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There are so many ways to make a delicious (and healthy!) green smoothie recipe — but did you know that you can combine almost any leafy greens and fruit with one basic formula?
Today I’m sharing some words of wisdom by fellow (real) foodie Jen Hansard, who co-founded the website Simple Green Smoothies, plus some additional green smoothie recipes and tips for you to try!
Table of Contents
- Why I Love This Simple Green Smoothie Recipe
- Guest Post: How to Make a Simple Green Smoothie
- 5 Green Smoothie Tips to Get You Started
- Easy 3 Ingredients for a Green Smoothie
- This Green Smoothie Recipe with Spinach, Pineapple, Banana, and Mango Is Perfect for Beginners
- More Easy Recipes for Homemade Green Smoothies
- FAQs for a Perfect Green Smoothie
Why I Love This Simple Green Smoothie Recipe
Not only does Jen have some great tips for green smoothie beginners, but she is also sharing her magic formula for fruit and vegetable ratios so you can change the recipe to suit your taste, dietary needs, or whatever you have on hand.
This green smoothie recipe is perfect as a homemade healthy snack, quick “fast-food” meal, or even as a way to cool off on a hot day.
Guest Post: How to Make a Simple Green Smoothie
by Jen Hansard
We have a super simple and healthy recipe we’ve been itchin’ to share with you!!! As a crazy-busy passionate mom, I’ve been known to fuel my body with processed junk. Like those days when we found ourselves at Starbucks twice in one day…or driving through Taco Bell for dinner (again).
I was starved for time, low on energy and just….overwhelmed.
Can you relate?
Well, I discovered something that quickly changed our lives— green smoothies. This blended drink of fresh fruits and dark leafy greens gave us energy, a fast healthy meal, and transformed our bodies from the inside out.
No joke. And we made this healthy habit really stick for the past 2 1/2 years… and going strong. Now we have over 500,000 people from all around the world hooked on the green smoothie lifestyle too. I hope you’ll join us!
5 Green Smoothie Tips to Get You Started
Before we share our most popular green smoothie recipe, we need to welcome you into the world of green smoothies with a few important tips…
1. Follow the 60/40 formula.
When you’re making your first few green smoothies, don’t just throw things in the blender. Chances are, it’ll taste nasty if you wing it right out of the gate. To save you a few smoothie-fails, bust out those cute lil’ measuring cups and follow this simple formula: 60% fruits to 40% leafy greens.
2. Blend in stages to avoid leafy chunks.
Chewing your green smoothie is no fun! To get a “smooth” green smoothie experience, blend up your leafy greens and liquid-base first. Then add your remaining fruits and blend again.
3. Ditch the ice and freeze some fruits.
Want your green smoothie to be extra chilly? Freeze your favorite fruits like ripe bananas (peel first), grapes, pineapple or berries. This is also a great way to not waste ripe fruits (like those brown bananas on your counter). You can also freeze your leafy greens in a freezer-safe bag. Just make sure to add your frozen greens straight to the blender (don’t defrost these fragile lil’ guys).
4. Use raw natural sweeteners.
Add naturally sweet fruits to any smoothie that tastes bitter or a bit too “green.” By sticking with naturally sweet fruits like bananas, mango, apples, pears, or pitted dates, we avoid artificial sweeteners and processed sugars.
5. Make smoothies ahead for the perfect fast food.
We know life can get crazy busy— especially in the morning. That’s why we think green smoothies are the healthiest fast food for people who are constantly on the go.
You can blend your green smoothie the night before and store it in your fridge (up to 2 days). Use an airtight lid to limit oxidation and keep it as fresh as possible. When ready to drink, give it a good shake before you open.
If you follow these five green smoothie tips, we pinkie promise your green smoothies will be love at first sip!
Now, here’s a favorite recipe we make for friends and family who’ve never tried a green smoothie before…
Perfect Green Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2 cups spinach
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup mango
- 1 cup pineapple
- 2 bananas (Use at least one frozen fruit to chill your smoothie. We often use frozen mangos and bananas our green smoothies.)
