Green Smoothie for beginners + My Green Smoothie Testimony & how I got rid of my allergies

Trying out new things can be really intimidating, right? Especially when they seem so so healthy and yummy, and are getting a lot of hype in the press etc.
I usually wonder if it’s all true: I mean there was a hype about Bubble Tea and that wasn’t healthy for you :D
How do I start? After some experimentation, I’ve found that there are indeed a couple of things you can do wrong with Green Smoothies, that’s why a little reading here and there won’t hurt.
When you know the basics, you can finally get started!

I had heard from many people who claimed that green smoothies tasted awful.
“They tried them once” and didn’t like the taste at all.
This is exactly where the problem seems to be: The very first smoothie has to taste nothing but delicious! :)

It’s in my nature to pass on my passions to other people. I start with family and friends and when I see the success and changes that people make for themselves, I am all excited and happy and want to share it with all the world, this means: You.
I am not dogmatic, mostly people ask me what these green drinks are all about and I tell them all about it, of course. It’s so fascinating for me to see people get into green smoothies. I can be very excited when I talk about these things but it comes from the heart and I would love for everyone to experience this green smoothie lifestyle.
Come join me to the green side of the force and you’ll be healthy in no time! Blending is such a gift!

Yes, there will be more healthy recipes on ninerbakes.com. I am aware that quite a lot of people might not like it.
I purposefully have not been posting healthier recipes on the blog because I was scared of loosing my readers, who I cherish.
All you guys who follow me on my Instagram account know that a lot things changed for me.
But my way of thinking was wrong. Why hide my passion?
It’s my blog, my ideas, my recipes. And I want to share whatever is important to me. The people who don’t like it, can simply close the tab and that is okay with me.
I saw so many people change around me, which made me truly happy and feeling blessed, and I would like to pass on my experiences when it comes to this green lifestyle.

Please do not worry: I will still be posting baking recipes, of course. I have a sweet tooth and this will never change. It’s all about taste right? In the end it does not matter if cupcakes contain eggs or not: If it tastes delicious, my mission is accomplished :)

Here’s my personal Green Smoothie Testimony, my story:
I remember the exact day when I had my first green smoothie:
October 17th 2013 – for months I had been researching about smoothies etc. and I knew:
This is what I need, NOW, please Lord!

You have to know that I have a million allergies (or lots of them: had!) and green smoothies seemed to be the solution to all my problems. I could not eat an apple, or a strawberry without panting for air, getting a swollen throat etc. All my allergy peeps know the deal. It was awful!
Because of the hay fever there happened to be many many cross reactions, which is why I could not eat 80% of the fruit that’s available. Not just fruit, guys. Nuts, Soymilk, some veggies too… The only fruits I was able to eat without a problem was pineapple, raspberries, watermelon and oranges. Wohooo!
Over 20 years of “missing out” on all these fabulous raw foods, I was tired and needed a solution.

Of course I was used to it, it was normal for me but the older I became I was more and more aware of my health and I knew I did not want to live on supplements. Luckily I was taught many things by Brenda Wollenberg from In Balance, so I got natural supplements and no artificial ones (lots of people do not know how bad artificial vitamins are and Brenda was such a great teacher and still is!).
I knew Green Smoothies would help me out! All the greens I would “drink”, I could never eat on a plate. Way too much chewing going on :)

When I start to like something, I totally go for it, amped up niner:
Lots and lots of researching, pure excitement, I finally wanted to start but: I needed a GREAT blender!
I knew I wasn’t going to buy a cheap one because deep inside I knew Green Smoothies are for me. Smoothies are creamy, and yes, smooth, and a regular cheap blender wouldn’t do the job.
If you are not convinced, which is totally fine, I would rather you ask your family or friends who own a blender so you can try it out for your first green smoothie and then make the decision:
“Yayyyy, two thumbs up, green smoothies are delicious!”
It just totally makes sense to get a high quality blender, it lasts for years and I plan to drink smoothies all my life, so it was only right to look for something perfect.

I chose the right brand, my favorite blender for many years, I always admired it: The american brand Blendtec. Coffee shop chains like Starbucks or Planet Smoothie work with Blendtec because yes, it is the most powerful blender on the market. Period.

Like I have mentioned in my Peanut Butter Smoothie blogpost: The specs: 1,560-watt countertop blender with 3 HP direct-drive motor and spins at up to 29,000 rpm! Bam!

The Blendtec’s 3 hp will pulverize everything without any pushing because of its great jar, the Wildside Jar. Within seconds it blends up raw greens and fruit into nutrient, dense green smoothies.

