- ~TIPS~
- Peel your bananas before freezing or you'll be pissed trying to peel a frozen banana.
- You can keep leftovers in the refrigerator. I drink it all at one time because I don't like the texture once it's sat in the fridge.
- Using a frozen banana makes it super cold. Nothing worse than a barely cold smoothie.
- Coconut milk is different than coconut cream and coconut water. I use Silks brand called PureCoconut. You can find it next to the milks, soy milks, almond milks in the grocery store.
DRINK THE MONSTERRRRR!!!!! I’ve been on the green monster smoothie train since I discovered it on ohsheglows.com, but I just recently started using it as a weight lose/management tool.
Let me just say, as a life long smoothie-addict, I LOVE IT!!!!
A few months before Spring I always kick it into high gear to shed my winter muffin-top. I just can’t resist those cozy, comforting dishes of the fall and winter so I don’t even put up a fight. I’ll happily be the double stomach girl in the winter if it means I get to indulge in cookies, fresh bread, cakes, soups, mac n cheese, and the works!!!
Last year I did the Jullian Michaels 30 day shred and a light meal modification plan. I was happy with the results but I HATE working out that hard everyday. I’m so glad I stumbled upon the green monster smoothie because I swear this thing was made just for me!!
The saying “there is a diet for everyone” is so true. This is the one I’ll be using every year to lose weight.
I’m only using it to lose weight. Once I reach my desired goal I’ll maintain my weight by cutting out sugar and white flour as much as a I can and eating the right portions. It really is easy to follow once you look down at that flat stomach.
Here is my regimen for Sunday-Friday. It’s been working great for me but PLEASE NOTE you may need to add or take away more calories depending on your body and goals.
Wake up- Hello Beautiful Lemon Water ( 8 oz) & deep stretching for 10 minutes.
Exercise Bike- 30 minutes
Breakfast- Green Monster Smoothie
Lunch- Green Monster Smoothie
Dinner- Healthy, proportioned dinner
Dessert /Snack- If I haven’t had a snack during the day I eat dessert.
Make sure you drink 64 oz of water (or however much you need for your body weight or you’ll be sorry)
Even though my calories are kinda low on this diet, I’m so surprised I’m not hungry all the time. The smoothie is like 320 calories and it makes a lot! If I do get hungry mid-day I’ll eat a huge green salad with diced chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers and light ranch.
CAUTION:
1.)Please be sure to drink PLENTY of water with this smoothie! Spinach is FULL of fiber and fiber NEEDS water to move throughout your body. If you don’t drink enough water your poop will be little, hard green balls LOL sorry to be so descriptive but sh!t matters!! !!! Also your body will hold on to the weight instead of letting it go. Water is like the miracle here. YOU HAVE TO HAVE ENOUGH OF IT IN ORDER FOR THIS DRINK TO DO ITS THANG!
2.) Choose organic spinach only and wash it thoroughly. It’s better for you and doesn’t have the pesticides. You’re gonna be taking in A LOT of this stuff so we want it to be pure as possible.
3.) Ask your doctor if this is right for you. Some folks just don’t do well with spinach and they turn into fart city!
Benefits I’ve Noticed:
SKIN- Supple, glowing moisturized skin. Spinach has a crap load of Vitamin A. And since you consume 4-8 cups of raw spinach a day with this drink, I’ve definitely noticed that my skin doesn’t need much moisturizer. And the extra water I’ve been drinking is icing on the cake.
ENERGY= I’m not sure what’s in spinach that gives you energy but I have so much of it! Maybe it’s the other ingredients.
LESS SWEET CRAVING= Cakes, cookies and pies are my weakness…well really anything sweet does it for me. Since I’ve been drinking this smoothie my cravings have diminished greatly, but when they hit….oooh lawd, they hit HARD!!! I feel like a crack head that just needs that one hit. It’s awful but I’ve been strong enough to fight through the cravings by drinking my smoothie when they hit or reminding myself that Saturdays are my cheat days.
My Cheat Day- SATURDAY!!!!
