My Favorite Green Smoothie Recipe
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My favorite Green Smoothie recipe! It tastes like a dessert yet it’s healthy! It’s packed with nutritious fresh spinach, hearty oats, sweet berries and banana, and rich almonds – plus a few secret ingredients you wouldn’t find in your typical green smoothie that really make it shine. You’ll instantly be hooked!
The Tastiest Green Smoothie!
The great thing about this healthy smoothie is that there’s no spinach flavor. You wouldn’t believe how the fruit hides the flavor of the spinach even though there’s a hefty 2 1/2 packed cups of it.
Even my kids love this smoothie! My daughter says it tastes like pie. And I love that it’s a breakfast or midday snack I feel great about feeding them. No artificial flavors or colors, and it’s not a bunch of empty carbs (like some of those sugary cereals they like). Plus it keeps us full until lunch.
We call it the Grinch smoothie because even if a food doesn’t look so appealing to kids if you give it a fun name it can make all the difference.
Sometimes it comes out with a prettier green than others (who knows it must be the batch of spinach and berries) but every time we love it just the same. I always look forward to breakfast when I know I’ve got everything stocked to make this! I’ve been hooked on it all summer.
It’s quick and easy, perfectly filling and satisfying, and just perfectly delicious! Who knew healthy could taste so good?
Green Smoothie Ingredients:
- Spinach – baby spinach or regular spinach will work fine.
- Banana – use a well ripened banana, this is where the majority of the sweetness in the smoothie comes from and will make it taste like a treat if it’s ripened.
- Strawberries – the berries in this smoothie give it such a good flavor. I prefer to use a blend of two kinds (skip blackberries though they add bad color and don’t taste good here, I’ve tried).
- Blueberries or raspberries – raspberries tend to give the smoothie a better color leaving more room for the green to shine but the blueberry cinnamon version is too good to resist so try both. Just don’t use wild blueberries or smoothie comes out a weird brown color.
- Oats – I use rolled old fashioned oats but quick oats should be fine if that’s what you have.
- Sliced almonds – I’ve also used almond flour or almond butter here instead of sliced almonds (use 1 1/2 Tbsp almond flour or 1 Tbsp almond butter).
- Cinnamon – not the first ingredients you’d think to add to a green smoothie but it makes it taste like a dessert or shake!
- Almond extract or vanilla extract – after tasting it this way you’ll think every smoothie should have a dash of sweetly flavored extract.
How to Make a Green Smoothie:
This smoothie couldn’t be easier to make! You don’t even need to cut up any ingredients (I just like to break up the banana but really you could leave it whole).
You just measure ingredients out, toss everything in a blender (start with water first so it’s not dotted over the spinach and hard to blend) and blend away! It should only take about 30 seconds of blending, and no more than 5 minutes total from start (gathering and measuring) to finish (pureed and ready to enjoy).
Can I Use Milk instead of Water?
So here’s the thing, I’ve actually made this with almond milk and I like the water version better (believe it or not). The almond milk version almost seemed like too much to me personally because with this amount of spinach it really thickens up the smoothie.
Plus here we add oats and almonds so its almost as if you are already make a homemade almond milk or oat milk once it’s blended. If you insist try it with a non-dairy milk (or juice if you wanted it really sweet) but really I don’t think it’s needed.
Can I Double the Recipe?
Yes, as long as it will fit into your blender.
What Can I Substitute for Banana?
I often get asked what to substitute for bananas in smoothies. Mango, pineapple or peaches generally work well. If you don’t have an allergy though I recommend sticking with banana.
What If There’s a Nut Allergy?
Omit the almonds and just use 1/4 cup oats. Also don’t use the almond extract, use vanilla instead.
Tips for the Best Green Smoothie:
- Be sure to really pack in the spinach to give it a green color – not an unappetizing brownish color. If you have a kitchen scale you can use that.
- Use frozen berries and ice for a nice thick smoothie. It tastes better this way too. You can use a frozen banana too then add a little more water if needed.
- Serve it right away. It’s best served nice and cold and freshly processed. I don’t recommend making it in advance.
- Don’t skip the cinnamon and vanilla or almond extract (unless there’s an allergy). It really takes this smoothie to a new level of delicious!
More Green Smoothie Recipes to Try:
- Strawberry Spinach Green Smoothie
- Cold Buster Green Smoothie
- Mango Green Tea Smoothie
- Raspberry Kale Green Smoothie
- Avocado Green Smoothie
Follow Easy Cooking Zone
Green Smoothie
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp rolled oats
- 2 Tbsp sliced almonds or 1 Tbsp almond butter
- 1 medium ripe banana
- 1.25 oz. frozen raspberries or blueberries (1/4 cup)
- 2 oz. frozen strawberries (about 2 large or 6 small)
- 1/2 cup cold water*
- 2.5 oz. fresh spinach (2 1/2 cups packed)
- 6 ice cubes
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon + 1/8 tsp vanilla extract - for blueberry version
- 1/8 tsp almond extract - for raspberry version
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a high speed blender (if using blueberries add cinnamon and vanilla, if using raspberries add almond extract). Blend until well pureed. Serve immediately.
Notes
- *If needed you can add a little extra water. If using a high powered blender you shouldn't need to.
- I've tried this with almond milk but I feel that since it's already a creamy smoothie without it, and since almonds are added it's not needed. But if you'd like it even richer and creamier you can use it in place of water.