I must have been asleep at the whisk. How did I miss Oprah’s Green Smoothie Revolution?

Sure, I like to think that I keep up with food trends. Eat healthier. Eat more veggies. Green is good. All of these feel right to me. So  a few days ago when I discovered Oprah’s green smoothie invented by Dr. Oz and its all-green ingredient list, I knew it had to be good for you. But. Could it also be just plain good tasting?

So, it was experiment night at Donna’s Test Kitchen. With the New Year and those holiday pounds upon me, anything low-cal and healthy sounds fabulous to me. This time of year I am craving celery, grapefruit and egg white omelettes. Isn’t everyone?

There are dozens of versions of this smoothie out there – but this is the most basic version. It is surprisingly refreshing and delicious. And, you just can’t put anything more healthy in your mouth. Some people claim they felt better within 24 hours of drinking this magical concoction. Something about the blending action breaking down the cell walls of the plants and making the nutrients more accessible.

In a few later versions, I added a spoonful of Greek yogurt – you can even try our make-at-home version. I found that if you chill all the ingredients first, you don’t need to add ice. Also, it work best to put the cucumbers in the blender first, making the mixture liquefy much more quickly. DON”T remove seeds or skins from any ingredient (even the apples) because these have tons of nutrients in them.

Healthy New Year, Everyone!

OPRAH’S GREEN SMOOTHIE

2 cups spinach
2 cups diced cucumbers
2 ribs celery
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 handful parsley leaves
2 apples, cored but not peeled
Juice of 1 lime

1 spoonful Greek yoghurt (optional)

Blend all ingredients until very smooth, about 90 seconds. Enjoy!

— posted by Donna