On Saturday I’ve allowed myself to eat what I want in moderation. It’s funny because I look forward to this day all week and when it comes, here’s what usually happens:
A.) I don’t have a taste for what I was sooo looking forward to eating during the week
B.) I eat it and feel physically awful afterwards
C.) I eat it and get full super quick (I hate that!)
D.) I want it so bad, but I don’t want to screw up my hard work
So even though Saturdays are my cheat days, I actually haven’t went crazy yet and I crave my smoothie all day. Weird.
VARIATIONS:
I haven’t done much experimenting with different green monster recipes since I love this one so much, but I’ve added in strawberries before and that was pretty good but I won’t do it again probably. I’ve also added in 1-2 Tablespoons of peanut butter but I wasn’t a huge fan of that either either. This morning I blended in raw oats. I couldn’t taste them but it’s 3:55pm and I haven’t even had my lunch time green monster yet, so it’s really kept me full. The fun part is playing around with a green monster recipe until you find one that you adore!! This site has a ton of green monster smoothie recipes and a complete movement dedicated to the GREEN MONSTER!!
Watch me make this green monster smoothie recipe from start to finish!
- 1 cup plain or vanilla coconut milk ( I use Silk Brand PureCoconut)
- 6-8 oz vanilla greek yogurt
- 1 RIPE, frozen banana
- 2-4 cups raw, organic spinach ( I use 3 cups)
- Place all ingredients into a blender.
- Blend & liquify
- Serve
Hmmm…I wonder if I could create this in my food processor.
BTW, it may be the iron from the spinach that’s giving you energy. I complained to my docs about being tired all the time and they also told me I was anemic. They recommended eating more spinach for natural iron and taking an iron supplement.
The answer to my prayers!!! I have been on a smoothie kick for a couple weeks now and love it. However, I think the smoothies I currently make can be slightly less calories. I need to shed the 10 pounds I gained since my b-day in Sept. & this one sounds like it will do the job. It will be tried. Thanks a million!
What does the hot lemon water, in the morning do?
Definitively going to try this smoothie…Thanks a bunch!
This blog post is so very interesting, thorough, detailed and funny! You have done such a terrific job here! Thank you for being you! An inspiration!!
I appreciate it so much that you shared this recipe on youtube , one of my friends looked you up and shared your info on her page and I’m so happy because I have tried so many diets and I need to try your smoothie to see if it would work for me again thank you and I will start tomorrow also I will do a video from time to time to see how it works again thank you Monique so much , God Bless.
Can I use coconut water instead??
I wonder if I could sub in the coconut kefir for the yogurt. Either way it looks d lish!
I was wondering what type of blender you use to make this smoothie. I have been trying to buy a blender to start making the smoothie but reviews online are so mixed! I figure since you make them so often you would have a good recommendation.
Thanks!
I don’t know what your budget is like but,the Vitamix blenders are FANTASTIC.Google them .If you have a Costco membership the have them there also.I invested in one(they are an investment because my family loves smoothies and I was buying a new blender every 2 years) This company is FAMOUS for for the green smoothie.They last for years. People have said they’ve owned these blenders for 20 years. I hope this helps.
Monique uses Oster brand blender in the video.
Thanks for the GREEN MONSTER! I am looking forward to trying this out. I was reading this book Lose Weight without Diet or Exercise by JJ Smith (Great Book) and it talks lots about coconut/almond milk, organic foods etc.. This recipe is GREAT and RIGHT on TIME!
Thanks DIVA!!!
TeamWe,
I use a Blendtec and love it, it was a bit pricey but I order it from QVC and used their easy pay plan. It has more than paid for itself considering what a smoothie from Smoothie King or Tropical Smoothie Cafe cost. I use spinach, kale, yougurt and fruit fresh or frozen. I also use it to make hot soups. Well worth the price.
I have been making smoothies for about a month now. I love making my own because they do ADD UP. And I can drink one everyday…. Since reading your daily regime I have started to the same. I’m just trying to cut the sweets and carbs out. That’s my weekness lol
Thanks for all your great info.
