Guide to Perfecting Green Smoothie | Recipe

A breakdown of how to make that perfect green smoothie so good you can’t stop drinking it.

With sheltering in place for the past 3 months, I felt like I gained 20lbs eating away my anxiety. So here are some tips on how to make delicious green smoothies at home to keep us all on the healthy train track. Are you ready to blend up some delicious smoothie?

Disclosure: Please note, I am not a dietician nor a nutritionist and this guide should only be used as a reference for how to make a green smoothie.

What is a green smoothie

Simply put, a green smoothie is a fruit smoothie with some vegetables added. The added vegetables are what give the smoothie the vibrant green color. Not only is this type of smoothie delicious, but you also won’t be able to taste the greens in it at all.

What are the benefits

There are several benefits to starting a day with a glass of green smoothie or drinking one as a meal replacement, a snack, or even a dessert when you have that sweet craving. Best of all, it is a great way to trick kids or yourself into eating more veggies and fruits.

Here is a list of the few benefits of a green smoothie:

1. A great source of fiber, vitamins, and nutrition
2. Enhance digestion and elimination system
3. Boost energy and vitality
4. Boost your immune system
5. Provide your skin a glow and hair a shine

Main Components

Green smoothies components consist of vegetables, fruits, and liquid (which most of the time is water). All components are thrown in a blender and blended up into a slushy drinkable consistency.

Veggies

Leafy green veggies are very important in GREEN smoothie, otherwise, it wouldn’t be known as “green smoothie”. Use dark leafy greens that can be eaten raw and are light in flavor. Avoid using greens that are bitter and low in nutrition.

Here is a list of my go-to favorites leafy greens:

1. Kale —A great source of iron, vitamins K, vitamin A, calcium, and antioxidants.
2. Spinach — A great source of vitamins A, B2, B6, C, and K, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron, calcium, and potassium.
3. Lettuce (red, green, romaine) — A great source of vitamins C and K and potassium.
4. Swiss Chard — A great source of vitamins A, C, and K, potassium, iron, and magnesium.

Of the list above, my top favorites are kale and spinach. For kale, I prefer dinosaur kale, commonly known as Lacinato kale as it tastes less bitter than other types of kale. For spinach, I prefer baby spinach as it tastes milder than regular spinach.

If you are starting out and doesn’t want to buy all type of greens, look for the pre-wash vegetables labeled as “Power Greens” or “Spring Mix.” These are two great options to start with.

Other types of veggies you can add for extra nutrition are beets, carrots, cucumbers, and sweet peppers. Carrots, sweet peppers, and beets help sweeten your smoothie, and if you are up for the challenge, use spicy peppers for an extra wake me up call.

• Beets — a great source of fiber, folate (vitamin B9), manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C.
• Carrots — A great source in beta-carotene.
• Cucumbers — A great source in vitamins A, B1, B6, C, and D, folate, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
• Peppers (like bell peppers)— A great source in vitamins A, C, and K.

For carrots, avoiding add more than 1/2 a carrot per serving. Too many carrots will make your drink a little too fresh out of the garden, a flavor I called dirt flavor. For cucumber avoid using types with bitter skins. If you do use ones with bitter skins, just peel them before adding it to the smoothie.

Fruit

Fresh or frozen fruits are a must-have in any smoothie. Not only do fruits add nutritions, but they also add sweetness. Use fruits that are slightly overripened for extra sweetness.

Here is a list of my go-to favorite fruits:

1. Apples
2. Banana
3. Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc…)
4. Lemon/Lime
5. Mango
6. Pineapple
7. Orange/Mandarin
8. Tomatoes (use super sweet tomatoes like cherry tomatoes, golden tomatoes, etc…)

Use fresh apples, lemons, limes, oranges, and mandarin if you can and avoid the frozen ones for these types of fruits. For apples, look for ones that are tart like the green apples. The tartness helps cut the bitterness and hide the flavor of the leafy greens. For lemon, limes, and oranges, peel the outer skin and remove the seed before using. Don’t just use the juice or else you will be missing out on the fiber.

