We’ve posted about smoothies here and there over the years here at ABM. It might not be a new habit, but it’s definitely one that I’m still very much obsessed with. Especially green smoothies, packed with lots of green vegetables! I love that no matter how weird my day has been food-wise, I pretty much always have the ingredients to throw together this five ingredient smoothie in a matter of minutes. So even if I’ve ended up eating a random assortment of different recipes I might be testing out for ABM or our upcoming cookbook, I can still get a big serving of green vegetables in anytime.
I thought I’d share my current favorite “recipe” with you all in case you are in need of some green smoothie inspiration. 🙂
Favorite 5 Ingredient Green Smoothie, serves one.
3 frozen spinach cubes
2 frozen slices of banana (about 1 to 1.5 oz.)
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 tablespoon coconut flakes
1 cup almond milk (original, unsweetened)
The real magic behind why I can pretty much always make this smoothie so fast is because I always have an ice tray of frozen spinach cubes in my freezer. Just blend a whole bunch at once with a little water and freeze in a tray. I buy spinach for this purpose. But this also works great if you have some greens (spinach, kale, or any hearty greens) that are leftover or about to turn on you. Blend them up with some water and freeze them! You won’t find yourself ever throwing out greens again and it makes throwing a smoothie together super quick and easy.
I also always have a big bag of frozen banana slices in my freezer too. You could also use fresh banana, but having it frozen in small slices allows me to add just a little bit at a time (for sweetness mostly) without wasting any.
Combine all the ingredients together in a good blender (I LOVE my Vitamix for this!) and blend until very smooth, almost like juice!
I posted a picture of my morning green smoothie on Instagram a few weeks ago and someone asked if I was doing the Simple Green Smoothies challenge. I actually hadn’t checked out their site before, but it’s awesome! If you need more smoothie recipe ideas, check them out for sure.
I will sometimes add something to the top of my smoothie, which I usually eat at the end after I’ve drunk the whole thing. Usually it’s a bit of granola or chopped nuts. I recently found a jar of bee pollen at my usual grocery store, so I decided to try that out. It’s certainly a unique ingredient that I’ve seen added to smoothies at health food stores and whatnot before. Otherwise I probably wouldn’t have known what it was. Ha! After I bought the jar, I went home and started looking up info on it and I’ve gotten some pretty mixed info. So I can’t say I really recommend it. Have you all tried bee pollen? Thumbs up or thumbs down?
But adding anything else is totally optional, I often leave my smoothie naked too. Thanks for letting me share! xo. Emma
Credits // Author and Photography: Emma Chapman. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.
63 Comments
Those spinach cubes are GENIUS!! I’ve done that with pesto before, but too often I find myself short on fresh greens when I’m making a smoothie. Never again!
Cat
http://oddlylovely.com
I went through a smoothie phase with a very similar recipe – but I can’t eat raw banana – so I had to give it up. Any suggestions on an alternative to bananas in this recipe? Thank you!
I will try it. Thanks for sharing this !
“A bunch of spinach or kale about to turn on you”
HIDE THE KNIVES!!!! LOLOLOL
This looks delicious yet its healthy too! I’m definitely going to make this tomorrow morning for breakfast! Thanks for sharing!
http://livingblissfullybalance.weebly.com/
I’m really getting into green smoothies at the moment! The spinach cubes are genius -keeps the smoothie cold without adding any unneeded ice that will water it down. I’ll definitely have to steal this idea, haha 🙂
Mmmmm this looks so good. Makes me want a green juice right now. Great post.
http://www.throughmyowneyes.com
Most smoothies seem to be packed with sugar, but this one isn’t! I definitely have to try it!
Lifestyle by Joules
That’s such a smart idea!
I love the idea of blend+frozen green goodies.
I’ve been doing the SGS challenge for a year and a half and it’s amazing… You should try it!
Frozen spinach (or any greens) cubes are a great idea! We are currently enjoying a 30 day green smoothie challenge at our spa and I’ll have to share this idea! http://www.willowspa.com/to-smoothie-or-to-juice-that-is-the-question/
Looks amazing and I’m sure taste just as good too! Have you tried freezing juice pulp for smoothies. I’ve been adding that to my smoothie lately and my body and belly have been loving it!
It looks so yummy! I need to try make this one at home. I hope it taste as good as it looks like 🙂
http://youthfulblog.blogspot.com/
Great idea for extending the life of fresh spinach. I freeze organic strawberries for breakfast smoothies, but have always used fresh spinach. Buying the big packages saves money, but usually the last bit of it turns bad before you can use it all.
That looks really good! http://www.hannamarielei.com
I love the idea of freezing the spinach in cubes! I have always been so wasteful with my spinach but I think if I just buy an ice cube tray, that would be a genius idea for us!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Spinach ice cubes are a genius idea! And also using coconut as a sweetener. Maple syrup and honey are both really expensive in Canada right now.
a date or two might do the trick to sweeten it up in plae of banana
This looks so good! I’ve never used almond butter in smoothies before so I will try! – Becky x
http://adaintyfawn.blogspot.co.uk/
ice cubes…. why didn’t I think of that?! AH! I must do this ASAP.
I seriously need to up my nonexistent smoothie game. This looks delicious even though I’m a bit wary of the spinach.
http://www.madblackthot.wordpress.com
I am totally going to try this – thanks for the spinach ice cube tip, I think it will really help me like green smoothies more!
Emily
http://www.threadsandblooms.com
Hi Emma, I love green smoothies! How you save your greens is such an awesome tip! I’m definitely going to have to refer people to this post.
http://www.cleantothecore.com
How do you make the spinach cubes?
Coconut flakes = genius!!
this looks delicious!
