How To Make A Basic Green Smoothie
How To Make A Basic Green Smoothie
I am a big fan of smoothies, not only because they are so good, but because it’s a great way to get a punch of nutrients and fiber in your diet. It makes for the perfect breakfast, post-workout snack, or treat.
One of my favorite go-to smoothies is this Basic Green Smoothie, which you can drink on its own or use as a base to add in more ingredients and flavors.
1. Pick a liquid base
This can be anything from your milk of choice (cow, soy, almond, etc.), water, or coconut water. I personally like using plant-based nut milk or coconut water or a blend of both. Coconut water adds an extra dimension to the smoothie compared to just water and is a great source of electrolytes.
2. Pick a creamy base
Avocados and Bananas make for a great creamy base that blends all of the ingredients together.
3. Add 2 parts greens
Your greens should be one of your first ingredients in the blender. This way, the other ingredients will weigh down the greens in the blender and ensure that they are blended. Otherwise, the greens tend to stick to the side of the blender.
If you’re new to green smoothies, start out with a mild leafy green vegetable like baby spinach. You will barely taste it in your smoothie. As you get accustomed to making green smoothies, you can add other greens like kale, broccoli, cucumbers, swiss chard, or microgreens. I typically add two handfuls of greens to my smoothies, 1 handful of baby kale and the other of baby spinach.
4. Add fruit of choice
Now, don't go too crazy with the fruit that you end up with a sugar bomb all-fruit smoothie. You can add fresh or frozen fruit. Frozen fruit like bananas and mango help to thicken the smoothie, whereas fresh fruit makes the smoothie a bit more watery. I like to add about 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries or 1/2 of a frozen banana.
5. Add a protein boost
Because you want your smoothies to be as balanced as possible, adding a boost of protein helps. I personally love using plant-based Sakara’s Protein & Greens Super Powder. It adds a creamy, slight hint of sweetness to my smoothies. I love that it has an organic mix of pea, hemp, pumpkin seed, and sesame proteins form a complete protein that your body can absorb and use as fuel. Together, the seeds and proteins in this blend have the essential amino acids the body needs to support lean muscle development. Another great one that I love is Amazing Grass Organic Plant Protein Blend. It’s another clean and complete plant-based protein.
6. Add a superfood
Smoothies are a great way to sneak in some powerhouse nutrients like plain yogurt, flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, goji berries, maca powder, protein powder, etc. Two of my favorite powders are Amazing Grass Greens Blend and Perfect Keto Micro Greens Powder which offer many benefits and daily does of micronutrients.
7. Add a healthy fat
Adding nut butters, seeds (like chia, hemp or ground flax seeds), and avocados can make your smoothie extra filling, and depending on which one you choose, may bring heart-protecting omega-3 fatty acids or monounsaturated fats. But these additions also drive the calories up, so be mindful of how much you’re putting in. If you add in avocado as your creamy base, you might want to skip adding nut butter.
SMoothie Tip
I recommend freezing your ingredients beforehand. This will give you an ultra-smooth smoothie and you won’t have to use much ice.
What You'll Need
1 handful baby spinach, frozen or fresh
1/2 banana, frozen
1/2 cup strawberries, frozen
1 cup homemade cashew nut milk
1 scoop of greens (I use Athletic Greens)
1 scoop of a plant-based protein powder (I use the Sakara brand)
1 tbsp peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)
3-4 Ice cubes
Optional: 3-4 drops Stevia
What You'll Need To Know
Add all ingredients to a high-speed blended up for 90 seconds, or until smooth.
Recipe makes 1 serving.
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Originally Published in 2017; Updated March 2022
