If you’ve been to this site before, you probably already know that I’m a big fan of Green Smoothies – I’ve been having them for breakfast pretty much every day for the past several years. For a long time, I pretty much settled on one recipe that I had all the time. But the past several months I’ve been playing with variations. This morning I found myself looking at a watermelon that we bought about a week ago. Hmm – what might a smoothie taste like that started with watermelon? I tried it out, and the answer is – AMAZING! I love the flavor of watermelon anyway, and it really comes through in the smoothie I created. As it happens, this smoothie is also a wonderful detoxifying drink, which makes it perfect to kick off the three day raw detox I’m starting this morning.
Refreshing Watermelon Smoothie Recipe (serves 2) :
– 3 cups water
– 150 grams of fresh kale
– 400 grams of watermelon (not the rind)
– 1 frozen banana
– 1 cup frozen mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries)
– 6 frozen strawberries
Add watermelon and kale to water, blend til totally broken down (10-20 seconds in a Vitamix). Add frozen fruits, blend again til smooth. Pour equally into two bottles. Note: you can replace the kale with parsley, spinach, chard, or other dark leafy greens. Try it and see what you like.
If you don’t currently have a blender, or you do have one, but it’s not up to the task of blending frozen bananas and berries, consider purchasing your own Vitamix! To get free shipping (regular $25) on your shiny new Vitamix, click on my affiliate link, or mention my affiliate number (***06-006010***) when you order.
If you prefer to order by phone, here is the Vitamix contact information:
Jean-Pierre “J.P.” Minard
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Vitamix Corporation
Phone: +1 800 848 2649 ext 2303
UK: 0808 156 6633
IE: 0766 709 854
Nutritional breakdown (per serving) [nutritiondata.com]
This food is low in Sodium, and very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6, Potassium and Copper, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Manganese
– glycemic load ~15 (very low – that’s good!)
– inflammation factor ~248 (very high – that’s good too!)
– calories 200
– fat 1 grams
– protein 5 grams
– dietary fiber 8 grams
– Vitamin A 256% DV
– Vitamin C 234% DV
– Vitamin K 784% DV
– Thiamin 13% DV
– Riboflavin 13% DV
– Niacin 11% DV
– Vitamin B6 28% DV
– Folate 15% DV
– Calcium 15% DV
– Iron 14% DV
– Magnesium 20% DV
– Phosphorus 10% DV
– Potassium 26% DV
– Copper 24% DV
– Manganese 68% DV
– Phytosterols ~13mg
Bonus – watermelon contains high levels of lycopene – an antioxidant that may help the body fight cancer and prevent disease; kale contains the glucosinolate isothiocyanate (ITC), and the flavonoids kaempferol and quercitin – all of which have been effective in cancer prevention.
Are you a smoothie-lover?
Have you tried adding leafy greens to your smoothies?
Do you want the benefits of a detox, without having to live on lemon juice and maple syrup?
What’s your favorite smoothie recipe?
I LOVE green smoothies…my kids can’t quite get over the color, but I still sneak things in without them knowing. And I don’t think we go a day without using our vitamix…most used appliance (next to the dishwasher, washer and dryer) in the house. I always use berries, and also add flax or coconut milk (YUM!) to add fat. For sure I add kale or spinach, depending on what we have. I’ve also thrown in celery, and also used avocados (also another ingredient to add good fat). My oldest son plays around with the smoothie idea too, and added almond butter and cinnamon to a fruit smoothie. It was also good…love that the sky is the limit with smoothies.
Hi, Mary,
Thanks for writing – it’s good for people to hear that green smoothies aren’t just for adults!
I’ve tried young-thai-coconut water in my kiwi smoothies, and use flax and almonds in my original green smoothie. I’ve finally bought some chia seeds, so I plan to give them a try next. And if you haven’t tried it – definitely try out my banana-date shake recipe – it’s seriously amazing.
I’ve had a few visitors asking whether they should remove the seeds before blending the watermelon. I actually use seedless watermelon, so it’s not an issue for me. If you’re using watermelon WITH those black seeds, then I’d say that yes, you should probably remove them. A vitamix would be able to completely pulverize them, but they’ve got a slightly bitter taste that probably won’t add much to the flavor of your smoothie.
Best of luck!