We all know how important fruits and vegetables are in a healthy diet. With micronutrients like vitamins A, B6, and C, antioxidants, and fiber, fruits and vegetables are vital components to a well-balanced diet.

For me, the easiest way to get them in the diet is with smoothies, which is probably why many of my blog posts at least mention them. Out of the two, fruits are the easiest due to my penchant for sweet foods. Along with smoothies, I’ll have some strawberries in the morning, an apple for a snack, maybe some orange juice with lunch, and dried pineapples before bed.

But what about vegetables? I should be consuming more of them, and to be more precise, a little more than fruit. So to fix this problem, I decided to go to my favorite source for recipe ideas, Pinterest. And they did not disappoint. I found the ultimate way to get vegetables in my diet: the vegetable smoothie.

You heard me, a vegetable smoothie. No fruit, just vegetables. Luckily, Pinterest had a few recipes I could try that didn’t sound too bad. I was definitely worried for my taste buds, but anything to get vegetables in the diet, right?

So, last weekend, I took out my blender, and tested out the “green monster,” kale, carrots, celery, and cucumber. While it didn’t sound appetizing, the idea of getting all my vegetables in one sitting was quite appealing, so I pressed on. I threw all of the portioned-out ingredients in my blender with a cup of water, let the blades do their work for two minutes, poured the very green and “woodsy”-smelling drink into a tumbler, took a big gulp, and … welp, that was very … earthy? I just wasn’t feeling this.

But as someone who tries to reduce food waste, I finished the glass (though it took about 15 minutes), cleaned up the kitchen, and ate some eggs and roasted potatoes to get the taste out of my mouth. I won’t lie, that was rough.

So what’s the verdict? You may like it, but I really need something sweet on the palate to make it a long-term solution to boost my veggie intake. Instead of adding all of my vegetables in one big drink, I’ve made other accommodations. I add two vegetables in my normal smoothies instead of one to get a second serving. I also keep vegetables out on my desk at work where I find myself snacking on them throughout the day. While small, these changes have made a big difference and have gotten me to eat three to four servings more of vegetables a day. Success!

This goes to show that while dietary changes may seem extreme to accomplish, small changes are more attainable than green monster-sized ones.