I found the idea of these freezer smoothie packs on Pinterest from
Budget Bytes. I make a smoothie for myself almost everyday, and I love the idea of not having to lug 10 bags out of the freezer every time I go to make one! Plus, now my kids can grab a bag from the freezer and make their own smoothies.
This is what my smoothie ended up looking like. The color will all depend on what fruit you decide to put in it.
I had 5 bananas and a bunch of frozen fruit.
Raspberries, pineapple, blueberries and a cherry berry blend.
Peel the banana, you need one banana per Ziploc bag smoothie. If you are not a banana lover, frozen peaches or mangoes are a great substitute, as they are hearty and will help make up the bulk of the smoothie. A banana is so sweet and creamy, that it tends to be my favorite.
Add 1 cup of whatever type of frozen fruit you would like.
I did a combo of berries and pineapple here.
Just choose your favorites. You can't go wrong!
To make the smoothie, put 2 handfuls of spinach (about 2 cups) in a blender.
Add 1 cup of your choice of milk. (Dairy, soy, almond or coconut.) I use almond. Blend until spinach is chopped up teeny tiny.
Add your pouch of fruit containing 1 banana and 1 cup of assorted berries/fruit.
Blend. See how the green disappears into a nice purple? The kids will never know what is REALLY in there. The spinach taste goes away thanks to the berries.
I like to add Chia seeds for extra fiber and protein. This is optional. Some also like to add cinnamon. Some add protein powder or honey if the fruit is not sweet enough. Make sure you taste. The one I made today was so sweet, it DID NOT need any more sweetness.
This recipe made enough for a very full 12 oz mason jar...about 15 oz all together.
Enjoy! So refreshing, and a great way to get in some of your servings of fruits and veggies each day!
Ziploc Smoothie
1 Ziploc
1 banana
1 cup assorted berries/fruit
2 cup baby spinach
1 cup milk (almond, dairy, coconut or soy)
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Optional ingredients:
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 scoop protein powder
Honey, Stevia or Agave to sweeten if needed
Make your Ziploc smoothie packs, each containing one banana and one cup of fruit. Freeze until you are ready to use them, you can use one right away, the banana does not need to be frozen.
Place spinach in blender. Add milk. Blend until smooth.
Add Ziplock smoothie pack. Blend until smooth.
Add optional ingredients if desired. Blend until smooth.
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A Little Bit About Blenders
Professional Grade High Speed Blender
Some of the best money I have ever spent!
This is the model I have. I drooled over it for a couple of years!
It was a splurge, but worth EVERY penny. I use it 2-3 times a day.
It makes crushed ice in seconds. It takes almonds to almond butter in seconds. It makes the best raspberry fruit purees for pancakes and ice cream--obliterates all those little seeds into smooth puree heaven! We are eating 3 times the amount of fruits and veggies since purchasing this amazing blender, which I know is keeping us out of the doctors' office and away from those expensive co-pays, so in my mind it has paid itself off.
I've never used one, but have heard good things about them. They are not professional grade like the Vitamix, but the price is much easier to swallow and they are powerful.
{my old Oster on the left, my New Vitamix on the right}
I had one of these for years and it does the job. You can't beat the price, and for smoothies, it works, although you have to blend much longer. You will still have chia and raspberry seeds in your smoothies, but if you don't mind the extra texture, this one will do. If you have had a high speed blender, you will not be happy with this one. If you are looking for something to get by until you can get a high speed blender, and to just get those smoothies in you, this will do just fine.