I just bought the ingredients today! **Nitasha** you said that you’ve been doing this for a month, have you lost weight? Thanks!
Just made the green monster smoothie and it is delicious. I will be making it daily. My kids even like it. I am going to make another one for lunch. It’s amazing how full you feel afterwards and I love the fact that the smoothie is so nutritious. Thanks!!!
Hi DIVA,
I made the green monster this morning.. I enjoyed this smoothie VERY MUCH.. Very Good Healthy Drink! I will add this to my morning breakfast rotation! Thanks!
You’re officially a “Friend In My Head” as Wendy Williams would call it! It’s a beautiful thing to stumble across The Perfect Blog!!! I too refuse to not indulge during the winter and have been searching… stalking the web for the perfect pre-spring slim down. *cue the harps* I have found it! THANKS DIVA!
Yum! I love amount of spinach in this one. I’m not a big fan of coconut milk, wonder if almond milk will make a difference…
Love your tip to drink lots of water!!
One other tip about this smoothie, choose your yogurt carefully and be sure to include a workout to burn calories. Women my age need about an hour 5 days a week at least, and about 1200 calories. My first choice of french vanilla packed a whopping 170, added with 2 inch banana 90, and the coconut milk 80-90, you could easily get close to 400 if not carefull. This smoothie is a winner for weightloss!
Thank you so much for sharing this green smoothie recipe! It is amazing! Keeps me full and stops my cravings. My skin is glowing! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
This was a great smoothie recipe, I added a few frozen strawberries to it as well. I using it for weight loss as well. I keep you updated on the results! Thanks for sharing!
I truly love love love this smoothie! I thought I would taste the spinach! Nope it was a smooth lite vanilla banana taste! I thought how could anyone drink that a be satisfied for breakfast, but low and behold, yes you can and yes it does a body wonders for breakfast and lunch! Thanks again.
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! I am in love just made this smoothie following your recipe but used Silk light soy vanilla milk and chobani vanilla greek yogurt. Its absolutely delicious. So looking forward making this drink in the morning from now on!!!!!! I will be drinking this for Breakfast and Lunch… Keep up the good work I love your recipes
Heyyyy Monique! This was a great recipe! I’ve never really had anything other than dairy milk and I think that was scarier to me than the taste of spinach! I really enjoyed my smoothie and shared the recipe on facebook. I’ll be trying to lose my muffin top right along with you too! Thanks for sharing.
Spinach is my favorite food since I can think of… Healthy? Glowing skin? Loosing weight? Well this had to be everything I hoped for. So I just tried it with what I had at home and lazy me didn’t peel the apple before throwing it in.. well… it’s kinda like having coconut flakes in it. lol. but I really like the fact, that you can throw almost any fresh fruit in there. Thank you for sharing all of your tips with us xoxo
IMMA TRY IT WEDNESDAY.. I JUST BROUGHT ALOMIND MILK AND I LOVE IT..
I’m just finshing my smoothie and I think I’m in love.. The ingredients are inexpensive and this is very tasty and super fulling (that part is uber surprising lol)
Had one for breakfast and it was delicious. Thank you so much for the recipe and the detailed tips.
I just made this smoothie for the first and I’m sipping on it now. I love it!!! I did make a slight change though. I’m allergic to bananas so I used frozen mangoes instead.
I absolutely love this beverage. Thanks so much for posting this healthy drink. Keep the healthy reciepes coming!
Hi and thanks for this smoothie. I love green smoothies now. I actually do one that is really great and simple, which is the Kale-Apple Smoothie. It is kale, celery, banana, light apple juice, lemon juice, and ice. Super refreshing! You also have to drink about 4-8 glasses of water for this one too to keep you system going. If you google this smoothie it will come right up. Just another Green Monster suggestion.
I really like this smoothie! I’m been putting different frozen fruits in, as well. Thanks for the recipe.
