Enjoy 7 days of green smoothie recipes with these yummy variations on a basic green smoothie. From berries to pineapple (and even chocolate!), you’re sure to find a new favorite for breakfast or a snack. What will be your next green smoothie?
There are two basic types of green smoothie makers:
TYPE A. The person who throws in whatever they think sounds good and VOILA! They have a deliciously healthy green 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 feel 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 green smoothie recipes. Mostly.
I spent 7 days drinking 7 healthy new green smoothie variations based on my original green smoothie recipe and I just want to say…
THESE ARE DELICIOUS SMOOTHIES! SERIOUSLY.
I’m addicted to smoothies. I can’t imagine having anything else for breakfast for the rest of my life. Looks like I’ll have to move my Scrambled Eggs with bacon and Homemade Biscuits to dinner time!
I figured if I liked these green smoothie recipes, you would too, so I’m sharing some basics and some variations for you to try.
7 DAYS OF GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPES
Not only is drinking green smoothies a delicious way to enjoy a plant-based breakfast, but 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 Sourdough Pancakes, Cinnamon Blender Waffles, or a Breakfast Casserole.
- Convenient. Did you know that you can make frozen smoothie packs ahead of time? Then you just pull a pack from the freezer each morning, whiz in your blender with some liquid, and go!
WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS IN A BASIC GREEN SMOOTHIE?
So, what should you put in a healthy smoothie recipe? Here’s my most basic green smoothie recipe:
- 1 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy milk like Coconut Milk or Almond Milk)
- 1 banana
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 tablespoon flax seed (optional)
HOW TO MAKE A GREEN SMOOTHIE
Step 1. 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 for a creamy, thick green smoothie.
For even more about how to make a basic green smoothie, and why I picked the ingredients that I did, check out The Best Green Smoothie for Beginners here.
GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPES HEALTHY
I set out to make my green smoothie recipes healthy and delicious, and I think I’ve done it! These variations all taste great, but day #4 was one of my very best 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, substitute non-dairy milk, or add chia seeds rather than flax seeds.
DAY 1: SWITCH TO NON-DAIRY MILK AND ADD KEFIR
We’re keeping our green smoothie recipes healthy, but still adding variety. First, try switching out the dairy milk to non-dairy milk and adding kefir.
- ½ cup kefir (or use Greek yogurt)
- ½ cup plain almond milk
- 1 banana
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 tablespoon flax seed
DAY 2: ADD STRAWBERRIES TO YOUR BASIC GREEN SMOOTHIE
I love how strawberries add color to a smoothie, although you might find that with spinach smoothie recipes, strawberries don’t always make for the most appetizing color combo. I promise they taste delicious though!
- ½ cup kefir
- ½ cup plain almond milk
- 1 banana
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 tablespoon flax seed
- 4 whole strawberries
DAY 3: ADD BLUEBERRIES TO GREEN SHAKES
Another fruit that makes your green shakes an interesting shade is blueberries. Sometimes you get purplish, and sometimes you get brown. Again, it’s the flavor that counts here, and I love this one!
- ½ cup kefir
- ½ cup plain almond milk
- 1 banana
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 tablespoon flax seed
- ½ cup blueberries
DAY 4: PINEAPPLE AND MANGO GREEN SMOOTHIE
Pineapple juice and mangoes make this green smoothie amazing! This is such a fresh-tasting combination.
- ½ cup kefir
- ½ cup pineapple juice (strained from canned pineapple, or use orange juice)
- 1 banana
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 tablespoon flax seed
- ½ mango
DAY 5: PEANUT BUTTER SMOOTHIE WITH GREENS
Add peanut butter for protein to this smoothie with greens. The peanut butter combined with the banana is super yummy with just enough sweetness. Almond butter or another nut butter makes a good substitute if peanuts are out.
- ½ cup kefir
- ½ cup plain almond milk
- 1 banana
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 tablespoon flax seed
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
DAY 6: NUTELLA GREEN SMOOTHIE
Nutella makes this green smoothie rich and nutty with a hint of chocolate. You know it’s going to be a good day if it starts with chocolate!
- ½ cup kefir
- ½ cup plain almond milk
- 1 banana
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 tablespoon flax seed
- 1 tablespoon Nutella
DAY 7: MIXED BERRY GREEN SMOOTHIE
A mixed berry variation makes this green smoothie bright and flavorful. I especially love a mixture that includes raspberries for a bit of tart flavor.
