Green smoothies! They are incredibly quick and easy to make and it’s a great way to pack more vegetables and fruits into your diet. A typical recipe contains at least 2 – 4 servings of vegetables and fruits. So today’s I’m going to share with you the formula to make a perfect green smoothie! Once you know the basics, you can experiment, make your own creation and never get tired of the same recipes.

These are 4 basic ingredients to make a healthy and delicious green smoothie. The first is of course, your Dark Green Leafy Vegetable.

1) Green Leafy Vegetable (1 or more)

Examples: Spinach, Kale, Bok choy, Parsley, Romanian Lettuce, Collards, Cabbage and more.
Portion: 1 cup (85g)

For starters, spinach is the most common green used in smoothies because it has a mild flavor, soft texture and is easy to blend. The flavor of spinach is easy to mask with fruits as well.

2) Fruits

I would suggest picking 2 fruits, at least 1 ‘creamy’ fruit, which will provide your green smoothie a creamy texture and avoid it from becoming too watery.
Examples of creamy fruits include: Banana, mango, peach, papaya, avocado, pear, apple or you can use durian if you are in Asia.

The 2nd fruit will enhance the flavor of your green smoothie even more. It can either be another ‘creamy’ fruit or you can choose any other fruit of your choice such as strawberry, blueberry, pineapple, orange, grape, tomato and more.

Here’s a tip, it is best to freeze your fruits up to make a chill and refreshing green smoothie.
Portion: 1.5 – 2 cups

3) Liquid

Choose one liquid. This will help to blend the vegetables and fruits and to prevent the smoothie from becoming too thick.

Example: Water, Green Tea, Milk, Nut Milk, Coconut Water or 100% fruit juice.
Portion: 1 cup (250ml)

And finally, I like to call this the extra energy booster!

4) Energy Booster

This is where you get to add more protein, vitamins, antioxidants and nutrients into your smoothie.

So pick your favourite superfood as such:
Example: Chia seeds, goji berries, flax seeds, coconut oil, hemp seeds, acai, cinnamon, raw cocoa or even protein powder.

Portion: 1 to 2 tbsps

Right, now that you know the basic, it’s time to make a Green Smoothie!
For my “Tropical Cleanse” Green Smoothie, I’ve chosen:

INGREDIENTS (Serves 1)
1 cup (40g) Spinach – 11.5Cals
1 cup (150g) Mango, frozen – 90cals
1 cup sliced Banana, frozen (1 medium size) – 105Cals
1 cup (250ml) Coconut Water – 50Cals
1 tbsp. of Goji Berries – 22.5Cals

Total Calories – 279Cals

For a smoother experience, let’s blend it in stages.

STEPS:

1) First, add spinach and coconut water into the blender.
2) Blend together until all the leafy chunks are gone.
3) Then add in the frozen banana, mango and goji berries.
4) Continue blending until you have a smooth texture. And here’s your green smoothie!

Now it’s time for you to drink this powerhouse down immediately for maximum nutrients! The best part is, they taste like fruit and you’ll not know there’s any vegetable in there. So for those of you, who do not like to eat your greens, give this a try! You can have this for breakfast, snacks or as a meal replacement.

This green smoothie is also a great way to detox your body. With all the fibre it in, this will keep you full for a long time. Right, so go, pick your ingredients, experiment, make your green smoothie and share your favourite combination with me. All the best!