Enjoy 7 Days of Green Smoothie Recipes! They’re healthy, quick & easy, and you can even make freezer smoothie packs! Use spinach or kale, and try them with Greek yogurt, kefir, or non-dairy milk.
There are two basic types of green smoothie makers:
TYPE A. The person who throws in whatever they think sounds good and VIOLA! – They have a deliciously healthy smoothie.
TYPE B. The person who follows a recipe because they’re slightly afraid that just throwing in this or that will make their smoothie taste bad. And then they’ll feed bad for wasting all that produce. And then drink the smoothie anyway.
I’m type B. I want my smoothies to taste good, so I follow a recipe. Mr. Crumbs is type A. He doesn’t care what it tastes like in the end as long as he’s getting a glass full of fruits and veggies. He says that it tastes “good,” but I’ve tasted a few and it’s hard to get past the look of it in order to qualify the smoothie as edible.
So I stick to the plan. Mostly.
I spent 7 days drinking 7 healthy new smoothie variations – off of a base green smoothie recipe – and I just want to say….
THESE ARE DELICIOUS SMOOTHIES! SERIOUSLY.
I’m addicted. I can’t imagine having anything else for breakfast for the rest of my life. Cross my fingers that I never have to eat scrambled eggs with bacon and homemade biscuits!
Mmmm… maybe that should be on the dinner menu then…
I figured if I liked them, you would too, so I’m sharing some basics and some variations for you to try.
7 Days of Green Smoothie Recipes
Not only are drinking green smoothies a delicious way to enjoy a plant based breakfast, they are also:
- Healthy! Of course, it’s a no brainer. But with leafy greens (like spinach or kale), which are high in fiber, protein, iron, folate and a bunch of other vitamins and minerals, you can’t beat a green smoothie for breakfast!
- Quick and easy. Perfect for weekdays on the go, where there’s no time to fix pancakes, waffles, or a breakfast casserole.
- Convenient. Did you know that you can make frozen smoothie packs ahead of your week? Then you just pull a pack from the freezer each morning, whiz in your blender, and go!
What are the ingredients in a basic green smoothie?
- 1 cup milk (see this page for a listing of homemade non-dairy milks like coconut milk or almond)
- 1 banana
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 tablespoon flax seed (optional)
How to make a green smoothie
- Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend on high until smooth.
Note: Add ice cubes to the blender if you want it extra cold and thick. Or use a frozen banana / frozen mango in place of ice.
What are the best green smoothie recipe variations?
These variations are ALL delicious, but day #4 was one of my very favorite green smoothie recipes – with the pineapple and mango! YUM!
Feel free to use these variations or mix and match ingredients to your liking. Don’t forget that you can always switch up the greens, non-dairy milks, or add chia seeds rather than flax seed.
Day 1: Switch to non-dairy milk and add kefir
- 1/2 cup kefir (or use Greek yogurt)
- 1/2 cup plain almond milk
- 1 banana
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 tablespoon flax seed
Day 2: Add strawberries to this green smoothie
- 1/2 cup kefir
- 1/2 cup plain almond milk
- 1 banana
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 tablespoon flax seed
- 4 whole strawberries
Day 3: Add blueberries
- 1/2 cup kefir
- 1/2 cup plain almond milk
- 1 banana
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 tablespoon flax seed
- 1/2 cup blueberries
Day 4: Pineapple juice and mangoes make this green smoothie amazing
- 1/2 cup kefir
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice (strained from canned pineapple, or use orange juice)
- 1 banana
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 tablespoon flax seed
- 1/2 mango
Day 5: Add peanut butter for protein to this smoothie with greens
- 1/2 cup kefir
- 1/2 cup plain almond milk
- 1 banana
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 tablespoon flax seed
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
Day 6: Nutella makes this green smoothie rich & nutty
- 1/2 cup kefir
- 1/2 cup plain almond milk
- 1 banana
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 tablespoon flax seed
- 1 tablespoon Nutella
Day 7: A mixed berry variation makes this green smoothie bright and flavorful
- 1/2 cup kefir
- 1/2 cup plain almond milk
- 1 banana
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 tablespoon flax seed
- 1/2 cup mixed frozen berries
Additional Variations for Green Smoothie Recipes:
- Substitute 1 cup kale for 2 cups spinach
- If you’re not ready for kefir, use 1/2 cup homemade yogurt and 1/2 cup coconut water
- Increase the protein naturally with these other easy changes
- Find 10 more smoothie recipes here, all tested and approved – and enjoyed – during a 5 day smoothie fast!
- 30+ high protein recipes in my new eBook, High Protein, No Powder!
How do you add healthy protein to smoothies?
My eBook “High Protein, No Powder” is the ONLY eBook that educates on the dangers of protein powders, teaches you how to make your own high protein smoothies using REAL food and offers 20 smoothie recipes you can make NOW. Read more HERE and continue the journey to healthy living!
