Green Smoothie
A healthy green smoothie made with spinach, cucumber, lemon, apple, kale, and banana. A nutritional powerhouse smoothie to give you energy all day long!
We all want skin that glows and hair that is soft and shiny and here's your ticket to get it. By drinking this Youthful Glow Green Smoothie daily, you can begin to wipe away all of those holiday eating regrets and put those New Year’s Resolutions to work. It's the first Monday in January - the time of year when you can't even find a parking spot at Whole Foods.
Everyone is jumping on the health food bandwagon…and a great way to get started is by drinking this amazing smoothie every day. You are going to feel like a million bucks. I promise!
This is an ultra-refreshing green smoothie recipe. It has a touch of sweetness from apple juice and yet is packed with an abundance of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables. The combination of spinach and kale is the best of both worlds, as both are nutritional powerhouses. The spinach flies under the radar while the kale has a more pronounced flavor.
By drinking this every day, you will feel an amazing difference. You will have more energy, more stamina, more mental focus, clearer skin, and a glow that comes from within….and the weight loss doesn't hurt either!
And as an added bonus, it can many times help with troublesome tummy issues. It makes me feel good to mix up this drink for my kids in the morning and know they are getting a large portion of the vitamins for the day in one single smoothie serving.
What ingredients are in a green smoothie?
A green smoothie is made up of a combination of healthy greens such as spinach and kale. By adding lemon juice, it helps to cut the bitterness of the greens and freshens the green smoothie. Cucumber is a detoxifier and low in calorie. Apple is a natural sweetener and banana makes it smooth.
What are the health benefits of green smoothies?
Kale - Insanely low in calories. Powerful anti-oxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. Helpful for arthritis and autoimmune diseases. Helps to create that youthful glow.
Spinach - The beauty of spinach lies in how easy it is to disguise the taste. It's mild tasting yet packed with an abundance of vitamins, has anti-cancerous properties and is one of the healthiest foods on the planet.
Cucumber - Since it's 95% water, it’s an incredible detoxifier. Helps with liver and kidney function.
Lemon - The "happy fruit" - one of the most important items to stock in your kitchen. It's a highly effective cleansing agent and cuts through the bitterness of greens.
Banana - An essential in smoothies as it adds creaminess, a touch of sweetness, and helps you feel full longer. Plus, it's rich in potassium and fiber and gives you natural energy.
Pure Apple Juice - Since it's packed with Vitamin C, it's a friend to your immune system. The sweet juice counteracts the bitterness of the greens and leaves a refreshing taste.
If you want to up the ante on the health benefits, swap your apple juice with water and add a whole apple instead. You will be increasing your fiber as whole fruits are always preferable to juice. My kids definitely prefer the apple juice but we do both in our home.
This isn't your overly sweet smoothie that you will be sipping for hours. It's best consumed right away and use a straw because you will want to stir around all of the amazing blended whole foods.
I would love for you to tell me how you feel after drinking this for a week. I challenge you to drink this for 7 straight days and let me know the amazing benefits you witness after one short week. Who is up for the challenge?
Happy Blending!
To find MORE SMOOTHIE RECIPES -- you can find my 6 SUPERFOOD SMOOTHIE RECIPES.
A Nutrient-dense powerhouse green smoothie to cure what ails you.
- 2 Handfuls approximately 2 cups Kale or Power Greens Mix
- 2 Handfuls approximately 2 cups Baby Spinach
- 2 cups Pure Apple Juice
- 1/2 Cucumber
- 1/2 Lemon squeezed (for extra benefits, use the juice from an entire lemon)
- 1 Banana
- Ice
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger grated
- Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Drink right away as the foam will rise to the top which means that you have lots of good fiber to drink.
- *Using a frozen banana will allow you to use less ice.
- *For added nutritional benefits, swap water with apple juice and add one whole apple or swap out 1 cup of apple juice for 1 cup of water and add 1/2 apple.
Heaven knows I need to drink this for a month straight after Christmas, lol! Looks perfectly healthy!
Amen sista! #foodbloggerprobs
I couldn't wait until January either so I could start focusing on the healthy stuff. Thanks friend!
I am! It seems like a bit of shopping but I am always up for a healthy elixir! Can you use a full apple as opposed to apple juice?
Hi Jess! You absolutely can substitute a whole apple for the apple juice. When I am making it for myself, I do the same thing. I use 2 cups of water instead of the apple juice and replace it with a whole apple for sweetness. It will be a thicker consistency because of the fiber but it makes it even healthier. Let me know how you like it! 🙂
I just got the courage to try such a healthy drink! It is WONDERFUL! Thx, Melissa!
That's my girl, Michelle!I am beyond proud of you. xo
Never thought I would like Kale and Spinach. It's great!! Love the taste. If youhave a craving for something sweet--I suggest trying one of these. .