Instructions
Notes
Nutrition Facts
If you made this recipe or have a favorite of your own, we’d love to hear about it in the comments below (we’ll read every one).
Try a 10 Day Green Smoothie Challenge
If you want more recipes, green smoothie tips, and a 10-day challenge to kickstart your smoothie habit, check out our Simple Green Smoothies book! You’ll get tasty plant-based smoothie recipes, shopping list and community support. #kaleyeah
Whether you’re passionate about raising an awesome family, traveling the world, reading new books, creating the latest fashion trend, starting a new job or something totally different… we want to make sure you’re able to go after that as best as possible. You need LOTS of energy and nutrients to fuel you passions.
Lisa here again! Here are some more green smoothie recipes to try :)
Easy 3 Ingredients for a Green Smoothie
The basic smoothie recipe only has three ingredients — so easy! You just combine your favorite leafy green vegetable, fresh or frozen fruit, and a liquid (to help it blend).
You can also include other healthy ingredients such as chia seeds, coconut oil, peanut or almond butter, hemp seeds, flax, cocoa (for a chocolate smoothie), cinnamon, acai powder, or even protein powder in your smoothie for extra benefits or flavor.
1) Leafy Greens
Almost all leafy green vegetables (that are not lettuce) are perfect smoothie ingredients. I love pulling mine from the garden or grabbing in-season vegetables at the farmer’s market. You can use a single ingredient, or combine more than one leafy green veggie; just make sure it equals two cups.
Spinach, which is what this recipe calls for, is probably the most popular leafy green for smoothies. Mainly because it’s inexpensive, freezes easily, and has a mild taste.
Kale is also commonly found in smoothies, some might think it has a bitter taste, but it’s definitely one of the healthiest options.
Besides spinach and kale, you can also add bok choy, swiss chard, collards (also known as collard greens), and even dandelion greens!
2) Fresh or Frozen Fruit
This is where you get the most of your sweetener and flavor, so it’s important to use fruit that you like. Just like with the greens, almost anything goes when it comes to adding fruit to your smoothie — and you can use any combination, as long as it equals 3 cups.
If you’re making the green smoothie recipe below you’ll need a cup of mango, a cup of pineapple, and two bananas.
Tip: Use frozen fruit to make a cold smoothie. You can freeze one of the bananas, and/or use frozen mango instead of fresh. To save time and money, you can also make green smoothies with fruit that is only frozen.
For a sweeter smoothie, use ripe (or even overripe) fruit that has strong flavors such as banana, mango, berries, orange, and pineapple. If you prefer a more “green” taste, stick to milder fruit such as pear, apple, and avocado.
Of course, that all depends on your own preferences and taste; you may need to experiment with different combinations to get it just right.
3) Water or Other Liquid
Last, but definitely not least, is water. You can use plain water, or try coconut water, coconut milk, almond milk, or any other liquid base of your choice.
Like with the other green smoothie ingredients, you can also use a combination of liquids as long as it totals two cups.
If you’re really into smoothies and would like a copy of the 5 best smoothie recipes here on 100 Days of Real Food, you can grab it from our Free Membership Area (under the “recipes” section)!
– Lisa Leake
This Green Smoothie Recipe with Spinach, Pineapple, Banana, and Mango Is Perfect for Beginners
Calling this a “spinach, pineapple, banana, mango green smoothie” sure is a mouthful, so I prefer to say “perfect beginner smoothie” instead. Which is exactly what I love about this recipe; it’s the ideal combination for beginners.
When we started our real food challenge, cutting out sweet treats (and training our taste buds) was one of the hardest parts. If you’re not used to eating a lot of leafy green vegetables, and tend to gravitate towards sugary drinks, you might not like the taste of green smoothies at first.
I didn’t want to share some recipe that you’d have to choke down — real food should taste good! And I find that this recipe in particular, which includes mild-flavored spinach as the leafy green and deliciously sweet fruit like mango, pineapple, and ripe bananas is a delicious start to get anyone (including kids!) loving green smoothies.
