Fruity Green Smoothie

There’s something extra-satisfying about a fall garden, and I think it has to do mostly with color. Just as the landscape is turning tawny and russet, you can grow yourself a palette of green to pop against those autumnal hues. And of course, you get to savor all those fresh leafy greens, too.

lettuce smoothie in a tall glass

There's something extra-satisfying about a fall garden, and I think it has to do mostly with color. Just as the landscape is turning tawny and russet, you can grow yourself a palette of green to pop against those autumnal hues. And of course, you get to savor all those fresh leafy greens, too.

The other weekend, we planted a few small crops of fall greens: lettuce, broccoli, and collards. My daughter Thalia enjoyed helping get the lettuce babies in, tamping down the soil around their fragile leaves. But I knew that getting her to enjoy eating the lettuce wouldn't be so easy. Sure, she'll eat lettuce wraps, but...what else? The kid tends to turn her nose up at any riff on salad.

Then it came to me: Why not add lettuce to a smoothie? I do "blend and sip" lunches as a matter of course and often throw greens into the mix—though I learned the hard way that all the fruit and yogurt in the world will not mask the taste of mustard greens. I've snuck spinach into smoothies for Thalia, and she's gulped them down happily. So why not lettuce? It's just as mild as spinach (if not milder), plus it's rich in fiber and vitamins A and K.

So this morning I plucked a good fistful of lettuce and proceeded to whip up a Fruity Green Smoothie for my girl. I added slices of Honeycrisp apple for a bit of seasonal flavor, plus a generous dollop of peanut butter for protein (and because Thalia and I are both peanut-butter fanatics).

The result was a lovely "green" smoothie with a green-tan hue, flecked with pink and darker green thanks to the lettuce and apple peel. Thalia took a tentative sip, then proclaimed, "Mmmm. Mama, you make the best smoothies!" Atta girl. Breakfast score!

Here's my recipe, but feel free to be adventurous and swap, add, or subtract ingredients with abandon!

young girl and mom planting lettuce
I know many folks think of spring as lettuce season, but here in Tennessee it grows great in fall, too!
lettuce smoothie ingredients
Here are the ingredients I toss into my smoothie. It's a great way to use up past-ripe bananas.
young girl in kitchen holding smoothie in a glass
Found: an ingenious way to get Thalia to gulp down some veggies.

Yield: 2 servings (or 1 if you're really hungry)

Ingredients

  • 1 handful lettuce leaves (about 5 to 7 small)
  • 1 small to medium banana
  • ½ honeycrisp apple
  • ½ cup apple juice
  • 4-6 ice cubes
  • 1 heaping tbsp peanut butter
  • 3 tbsp plain Greek yogurt

Instructions

Puree all ingredients in blender. Add a splash more apple juice if consistency is too thick, or a few more spoonfuls of yogurt if it's too thin.Article written by Susannah Felts.

lettuce smoothie in a glass
Lettuce smoothie in a tall glass.