Featured recipe from Marilu's table * Blue dino smoothie

For our MIX IT UP class starting today, we have an awesome green smoothie recipe. If you're skeptical about green in your smoothies, you aren't the first, and you won't be the last. But trust us – the banana and blueberries really do make this a great tasting smoothie.

You can make this recipe in a regular blender or in a Vitamix. Using a Vitamix makes it much easier and quicker, and makes the resulting smoothie, well, smoother. A regular blender yields a slightly chunkier smoothie, but adding a little water will help that, and frozen fruit helps, too.

If you can grind your own flax seed, that's best – it's fresher, and oils get rancid rather quickly. You can grind a cup or so at a time and keep it in your freezer. If you purchase it ground, then do keep it in your freezer to reduce spoilage.

Baby spinach is the mildest "green" flavor, and it makes great smoothies. If you want to amp it up, add the kale. When washing the leaves, pull them from the stem (you don't really need a knife, just hold the thick end in one hand and strip the leaves with the other hand). Kale leaves come in different sizes, depending on the type of kale and the point of time in the growing season. If your kale leaves are as big as your head, only use one to start. If they're the size of your hand, use 3-4.

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Blue Dino Smoothie

from Jennifer Taylor

Blue * Serves 1

1 to 1/2 cups of water (start with 1 cup and add more if necessary)

1 Tablespoon ground flax seed

2 big handfuls of baby spinach

2 or 3 leaves of kale (but only if you have had green smoothies before and want to kick it up a notch or if you are feeling like really going for it)

1/2 of a frozen banana

1 cup of frozen blueberries

Blend and enjoy.

Remember if you don't have a super duper high powered blender like the Vitamix, add the liquid, flax and greens first and blend. Then slowly add the frozen fruit. You may have to start and stop the blender a few times and stir it and add more water.