Healthy Green Smoothie (No Added Sugar)
This healthy green smoothie with no added sugar is actually delicious and is loaded with tons of vitamins and minerals your body needs! Ready in less than 10 minutes, this health-promoting vegan smoothie makes a great snack or can be part of any meal such as breakfast.
Equipment
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- 16 Ounces Filtered Water, or use unsweetened non-dairy milk, juice, or coconut water.
- 4-5 Large Leaves Kale, about 2 cups loosely packed, see notes section below for substitutions.
- 1 Handful Mint Leaves, optional
- 1/2 Cup Frozen Mango Chunks, or use any fruit you like.
- 1/2 Cup Frozen Pineapple Chunks
- 1 Cup Ice Cubes, optional
- 2 Cubes Frozen Ginger, optional, or use 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or a small chunk of fresh ginger.
- 1 Medjool Date, pitted, Optional
- 2 Tablespoons Hulled Hemp Seeds, see notes section below for substitutions.
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 1 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar, optional, see notes section below for why I add this.
Instructions
- Add the water first: I like to add the water (or whatever liquid you choose) to the blender first to make it easier on the blades.
- Next up, the greens: Add the tougher greens (kale, in this case) to the blender next, followed by the softer ones (spinach and mint, in this case). We want the greens as close to the blades as possible so they get liquified. If you have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix or a Blendtec, you can include the kale stems (I just rip the washed kale leaves into roughly 2-inch chunks to make it easier to blend) and they will get liquified. If not, chop the stems and save them in the fridge or freezer for a stir fry or soup.
- Now add the frozen stuff: Add the frozen fruit, ice cubes, and frozen ginger cubes (or whatever form of ginger you're adding.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Add everything else now—the pitted Medjool date, hemp seeds, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar. Place the lid on tightly.
- Blend: Blend on high for about a minute, or however long is needed for the smoothie to get, well, smooth.
- Taste and adjust if needed: Taste the smoothie. Does it need more sweetness? Add another pitted Medjool date and a little more ice (or a frozen banana!) and blend. More tartness? Add another tablespoon of lemon juice.
Video
Notes
- Greens: Use whatever greens you like! If you're new to green smoothies, start with sweeter greens like spinach and romaine. If you're a seasoned greens eater, experiment with different greens. When I was drinking green smoothies every day, I made sure to vary them so I got different nutrients. My favorites though are still kale, spinach, and collard greens.
- Hulled Hemp Seeds: If you don't want the added fat in your green smoothie, omit this. If you want to try another nut or seed, try raw walnuts, raw cashews, raw sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, or raw pumpkin seeds. Many people add chia seeds or flaxseed to their smoothies and that's also great, but personally I don't like to do that because as the smoothie sits, it thickens (those seeds are gelatinous when soaked) and the consistency gets a little weird for me.
- Balsamic Vinegar, Optional: I just do a teaspoon of this and I don't even taste it. When vinegar is taken with greens, it produces nitric oxide which is important for endothelial lining health (the lining of your arteries). I believe any vinegar will work but darker balsamic vinegars are better due to the antioxidants in the darker colored grapes. Omit if you prefer.
- Troubleshooting: If you can't get the greens to blend smoothly, try blending longer. If the smoothie gets warm, you can either stick it in the fridge for a bit or pour it over ice. For what it's worth, some blenders cannot handle any green tougher than spinach. I had a $50-ish (USD) blender a long time ago with multiple blades and it could not blend kale. I eventually saved up for a Vitamix and didn't have that problem anymore. I know it's a lot of money and I was very fortunate that I was able to save $25 a paycheck for several months to be able to afford it, but it's one of the best investments I've made.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5recipeCalories: 153kcalCarbohydrates: 23.2gProtein: 5.6gFat: 5.7gSodium: 37mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!