Several of my friends have started talking to me about drinking "Green Smoothies" - basically a breakfast smoothie with something like kale, spinach, romaine, or the like mixed with other veges and some fruit . Do you think this would be a good idea for P2, should I add some protein powder to it, or just go with regular food and skip this. They said it actually tastes pretty good (once you get past the weird color) and seems like a good way for me to get in extra vegetables.

There is something about solid food rather than a shake that keeps me full longer. If you do go with a smoothie, be sure you get enough protein to hold you until lunchtime.

Sounds very good, but I think I would use a smoothie for a snack instead of replacing a meal with it. But that's just me. I'd be starving an hour or so later if that's what I had for breakfast. I'm a "night eater" so something like that would be a great evening snack. Could you post the recipe? I've been making whey/yogurt/fruit (sometimes add coffee) smoothies in the evenings to keep me from eating at night and that sounds like it would be great.

I'd love the recipe, as well. I think as an in between it would be a great vitamin laced energy booster. Without really boosting it up I wouldn't recommend it as a meal replacement.

I do have a green smoothie that I drink every morning as a meal replacement. I starting this practice over a year before starting SB and had it reviewed by a nutritionist to make sure it had everything in it to "accomplish" what I wanted. I wanted it to be fast, tasty, nutritious AND carry me through the morning. It does that and so I stick with it to this day. I stuck with it on P1 because it fit into the P1 requirements. Even when I prepare breakfast for the family I like it so much I stick with my routine.

It is too much for a "snack" and I'd be interested in using your drink as an energy boosting drink between meals.

I'll give you two examples of their smoothies - one sweet and one savory. FIrst the sweet-
2 bosc pears
handful of raspberries
4-5 leaves of kale
2 c. water
Blend until smooth in blender
Makes 1 quart

Savory
5 leaves of kale (purple)
1/4 avocado
3 cloves garlic
juice of 1/2 lime
2 c. water
1/2 tsp. salt
2 roma tomatoes
makes 1 quart of smoothie

Hmm...very interesting....something I'd have to think about. Thanks for posting the recipe. I really like making smoothies one drink at a time as I feel fresh fruit deteriorates quite quickly once it is processed.

I may, however, just try adding a bit of kale to my morning drink and see how I like the taste-I already add about 1/2 cup of fresh fruit.

Another friend doesn't have ready access to kale so she uses spinach - buys the giant bags of fresh from Costco and uses what she can and when it starts getting borderline, she freezes it fresh on a cookie sheet, puts it in a bag after it freezes, and plops a handful of frozen in her smoothie.

I go buy Bob Greene's recipe he has Oprah drinking daily. She drinks it along with her breakfast as well as I do. I usually have plain yogurt and blueberries or cottage cheese with tomato and pepper slices or melon along with the drink. Here is the recipe copied from the Oprah site. I tend to cut back on the celery as I am not a big fan.

Ingredients:Makes 2 to 2 1/2 glasses


3 stalks celery
2 cucumbers
1 apple
1 chunk fresh ginger
1 cup fresh spinach
Combine all ingredients in a juicer and blend until smooth

Interesting, WAquilter! The sweet version has a lot more fruit than veggie. Not a bad thing, but you may get hungry fast. Personally, I'd try to keep it to one kind of fruit (If you like a more "frozen" consistency like I do, put it in frozen--that way you don't have the issue of ice melting on you later), add in kale and spinach for the nutrients, then use some yogurt and protein powder for nutrients and staying power. In general, I'm like Ruth in needing something substantial for breakfast, but I have found that if I put psyllium husk (a T or 2...or more. I just shake it in.) in my smoothies, I become very full and stay full much longer. Just a thought.

Debbie, I'd love to see your recipe--maybe you can post it in the recipe forums and put a link here? Thanks!

BeachGal

I combine two products-1 scoop each, add a little bit of fruit and blend. I bike and swim nearly every morning. I drink it with my vitamins and am able to hop on my bike and go.

Peaceful Planet-The Supreme Meal-soy free protein
http://www.nutraceutical.com/search/..._index=8651254

Vibrant Health-Green Vibrance
http://www.vibranthealth.us/?p2=/mod...category_id=86

In Dr Oz's book, "You: On a Diet" one strategy he suggested is "eating automatic", picking at least one meal a day and having the same food every day. I adopted this strategy for my breakfast because am "on the go". I started with the 2 products and tweaked my vitamins with the aid of a nutritionist. It has worked quite well for me, yet I'm sure others might find it quite boring. (I think I'll read that book again)

Why does it work for me 365 days a year? Why don't I get hungry? "If it ain't broke, why fix it?"