Green smoothies are a fantastic way to get all the nutrients offered by dark, leafy greens and fresh fruits without the sometimes-undesirable taste.
Your first priority will be to secure a reliable source for your fruits and veggies, such as a local farmer’s market. The next most important factor will make sure you have the best blender for green smoothies since you’ll be blending some pretty fibrous plant materials on a regular basis.
Here are three of the tastiest green smoothie recipes that have become my personal favorites. If you all the different vegetable combination overwhelms you and you have no idea where to begin, these 3 simple-to-make green smoothie recipes are great to get you started on your path to better, and more delicious, health.
Pineapple Kale Delight
Kale is an excellent source of a number of nutrients essential for maintaining a healthy immune system and building strong bones and muscles. Rich in Folate, protein, fiber, several B vitamins, Magnesium, Iron, Vitamins A, C, and K, Potassium, Manganese, and Copper, it perfectly complements the excellent nutrition found in fresh pineapple.
Ingredients:
- 1 banana, chopped
- 2 cups stemmed kale or spinach
- 1 ½ pineapple, chopped
- ½ cup of coconut milk
Preparation
First, pour coconut milk and approximately ½ cup water into your blender. Then add the banana, kale, and pineapple, blending until smooth. If the consistency is a bit thick for your tastes, add more water, and blend further.
One common mistake that I personally made initially was to dump everything in together and simply start my blender. Unless you have the best blending machines made for green smoothies, doing so will definitely end you up with unpleasant green smoothies.
Like most green leafy vegetables, blending with kale requires few extra steps. This is especially true if yours is a Ninja blender model that belongs to the lower price range.
While such expensive blenders as Vitamix’s award-winning 5200 will have no problem handling the leafy vegetables, it is recommended that you cut the stems and chop the leaves into finer pieces before blending.
So, if you end up with stringy green smoothie recipes in your first few trials, don’t give up. It took me half a dozen trials to make my near-perfect pineapple kale green smoothie.
Green Smoothie Recipe: Apples to Avocados
This smoothie is power-packed with all the goodness of kale, paired perfectly with the sweetness of apples and apple juice. The best blenders for this green smoothie recipe will be one that is able to handle the fibrous leafy greens and fruits as well as the soft, sticky avocado flesh, blending it all together for a perfect treat.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups apple juice
- 1 apple, cored and chopped, with the peel left on.
- ½ cup ripe avocado, chopped
- 2 cups kale or spinach, stemmed and chopped
Preparation
Pour apple juice into your blender first, then add the avocado, spinach or kale, and apple chunks. Blend for one minute or more, adding water if the smoothie is too thick for your tastes.
The Twisted Mango
This smoothie brings all the flavors of summer in a densely nutritional shake that will boost your feelings of wellbeing, no matter the season. Mango offers a tangy, vitamin-rich sweetness to your smoothie routine, and collard greens are packed with premium minerals and essential nutrients for any healthy body.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups mango chunks, frozen
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 cup of green grapes
- 2 cups collard greens, stemmed and chopped. (You may substitute spinach.)
Preparation
Combine ½ cup water with your lime juice in your blender. Then, add collards, grapes, and mango chunks, blending until smooth. If it’s a bit thick, add more water and blend until it reaches the consistency you prefer.
Perfection Takes Practices
Green smoothies are fantastic ways to boost your health and feelings of wellness. They compliment a diet and exercise plan perfectly and can serve as a special treat after a rigorous workout or as a great part of any meal.
While they are easy to make, helping those with little time for cooking to enjoy the benefits offered by dark, leafy greens and fresh fruits, they do require a great blender. More importantly, chances are slim that you will end up with the perfect cups of smoothies unless you’ve given it a try and make mistakes along the way.