I know there are many many VitaMix lovers out there: I do not want to open up a kein VitaMix/Blendtec Battle here :)
The VitaMix is mad powerful too, it just isn’t for me: The lack of design and the tamper to push down the ingredients, not my thing at all. I can leave my Blendtec doing the work so I can clean up, prep. other food etc. It’s SO great.
But that is just my humble opinion, feel free to check out both blenders to choose the one you like best.
Peace & love, everyone :)

Beautiful.
Perfection.
…yes, that’s me, fascinated as can be!

Let’s look back, October 17th, 2014, my beloved Blendtec arrived at my house!
I was beyond thrilled and excited.
Now all I had to do was to get this baby going. Of course I had all my ingredients ready to throw in the jar of the blender, the one that came with the Total Blender is called Fourside Jar.
I threw in the following:
– frozen spinach, 1 orange, 1 banana, 1/2 avocado, water + orange juice. I pressed my finger on the “Smoothie XL” button aaaand go!
A true love story was written within 40 seconds. This usually works in movies only :)

Had to take a #smoothieselfie right away and sent it to mom. Just for your information, my mom got her Blendtec 1 month later and started drinking green smoothies daily – Guess how happy that made me! Sharing such a beautiful habit with my mom, priceless!
BTW, the first sip: Straight out of the jar! Niner in LOVE :)

Poured it in a nice mason jar and put it in the fridge for later. I usually prepare my smoothies for two days. I drink two smoothies per day. Makes 6 mason jars in your fridge.

Having such a great first experience with green smoothies is a must for newbies, everybody should feel like I felt that very moment when I tasted it the first time. I was so so excited.
I have skipped smoothies only twice in October last year, because we went to a Jay-Z concert in Hamburg. #hovibaby
I made it a habit to drink them every day, it belongs to my life now. What a great habit to have eh? Living healthy! Trust me, that wasn’t me when I was 18. I was never really unhealthy, but I did not care as much when I was younger.

I designed my own GREEN SMOOTHIE LOVE labels to put on my various jars where I keep my superfoods in, such as chia seeds, raw cocao powder, flax seeds, acai powder etc.
I love to personalize everything and in case you like these labels: In my next blogpost you are able to download them!
Please use this hashtag: #ninerblends on every social media site so I can actually see the labels on your jars and give you a virtual high5! :)

What has changed for me since drinking green smoothies?
In January 2014 it was the first time after a good while that I have tried to eat mini bits of raw fruit that I was usually allergic to, all my life. I was scared at first because it made me feel so sick and too much of these fruits, I would go to the hospital (I am not being dramatic here).
I took a mini bite off a strawberry. I expected my mouth to hurt immediately. Nothing happened…”Weird”, I thought.”
I was extremely careful and took only mini bites, one after the other. But I felt fine! I felt amazing:
I felt like “everybody else” which was SO great! It’s nice to stand out, but when it comes to allergies, I like to be just like everybody else.

That’s exactly the thing I was hoping for when I started with green smoothies. To get healthier than ever before and to get rid of my allergies. I read so much about it, that green smoothies help so many bad things go away and in my case, I changed nothing but incorporated smoothies into my daily diet.

I always said to people: I am so jealous, you can be so happy that you can eat whatever fruit you want and you’re fine. Be grateful for these things!
If I was you, I would eat tons of fruit! But: Mostly you don’t cherish the things that seem so normal to you.

• Green Smoothies are… blended drinks that combine leafy greens such as spinach, kale etc. with fruits and healthy fats, such as cashews, almonds and superfoods like chia seeds, flax seeds etc.
• This is what’s so great about the beginner recipe:
  It’s not complicated and it certainly doesn’t taste green! That is so important, especially in the beginning. You can make them less sweet once you have more experience with green smoothies.
• In the beginning I recommend using your favourite fruits as the main part of your smoothie + 1 or 2 handfulls of spinach. Frozen fruit and frozen spinach is a great combination as well, because you get a slurpee like consistency and this is perfect for a hot summer day!
  Spinach has a very mild taste so you won’t be bothered by it, trust me. Being happy with your first smoothies is key here, so this is the formula:
  60% fruit – 40% greens. 70% and 30% work fine as well. Take baby steps, one smoothie at a time.
• Don’t throw anything in the blender: I personally love smoothies with many ingredients but I haven’t done that in the beginning. I wanted to make sure it tasted good so I only picked standard ingredients such as: Spinach, Banana, Orange, Avocado, Water (or orange juice to make it sweeter!) and if it was not sweet enough: Agave, maple syrup etc. to sweeten it naturally.
  Now that I have become a blendaholic, I usually don’t use any recipes, sometimes I do, but mostly I know what tastes great and what not and just throw it in the blender and let the Blendtec surprise me with the outcome.
  I love to add my superfoods too, which I will be talking about in a new blogpost.
• Like I mentioned already, the right blender is key!
  Definitely try a smoothie out with the blender you have at home, if it is not as powerful, please cut your fruit in pieces and do not use frozen ingredients, unless your blender is capable of crushing ice, then it should work fine.
  This is important: Revolutions per minute (RPM). The motor of the Blendtec spins either jar’s blade at high-torque speeds of nearly 29,000 revolutions per minute (RPM). It pulverizes everything!
  The “Wildside Jar” has a fifth side for larger, faster blends. You do not need a pusher (like with the VitaMix) with this jar. Again, no beef please :)
  I do not need to cut my fruit in small pieces with a Blendtec. I might cut a huge orange in half, but thats it, I throw everything in there and the outcome is incredible.
  This video from the “Will It Blend”-Series shows it quite nicely:

