Herbs in Green Smoothies and Coconut Questions

by Bernie

Question: I am very curious about the millions of other greens we call herbs and there uses in green smoothies. I am sure you have tried a few. I have used herbs in cooking and making teas for years but this opens up a whole new wing. Wildcrafted herbs are like mushrooms to me in the fact that some are toxic and others beneficial. Since you have an expertise in this field (npi), it would be interesting to hear your opinion on this extension of the green smoothie revolution.

The most daring herbs I have used so far are organic flat leaf parsley and mint! Since the flavors of herbs can be very strong I assume you should use them sparingly, but I could be wrong. I love Pesto which is kind of a green smoothie with pasta even though it has Parmesan cheese and olive oil and no fruit unless you add sundried tomatoes.

I never used Coconut oil in my cooking but now that I know what it tastes like from smoothies I will include it more often. I just purchased some Coconut Vinegar too. When you use the term coconut milk do you mean reconstituted coconut powder or can you use the canned typed that is popular in Thai cooking for coconut curries and soups? I also bought a coconut and put it in the fridge. What do I do with it to make it into a smoothie?

Answer: I have used herbs in smoothies before. Not very many different type of herbs, but I have tried a few. I probably used herbal teas as the liquid in the smoothie more often. The fresh herbs that I've used the most are dandelion leaves and plantain leaves. Probably because they are everywhere up here in Minnesota.

I have also used garden greens like, carrot tops, beet tops, radish tops, etc. You are right that you need fewer amounts of herbs than other domestic greens.

Herbs are quite strong in flavor. But herbs are very healthy and I highly recommend others to give it a try. Pick the baby leaves for the most mild flavor.

When I talk about coconut milk, I use both canned and reconstituted coconut milk powder interchangeably. With your coconut in the fridge you can use the "liquid" inside of the coconut in the smoothie. Then you can cut the flesh and make coconut milk by blending it with water and straining it. Here is a video illustration: http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/recipe_HomemadeCoconutMilk.htm They use dried coconut in the video, but the concept is the same.

I hope this answers your questions.

Happy Blending!

DaNae