Perfecting the Green Smoothie

If you’re not really a salad person, getting in enough greens can be a challenge. Not everyone loves the taste of spinach, and finding enough meals where you can sneak some veggies in isn’t as simple as it sounds. Luckily, there’s a way for you to incorporate greens without worrying about hating your meal. All you have to do is prepare some green smoothies! Blending together your favorite greens with a mix of fruits, seeds, and other tasty smoothie ingredients helps to mask the taste of your vegetables—so much so, that you often don’t even realize they’re in there. Their color may be vibrant green, but these smoothies are loaded with so many other tasty ingredients that you’ll soon forget you ever hated the taste of spinach. If you’re trying to bulk up your green smoothies, there are a number of different options when it comes to choosing a boost. What you add in will depend on a few factors, including whether your focus is solely on getting more protein or if you want to make sure you’re getting the right balance of all the essential nutrients needed in a meal. Different protein sources also have different tastes, and some taste better with different combinations of ingredients. Although it might sound daunting, the good news is, there really is no wrong way to create a green smoothie. As long as you’re adding in healthful, whole ingredients, you’re going to feel good and make your body happy. Most green smoothies are made with spinach, but you can also substitute other leafy greens like kale or chard. Experimenting with different combinations not only helps switch up the types of vitamins and minerals you’re ingesting, but it also helps to keep making meals fun and exciting. It might be hard to imagine the different types of green smoothies you can make, but the options are endless, especially when you add in your own creative twists and supplement your drink with different additions. If you’re having a hard time figuring out where to start when it comes to making these smoothies, fear no more—we’ve got you covered. Here are three simple but delicious green smoothie recipes that are as tasty as they are wholesome.

Spinach and Strawberry Chia Smoothie

If you like simple, fresh flavors, you’ll love this Spinach and Strawberry Chia Smoothie. Even though it’s filled with everything you could need in a meal, it doesn’t require much work in the kitchen. Plus, this easy smoothie is filled with ingredients you likely already have on hand at home, including spinach, almond milk, yogurt, chia seeds, and strawberries, which means you won’t have to run around town looking for the right ingredients. The sweetness of the strawberries combined with the creaminess of the almond milk and yogurt make for a fruity, filling drink that masks the taste of the spinach altogether. Aside from its green color, you won’t even realize you’re consuming your vegetables. In addition to the strawberries, this smoothie is sweetened with just a little bit of honey, which not only adds extra flavor, but provides an antibacterial component to the drink. This antioxidant-rich smoothie is loaded with fiber thanks to the chia seeds and strawberries, and the yogurt provides the drink with some probiotics, which can help with digestion. If you’re feeling under the weather, this is the smoothie you’ll want to turn to. Although this green smoothie already contains some protein thanks to the yogurt and chia seeds, you can also kick it up a notch by adding in some protein boosts. One way you can add some is by keeping it simple and blending in some whey protein, which contains all the amino acids required for strength and muscle development. You can even add more flavor to this green smoothie by adding in vanilla protein powder. This protein powder blend is made from pea protein powder, chicory root fiber, chia seeds, probiotics, and monk fruit extract for a little bit of sweetness. If you’re not able to get any protein powder, you can also swap out regular yogurt for Greek yogurt, which has double the amount of protein, fewer carbs, and less lactose, which makes it easier to digest for those who are sensitive to dairy. Whether you make this smoothie for breakfast, enjoy it on your lunch break, or whip it up post-yoga, you’ll be sure to feel refreshed, nourished, and satisfied after drinking it.

Green Machine Smoothie

If you’re avoiding dairy but still enjoy smoothies, this Green Machine Smoothie is perfect for you. It gets its green color not only from the fresh spinach, but from half an avocado as well. The drink is sweetened with just apple juice and chopped apples, and there’s no milk or yogurt involved, which makes it a good choice for vegans or those who are lactose intolerant. Thanks to the avocado, the drink is still creamy without having to use any dairy, and using apple juice prevents the need for any additional sweetener or high-sugar fruits. This green super drink is rich in protein and fiber, thanks to the addition of our Protein & Fiber Nutritional Booster powder. This product is vegan-friendly and completely gluten free, and it goes beyond just providing protein. Made with pea protein powder, chicory root fiber, psyllium husk powder, and chia seeds, our Protein & Fiber Nutritional Booster also contains fiber and probiotics, which are sure to make your stomach happy by aiding in digestion. Each serving provides 20 grams of plant-based protein as well as 48 percent of your daily fiber. In addition to our nutritional booster protein powder, you can also add an extra boost using hemp seeds. Hulled hemp seed hearts not only add protein, but a they create a crunchy, thick consistency to the already frothy smoothie. Hemp seeds are loaded with nutrients, including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and fiber. If you like the idea of the health benefits that hemp seeds provide but don’t like the thought of a seedy drink, you can opt for some hemp protein powder instead. This dissolves more easily, and it not only gives you an extra 14 grams of protein, but it also adds iron and fiber. This way, your smoothie texture will stay the same, but you’ll get even more protein.

Green Goodness Smoothie

Although we can’t all enjoy tropical drinks poolside every day, drinking this smoothie is the next best thing. Our Green Goodness Smoothie screams island paradise with its blend of raspberries, mango, fresh spinach, and pea protein powder. Even though it doesn’t contain many ingredients, this fresh drink is high in protein and fiber while staying low in fat. It is also vegan and gluten free. Even though this smoothie is filled with protein, you might want even more out of the drink, and thankfully, there are plenty of options when it comes to switching up this fruit-filled green smoothie. The smoothie is already high in protein, which makes adding in some psyllium fiber powder a good choice, as it adds a nice dose of dietary fiber, both soluble and insoluble. A one-teaspoon serving of psyllium fiber powder packs quite a punch. Add it to your smoothie, and you’ll get 3 grams of fiber that dissolves easily into your drink. You can also add chia seeds to this sweet smoothie, which adds some fiber as well. You can blend them into the smoothie, sprinkle them on top, or even mix them in and let them swell up to create a more gel-like consistency. No matter what fruits, vegetables or smoothie powder you put in your green smoothie, you’ll be happy to find that there’s a delicious way to drink your greens. Share your favorite recipes in the comments below!