More Easy Recipes for Homemade Green Smoothies
If you liked this green smoothie recipe, but aren’t quite ready to make your own flavor combinations, you can try some of these options.
First, if you want a tasty treat for fall, try this Pumpkin Pie Green Smoothie that my kids love. Or, if you’d prefer something more refreshing, you have to try this Peachy Pineapple Green Smoothie. Finally, check out my Pina Colada Green Smoothie for a tasty vacation-inspired treat.
You can also check out some more delicious green smoothie variations using the 60/40 formula (or only a few extra ingredients) below.
Glowing Green Smoothie
The Glowing Green Smoothie was actually created by Kimberly Snyder as a healthy breakfast idea. I simplified her recipe and adjusted the measurements to (mostly) fit with our simple green smoothie ratios.
Ingredients for a Glowing Green Smoothie:
- 2 cups baby spinach (packed)
- 1-2 celery stalks
- 2 cups water
- Whole apple, cored and halved
- Whole pear, cored and halved
- 1 banana
- ¼ of a lemon, peeled
Island Green Tropical Smoothie
An Island Green Tropical Smoothie is another sweet and delicious smoothie variation. It’s identical to the basic beginner smoothie with greens that Jen shared, but with one difference: you use coconut water instead of regular water.
The coconut water adds an extra tropical flavor and sweetness; give it a try!
Monster Green Smoothie (High Protein)
This Monster Green Smoothie is really good, especially if you’re looking for an easy breakfast smoothie or healthy post-workout snack.
Monster Green Smoothie Ingredients:
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
- 1 cup chopped mango
- 1 avocado, peeled with pit removed
- 2 bananas
If this recipe comes out too thick add more milk to the blender until you reach your desired consistency. You can also add chia seeds for additional protein.
FAQs for a Perfect Green Smoothie
This is a common question because frozen spinach tends to be packed more densely than fresh spinach. The simple answer is yes, green smoothies can be made with frozen spinach and substituted at about a 1:6 ratio. So if your smoothie calls for 2 cups of fresh spinach, use about 1/3 cup frozen instead.
Don’t defrost frozen spinach that you use for smoothies; instead toss it right into the blender. You can buy frozen spinach in a bag or freeze your own in ice cube trays for ease of use.
First, make sure you’re measuring your ingredients correctly. Fruit can sometimes be difficult to measure, especially if you’re working with large pieces.
Second, I suggest using fruit that’s as ripe as possible. For bananas, that usually means once they’re browning.
Third, consider using milder leafy greens. Spinach is usually on the sweeter side, but if you don’t like the taste try substituting with romaine lettuce instead.
Finally, if you still find your smoothie on the bitter side you can adjust the fruit and veggie ratios so there’s a little more fruit and fewer greens.
Anytime! Although a lot of people swear by drinking them in the morning, you’ll benefit from drinking smoothies at any time during the day.
A lot of people like to drink green smoothies in the morning as a breakfast alternative, which is great if you’re busy and would normally turn to a less-healthy option. Green smoothies are also fantastic pre or post workout drinks!
Like with anything, health is relative, but green smoothies can definitely be a healthy part of your day. I believe healthy foods include real food ingredients and this green smoothie recipe is made with 100% real food.
One thing I love about green smoothies is that you can adjust the recipe for your dietary needs or to avoid allergens.
Green juice is made by extracting the liquid (juice) of several ingredients using a juicer — removing most of the fiber in the process — whereas green smoothies are made by combining whole ingredients, plus water, in a blender.
While they can have the same ingredients added to them, green juice and green smoothies are two different things and have different levels of nutrients.
I usually just add additional ingredients such as a handful or two of spinach or another banana if I want to make a thicker smoothie. You can also add greek yogurt to thicken a smoothie, if you like.
If your smoothies are consistently turning out too thin, reduce the amount of liquid in your recipe.
