup kale
1 large Granny Smith apple (or other sweet apple), roughly chopped
1/2 cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
1 peeled lemon
1 small head of romaine lettuce
1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
Maple syrup, to taste (about a half teaspoon)
4-5 Ice cubes
1 cup water or more to desired consistency
1 scoop Protein powder, optional
frozen banana, optional
1/2 cup frozen mango, optional
Preparation
Add all ingredients to your blender and blend on high until your Alien Juice is very smooth. Adjust the consistency with more water if needed, and sweetener if you need to.
Serve in a fun glass with a snazzy straw. Tell them it’s Alien Juice.
