Tropical Green Smoothie

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Tropical Green Smoothie â€” I promise this healthy green smoothie doesn’t taste healthy at all! It tastes like a virgin piña colada that just happens to be bright green and good for you. 

Tropical Green Smoothie â€” I promise this healthy green smoothie doesn't taste healthy at all! It tastes like a virgin piña colada that just happens to be bright green and good for you. 

The BEST Green Smoothie Recipe

Sometimes strange looking things taste amazing. If you close your eyes, it tastes like a beautiful, tropical, sunny beach vacation.

You’re thinking, no it doesn’t. It tastes like bitter, blended up green stuff. But I assure you, it does not. Celery, kale, mizuna greens, chard, dandelion greens, and cucumbers have very strong and dominating flavors, which is why I don’t use them in smoothies. Spinach, however, is a different story.

I find spinach to be the leafy green equivalent of iceberg lettuce; totally mild and harmless. Plus, when it’s coupled with a handful of frozen mango, pineapple, banana, almond milk, vanilla, and a bit of sweetener, you can’t even taste it.

I promise. Even though this is healthy, it doesn’t taste it. It tastes like a green Pina Colada.

The color is much more jarring than the flavor. Sometimes plants are unexpectedly bold and vibrant in all their chlorophyll-filled glory.

Tropical Green Smoothie â€” I promise this healthy green smoothie doesn't taste healthy at all! It tastes like a virgin piña colada that just happens to be bright green and good for you. 

My 6-year old bounces off the walls after drinking one of these healthy green smoothies. Some parents claim their children get hyper after too much sugar. Well, mine can eat chocolate chip cookies and candy and not really do much. But give her one of these green smoothies, and she’s talking a mile a minute, running around the house, laughing, and giggling.

I’m glad to see plants have that effect on her. They really are so powerful.

This tropical spinach keeps me full for awhile and between the almond milk, mango, pineapple, and banana, it’s tropical, sweet, and creamy.

After drinking a green smoothie, I feel invigorated, refreshed and recharged, and my head is clear and my energy is pure. Coffee wakes me up and gives me energy, but it’s a bolt of semi-jittery energy versus clean, sustained energy.

I love that this tastes like a virgin pina colada. It just happens to be green.

strawberries

What’s in This Green Smoothie? 

To make this healthy spinach smoothie, you’ll need: 

  • Frozen spinach
  • Frozen pineapple
  • Frozen mango
  • Banana
  • Strawberries
  • Milk
  • Vanilla extract
  • Sweetener of choice 

Tropical Green Smoothie â€” I promise this healthy green smoothie doesn't taste healthy at all! It tastes like a virgin piña colada that just happens to be bright green and good for you. 

How to Make a Green Smoothie

After you have everything in your blender canister, blend until smooth and creamy.

Since I have to wash my blender anyway, I make double the amount I need. I fill freezer-safe platstic cups with the extra portions, freeze them, and when I’m ready for a smoothie for a snack or quick breafast, nuke the cup for a minute.

It saves time not having to remake and then rewash my blender. Having them ready and grab-able prevents me from reaching for cookies, which are equally grab-able.

Tropical Green Smoothie â€” I promise this healthy green smoothie doesn't taste healthy at all! It tastes like a virgin piña colada that just happens to be bright green and good for you. 

Can I Add Different Fruits to My Green Smoothie? 

There’s no wrong way to make a healthy green smoothie. Substitute any fruit you like. I use frozen because it’s cheaper and that way I don’t have to add ice, which waters it down, but use fresh if that’s what you like. Strawberries, blueberries, mixed berry blends, peaches, and nectarines are favorites.

What Type of Milk Should I Use?

For the milk, try cow’s, goat, soy, rice, almond, coconut, Coconut Milk Kefir, or Homemade Horchata. Or add a dollop of yogurt, Greek yogurt, or frozen yogurt.

Tropical Green Smoothie â€” I promise this healthy green smoothie doesn't taste healthy at all! It tastes like a virgin piña colada that just happens to be bright green and good for you. 

Do I Have to Add Spinach? 

If you don’t like spinach, try romaine lettuce. Both are very mild and neutral when blended. I buy frozen spinach for the same reason I buy frozen fruit; it’s cheaper, and I can buy in bulk and keep it in my freezer for a rainy day.