What greens to put in a smoothie recipe?
Leafy green vegetables (spinach, kale, chard and romaine lettuce) are high in fiber, protein, iron, folate and a bunch of other vitamins and minerals that you probably didn’t know you needed. 🙂
You can pretty much add whichever greens you want. I first started with the basic recipe – the “no fail” recipe that even beginners would like – and I built the variations from there.
Are green smoothies really that good for you?
I definitely think so! Green vegetables blended with fruits, yogurt or kefir, milk (dairy or non-dairy) and natural proteins are an amazing way to begin the day. You’ll get a great start on a ton of vitamins, nutrients, protein and fiber.
Is it OK to drink a green smoothie every day?
According to myplate.gov, the average person should consume 3 cups of vegetables a day (or more). Green smoothies are the perfect way to get in a portion of your daily requirement for fruits and vegetables.
Want to learn more about healthy smoothies?
Here’s how to…
- Boost the protein -> 12 Ways to Naturally Boost the Protein in Smoothies
- Add superfoods -> 7 Superfoods to Hide in Your Smoothie
- Detox -> Detox Smoothie with Redmond Clay
Freezer Cooking: Breakfasts
Sign up to get instant access to my Freezer Cooking: Breakfasts Plan, complete with recipes, supply list, and shopping list!Basic Green Smoothie Recipe
Enjoy 7 Days of Green Smoothie Recipes! They’re healthy, quick & easy, and you can make freezer smoothie packs! Use spinach or kale, and try them with Greek yogurt, kefir, or non-dairy milk.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend on high until smooth.
- Add ice cubes to the blender if you want it extra cold and thick. Or use a frozen banana / frozen mango in place of ice.
My family loves these!!!!! Thank you !
★★★★★
I’m way late to this party, but: peaches, apple, banana, and ginger plus your greens of choice – I usually do kale, but use spinach if I’m out of kale. So.stinking.good.
I’m on a diet recently and i think this post will help me a lot. It makes my recipe diversified. Thanks !
★★★★★
Love the different variations you put on your green smoothies. No need to over-complicate things! I’m a big fan of chia, too, as well as flax. Thanks for sharing these.
Thanks Tiffany for your reply. I just wonder you took only one smoothie in the morning? Is it enough to survive whole day?
During the fast, I drank one smoothie in the morning and one in the early evening. On a typical day, I drink one as a replacement for breakfast but still eat lunch and dinner.
Hi Tiffany!!
Firstly, I would like to thank you for sharing your recipes. I have a few questions regarding your “7-days of green monster smoothies” plan:
– Can the smoothies be replaced as your main meals, just like your “five days fast smoothies”?
-How many times a day can I drink each smoothie and how much do I consume in each serving?
Thank you very much in advance
Hi Mahasti! You can use these smoothies as your main meals if you’re looking to cut back on calories. I personally drink one smoothie each morning and drink whatever the blender makes (so the full recipe as written). Hope that helps!
This sounds so yummy. I wonder is there a substitute for banana. They make my mouth itch and I try to stay away from them, which is hard cause they are so yummy.
Hi Rachelle!
Mango, pears and even chia seeds can be used in place of bananas, which add a hint of sweet and creamy to the smoothie. Mango’s are in season and super cheap right now, so if possible, scope out your markets and buy “seconds.” Puree it all up and freeze in ice cubs to savor the flavor until pears are ripe. 🙂 ~Tiffany
PS – if bananas make your mouth itch, there’s a good chance avocados may too… which are also a good sub for bananas, but won’t help with the itch factor. 😉
BEAUTIFUL photo – I want to reach right through the screen and grab it! I am pinning this and sharing it on FB as well as making one as soon as I finish typing this!! YUM! Thanks for sharing, sweet friend!! 🙂
Hey! Thanks for sharing Kel! I’m SO addicted to smoothies, it’s insane. Then again I’m also doing a bit of research too… 😉 The one with mango is REALLY good, and I’m already looking forward to pumpkin season again! 🙂
Tiffany,
I made the basic Green Monster recipe this morning and boy was it tasty!!! I had tons of energy afterward and felt really clear and focused! It was simply amazing (since I AM NOT a morning person)!!!!!
Thank you so much for these recipe ideas! I will continue experimenting with additional fruits to keep it interesting! For the record, I’m hooked!
Jan,
I’m so glad you liked them! I’m hooked too, and feel almost “naked” when we run out of greens. We did a banana/mango/watermelon/orange one this week that tasted like a dreamsicle – delish!
I have been in the smoothie world for about two weeks, I’ve been looking at the famous green monster, but though I love spinach, I was afraid to try…today I did, following your day 1 recipe, adding some peanut butter (without knowing that one came later) oh my word! I’m in love!
So, thanks!
