Originally published by Laura from joyfoodsunshine.com
How to make the best green smoothie recipe! A simple green smoothie for beginners that is healthy, tastes amazing, and it's made with 4 ingredients in less than 5 minutes! Plus my tips on meal prepping smoothies!
HOW TO MEAL PREP GREEN SMOOTHIES
I think that green smoothies are the best when they're served fresh, straight from the blender. So I meal prep smoothies by having all the ingredients on hand and ready to go. This means I always have my freezer stocked with frozen fruit and greens and pre-portion all of the add-ins like protein powder!
1) FREEZE BANANAS
In my opinion, bananas are an essential ingredient to make the best green smoothies for both natural sweetness and a creamy texture. So make sure to purchase bananas designated to freeze for smoothies when you go grocery shopping!Let the bananas ripen then cut them into halves or thirds. Flash freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to an airtight, freezer-friendly container to store!
2) USE FROZEN FRUIT & GREENS
This green smoothie recipe calls for 1 cup of frozen fruit in addition to one frozen banana. Using frozen fruit and greens is key to the thickest, creamiest green smoothies. You'll notice I do not use ice in any of my smoothie recipes, because it waters down the flavor and gives smoothies an icy texture - which I am not a fan of. I recommend stocking up on frozen fruit in the winter when produce isn't readily available. During the summer, purchase seasonal produce on sale and flash freeze it in the same way as the bananas!
FRUIT TO USE IN A GREEN SMOOTHIE
Here are some suggestions for fruits to use in this green smoothie recipe. In this post I used half mango and half pineapple, which is my favorite combination! Be aware, that if you use darker fruits like blueberries, blackberries, cherries, etc. the color will change and you will likely make a brown smoothie that is delicious but not green in color!
- mango
- pineapple
- strawberries
- blueberries
- raspberries
- peaches
- cherries
- oranges
- grapefruit
GREENS TO USE IN A GREEN SMOOTHIE
If you are making this simple green smoothie recipe as a beginner, then I recommend sticking with spinach as the green of choice. I buy large container of spinach or power greens and toss them into the freezer when we get home from our shopping. That way I know the spinach is fresh and that I'm stocked for the months ahead. Here are other suggestions:
- spinach
- kale
- swiss chard
- romain lettuce
- beet greens
- carrot tops
- collard greens
- celery
BLEND GREENS AND FREEZE IN CUBES
If you don't have a lot of space in your freezer, you can take the fresh spinach (or other greens of choice) and blend with a small amount of water until the mixture is smooth. Then freeze in ice cube trays and store frozen cubes of greens in an airtight container in the freezer. I used to do this when we lived in a condo and didn't have an extra freezer in the basement!
BEST GREEN SMOOTHIE ADD-INS
I started putting add-ins into my green smoothie recipes when my third baby was born. A few scoops of nutritional boosters gave me increased energy throughout the day and made the green smoothies taste even better! So here are some of my suggestions!
Protein Powder - this is my favorite plant-based, whey-free protein powder in vanilla and chocolate.
Collagen Powder - a neutral tasting protein boost! Also good for gut health!
Maca - for increased fertility and hormone balance.
Chia Seeds - added protein without powders.
Ground Flaxseed - a dose of Omega 3s!
Bee Pollen - boosts immunity.
Acai Berry Powder - antioxidants!
Raw Cacao Nibs - a healthy way to add a little chocolate!
Nuts or seeds
Coconut Oil - increases metabolism, keeps you full for longer!
Cinnamon - anti-inflammatory and delicious!
Grass Green Superfood - great way to add even more greens!
HOW TO MAKE A GREEN SMOOTHIE!
Ok, now that we've talked about all the delicious ingredients that go into making a green smoothie, let's actually dive into how to make a green smoothie recipe!
STEP 1: USE A BLENDER
STEP 2: ADD LIQUID INGREDIENTS
When making a green smoothie, it's important to always add the liquid ingredients into the blending container first. This ensures the other ingredients don't get stuck under the blades! It also creates a vortex that pulls everything into the blades for a smooth blend!
BEST LIQUIDS TO USE IN A GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE
I always use some sort of non-dairy milk in my green smoothies because I think it gives them the best taste and texture. However there are many different liquids that could be used:
- Almond Milk (my personal favorite)
- Coconut Milk
- Any percentage of dairy milk
- Rice Milk
- Oat Milk
- Cashew Milk
- Coconut Water
- Water (not recommended, but can be used)
STEP 3: ADD THE FROZEN GREENS
Next, add your frozen greens of choice on top of the liquid.
STEP 4: ADD FROZEN FRUIT AND ADD-INS
Putting the frozen fruit on top of the greens helps push all the leaves into the blades and prevents them from sticking to the sides.
STEP 5: BLEND!
Now it's time to blend our green smoothie! Start blending on low speed and gradually increase to high. Blend on high speed for 50-60 seconds or until the green smoothie is smooth!
ENJOY
Pour the green smoothie into one to four cups and enjoy! In my opinion, this recipe makes two good-sized adult servings or 4 kid servings!