Honestly, it’s all about personal preference and your budget. Blendtec and Vitamix blenders are both great options, especially if you want a multi-purpose appliance that will thoroughly blend your smoothies.
It’s tough, if not impossible, to get perfect smoothies without a blender but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a smoothie when there’s no blender available. To make a smoothie without a blender: cut the recipe in half and add all ingredients, plus two ice cubes, to any cup or jar with a lid, then shake vigorously.
Blender containers made for protein powder work especially well as blender alternatives if you want smoothies on the go.
I love smoothies a lot because they keep us so fresh and energetic.
I have been trying to switch to a healthy smoothie alternative for my breakfast (coz indian breakfast is usually a bit heavier ) and thanks to this blog , I found the best recipe …however if there was a different alternative to mango , please let me know , I would be really thankful
Hi, you could probably use peach as an alternative to the mango for the smoothie recipe. – Nicole
The darndest thing. I developed kidney stones and spinach is now devastatingly verboten. Can I substitute kale everywhere?
Yes, kale is a great substitute. – Nicole
This looks yum! I use to make a green smoothie very similar to this but I added spirlina tablets too.
I use to struggle getting a good consistency though, it was quite often too thin due to too much spinach, and not eniugh fruit.
It was great with the water taste delicious!!
I was just curious.
What was the reasoning behind using water vs a almond or coconut milk? Health reason? I’m just asking cause I was thinking about subbing the water but I hate to mess up a perfect recipe
Using coconut milk or almond milk will change the flavor and consistency of your smoothie, as well as add calories. – Nicole
I did try this recipe. It is good! I added 1 scoop of Gold Standard Protein powder because I’m trying to up my protein consumption.
Thank you so much for posting this! Measuring everything out and blending the greens first has been a game changer. No more nasty green foam on top of my smoothies!
Glad to hear it helped! – Nicole
I used Almond milk for the liquid, added peeled apple, used frozen mango and pineapple, and also added a scoop of vanilla greek yogurt for protein and probiotics and this is absolutely delicious! Will make it regularly.
That sounds delicious! – Nicole
which green leaf did u add?
What’s the sugar content of this recipe? Type 2 diabetic asking :)
And … is there an alternative to lowering sugars? I’m guessing less pineapple and mango?
Thank you
Hi, This recipe has 34 grams of sugar. Adding less pineapple would lower the sugar content. – Nicole
Gavino
if you are type 2. Half Fruit (Pears or Apple) If you have thyroid issues avoid pears.
Add half cup green. (Spinach, Kale, Lettuce) Little bit of curry leaves and Basil leaves or mint leaves, Flax seeds (1 spoon), Black pepper powder (1/4) tea spoon, cinnamon powder (1/4) teas poon & Turmeric (1/4) teaspoon. Black salt to taste and some drop of lemon. Blend well and enjoy. Have it in the morning 1 hr before breakfast and in the evening before 5 pm. Hope all other parameters are good.
Can this be accomplished with frozen spinach?
Yes! Just make sure you toss them straight into the blender, no defrosting. – Nicole
Sorry if this is a stupid question, but does anyone know exactly how many servings of your 5 a day one smoothie would be? Thanks! :)
Gia, I would expect that you measure each ingredient and what you do with it after that, you are still getting that amount.It may not measure exactly the same, but what they measured in natural state is what you’re getting nutritionally.
Love! I used arugula & spinach, and substituted strawberries for pineapple (frozen). So yummy!
SO DELICIOUS! This is such a great recipe!
A super simple and healthy recipe!!!!
Can I use ice instead of Water???
Hi Gia, in order to get a smooth consistency, we recommend using a liquid of your choice. You can still add ice cubes with it. – Nicole
This was the first green smoothie I ever made. It was fantastic! If they all taste this good, I am a new smoothie lover for life. I used baby spinach and all my fruits were frozen.
I can’t eat bananas what should take its place?