Having a little fun here and there won’t hurt: Blending ain’t easy! :D

• I understand that not everybody can or want to spend 300 or 400 dollars on a blender. You might first want to check out whether green smoothies are for you.
  Let me tell you though, you get what you pay for: High speed blenders are more expensive, yes, but the results are perfect, every time. Cheaper blenders are okay to start with, but you will notice the difference when it comes to consistency and quality of your smoothies.
  I have three other options here for you that might suit you:
  1. Oster VERSA 1400-watt Professional Performance Blender
  2. Ninja Professional Blender
  3. Hamilton Beach – Power Elite Multi-Function Blender
• Advantage of Green Smoothies:
  1. You increase your consumption of fruits and veggies, mostly greens.
  2. Green smoothies are very high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other important nutrients.
  3. Blending fruits and greens together breaks down the cells of plants and improves digestibility.
  4. Green Smoothies can replace your daily coffee routine, way healthier choice.
  You get more energy and you’ll notice reduced anxiety and nervousness.
  5. Glowing Skin: GS are high in fiber which allows your body to get rid of the toxins the better way, not through your skin.
  6. So easy to make and you’ll have less cravings for sweets! :)
  7. Green Smoothies are high in fiber, which lowers cholesterol and keeps you feeling fuller for longer.
  8. Chlorophyll: A molecule of chlorophyll resembles a molecule of human blood.
  Drinking 2 green smoothies a day will get you plenty of alkalizing blood-transfusing chlorophyll to help repair the cells in your body.
  9. Green Smoothies for weight-loss: With just a few ingredients like cucumber, oranges, lemon jice and spinach, you get a smoothie that has approx. 150 calories per serving, including 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. You are full and you will loose weight drinking smoothies everyday.
  10. Kid-friendly: The first green smoothie for your children does not necessarily need to be green, they might refuse to drink it: Sneak in blueberries, raspberries, blackberries etc. to make it look purple/red, they will not assume greens in it! :)
• Books to get:
  Victoria Boutenko’s Books (she invented green smoothies):
  1. Green for Life: The Updated Classic on Green Smoothie Nutrition
  2. Green Smoothie Revolution: The Radical Leap Towards Natural Health
  3. Raw Family: A True Story of Awakening
  Others:
  1. The Blender Girl: Super-Easy, Super-Healthy Meals, Snacks, Desserts, and Drinks–100 Gluten-Free, Vegan Recipes!
  2. The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Over 100 Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out
  3. 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse: Lose Up to 15 Pounds in 10 Days!
  4. Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health
  5. Crazy Sexy Diet: Eat Your Veggies, Ignite Your Spark, and Live Like You Mean It!
• In the media:
  The Video from Sergei Boutenko, son of Victoria Boutenko, is so helpful! His speech helped me so much to understand the importance of greens. Blend yourself a great smoothie, tune in to YouTube and enjoy this awesome video.

  Websites to check out, a must:
  1. Simple Green Smoothies (lots of recipes, challenges, etc.)
  2. Raw Family

• Prep Time 10 minutes
• Blending Time 30-60 seconds or longer
• Difficulty Easy
• Servings 2-3 servings depending on blender jar

For the beginners green smoothie:

• 1-2 cups spinach (frozen works fine too)
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 orange
• 1 kiwi
• hand full of grapes, makes it nice and sweet
• 1/2 Avocado
• Fluids: Water or Orange Juice for more sweetness in the beginning
• agave, maple syrup or dates to naturally sweeten your smoothie
• For serving:
  Ball Mason Jars
• For serving:
  Colored paperstraws

I love to add chia seeds afterwards. When they are soaked in liquid they simultaneously expand up to nine times their original size and release their amazing nutrients. I also love to prepare the yummiest chocolate chia seeds pudding, recipe follows in a new blogpost!

I designed a Green Smoothie Formula for you, to print, save on your phone or to share with friends or pin on Pinterest and save it for later. Enjoy:

Tried any of my smoothies?
Please use this hashtag for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter etc. so I can see your yummy treats: #ninerblends

Love and happy blending,
niner