This healthy and delicious green smoothie is naturally sweetened. See how to make the easy recipe with just 5 ingredients.
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Recipe Highlights
- A spinach smoothie is a delicious and healthy way to enjoy leafy greens. A quick and easy recipe, it’s made with 5 ingredients and ready in just 5 minutes in a blender.
- The spinach smoothie gets its green color from the baby spinach and it’s naturally sweet from the apple and frozen pineapple.
- Make this spinach smoothie for a quick and easy breakfast, or as a satisfying and nutritious afternoon treat.
RELATED: Spinach Smoothie (Dairy-Free)
Spinach Smoothie Health Benefits
Contains Antioxidants
Spinach offers antioxidants called flavonoids. These compounds protect cells by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.
Promotes Bone Health
Spinach is rich in vitamin K, while Greek yogurt and milk are high in calcium. Both of these nutrients are needed for building healthy bones.
Supports Immune Function
This smoothie can keep your immune system healthy. That’s because spinach, pineapple, and apple contain vitamin C, which is important for immunity.
Maintains Healthy Digestion
The spinach, pineapple, and apple in this smoothie are rich in fiber. This nutrient keeps your gut healthy by promoting regular bowel movements.
RELATED: 12 Benefits of Eating Spinach
Ingredient Notes
- Milk
Milk is the liquid base of this recipe. It gives the smoothie a creamy consistency and has a neutral taste compared to fruit-based juice. You can use any type of milk you prefer, including dairy-free options like almond milk. - Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt makes this recipe creamy and thick. It also adds protein, calcium, and probiotics. - Spinach
Raw spinach is great for green smoothies because it has a very mild grassy flavor and the taste isn’t overpowering. As a bonus, spinach is easy to blend. - Frozen pineapple
Pineapple adds natural sweetness to the recipe which helps to balance the grassy taste of spinach. Frozen pineapple is best for this smoothie because it will thicken and chill the smoothie without watering down the flavor like ice. - Apple
Fresh apple adds sweetness and a hint of tartness. It contains fiber, as well as essential vitamins and minerals.
Step-by-Step Instructions
For full ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the recipe.
- Put milk and Greek yogurt into the blender.
Liquids should always go first. - Add spinach.
- Add apples.
- Add frozen pineapple chunks.
- Blend until smooth.
Start on a low speed, then increase to high. - Pour smoothie into a cup. Serve immediately.
Photo Credit: amazon.com
Optional Add-Ins
Madjool date
Add a pitted Medjool date for natural sweetness and to add a depth of flavor. Dates can be tricky to blend since they’re sticky so cut it into quarters first.
Seeds
Hemp seeds, chia seeds, and flax seeds are sources of plant-based protein. They also have anti-inflammatory fats called omega-3 fatty acids.
Butters
Peanut, cashew, and almond butter adds a nutty flavor. You can also use sunflower seed butter if you can’t eat nuts.
Protein powder
Add a protein powder or collagen powder to this smoothie, especially if you want to make it a meal replacement. Use ½ to 1 scoop, depending on the recommendation on the product packaging. For best results, use unflavored protein powder so that it doesn’t change the flavor of your smoothie.
RELATED: Pina Colada Smoothie
Blender Tips
Liquids first, heavier items last.
Load the blender by putting liquids (milk, yogurt) in first. Lighter foods like seeds and leafy greens go in next followed by fruits and vegetables. Finally, ice and frozen fruit go in last. The heavier food items like ice and frozen fruit help weigh down the ingredients below it for an efficient blend.
Cut fruit into chunks.
For best results, cut fruit into chunks so it can be blended evenly. If using a more powerful the blender, the fruit can be cut into larger chunks.
Use a blender tamper.
A blender tamper is a tool that helps push the ingredients down, close to the blades while the blender is. It breaks up air pockets in the blender.
RELATED: Pineapple Smoothie
Expert Tips
- Always chop the apple before making this smoothie. Never place a whole apple in your blender.
- For a delicious take on this spinach smoothie, try using chopped frozen apricots or frozen mango in place of frozen pineapple.
- If the smoothie is too thick, add a small amount of milk and blend for 10 seconds.
- Smoothies can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight glass container for 1-2 days at most. After that, smoothies will lose their freshness and nutritional value. They may brown due to oxidation and separate, so give it a stir before drinking.
Questions You May Have
Yes, spinach smoothies are healthy if they’re made with fresh ingredients and minimal sweetener. They’re packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Yes, you can use any milk you prefer. This includes whole milk and non-dairy milk alternatives, including hemp milk and almond milk.
No. This is not a good idea, because it can damage your blender. Always cut apples before blending them.
Substitute the Greek yogurt in the recipe with half a banana or 1-2 tablespoons of seeds like flaxseed or chia seeds.
Related
- Strawberry Mango Smoothie
- Green Smoothie
- Blueberry Smoothie
- Berry Smoothie
- Cucumber Smoothie
- Banana Smoothie
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Spinach Smoothie
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup milk (any kind)
- ¼ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup baby spinach (about 1 handful)
- 1 apple (peeled, cored, and chopped)
- 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
INSTRUCTIONS
- Put milk, Greek yogurt, baby spinach, chopped apple, and frozen pineapple chunks into a blender. Secure lid. Place ingredients into the blender in the order listed.
- Blend until smooth.Start the blender on LOW speed for 10 seconds. Increase speed to HIGH for a full minute.
- Pour smoothie into a cup. Serve immediately.
EQUIPMENT
NOTES
- Always chop the apple before making this smoothie. Never place a whole apple in your blender.
- For a delicious take on this spinach smoothie, try using chopped frozen apricots or frozen mango in place of frozen pineapple.
- If the smoothie is too thick, add a small amount of milk and blend for 10 seconds.
- Smoothies can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight glass container for 1-2 days at most. After that, smoothies will lose their freshness and nutritional value. They may brown due to oxidation and separate, so give it a stir before drinking.