It sounds kind of gross at first, but once you’ve tasted a smoothie with green vegetables in it, you’ll be asking to fill up the glass again.

I have to be honest. When my wife told me she was making a smoothie with kale in it, I thought she was humoring me with a little vegan comedy. Once I stopped laughing and noticed she was being totally serious, I became a little skeptical.

OK, I was a little scared at what I would be tasting. After throwing some fruit, the kale, some yogurt, ice, water and some kind of powder into a blender and mixing it up, I was ready to fill my glass with a liquid that was a little green and a little blue.

I wasn’t quite sure what color it was or what this concoction was going to taste like. So I closed my eyes and sipped, and then drank, and then guzzled the smoothie down. It was refreshing and delicious.

To top it all off it is very healthy for you. The kale is high in fiber. The strawberries and blueberries are at or near the top of the list for fruit when it comes to antioxidants.

We also added some protein powder that tasted like vanilla. What a great addition to a light breakfast or lunch.

Try the recipe I am sharing with you, or you can always experiment and make your own. Have some fun with smoothies and enjoy that vegan thing.

VEGGIE/FRUIT SMOOTHIE

5 bunches of washed kale

1 serving of vanilla protein powder (we use a brand called Arbonne)

1 banana

½ cup of soy yogurt (or you can use any other kind of vegan yogurt)

1 cup of blueberries

1 cup of strawberries

Add a few ice cubes if you use fresh fruit

1 to 2 cups of water

Place the ingredients above in the order they are listed in a blender and mix until it is in a liquid form. Add a little water if it is too thick. Pour in a glass and enjoy!

 

Jeff Peterson anchors the 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. news on WGME-TV and is a vegan.