How Should I Sweeten Green Smoothies? 

I sweeten my smoothies just a bit, but it’s optional. Use agave, honey, maple syrup, granulated sugar, stevia or your favorite sweetener. Sweet Medjool dates are nature’s candy and also work well.

Tropical Green Smoothie â€” I promise this healthy green smoothie doesn't taste healthy at all! It tastes like a virgin piña colada that just happens to be bright green and good for you. 

Tips for Making the Best Green Smoothie

A tip for bananas is that I peel over-ripe ones, break them into chunks, and keep them in a big Ziplock in my freezer, making it easy to toss a few chunks into smoothies. When blended, they add plant-based creaminess that’s unparalleled to anything else. Bananas are naturally sweet, inexpensive, and readily available. But if you don’t like bananas or are allergic, simply omit.

If you want to boost the staying power of the smoothie, add fat. Coconut oil, coconut butter, peanut butter, almond/cashew/sunflower seed, or protein powder.

Add coconut flakes, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, or your favorite smoothie add-ins’ to either the blender canister before blending or garnish smoothie with them after blending.

I add homemade vanilla extract to almost everything I make, including smoothies. Extracts like coconut extract, orange extract, or lemon extract are also fun to play around with in smoothies.

Tropical Green Smoothie â€” I promise this healthy green smoothie doesn't taste healthy at all! It tastes like a virgin piña colada that just happens to be bright green and good for you. 

Tropical Green Smoothie â€” I promise this healthy green smoothie doesn't taste healthy at all! It tastes like a virgin piña colada that just happens to be bright green and good for you. 

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4.70 from 46 votes

Tropical Green Smoothie

By Averie Sunshine
I promise this healthy green smoothie doesn't taste healthy at all! It tastes like a virgin piña colada that just happens to be green and good for you. 
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
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Ingredients  

  • 2 cups frozen spinach
  • 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
  • 1 cup frozen mango chunks
  • 1 medium ripe banana, peeled (previously frozen in chunks is ideal)
  • 1 cup strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or a favorite berry, optional
  • 1 cup milk, cow’s, almond, soy, coconut, kefir, horchata
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • sweetener, to taste (sugar, agave, stevia, honey, maple syrup, Medjool dates)

Instructions 

  • Place all ingredients in the canister of a Vita-Mix or blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.
  • Pour extra portions into freezer-safe cups and freeze for up to 1 month, thawing before serving (or microwaving for about 30 seconds)

Notes

  • All ingredients and amounts are to taste. Use seasonal fruits or vary the quantities of fruits, to taste. I use frozen fruit and prefer it to fresh because it keeps the smoothie cold, without adding ice which waters it down. Frozen is cheaper and I can buy in bulk and keep in the freezer and use when needed.
  • Optionally, consider adding a scoop of protein powder, dollop of yogurt for extra protein; add fat for staying power such as coconut oil, coconut butter, peanut butter, almond/cashew/sunflower seed/Cookie Butter. Blend with juice to increase the amount of Vitamin C.
  • Add coconut flakes, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, or your favorite smoothie add-ins to either the blender canister before blending or garnish smoothie with them after blending.
  • Recipe is vegan (use vegan milk, avoid honey), gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free as written. Take care any ingredients used and added optionally are suitable for your dietary needs.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 743kcal, Carbohydrates: 152g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 20mg, Sodium: 506mg, Fiber: 26g, Sugar: 101g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

 

More Healthy Smoothie Recipes:

Thick and Fudgy Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie â€” This vegan, gluten-free smoothie is thick, rich, and tastes like drinkable chocolate-peanut butter fudge.

Thick and Fudgy Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie 

Skinny Pina Colada Smoothie â€” This Piña Colada Smoothie requires just four ingredients and is naturally vegan and gluten-free. It makes for a quick breakfast or a delicious poolside treat! 

Skinny Pina Colada Smoothie topped with cherries

Fruit and Yogurt Smoothie â€” This Frozen Fruit Smoothie is packed with berries, strawberry yogurt, and cashew milk. Smoothie recipes with frozen fruit are the best because they don’t need any ice to reach the perfect consistency! 

