The "not so" Green Monster

I saw Mrs-Adventure's post about her Green Monster and it got me thinking that perhaps I should be bold, daring and a bit adventurous and mosey on into this Green Monster world myself.  Sure, sure...I could have used her recipe, but I have never used chia seeds, so I decided to not roam there yet and instead I just googled "green monster recipes"and the first hit asked this very question,  "Hi there, Are you a Green Monster first-timer?"  Why yes, yes I am.  Looked like a perfect place to stop by, and so I did and found my beginner's recipe.

Virgin Green Monster

Ingredients:

2 cups organic spinach

1-1.25 cups milk (your choice of cow’s milk, soy, hemp, almond, rice, etc)

1 tablespoon flax (optional)

1 banana

ice

Directions:

Hi there, Are you a Green Monster first-timer? Have no fear! This recipe is fool proof. Even the biggest skeptic will love this one. Place the ingredients into the blender in the following order: 1) Flax, 2) spinach, 3) banana, 4) milk. The reason for this order is so the heavier ingredients weigh down the flax and spinach and keep it from flying up around the blender and sticking to the side. Blend everything on the highest setting for 1 minute or so. Finally, add ice and blend on the ice setting. Pour into a large, fancy glass. Sit back, gulp it down, and be prepared to have endless energy!

I opted to use skim milk (1 cup) and to add blueberries - the next recipe down in the author's list provided instructions for this additive which was to add 1/2 a cup to the blender.  I actually used frozen blueberries and nixed the ice all together.  This addition changed my Green Monster into a not so Green Monster, you see.  I'd call it a purplish gray.

I was a bit annoyed with myself because I forgot to buy flaxseed at the store yesterday, so I will definitely remember to get some today for future smoothies. 

Thoughts:  Oddly enough, I did not taste the spinach at all.  I felt incredibly full after drinking it (at 4:45am).  It carried me through a 1 mile run on the treadmill, 15 minutes on the elliptical, and 20 minutes on the bike - in other words, this morning's work out.  I was hungry at 7:45am (once I got to work and got my employees all doing their thing), so I had a bit more breakfast.  Basically, I think that was a pretty powerful shake to hold me over for a workout (decent calorie burn) and 3 hours time.  All that for 250 calories of pure good stuff. 

So...if you haven't already done so...are YOU willing to be bold and daring and try a Green Monster???  ;)

If you are already of the bold and daring variety, what's your favorite recipe???