Other green stuff....

This week has been really busy.  My good intentions for posting a recipe became just that and alas, no recipe. (Also we had a lot of leftovers after our 4th of July celebration so I didn't feel like experimenting any more.  Our refrigerator was full!)

So, as we finish our leftovers, I'll share some of my favorite reusable products: the other green.

These plate / bowl covers are super handy for leftovers.  We use them all the time.  I'm on my second package of them.  We've been using them for a while--6 months?  A year?  I actually have no idea, time is a blur around here!  I bought mine at Target on a whim.  I love them.  I haven't had any break on me, nor have I tossed any, but some disappeared so we needed a second set.

These stainless steel straws are wonderful!  We've been using them for almost a year now; I estimate we've saved about 1200 plastic straws thus far.  We love to drink our green smoothies with these straws (I have some pictures of green smoothies with these straws, but they aren't on my iPhone and I'm too lazy to go download the camera right now.)

I suppose I could give you my favorite green smoothie recipe... hrm... (see below)

One more green product... We use stainless steel water bottles (Kleen Kanteen) all the time.  One day, for some reason, I forgot to have the girls pack their water bottles (and snacks) and we found ourselves out and about and thirsty (and hungry).  (I never forget water bottles and snacks as I've been "packing" for 10 years; I don't know what I was thinking!)

We went to Whole Foods to find some sustenance.  While we were there, I was delighted to find a way to buy a bottle of water in a reusable stainless steel water bottle.  While I wouldn't want to buy a new stainless steel water bottle all the time, it was great to buy one that day.  They aren't that expensive ($7) and for us, it's good to have an extra water bottle around the house in case we have company or in case someone loses their water bottle.  

Okay, here's how we make the green smoothie that we have every night as our appetizer before dinner... (If we're going out, I make it in the afternoon and give it to the girls before we go.)

3 - 4 cups frozen kale (or spinach)*
1 or 2 bananas
1 (or 2 if you don't use the Red Powder) 10-ounce package of frozen strawberries (or blueberries or a mixture of berries)
10 ounces of soy milk
(optional) A couple of scoops of Trader Joe's Super Red Powder (or a few scoops of Amazing Meal)
enough water / ice to make it blend well and make it a little less kale-intense.  It will still be thick.

Makes enough for 5 smoothies about 12 ounces (because of the ice/water)

We use our Vitamix to blend it and YUM!  If your kids won't eat veggies, try green smoothies. Here's hoping there's more time for blogging this week!

 

Look, a green smoothie with the stainless steel straw... Love the green!

*Note, we started with a few handfuls and worked our way up to very green smoothies.  I like kale better than spinach.  It's a stronger flavor, but it's more nutritious than spinach--you can google kale versus spinach and see why if you're curious.  Of course, if I don't have kale, I gladly turn to spinach, and for variety, I use spinach every now and then.