By the way...thanks

Dear Family and Friends,

Thanks to all of you that have told me about your experiences with the green drinks and my recipes.  I feel so happy to know that you are trying my recipes and loving them!

I can't describe to you the change that has occurred in our home since our focus has been on getting our kids the adequate nutrition.  Our kids are happier, easier to handle, more obedient, less mood swings, they are trying new foods, doing better in school, more polite and courteous (which my mom told me she noticed when they spent the night at her house awhile ago), healthier and stronger immune systems, sick less, less allergies, and the list goes on.
I'm happy to share this with you all with the hopes that you will have some success as well. 

I hope you know, especially my family, that anything you can do in the right direction is a great start. I've gone kind of extreme as you can see, but remember I started small. Line upon line... It takes time to make changes.  Continue working, continue trying... Before long, you'll be whipping up delicious meals from scratch, blending up drinks, and making bread, etc without batting an eye.  AND more importantly feeling and looking great.  This lifestyle has helped me so much.  I love feeling good each day.  I can accomplish so much more.  I have a greater capacity to serve and to love my family especially my children.  I feel blessed everyday for good food and love to be able to share it with my family and friends.  So Thanks for allowing me to share this with you. Much love,

Melissa 

green drinks 101--simple and easy

 Hey everyone,

If you haven't figured out that I'm really into green drinks, you haven't been reading my blog.

Reasons why I love them:

• They taste good (and no it's not cuz my taste-buds are messed up; they are really good)
• Fast and easy (wash and blend--ITS SOOOO SIMPLE)
• Great way of getting the much needed nutrients that are missing from the average diet (perfect for the picky eaters who won't eat salad or vegetables)
• Makes me feel better as a mother knowing my kids are getting so many nutrients in one delicious drink
• Inexpensive--seriously-way cheaper than buying vitamins, or powders, etc.

If you are a beginner, start here

1. The first experience will be the last so make it a good one. Use less greens and more frozen fruit. I promise you kids will love it.  What's not to love its juice and frozen fruit!  Don't use as many greens as I have in my recipes...my kids are used to it now.
2. Blend it smooth.  If you give a kid a green drink with chunks, they won't like them so blend it really smooth.  I of course now don't care as much because my kids are used to it and don't mind having it blended all the way.
3. Make it fun.  Make games out of it...Like hulking out... Call it hulk juice.  Be creative, use fun jars and straws.
4. Don't let them see you make it!!!! That's a given.  If they see you putting green stuff in it and vegetables they aren't going to try it.
5. If at first you don't succeed, try again.  Stay positive and don't force the kid.  Wait awhile to get them to that point.
6. Avoid using too many types of frozen fruits in one drink or too many different types of greens.  This could cause a tummy ache.  Keep it simple.  I've tried going crazy with it and I realized that it's more beneficial keeping it simple and then rotating what I use.  For example:  Rotate the greens you use so your body can absorb more nutrients.

So what are you waiting for, mothers, fathers, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, whoever you are... if you notice the kids in your life aren't getting adequate nutrition...do something about it!!!!
  
I suggest starting with this classic recipe.

Fill blender 3/4 full of apple juice (I use unfiltered but you don't have to)
Add ice or frozen fruit (stick with one kind.  If you use too many kinds they'll get a stomach ache) 
2 chard leaves 
1 handful of spinach

 You can add more greens later.  Here you just want to get the kids used to it.