Green Machine Smoothie

This Green Machine Smoothie is a healthy snack disguised as a rejuvenating treat! Every sip is loaded with your daily dose of leafy greens, fresh fruit, and a tropical twist.

Don’t be discouraged by the salad-like color. This Green Machine Smoothie may look healthy, but it doesn’t taste like it! 

It’s packed with fresh greens and fruit, a splash of coconut water, pineapple, and fresh lime juice to mask the spinach and cucumber flavor. The result is a sweet, tart, and tangy smoothie with a completely hidden serving of leafy greens.

Green smoothies and green juices are made with nourishing ingredients to make you feel your best. It’s almost like sipping on a Strawberry Avocado Spinach Salad in a glass! Treating yourself to a healthy green smoothie is a great way to hydrate while boosting your fruit and veggie intake.

Are green smoothies good for you?

Yes! Smoothies with leafy greens, green veggies, and fruit contain vitamins, minerals, and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant plant compounds. As for this apple spinach smoothie, see below for a briefing on the health benefits!

Ingredient notes

• Green apple - Granny Smith apples are the easiest to come by, but Crispin, Shizuka, and Newtown Pippin apples are also green and delicious in smoothies. They’re a great source of fiber, vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron.
• Cucumber - Cucumbers are 96% water, so they promote hydration while adding very few calories. I don’t recommend peeling cucumbers for smoothies, as the peel is the most nutrient-dense part of the vegetable.
• Spinach - This leafy green is low in carbs but high in fiber. It’s an excellent source of potassium, magnesium, and vitamins B6, B9, and E.
• Coconut water - I like making smoothies with coconut water because it's naturally sweet, very hydrating, and contains very little fat. To increase the healthy fats, use coconut milk or coconut cream instead. 
• Pineapple - This tropical fruit is a nutrient-dense powerhouse rich in vitamin C and manganese.
• Mint leaves - For a dynamic flavor as well as antioxidants, and vitamin A.
• Lime - Freshly squeezed lime juice promotes hydration and boosts vitamin C. 
• Collagen peptides (or protein powder) - I like adding a scoop of Vital Proteins Collagen Beauty Greens to this smoothie. It contains non-GMO marine collagen peptides combined with healthy organic greens, which provide vitamin A, hyaluronic acid, and probiotics! If you don’t have collagen at home, use your favorite protein powder instead.

How to make a green apple smoothie

After chopping the green apple and cucumber, here’s what you’ll do to achieve a smooth green machine smoothie:

Step 1: First, add the spinach and coconut water to your high-speed blender and blend until smooth. 

Step 2: Then add the apple and cucumber chunks, frozen pineapple, mint, lime juice, and collagen peptides. Blend until the mixture is smooth and well combined, then enjoy!

Tips and tricks

• You can use fresh or frozen vegetables here. If you opt for mostly frozen fruits and vegetables, you won’t need as much ice (if any). 
• If you end up with leftovers, I recommend freezing them in an ice cube tray. When you’re ready to serve, simply blend the frozen cubes until smooth. 
• Add a pinch of salt to increase the electrolytes and make the sweet fruits taste pleasantly sweeter. 
• In a rush? Pre-portion your ingredients in freezer bags and follow the 60/40 rule. Build your green smoothie with 60% fresh or frozen fruit and 40% fresh or frozen leafy greens or vegetables.

Variations

Green smoothies are meant to be played with. Build your own personalized healthy green smoothie using any of these tasty additions and variations:

• Instead of green apple - Try it with avocado, kiwi, honeydew, pears, or green grapes.
• Green veggies - Zucchini, celery, and alfalfa sprouts are great alternatives to cucumber.
• Leafy greens - Instead of spinach, you can use microgreens, kale, swiss chard, romaine lettuce, or collard greens. 
• Milk alternatives - If dairy isn’t a concern, you can use heavy whipping cream or any dairy milk in the smoothie. Otherwise, dairy free milk like oat, rice, almond, cashew, and soy are perfect for making rich and creamy vegan smoothies.
• Frozen fruit - Anything goes! Use frozen banana, mango, guava, passionfruit, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, etc. 
• Flavor enhancements - Enhance the flavor of your smoothie with pitted dates, vanilla extract, or cacao powder. 
• Citrus juice - Swap the lime juice for lemon, orange, or grapefruit juice.

Frequently asked questions

Can you taste the spinach in green smoothies?

As long as the smoothie has naturally sweet ingredients, like fresh or frozen fruit, the bright, fruity flavors will overpower the raw spinach flavor. 

How can you make green smoothies more filling?

Increase the healthy fats and protein! As for healthy fats, try adding avocado, Greek yogurt, almond butter, peanut butter, or any type of nut butter. Add ground flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, or raw nuts like walnuts, cashews, or almonds for more protein. 

Can you make this smoothie in advance?

Yes! Skip the ice and add the fruits and vegetables, the remaining dry ingredients, and half of a frozen banana to a freezer-safe bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When it’s time to eat, simply dump the frozen ingredients into a high-speed blender, add the liquid ingredients, and blend until smooth. 

Looking for more healthy smoothies?

• Spinach Chia Smoothie
• Mango Pineapple Smoothie
• Orange Sunrise Smoothie
• Soursop Coconut Smoothie
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
• Strawberry Smoothie