Finding a good green smoothie recipe that doesn’t feel overwhelming to prepare can be a daunting task, especially if you are new to the green smoothie game. While there is an abundance of wonderful recipes out there, they often call for ingredients that you may not necessarily have just lying around the kitchen. Plus, you may not otherwise use a lot of those ingredients if it weren’t for that eye-catching, Pinterest-perfect smoothie that you aren’t even sure you will enjoy. (Spirulina, anyone?) The solution is this simple green smoothie recipe.
I have been drinking this green smoothie for years, and I have gotten plenty of strange looks when I tell people what the star ingredient is: spinach. Wait, wait – don’t click off just yet! I can sense your nose scrunch and side eye through the screen. (I mean, come on, it’s a green smoothie!)
Despite the handfuls of spinach, this smoothie is sweet and mild. It is truly non-offensive to the taste buds. The fruit sweetens without being overpowering in both taste and color. I love to turn to this smoothie whenever I feel I have been overindulging and struggling to return to my health routine, as well as when I have been on top of my game.
I must emphasize how accessible this recipe is. Preparation and clean up is easy, and the ingredients don’t require a special online order, nor are they specific to this one smoothie recipe.
Simple Green Smoothie Ingredients & Equipment
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 small banana
- 1/3 cup blueberries
- 1/3 cup halved strawberries
- 2 cups milk (I use unsweetened, unflavored almond milk – particularly Silk’s Unsweet Almond Milk)
- Blender (I have the Nutribullet)
(Disclaimer: I do not measure the ingredients in my smoothie, I usually eyeball it. That is why I love this smoothie – it is flexible! However, I gave some guideline measurements to follow for one 16 oz serving, enough to fill a standard mason jar.)
Instructions
- Combine baby spinach, banana, blueberries, strawberries, and milk in the blender. I always start with the spinach and end with the milk.
- Blend the ingredients until all ingredients are thoroughly blended.
- Enjoy.
I told you it was simple.
I always use fresh spinach and bananas; however, depending on the day, I will either use fresh or frozen fruit. Either works! Frozen fruit is always great to have on hand, especially when you are someone who struggles to consume all your fruit before it goes bad. However, if you would like to use fresh fruit, what is great is you can halve your strawberries in advance if you want to be able to make your smoothie without much preparation and go. And if you aren’t in the mood for a green smoothie, you can use your fresh berries for a yogurt bowl, or your bananas for these easy banana oatmeal bites. Spinach can be quickly sauteed to go with any meal of the day (I especially like spinach with soft scrambled eggs), and milk can be used for cereal, granola, or oats.
If I leave you with any parting words: smoothies. are. flexible. They do not need to be perfectly measured. Experiment with it. Sometimes, I will use half almond milk and half filtered water. Other times, I will use different fruits: raspberries and blackberries should I not have blueberries or strawberries, or pineapple and mango for a more tropical taste. If I remember to, I will toss in some chia seeds before I blend. If am feeling it, I top my smoothie with coconut flakes. I might grate in some fresh ginger or add some citrus. Seriously, get creative. That is why I love recommending this recipe to those who are new to smoothie-making and intimidated by it. Once you get comfortable with a base recipe and familiar with what flavors you prefer, you can create some amazing combinations that will become second nature.
If you try this recipe, let us know what you think. Did you change it up? What did you do different? Drop a comment below – we would love to hear from you.