Thank you, Cindy! I am so glad that you enjoyed it. People are surprised when they try it how refreshing it is and how good their body feels after drinking it. I appreciate you reaching out and have a great day! 🙂 - Melissa
I have everything but a cucumber. Can I still make this. I am going thru chemo and really want to start this now. Thank you, Sally
Hi Sally. I am so sorry to hear about your chemo. I have a good friend who adopted green smoothies when she was going through chemo and she is a huge believer that they did help her get through it. I hope that it helps you. You can absolutely make this without the cucumber. Try it without it and then try it with it and see how you like it. A cucumber just adds a freshness to it. I wish you the very best!
Thank you so much, will start tomorrow morning.
Hi, kale isn't available in my country. Or maybe I don't know what the local name for it is. Which other veggie can I substitute in place of kale?
And do I peel the apple or add it with?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Rabea! Kale is a super green leafy vegetable so you can substitute spinach (which is the most mild tasting), rainbow chard or swiss chard. I have friends who only use spinach is this smoothie and it's delicious. You can peel the apple if you have a high powered blender such as a Vitamix or Blendtec. If you don't, I would suggest peeling the apple. Apple juice is also an alternative. Thanks for your great question! 🙂
Had my first Green Smoothie yesterday and what can I say, it was sooooo delicious. These will be my morning drink everyday. Thank you so much for the recipe. Will be trying the green smoothie with berries too.
Everyone I think you could add anything you what to yours. Enjoy
So good to hear, Sally! 🙂
Hello- this looks wonderfully refreshing and healthy! I can't wait to try it.
My two questions are:
1. Do you drink this as a meal-replacement?
2. If I have left-overs will it keep until later in the day or until the next morning?
Thanks!
~Bonnie
Hi Bonnie! That is a great question. I love to eat so the smoothie doesn't satisfy me but for a few hours and then I am hungry again. I drink it first thing in the morning when my body needs the most replenishment after being in a fasting state while sleeping. I will usually eat a small, healthy breakfast within an hour or two of drinking the smoothie. It may satisfy others much longer because it is full of whole foods and not just juice. I make it ahead of time and keep it in my refrigerator. Be prepared for the solids to rise to the top so it will need to be stirred vigorously the next morning. Hope that helps! 🙂 - Melissa
I just wanted to thank you for this recipe and info. I got diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia,carpal tunnel and degenerative disc disease. I'm 35 and was diagnosed about a year ago. I have never had to take medicine and have tried to use anything natural if at all possible. I stumbled upon this just for the recipe, but your story got me so interested. I have complete trust that soon, very soon, God will undo many things including pain and suffering. But in the meantime, thanks for this recipe to help with my inflammation. It's so yummy too!!
Hi Martha! Thank you for sharing your story with me. I am so sorry about your health issues. It can be so difficult! I do believe in the power of healthy food, vitamins, and herbs though. I hope that you are finding some relief going down the natural path. I hope that God gives you the strength that you need and the peace and comfort to endure it. Have a wonderful day! - Melissa 🙂
This truely was a amazing smoothie! The fresh ginger really gave it a extra kick! Thanks for sharing!
Just seeing this now but can’t wait to try it! Question for you since you make it in advance - do you make a whole batch in advance and leave it in the fridge? How long does it stay good for (ie. how many servings do you make)?
Thank you!
Would it be ok to use frozen greens when making this smoothie? I usually buy bags of frozen kale and spinach as I find it more cost efficient and longer lasting. Would there be any need to thaw it first or put it right in the blender frozen.
Hi Rose,
I used frozen spinach as well. I have a Vitamix and I put it straight in and it worked fine. For me it just meant not putting in as much ice.
Brenda 🙂
This is amazing! So happy I found your recipe, it’s so refreshing 🙂
Just made this and it is the best smoothie I’ve ever had - I love that it has lots of kale and spinach, of which I added more for extra health benefits. I used water and apple instead of apple juice and the taste is perfect (not too sweet like most smoothies). Will be drinking this everyday of my pregnancy. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
When is the right time to drink this smoothies?
Because I usually have coffee in the morning. Can I have it in the afternoon instead?
Can I make this the night before and put in the freezer to drink the next morning?
Found your recipe while looking for good ones to help with my Graves’ Disease. In the last 2 years, it has caused me to go from hyperthyroidism to hypo and all of the side effects that come with the slow down. I took the challenge and have done it for 8 days now and I definitely feel the difference. WAY more energy during the day and I can actually think without feeling “cloudy.”
I added 1/2 c. of frozen avacado today and it transformed this recipe! No more having to constantly stir to keep the good stuff mixed in while I drink. The avacado binds it altogether so nicely and doesn’t alter the flavors at all. Even my husband and teen girls loved it! (They tried a sip last week and all of them turned their noses up.) You should definitely give it a try!