- ½ cup kefir
- ½ cup plain almond milk
- 1 banana
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 tablespoon flax seed
- ½ cup mixed frozen berries
ADDITIONAL VARIATIONS FOR GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPES
- Substitute 1 cup of kale for 2 cups of spinach. This is a great option if you have extra kale on hand from other recipes and you’re not in the mood for a Kale Caesar Salad.
- If you’re not ready for kefir, use ½ cup homemade yogurt and ½ cup coconut water.
- Use frozen fruit for the best green smoothie recipe. Using frozen fruit makes your smoothie cold and adds to the creamy texture!
- 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!
- Need EVEN MORE smoothie recipes? Find 30+ high protein recipes in my eBook, High Protein, No Powder!
FAQS FOR GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPES
How do you add healthy protein to a green smoothie?
Start by reading my post here on ways to add more protein to smoothies, and if you really want to dive in, 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 30 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), which uses spinach, and I built the variations from there.
Are green smoothies really that good for you?
Is it okay 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.
MORE DELICIOUS HEALTHY SMOOTHIES
Ready to experiment even more with your green smoothie? 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. Try this Detox Smoothie with Redmond Clay.
- And try these yummy flavorful smoothies:
Fight Inflation Workshop!
Sign up for my FREE Fight Inflation Workshop and learn simple strategies to save money, even with rising food costs!7 Days of Green Smoothie Recipes
Enjoy 7 days of green smoothie recipes with these yummy variations on a basic green smoothie. From berries to pineapple (and even chocolate!), you’re sure to find a new favorite for breakfast or a snack. What will be your next green smoothie?
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy milk like almond milk)
- 1 banana
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 tablespoon flax seed (optional)
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.
Notes
Variations:
- Day 1: Switch dairy milk to ½ cup almond milk and ½ cup kefir
- Day 2: Add 4 whole strawberries
- Day 3: Add ½ cup of blueberries
- Day 4: Use ½ cup kefir and ½ cup pineapple juice for the liquid, plus add ½ of a mango
- Day 5: Add 1 Tbsp peanut butter
- Day 6: Add 1 Tbsp Nutella
- Day 7: Add ½ cup mixed berries
Ha, ha! I’m sort of type A, except leave out the delicious part. I’ve always used green smoothies and green juices to cram as many nutrient-dense, disease-fighting plants into myself. I chug them. It’s the way I can get greens and other intense cleansing plants into my body without the annoyance and gross-factor of chewing them. I have made a couple of fruit-based or cacao-flavored things that were good. Those are treats. Usually I’m pounding down leafy green-blueberry-onion-lemon-ginger-turmeric-black pepper-oregano-rosemary-kelp-dulse smoothies as my breakfast staple. I do like making an omega-3 shake of hemp seeds, flax seeds, cacao, Himalayan pink salt, and stevia. That is my tasty treat. If I can fit in another green smoothie and/or a vegetable meal, that’s a good day. I think my first smoothie in my Vitamix was pretty foul. I think it included bean sprouts, carrot, and tomato and was way too thick. My green smoothies have evolved over time. I use them to get medicinal compounds in fast.
I find that the longer I drink smoothies, taste doesn’t remain as an important factor. I too look for nutrient dense foods and often toss them in there. The sour taste of kefir kinda evens out anything strange, lol. I don’t know if I’m brave enough to drink onion just yet, but I won’t say never!
where can you buy Kefir?
Hi Christine! I buy my kefir at Trader Joe’s. I haven’t checked Whole Foods yet, so I’m not sure, but perhaps worth a phone call (or stop if you’re in the area). You can also make your own by purchasing kefir grains and “growing” kefir in milk, on your counter, for about 24-48 hours (depending on the temperature of your house). I’ve seen the grains on Cultures for Health and Amazon. I’ll be purchasing grains this month since I’m going through it regularly so I hope to be able to document the process for you guys!
just wanted to let you know that this will be featured at this weeks Tasty Tuesday party. Going live tonight at 8:30. Come back and grab a featured button if you don’t already have one! Thanks for linking.