XO,
cheals
http://www.chealseywaltonblog.blogspot.com
Do you have a link to the extra large ice cube tray you are using?
Those spinach cubes are a great idea especially during a rushed morning! xx
http://www.anavicioso.com
Really creative with the spinach ice cubes!
Juliette
http://best-smoothie-maker.com/
Curious how this tastes, especially with the spinach, but I’m sure the banana and coconut flakes balance out that taste! Thanks for sharing!
http://www.makeandmess.com/
All the ingredients are in my kitchen, so I’ll be whipping this up later on. Sounds delicious!
Alice / alicegracebeauty.com
x
This sounds delicious! I saw Tesco are now selling frozen kale cubes too, so I think I might try them in a smoothie.
Tiffany Tales – A British Beauty & Lifestyle Blog
I NEVER see any juice/smoothies recipes with sugar – I think they’re supposed to be healthy for you;).
I’m not a big fan of green smoothies but this one looks so tasty I might get tempted x
http://jessicawoods.fr
This sounds quite easy to make, I usually find smoothies a bit of a pain but I’m definitely going to try this!
I can only recommend eating bee pollen, a nice article here: http://www.mynewroots.org/site/2011/05/whats-all-the-buzz-about-bee-pollen-2/
That looks so good!!! I can’t wait to try it!!
http://yumiandyuji.blogspot.kr/
The frozen spinach cube are genius!! Why have I never thought of that? Thanks for such an awesome tip!
Love this! Smoothies are my absolute favorite thing in the morning, and I love my magic bullet for them! Especially for when I go off to college!
I make this same smoothie and add chia seeds for some extra nutrients.
Wow! Really handy!
Great idea! How long do the frozen spinach cubes stay good in the freezer?
This looks delicious! It can be difficult to get the balance right with ‘juicier’ smoothies, as I’ve made some where you lust get all the pith and fibre at the bottom of the smoothie which is not a treat to drink…. I avoid using ground flaxseeds or nuts in these smoothies as that’s often where I fall victim to. Love the spinach cubes, I’m a big fan of making smoothie ‘bags’ to have ready whenever I fancy something refreshing, and to avoid waste!
She’s So Lucy
This doesn’t have something to do with this recipe directly, but i would love a post about some blender and food processors or kitchen accessories in general that you would recomend (or not) since you must have tried a lot over the years!
This smoothie looks very tasty!
That’s not a bad idea – thanks for the suggestion!
Nom nom nom!
Is the spinach cooked before becoming cubes?
This looks delicious, need to try it out tomorrow morning 🙂
http://kawellkasell.blogspot.de
Bee Pollen is supposed to be eaten from local bees… if you suffer from allergies, it can help ease them during the season of much sneezing! It’s also supposed to be great for adding a boost to your energy levels… we used to take a few grains of it a day when I was a kid… I haven’t used it in years, but I remember my Mom saying she thought it did give her more energy! 🙂
Love the idea for the frozen green cubes!
I’m going to try this. I’ve never tried green smoothies before, mostly because I never have that much fresh produce on hand. But with frozen spinach cubes, it seems like it would be rather easy. I’m also going to put on my big girl pants and try the coconut flakes. I don’t actually like coconut – it’s a texture thing. But in a smoothie, it sounds like texture is not an issue. Question though – how is this on the filling level? Is it really filling, or is this more for just getting the nutrients? Could anything be added to make it more filling?
Avocado should work for consistency, it obviously won’t add any sweetness though. Maybe avocado and a date!
Just made this! Delicious! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Must Try it out now!!
I thought bee pollen is super healthy – it has many antioxidants, minerals, vitamins (B-group) and is generally beneficent for your immune system. What information did you find that your opinion on them is mixed?
I put a whole bag or package of spinach (or other greens) into my blender (raw). Then I add a few tablespoons of water. I blend and it seems to still be chunky or parts aren’t blending enough I add another tablespoon or two of water and blend some more. Once I get a fairly smooth consistency I pour into my ice tray, cover, and freeze until I want to use them.
It’s the kind of thing I don’t really measure, I just get a consistency I like. You’ll use a little more water on heartier greens, like kale.
-Emma
I like all these suggestions! Figs are fairly sweet too, and of course you could always add a little bit of honey or maple syrup if you wanted.
-Emma
Don’t turn your back…. that kale is giving you the stink eye.
🙂
-Emma
I just bought it at my grocery store, it’s just a cheap one. The greens will turn it, well, green over time so just keep that in mind.
-Emma
Really?!?! That’s pretty awesome.
-Emma
I usually use mine up pretty fast (like a week or two) because I eat this all the time. But, probably a pretty long time (like months) since freezing things is a great way to preserve for long periods. Just make sure your ice cube tray has a lid / top, or you can cover it with aluminum foil or something. Other items in your freezer could potentially transfer over and odor or taste over time without this step.
-Emma
I’d put it at medium filling. I usually have this and maybe a piece of whole grain toast at the same time or an hour or two later. If you add granola to the top, chopped nuts, or add more almond butter this could make it even more filling than what I have listed here.
-Emma
Mostly I’ve read that it may not actually do anything, like the health benefits haven’t been proven yet. But I wasn’t really sure how up to date that info was. Also a few sources mentioned that some people can be allergic, I haven’t noticed any symptoms in myself when I eat this but could be something others want to be aware of. Also, I’m pretty sure bee pollen is not usually recommended for pregnant or nursing women, but agin, I’m not in that category so I don’t really have much to say about it. Just curious if others out there had more info for me.
-Emma
Where did you get those drinking glasses? !!!
My favorite is banana, spinach, kale, maca powder, cacao powder, chocolate cashew milk, and a glob of peanut butter. It looks pretty gross but tastes FANTASTIC. It’s filling too and the maca gives you a good energy.