Green Monster Smoothie Part II: No Juicer Required
Last week I shared my gastroparesis-friendly version of Dr. Andrew’s Weil’s Green Monster Smoothie. Blog reader and fellow GPer, Amy, posed a great question about this nutrition-packed recipe:
Hi! I really like your website! I also have GP and really (really!) struggle to get enough nutrients in on a strict liquid diet. I was wondering if there is any way to still make (or modify) this green monster smoothie recipe if I don’t own a juicer?
For those of you like Amy who don’t have a juicer (or just need to save some time), here’s an alternative version made with bottled juices found in the refrigerated produce section of the supermarket. The main difference is that pasteurized juice lacks the enzymes found in fresh juice but if you can’t make your own, the flash-pasteurized juices (Bolthouse Farms, Odwalla, Naked, etc.) are the next best thing. These tend to be thicker than fresh juice so I typically thin them with water.
Simply blend the following in a blender or Magic Bullet until smooth:
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup Bolthouse Farms 100% Carrot Juice
- 1/2 cup Bolthouse Farms Green Goodness
- 1/2 frozen banana or a few ice cubes
- 1/4 cup plain Greek or regular yogurt (optional)
The Green Goodness is a good substitute for the fresh apple, cucumber, and kale juices in the original recipe since the wheat grass, spirulina, spinach and blue-green algae contain a ton of phytonutrients. Don’t worry — it also has apple, kiwi, and other fruit juices to mask the taste of the greens and the 4 oz. of Green Goodness used in the smoothie only provides 0.5 grams of fiber.
Notes: If you use a different brand of juice, such as Naked or Odwalla, check the fiber content as some of their products contain a significant amount. The yogurts add a bit of protein and healthy bacteria (probiotics) to this drink, but simply omit it if you can’t tolerate dairy products. If you prefer a thinner smoothie, add more water or less banana/ice.
While I’ve tried both of these juices by themselves, I haven’t yet made this smoothie since I’m currently at the Mayo Clinic. I do have my Magic Bullet with me so I plan to give it a try later this week. If I have any modifications, I’ll definitely post them. If you try it, let me know what you think!
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14 Responses to “Green Monster Smoothie Part II: No Juicer Required”
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I have a juicer and tried the original green monster recipe and it was great, but this is even better. Sometimes the juicer is just too much work and too much mess. Thanks for sharing and for this blog. I’m still getting my head around gastroparesis so these little bits of help are a lifesaver!
I’m happy that you have posted this second option of a smoothie. I have GP and am unable to tolerate ANY kind of fruit except for bananas. I have a magic bullet and use it everyday. I wouldn’t bother with smoothies if it weren’t for my magic bullet because I wouldn’t have the patience for the clean up. I have another smoothie reciepe that I drink every morning as it gives me such a boost. Let me know if you are interested. Thanks so much for your contribution. It is so awesome to have some other ideas for food!
Hi, Rachel. The Magic Bullet is fantastic, isn’t it? I use mine frequently for both smoothies and protein shakes. I also love how portable it is — brought it with me to Mayo Clinic and have been using it in the hotel.
Yes, please share your go-to smoothie recipe! You can either post it here in the comments section or email it to me at crystal “at” livingwithgastroparesis.com. Thanks!
Hi, Michelle. I totally hear you about not wanting to drag out the juicer everyday. If you try this version, let me know what you think!
My everyday morning smoothie:
1 tsp fish oil (Nutrasea brand in apple flavor – its truely awesome! I can’t stand the smell, never mind the taste of fish and this is tasteless and odorless. Can be found in a health food store only)
1/4 cup of Activia vanilla yogurt (I find it helps with the constipation)
1 full banana
1 pkg of Provitalix Protein powder (or whatever brand protein powder you are use to)
1/2 cup of chocolate organic soy milk or Almond Breeze milk
Tastes like a banana split! Yummy!
This sounds fantastic — full of protein, potassium, and Omega-3s, all things GPers really need. Can’t wait to give it a try! I’m definitely going to check out the Nutrasea fish oil and the Provitalix protein powder as I haven’t heard of either. Thanks for sharing, Rachel!
Hi Crystal,
Thank you so much for responding to my question and for posting this! I am hoping to go to Whole Foods in the next day or two to pick up the rest of the ingredients, so I’ll let you know how it goes. Can’t wait to try it!
Hi Crystal, based on your recommend I’m ordering a Magic Bullet. Do you use the juicer attachment or just the regular part? I see that it comes as a separate purchase and I want to make sure I buy the right parts for making the smoothies! I just bought your ebook recently and can’t wait to try the recipes. Thanks!
I just noticed that there’s no juicer required for this recipe, but was wondering if you recommend it for purchase or if you never use it? Thanks again!
Hi, Francesca! You don’t need a juicer to make most of the smoothies in the book. Actually, I think the original Green Monster Smoothie is the only one that calls for fresh juice. Whether or not to get one is really up to you. It can be a really good GP-friendly way to get extra nutrients since juicing removes the majority of fiber from fruits and veggies. On the other hand, it can be a bit time consuming and expensive. My suggestion would be to start with the Magic Bullet and see how you do with the smoothies. If you like it, you could always “step up” to the juicer in order to consume a wider variety of fruits/veggies.
Hope that helps!
Warmly,
Crystal
Wonderful! Thanks Crystal! I think that’s a good plan. One more question if you don’t mind:
I’ve read some people talk about the VitaMix and I am wondering if the fiber is left in (with purees/soups for example) how GP people tend to tolerate that? I plan to start with the Magic Bullet and then save up for the VitaMix later if it’s a good way to introduce fiber back into the diet. I’m just not sure though if that works for anyone with GP. Thanks again for your advice!
Hi, Francesca. I actually just ordered a VitaMix this weekend! You’re right; unlike a juicer, a VitaMix (or Magic Bullet or any other blender) doesn’t remove the fiber in the food. However, most GP patients are able to tolerate some fiber (the amount varies from person to person). What the VitaMix does is really pulverize the food, basically doing half of the work for your stomach, and some people find that they can tolerate things quite a bit better when they’re pureed and/or thinned. Hope that helps! — Crystal
It does! Thanks so much and good luck with you VitaMix! Just got my Magic Bullet today!
I love this smoothie with just a little bit of sugar.