I’m a reformed Type B Smoothier! I like to use spinach, plain yogurt, a T. of peanut butter, one sliced frozen banana, and a little chocolate soy milk. Yum! It’s seriously delicious! If I don’t get to make one for breakfast then I find myself craving it for lunch, it’s THAT good! I add different fruits when I have them, but the basic recipe is so good that it’s not necessary.
yummy! thanks for linking with kids in the kitchen! yummy!
YUM!!! I gotta try this drink!
Thanks so much for sharing this at The DIY Dreamer.. From Dream To Reality!
Hi Kristina! I buy my flax from Costco and it’s ground for me. I do want to look into buying them whole, in which case I’d throw them in whole since my blender can handle it. Pears and cucumbers – I hadn’t heard of either! I love pairs so when they’re in season, I’ll definitely give them a try!
I have heard so many people talking about adding spinach to smoothies. Thanks for the recipes! I’m definitely a Type B smoothie maker. My husband is much like Ratatouille in that he can just smell things, throw them together, and it tastes great. Thanks for sharing at the Pomp Party! Pinning to our Pomp Party board!
What is kefir? What could I substitute for it? Thanks, sounds like something I would like to try to get off iced cappacino.
Hi Peg! Kefir is fermented milk. Sounds weird, but think yogurt and add even more good-for-you probiotics. It’s thicker than milk but thinner than yogurt. You can substitute 1 cup of milk, or 1/4 yogurt with 3/4 cup of milk if you’re looking for greater digestion benefits. I think this could get you off iced cappuccino’s, but I’ll warn you that there’s no coffee!
Don’t fear! Try one with berries, mango or peanut butter first – those “hid” the spinach flavor best. As I keep testing new ingredients, I’m learning that the stronger the flavors of everything else, the more mild the spinach.
Love this! Thanks for sharing! We would love to have you link up over at our party!
Thanks for the invitation Rhiannon! Just liked up!
These sound amazing! I’m going to the store this afternoon, so I’ll be picking up some ingredients for sure! Thanks for sharing 🙂
You’re welcome!
I love green smoothies! Thanks for all of the extra ideas! Just stopped by from Eye Heart
I’m a type A Smoothie-er. I love combining spinach, berries, coconut milk and a little protein powder. It’s the secret to my success – though sometimes, I toss a little pineapple or mango in. YUM. I can’t wait to make smoothies with spinach from my own garden. Anyway… great post! 🙂
I newly launched Salmon At Seven (I used to be EKat’s Kitchen), and would love if you stopped by, said hi, and maybe, entered a giveaway!xoxo
I’ve been wanting to make some green smoothies at home but don’t want to invest in a juicer until I really am ready…this looks great to start off with in a blender!
Hi Rita! If you have a decent blender (simply one that gets the job done), I personally don’t see a need for a juicer unless you specifically want to juice. A little bit of liquid goes a long way into making veggies drinkable!
I love to drink green smoothies, once you get started you cannot stop. I like to make mine with coconut water, pineapple, mango, banana, spinach. A Tropical green smoothie.
I have also used low calorie coconut milk, plain greek yogurt for my smoothies.
I love them I cannot go a morning without having one. Stopping by from Motivate Me Monday link party
Sounds good – green is pretty 🙂 Hope this recipe bides well with the lactose free milks – I’m lactose intolerant :/
JoAnn
JoAnn, most people who are lactose intolerant can tolerate yogurt – the live cultures digest the lactose for us- I use plain yogurt instead of milk in mine and it works great. Truth be told I also add chocolate soy milk for the liquid component.
I made one this morning after seeing your post. I used almond milk, bananas,frozen vanilla yogurt (bought a big container on clearance and froze it in ice cube trays for smoothies),peanut butter, and spinach. It was so yummy!!!
I’ve been craving a smoothie with peanut butter since the first one I made! I’m trying to try a different variation every day, but I may make an exception for that one… or make another smoothie for lunch! Good idea on freezing the yogurt!
Looks wonderful. Nice work !
Green Monster smoothies?!! It does not look delish! Are any of you turning green yet? LOL We don’t own a blender — gave mine away before we left Seaside — and Wayne doesn’t have one either. Maybe someday we’ll catch the smoothie fever and buy one — just maybe. Anyway, y’all enjoy your monster drinks!
Love,
Leona