Fruit and Yogurt Smoothie topped with berries

Strawberry Banana Pineapple Smoothie â€” This Strawberry Banana Pineapple Smoothie contains no added sugar and won’t derail your diet. Sweet strawberries, creamy bananas, and a splash of pineapple juice helps brighten the smoothie and gives it a subtle tropical vibe!

Strawberry Banana Pineapple Smoothie

Berry Greens Vanilla Smoothie — If you’re trying to sneak in more greens, this green smoothie is an easy way to do so! 

Berry Greens Vanilla Smoothie topped with sliced strawberries

Strawberry Pineapple Banana Lava Flow Smoothie — Fast, easy, healthy, refreshing, and tastes wonderful. It’s so creamy and tropical-tasting and it looks cool.

Strawberry Pineapple Banana Lava Flow Smoothie

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About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

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Comments

  1. Ummmm, you make green liquid look beautiful. It’s ridiculous. The green is…soooo green! Bright and vibrant. I just want to dive into the cup!

  2. I have been making “bubble juice” for breakfast since my kids were young. They would call it “bubble juice” because it would make bubbles in the VitaMix while mixing. I add psyllium,chia,flax and protein powder along with spinach, kale and whatever fruit is around but apples or pineapple is a must to tone down kale. The VitaMix is easy to clean by just rinsing, adding a little water and a squirt of dishsoap. Turn the VitaMix on for a minute, rinse the soap out and it is clean. By the way, my kids are 38 and 40 years old and make their own “bubble juice”.

    1. What a sweet and fun story! Bubble juice – and now they’re making their own! The fact they’re 38 & 40 and you had a Vita when they were growing up just proves what a great appliance they’ve always been. Glad you’ve been on board with bubble juice for decades!

  3. I love the idea of a juice cleanse. I’m going to look into it! I could use some bettering myself! Your smoothie looks amazing! I love tropical and pineapple, mango and banana are a fantastic combination!!I can’t wait to hear more about your cleanse!

  4. When I make smoothies I use the pineapple chunks from TJ’s but half the time I eat half of the bag before I make the smoothie! OOPS! Yes spinach is great in smoothies, kale and chard not so much!

  5. I was JUSTTTT thinking about my sugar consumption on my way from work today and decided I need to ‘reset’ as well. I’ve been juicing and making smoothies this past month (not as meal supplements) but just in addition to my regular meals. There is nothing like the energy you get from some fresh juice! Cleanup has set my juicer aside this week.

    I’d love to hear your thoughts on the cleanse after you finish!

    1. Resets are good. I have to say I’ve never done anything quite this formal but from time to time I really try HARD to chill a bit on how much I’m ingesting with sugar, sweets, etc. I plan to do a post about it in a week or so, after the dust settles and I have time to reflect.

  6. Not going to lie, that actually looks GOOD! Maybe its because the color is a bright green and not a pale green. Either way, I’ve been wanting to make a smoothie with spinach in it, and this looks like a winner!

    1. Well glad you approve of it! I also am not a fan of pale green smoothies. (or too dark) I like the vibrant ones!

  7. Such a vividly green smoothie! It’s refreshing to see this among all of the treats that Easter brings along…not that I don’t love treats :)

    1. I totally know what you mean! And I saw your interview on Carrie’s site and loved reading it!

  8. This is a very intensive color… But if your husband says that it gives him an energy, I should try it. I’m a bit sick and I need an energy :)

  9. I am newly obsessed with a green smoothie. This version sounds SO good. It’ll be great for cooling off in the summer!

  10. Great… now I’m thirsty! ;-)

    The reason I don’t juice is because I hate the clean-up. My juicer is enormous and cleaning it is a bi*(H. :-)

  11. Wow Averie, the color is exceptional! I love everything you included in this smoothie: a wonderful way to get my family to eat spinach thats for sure!

  12. I love making smoothies with bananas, oatmeal, almond milk, stevia and PB2! Its a powdered peanut butter that you add water too and it has a lot less calories than regular peanut butter. Don’t necessarily like it alone on bread but its a nice addition to smoothies or oatmeal.

  13. I love how gorgeously vibrant green that is! A great reminder of how beautiful natural “food dye” can be. Delicious! p.s. is it really weird that I want to add rum to it ;)

  14. We just got a VitaMix, and now I feel like a whole other world has opened up! Love the bright green color and tropical flavors!