Quick Question: Where are you getting your Raw Oats from?
what brand of yogurt are you guys able to find? I had to use a regular (non greek) brand today as there wasn’t a single vanilla greek option in our super large walmart in town. Tons of other flavors, but no vanilla.
i will try this! I have been drinking another green monster from Montell Williams book. This one looks so good with less ingredients! i have been having a hard time shedding pounds so Im going to give your diet a try. Everything thing else you have posted has been the truth so why not try this. LOL Thanks!
I made this green monster smoothie today, and it was sweet. When I tried to make my son drink it, he said it will taste like spinach. But when he finally tried it, he regretted what he said. This smoothie totally made me lose like 10 pounds a week!
Hi Diva,
First let me say, Thanks for this recipe!! I can’t wait to try it, but 1 question: How much does this recipe make? I’m trying to figure how I can make this in my magic bullet, or it I need to go and actually buy a blender…
Thanks for any input!
I make this in the mourning and after I work out with enough water ur digestive system do get a work out
Hi my name is Stephanie and I am going to start the diet just like you have posted because I REALLY want to loose weight. But one question though, how much weight have you lost during the one month you tried this diet. PLEASE RESPOND FAST I REALLY WANT TO START THE DIET!!!!!!!!
Oh my! I froze my banana with the peel when I was making this LOL! I didn’t read it before. This is really good. I made it for my mom, really healthy.
I made it with a juicer, but I’ll make it with a blender next time
This Monster is quite delish!! I made my first this morning along with a kiwi and wheat germ with my smoothie blender. I will experiment with different fruits each day to mix things up a bit. I know I will save money too – by making this my breakfast and lunch each day.
I just did the Smoothie for Breakfast this morning. I really like it. You cant even taste the Spinach. It a smooth, rich, sweet taste.
I am super excited to try the monster smoothie. I made my first “green” smoothie this evening, I was starving and wanted something better than a bowl of icecream.
I did 2/3 cup frozen sweet peas, 2 cups assorted greens, 1 cup apple juice. It was very good and filling.
I wanna try doing a green smoothie, like the monster smoothie, for one meal a day.
not a fan of coconut milk so im trying it with almond milk,hope it still works the same
How long do you usually stay on this diet for?
So I am 7mnths pregnant and I was looking for a great green smoothie recipe. I tryed this one for the first time and to my surprise it was sooo Delicious. I have tryed a different recipe on youtube but that one didnt taste quite as good as this one. Its so fulfilling and gives you a ton of energy. I drink this smoothie as a snack between my meals to help me not gain too much with this pregnancy…I love it
I just whipped up a batch of this in my blender and it is fantastic. Unfortunately I didn’t freeze the bananas beforehand so it’s not ice cold, but it’s still delicious. Thanks for sharing this recipe. God Bless.
Hi i have been drinking this green monster smoothie for like 5 days already & i soo love it. It taste so good i only drink one & its for breakfast i dont get hungry at all. i was wondering for how long do i drink the smoothie & how much pound im i suppost to lose like in a week or so plz get back to me .
Girl, I tried this with a bunch of things I had in the house and every variation (almond milk instead of coconut, plain greek instead of vanilla, kale instead of spinach) and it was absolutely gross lol! SOO I asked myself why am I not just following the recipe as written lol? So I went out and purchased the ingredients that I needed and I tried it as written this morning and it’s delish!! I have no idea why I was not just following the recipe lol. I think I just wanted to use what I had in the house first. Another great recipe, I LOVE this blog.
can I just make a little tiny change “can I use Yoplait vanilla yogurt” and regular 2% milk is it ok if I just change the kind of yogurt please respond
I love this recipe and you should see the looks I get when I come into work drinking it! I add pineapple to it sometimes to give it a little bit of a different flavor but this is sure to help you loose weight, I lost 10lbs in the first week 1/2 of drinking it for breakfast and lunch!
I am only 12 but this drink is a life saver I warm going to las Vegas in a couple months and this helped me grt rid of the extra few pound to fit in my bikini wooooo
Thanks Diva, I have had this page bookmarked as my home page for about 2 weeks until I could try it. I used the nutribullet to make mine, but it’s not big enough to fit the whole recipe into, so I’ll try the blender next time, but it was STILL yummy – thanks a modern Super(man)