Avocado would be a good sub. but you can really make green smoothies fit your liking by using Jen’s formula shown in the post. – Nicole
Can you just use frozen fruits from the freezer section ? orcan you only use fresh fruit that you freeze yourself?
You can use both. I like to freeze my bananas when I have a few on the counter that are about to go bad. You can even freeze leafy greens (just don’t defrost those, make sure they go straight into the blender). – Nicole
I made a smoothie from formula 2 cups spinach 2 cups berries 1 banana and 2 cups almond milk as recipe. It wasnt one bit green. Your pictures show it so green. How do you get it so green and 3 cups of fruit is a lot of sugar although its natural. Do you have any pure vegetable smoothies.
Latasha, I freeze everything, add my water to it in the morning, blend, and go.
Can you freeze everything in a ziplock baggy like meal prepping?? So you can just grab, freeze and go..
Hi! I was wondering if I could use an extra serving of spinach so that it has more nutrients and less sugar from the fruits. Also . I was wondering if baby spinach can be used instead of regular spinach ?
Hi Lina, the best part of smoothies is that you can really make them your own. I use baby spinach all the time in mine since I dual purpose it for salads. Adding an extra serving of spinach will also be fine. – Nicole
If I want to add flax seeds, what would’ve the recommended measurement for a batch of 2 cups?
1-2 tablespoons should be fine. – Nicole
How long does the smoothie for? Is it something I can make and then use for meal prep for the next two days?
You can blend your green smoothie the night before and store it in your fridge (up to 2 days). Use an airtight lid to limit oxidation and keep it as fresh as possible. When ready to drink, give it a good shake before you open. – Nicole
This recipe is the best for hot summer. I love it. Thanks you!
Jen Hansard;
Hi,this is the first time that I visited your awesome website and I would like to make your green smoothie,I am going to copy your green fruit smoothie but the only blender that I have at home is a black magic blender for one person.How can I fit your green smoothie in my blender?I am not new to smoothies and I make healthy diabetic friendly smoothies at home that I have been making in my blender since January 2012 when I found that I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
I have to watch my calory and sugar intake to control my blood sugar.The dietition told me that blending greens with fruit is a very good start to control my blood sugar.
I try to eat a healthy on a limited monthly income which is hard on me to keep up eating a healthy with all those sweets and other temptations out there in alberta canada.But I am willing and eager to try your green smoothie recipe.
I would really appreciate a reply asap.
Kim in edmonton alberta canada
Hello I made one of your green smoothies for me and my husband this morning for breakfast and it was delicious!. We’ve been trying to do better health wise. Thank you for these recipes.
Hi Jacqueline! So glad to hear you both enjoyed it. Keep up the good work. – Nicole
This recipe isn’t necessarily for any specific diet/workout regimen.
Is there any good reason you can’t just add organic baby food to your smoothies instead of blending up your greens ?
Hi Danielle,
While I haven’t done much research on this, I have found many sites that have used baby food. Not sure if the consistency will change or not, but if you give it a try, let us know! If it works, it might be a good idea for any leftover baby food! :) – Nicole
I am going to try this and would like to add chia seeds, what’s the recommended measurement for this recipe??
You could use 1-2 tbsp. – Nicole
This tastes really good! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m glad I stumbled across this! I have Gastroparisis and need to blend much of my food. This is a great addition to my diet and nourishment. I used my Glucerna as liquid, for protein. Believe it or not, it was actually pretty good. Thanks a million!
There is virtually no difference in taste if you use 60% supergreens and 40% fruits! So try using more greens, it is still delicious.
Note: Ripe bananas really sweeten it up.
Hey y’all just a comment below on freezing bananas. The skins are packed full of goodness don’t peel them cut em up and freeze as is doesn’t effect taste.
You put the frozen peelings in your smoothie?
I got a new smoothie blend and go machine for Christmas as I wanted to try go on a “smoothie for breakfast” diet. Im collecting all the interesting recipes to keep it simple,tasty and interesting. So thank you for the 60 to 40 ratio because that will definetely help me go about it best.