Gabriela,
Welcome to the amazing world of smoothies! I’m so glad you enjoyed your first green smoothie! We’re addicted in the Crumbs house, and have tried even more fruits as the seasons are changing. Enjoy the fresh flavors!! ~Tiffany
Mmmmmm,
What am I missing? I make ALL my smoothies w/o diary of any kind – I use water as the base. A typical recipe would be:
20-24 Oz water
2-3 cups Kale (keep frozen)
1-2 cups Collards (keep frozen)
3+ cups spinach
blend down.. add…
cucumber
orange or apple
honey (or bee pollen)
Stevia
2 cups or so of frozen fruit
Makes 2-3 Qts that I drink throughout the day.
I figure the negatives of today’s dairy products outweigh ANY potential health benefit.
I do drink Almond milk and use for recipes or on my cereal but I stay away from dairy.
I have drank well over 700 smoothies in the past year and feel FANTASTIC – no digestive issues, sleep great, have lost 50 Lbs and have turned the clock back 20 years as far as my energy level.
Have you tried using silken tofu? Or adding cocoa powder?
Agnes,
I don’t personally eat tofu because of the GMO issue with soy so I’m not sure how it would turn out. A smidge of cocoa powder would work, maybe 1/2 – 1 tsp (because a little bit goes a long way). A chocolate variety sounds yummy! ~Tiffany
Hi there I love your blog so much and wonderful information two questions
do these smoothies keep you full until lunch?
Do you use a high powered blender like vitamin or blender?
Thank you!!
Ozlem,
Thank you!! These smoothies keep me full for about 3 hours. A couple pieces of cheese or some veggie sticks would hold me over until the next meal time. I currently have a Blendtec, but I’ve made green smoothies in an Oster, commonly found at Target! ~Tiffany
Hi everybody. I’m new to this, but have decided I want to try it. I just have no clue what kefir is. Could anybody please explain? Thanks.
Zach,
The “what is kefir” post is here: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2012/09/what-is-kefir-why-drink-it/
and the “how to make it” is here: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2012/09/step-by-step-how-to-make-kefir-and-faq/
Finally, I wrote a guest post on the topic here too: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2013/02/01/whats-the-easiest-fermented-food-to-make/
Enjoy! ~Tiffany
So does milk work just as well as kefir?
Milk can work just as well if you’re looking for liquid, but kefir offers MUCH greater health benefits with the probiotics. If kefir is out of the question, I’d go with 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/2 cup other liquid (milk or coconut milk would be my two choices). This way you’re still getting some digestive health from the yogurt.
Mat,
The peanut butter variation is one of my favorites! I’m a kefir-girl myself, but using 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/2 cup coconut water with what you have above would be my husband’s personal choice. If someone’s budget was really tight, I’ve seen frozen spinach as low as $1 per package and yogurt can be made at home for the price of milk! Thanks for sharing your recipe! ~Tiffany
What is flax in the stores? The oil or the seeds? I don’t know what I’ll be looking for.
Flax Oil is super perishable, and MUST be bought from the refrigerated section of the healthfood store and refrigerated when you get it home.
Flax can be bought in the baking section of most supper markets. it comes in two forms, pre-ground, (also perishable) and seeds. you may use either, but must keep the ground seeds, (also called Flax meal or flax flour) in the freezer. the seeds need to be broken before consuming because they can’t be digested, and you won’t get the benefit of the omega3 oils if they aren’t broken. The whole seeds are probably referenced in this recipe, since the blender will grind them.
If you want to make your own flax meal for a recipe, such as in muffins, cakes, cookies or to sprinkle on a salad or cereal, they are super quick and easy to grind as needed in a coffee grinder.
Kitty,
A great answer – thanks for helping Zach out! ~Tiffany
Zach,
Flax in the recipe is referring to ground flax seed. It can be bought in bulk at Costco, or you can buy the seeds and grind them yourself in a coffee-grinder. 🙂 ~Tiffany
I’ve been tempted by the idea of smoothies, but can’t face the idea of drinking my meal. if I can’t chew it, I’ve not eaten. LOL not to mention I’m allergic to dairy. AND diabetic so fruits raise my blood sugar. I just can’t see how this craze would work out well. the one time I made smoothies for my grandkids they were SO not impressed. they’d rather have food, too, it seems.
Kitty,
I can relate to your drinking vs. eating dilemma. I’m a chewer too! We use the dairy for its probiotic benefits, but we use coconut water too. In fact, here’s a recipe your kids should love – mine drank it like a dessert!
1 cup coconut water, 1 banana, 1/2 pear, 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 2 sprinkles of cinnamon, 2 sprinkles of nutmeg, 1 sprinkle of ginger, 1 sprinkle of clove.
Tastes like pumpkin pie! I’ve got even more recipes coming next week. The results from a 5-day smoothie fast and my husband drinking vegetables each morning! ~Tiffany