Best Green Smoothie Recipe Ever
Eat Veggies the Easy Way
Not a fan of salads but want to lose weight or just get healthier by eating more vegetables? I find that drinking green smoothies is much more tasty and allows you to have a “salad” for breakfast. Before I go into work everyday, I use my VitaMix to make my Green Smoothie Recipe. That way, I start my day off on a great note because I’ve already gotten a couple servings of veggies in already.
How I Created the Perfect Recipe
So I’ve been making these green smoothies for at least 5 years now and I really think I’ve perfected the recipe. For the first year or so, I made them without yogurt and called it “green juice.” We actually still call it “green juice” in my house. The initial problem I had with the green juice was that the water would separate from the blended greens and fruit. I would have to shake it up between sips or just drink it quickly all at once.
Yogurt
I tried adding organic, fat-free, plain yogurt to make the drink more creamy and filling without adding a lot of calories. This worked, but it still separated a little.
Chia Seeds
About this time, chia seeds started getting popular as a superfood and Costco sold a big bag for cheap. I noticed that it made the green smoothie separate a lot less and it added to the creaminess of the drink. Chia seeds also expand in water so they fill up your belly making you less hungry. These superfood seeds contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and calcium. About 1 tablespoon contains 70 calories, 2 grams of protein, 4.5 grams of fat, 6 grams of carbohydrates and 15.5 grams of fiber plus vitamins and minerals. The little black and white seeds are packed with nutrients. They are pretty calorie-dense too, so a little goes a long way. I always add the chia seeds into the VitaMix first. Doing this helps prevent the little suckers from sticking to the wall of the pitcher.
Hemp Seeds
The next superfood ingredient I discovered was raw shelled hemp seeds, also sold at Costco. Hemp seeds are also an amazing superfood because they contain all 20 amino acids. Included are 9 essential amino acids (which the body needs but can’t produce itself). They also have a high percentage of simple proteins that help with immune deficiencies. The perfect ratio of omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids makes it great for heart health and lowering cholesterol.
One tablespoon of hemp seeds contains 40 calories, 152 milligrams of potassium, 2.3 grams of carbohydrates, 1.6 grams of fiber and 5.3 grams of protein. These white and green super seeds have a more favorable calorie profile, but again, a little goes a long way.
Fruit
In my green smoothies, I also add one small banana (or half of a large one) and frozen fruit for a natural sweetness. I like to add yellow or orange colored fruits such as mango, pineapple, and peach. Adding these colors to green leafy vegetables makes the green smoothie a really bright healthy-looking green. Adding frozen fruit (as opposed to refrigerated) makes the smoothie nice and chilled and refreshing. I do alternate sometimes with an organic frozen berry mix, but this tends to make the smoothie a brownish color and it’s not as sweet.
Leafy Greens
Of course, I also add a hefty amount of organic, leafy greens! I like to use the organic Power Greens from the refrigerated section at Costco. One tip to keep these veggies fresh for longer is to put a paper towel in the bag. Also, make sure to keep the greens in the vegetable drawer of your fridge.
You can adjust the recipe depending on how many servings you want to make. Roughly, the green smoothies have 0.5 tbs chia seeds per person and 0.5 tbs hemp seeds per person, 2/3 parts greens, 1/6 parts yogurt, and 1/ 6 parts frozen fruit plus one small banana (listed in the order I add them to the blender). Then, I add enough water to cover the greens in the blender and blend away! Of course, if you want a thicker smoothie, add less water and vice versa.
No Added Sugar
The recipe does not call for any added sugar! The banana (especially if you use a pretty ripe one) give the smoothie all the sweetness it needs. If you are more accustomed to a sweeter smoothie, I would suggest adding 1-2 tablespoons of Agave syrup (lower glycemic index than honey or sugar).
Good for Kids
I drank these smoothies pretty much every day while I was pregnant with Jo Jr. and Missy Jo. Did you know that babies born during the rainy season in rural Gambia have a longer life expectancy than those born in the dry season? This is because the moms of rainy season babies have a diet richer in leafy greens. Well, you’re welcome Jo Jr. and and Missy Jo.
My parents and my kiddos love drinking my green smoothies and that makes me happy! On days when the kids are refusing their veggies, I feel a little less mom guilt when they’ve had some green smoothie. If you are making the green smoothies for your toddlers, you can substitute the fat-free yogurt for whole milk yogurt. Whole milk yogurt adds in more saturated fat, which helps with brain development.
Get a Good Blender
One tip for making these green smoothies is that you have to have a restaurant-grade blender. There’s nothing worse than chewing spinach chunks when you’re expecting a nice smooth refreshment! I’m obsessed with my VitaMix, but I’m sure another high quality blender would work just fine too. The best thing about the VitaMix is the simple cleanup. I just rinse out the green juice, add a little dish soap and some water, and run the blender again. Just rinse out the soapy water and you’re done!
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 5 minutes |
| Servings | people |
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 4 cups organic leafy greens packed tightly
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1 cup organic frozen fruit preferrably yellow/orange fruits
- 1 small ripe banana choose a bigger one if you want more sweetness
- 2 cups water add more or less depending on how thick you want the smoothie
- 1-2 tablespoons Agave syrup (optional)
Ingredients
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