Don’t toss overripened fruits like bananas. Instead, precut them into different portions and freeze them for smoothie making. You can do the same with mango, pineapple, and berries. Frozen fruits will help make your green smoothie more like a slushy than a cold drink.

Yep, you saw it. Tomatoes are another fruit that is great to add. It adds a nice sweetness and sourness to the drink. Though, if you choose to do so, add very sparingly. I only add tomatoes to my green smoothies when I have too many sweet tomatoes that are going bad. Otherwise, I prefer them in pasta sauce.

Liquid

To be honest, the only liquid you need to make a green smoothie is WATER. The fruit and veggies added already provide a nice flavor to the drink. However, if you want to make it extra fancy, here are some tips for you.

Here is a list of my go-to favorites liquid to add:

1. Milk (dairy and non-dairy)
2. Coconut water
3. Juices

To make the drink more creamy, add some milk on top of your water. My favorites are oat milk and soy milk. Avoid using only milk as your liquid as it makes the smoothie too rich. Add coconut water only when you want to make an island flavor green smoothie, ones that have pineapple in it. Use juices only when you don’t have enough fresh/frozen fruits as juices are full of sugar and lack fiber.

Optional Additions

1. Proteins powder of your choice.
2. Chia Seeds — A great source of omega fats, protein, antioxidants, vitamin B12, folate, and fiber.
3. Hemp Seeds — A great source of protein, omega-6, and omega-3.
4. Flaxseed — A great source of vitamin B6, omega-3, calcium, magnesium, folate, and iron.
5. Cocoa nibs — A great source of antioxidants, magnesium, and iron.
6. Green tea powder — A great source of antioxidants.
7. Nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, etc…)
8. Ginger
9. Turmeric (I used turmeric powder, but fresh ones suppose to taste better)

I add chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flaxseed to all my green smoothies because not only are they nutritious, but they also help turn your smoothie into a great meal replacement. If you do so, add like 1tsp of each per serving.

Nut butter and protein powder are two great additions for those who are working out and trying to build muscles. These are great additions for after workouts green smoothies.

Ginger and turmeric are great additions for days when you have an upset stomach. I usually add them to my smoothies when I had a heavy meal the night before or when I need a great morning boost. Note, these two go well with carrots.

I am not a huge fan of green tea powder in my green smoothie as I like to enjoy my green tea as a latte, but I do see recipes calling for it. If you do use it, try to use ceremonial grades. Avoiding using culinary grade or lower as it will add a bitterness to your smoothie.

Tips

Tip #1: An awesome blender

Look at how creamy and smooth that is.

A high powered blender is a must when it comes to making creamy smooth green smoothies. Trust me, you don’t want to get chunks of veggies or unblended ice in your smoothie.

However, if you can’t afford a high-end blender like the Blendtec or a Vitamix, here are a few tips I have for you. When blending your smoothie, add the veggies first and cut all of your veggies as small as you can. Avoid adding ice and try to use a lot of frozen fruits and veggies instead.

Tip #2: There is never enough ICE.

Green smoothies should only be drinking cold. The colder the better the smoothie is. Add some ice cubes to your smoothie to keep the drink cold while you enjoy it.

If you are using mostly fresh veggies and fruits, add a lot of ice to the blender to make the smoothie a slushy consistency.

Tips #3: Saving money

Green veggies tend to go bad pretty quickly, so rinse, chop, and freeze them in a freezer-proof bags. They will taste just as good as the fresh ones when blended up. You can also buy the pre-washed and chopped ones and freeze them as well.

References

1. Bjarnadottir, Adda M. “Beetroot 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits.” Healthline, 8 Mar. 2019, www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/beetroot.
2. Brock, Farnoosh. The Healthy Smoothie Bible: Lose Weight, Detoxify, Fight Disease, and Live Long. F First American Edition, Skyhorse, 2014.