Green Smoothie (no banana!)
This easy Green Smoothie Recipe is loaded with fruit, vegetables and yogurt. This tasty Vitamin C smoothie is loaded with protein to keep you full for hours!
Ingredients for the Best Green Smoothie
As always, this is a quick overview of the ingredients you will need for this recipe. For the complete, printable recipe just keep scrolling. To make this healthy smoothie you will need:
- Frozen Fruit: you will need frozen mangos and pineapples for this tropical green smoothie.
- Spinach: fresh baby spinach is perfect in this recipe, but kale will also work.
- Yogurt: I always stick to vanilla, but a flavored yogurt such as coconut, pineapple, or lime also work well.
- Orange Juice: to pump up the nutrition in this smoothie and add amazing flavor!
- Milk: almond milk, or your favorite milk alternative will also work.
- Vanilla extract: an optional ingredient, but the combination of orange juice milk and vanilla give this smoothie a really lovely creamsicle quality.
How to Make a Green Smoothie
In addition to the ingredients listed above you will need a good blender. If you do not have a powerful blender with sharp blades it can be very hard for the greens to be completely blended into the drink. Follow this step by step guide to make the best Green Smoothie.
Add the Yogurt
You will want to add half a cup of your favorite yogurt to the bottom of the blender. The order in which you put your ingredients in does matter, you want to stick with yogurt on the bottom, then greens.
Add Spinach
Next, add the fresh spinach to the spinach. There is no need to move the stems, just add the leaves. Alternatively, if you use kale you will definitely want to remove the tough inner stalks, they are quite hard to blend smoothly.
Frozen Fruit
Next, add the frozen mango and pineapple chunks. The weight helps to push the spinach down, which will help you get a nice smooth texture. Also, remember the fruit does need to be frozen solid to have a good smoothie texture.
Add the Liquid
Next, add the orange juice, milk and vanilla extract if using. These are your final ingredients and now you are ready to blend!
Blend
If your blender has a special smoothie setting you can use that. Otherwise turn your blender on high for 30 seconds and use a spoon to scrape the sides or move any large chunks if needed. Blend on high 1 minute until the smoothie is completely smooth.
Green Smoothie Add Ins
The recipe I’ve provided is an excellent base recipe. On it’s own it is fantastic, but if you want to pump up the nutritional value you can use this as a jumping off point. Some of my favorite add in options for healthy smoothies are:
- Protein powder: use your favorite variety. While I wouldn’t recommend a chocolate or peanut butter protein powder with these tropical flavors a vanilla, strawberry or unflavored powder will work well.
- Chia Seeds: protein, fiber and heart healthy fats.
- Coconut: unsweetened shredded coconut is a great add in that adds essential minerals.
- Acai Berry Powder: loads of antioxidants, but if you use this your smoothie will no longer be green. 🙂
Smoothie FAQ
No, this smoothie tastes like a tropical delight. The flavors you will notice are pineapple, mango and the orange juice.
You can use any greens such as spinach, kale, Swiss chard, collard greens, celery and romaine lettuce. Personally, I prefer spinach because the flavor is not very noticeable.
Since the fruit is frozen solid you don’t need to add any additional ice to this recipe.
For this recipe I would stick to tropical fruits such as kiwi, papaya, or frozen oranges.
Smoothie Recipes you will Love
- Cranberry Orange Smoothie: loaded with Vitamin C and antioxidants!
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie: this classic smoothie combo is hard to beat!
- Almond Butter Smoothie: creamy almond butter is paired with banana and chocolate.
- Grapefruit Smoothie: the absolute best detox smoothie! The combination of ginger and grapefruit will blow your mind, totally unexpected yet super delicious!
- Carrot Cake Smoothie: everything you love about a carrot cake but in healthy smoothie form!
Green Smoothie Recipe (no bananas!)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1 cup frozen pineapple
- 1 cup frozen mango
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large blender container add the ingredients in this order: yogurt, spinach, frozen fruit, juice, milk and vanilla extract.
- Blend 30 seconds on high and scrape down the edges if needed. Blend 1 minute until completely smooth.
- It is unlikely, but if you feel it needs more liquid to reach your desired consistency add the liquid as needed and blend.
Notes
Nutrition
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