Confession: I haven't always liked vegetables. Before going vegan, my vegetable intake was primarily limited to salad basics, just about any canned variety, and broccoli. Once in a while, I'd buy a cucumber for snacks, but never, ever in my pre-vegan days did I get excited about raw baby carrots and hummus (which now appear in my lunch three to five times a week).
When I went vegan, I realized I'd have to learn to like vegetables because I eliminated a lot of typical American foods. Now, green juices/smoothies are one of the fastest, easiest, and tastiest ways I get in lots of raw, nutrient-rich green vegetables. Why? Because the fruit flavors tend to mask the strong taste of the raw greens!
This is the sort of thing that just depends on what you have on hand. I use any combination of fruits and green vegetables. I almost always have frozen fruit in the freezer, and how much frozen fruit I use determines if it's more of a green juice or green smoothie. Sometimes I'll use a few ounces of fruit juice, yogurt, or coconut milk. Your preferences also play a big part in determining what ratio of fruits to vegetables you use. If you're new to it and aren't crazy about raw kale, use more fruit. Change your ratio to more evenly balance, or favor, greens as you discover what combinations you like and as your tastebuds get used to these new textures and tastes!
For this particular juice, I threw the following into a blender:
- a frozen, sliced banana
- a hunk of watermelon (really specific, I know)
- two raw kale leaves
- two ounces pineapple juice
Going green has never been easier!
