Easy Green Smoothie
This simple green smoothie recipe is not only good for you, it tastes great, too. With fruit, greens and no added sugar, this healthy green smoothie recipe is packed with nutrients to give the whole family energy to start the day.
Years ago, I was blessed with my Vitamix blender. I’d wanted one for such a long time and finally received it as a Christmas gift from my husband and mom. I was so excited and couldn’t wait to use it.
I quickly got to work experimenting with smoothie recipes. Some were quite successful, and some… well… not so much. But hey, sometimes you just don’t know until you try, right?
This super easy green smoothie recipe is one that’s sure to be a hit with the whole family. Even with a fair amount of greens, it still has a yummy fruity taste.
In the mood for something a little less green? Try this:
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Ingredients
Apples
Apples are a great fruit to include in so many smoothie recipes. They add fiber and help fill you up. I typically buy either gala or pink lady apples. If you have some apples that are getting a bit soft and mealy, use those for smoothies instead of throwing them away.
Mango
Mango is kind of a cool fruit. Not only does it taste awesome in smoothies, but it serves a practical function, too. Have you ever made a smoothie that started to separate almost as soon as you poured it into your glass?
The fiber splits from the liquid and sometimes you get a not-so-pleasant foam on top. Mango is a natural stabilizer and binds all the ingredients together so they don’t separate.
Frozen Peaches
Peaches are great to buy frozen because they can be difficult to find year round.
Greens
Use whatever greens you have! I usually use baby spinach for this, but all I had this time was spring mix. Both are great! You can use other things like chard, collard greens, mustard greens or kale.
Apple Juice
If you want to add something to sweeten up your smoothie, you have several options like dates, ripe bananas or juice. Juice often contains added sugar so it’s important to choose one that doesn’t.
Simply brand apple juice is 100% juice pressed from super delicious apples. Now, as a general rule, we aren’t juice drinkers in this house. Having all the fiber removed, it’s basically just sugar. But I think a little bit here and there is fine, especially if my kids will actually drink the smoothie that contains spinach.
Water
This is just so you have enough liquid for the ingredients to blend easily, since there’s so much frozen fruit.
Making the Easy Green Smoothie
Okay, so this is pretty darn easy. There’s just a couple of things to keep in mind.
- Layer ingredients in the right order – always put softer things like fresh fruit in first. If you put frozen fruit in first or even the greens, the blades will get bogged down. You can add the liquid at any point because it just runs to the bottom anyway.
- A little trick for the perfect texture – If you like your smoothies to be a little on the thick or frosty side, blend them until they’re nice and smooth. Then add some ice and blend for a few more seconds. Just don’t blend too long or it will just water your smoothie down even more.
For this easy green smoothie, first you’ll layer in your ingredients. Add the apple quarters first, then add the greens and press them down a little. Toss the frozen fruit on top of that and pour in your liquids.
If you have a Vitamix, you’ll need to use your tamper to help get things going. If you don’t have a Vitamix, you can add more water or juice, or just stop the blender to scrape the sides and press the ingredients down as needed.
I know I can get a little preachy about the Vitamix, but that’s only because I love it so darn much. If you’ve ever wondered whether or not it can do all the things people brag about, yes it can. Easily. I know they’re pricey, but they’re worth every penny.
Optional Ingredients
Ginger
I love adding a very small chunk of fresh ginger to my green smoothies. For a serving this size, about a teaspoon size chunk would work great. No need to peel it. It gives a little bit of a spicy bite that I love.
Lemon
If you add ginger, consider adding a little lemon. They compliment each other so well. Just cut a lemon into eighths and add a small wedge or two.
Celery
This adds a little bit of a nutty flavor. My husband doesn’t care for it, but I love it. I put quite a bit in mine and don’t mind the strong flavor at all. Celery is full of vitamins and fiber and blending it up just helps to release those for your body to use.
Easy Green Smoothie
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 2 apples - quartered - pink lady or gala are great options
- 2 cups leafy greens - spinach is the best for more fruity flavor
- 1 ½ cups frozen mango
- 1 cup frozen peaches
- 1 cup apple juice - unsweetened is the healthiest option
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Add ingredients into the blender in this order: apples, greens, frozen fruit, apple juice and water.
- Place the lid on the blender and slowly turn the blender all the way to high.
- If using a Vitamix with a tamper, you'll need to use the tamper to get things going. Press the ingredients down into the blades.If using another blender, you may need to stop the blender and use a rubber spatula to press everything down periodically. You can add more water/apple juice if needed.
- Blend until you reach desired consistency. If you want to add some ice, wait until the smoothie is nice and smooth and then add it. Wait a few seconds for it to blend up, but not too much, then stop the blender.
- Serve immediately. Does not keep well in the refrigerator. The ingredients will oxydize and the flavor becomes rather unpleasant after awhile.
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