Green Protein Smoothie
Green Protein Smoothie Recipe – A simple smoothie recipe loaded with protein and greens. This isn’t your average hard-to-swallow green smoothie recipe. This is a lean green breakfast shake you will crave!
Juicing vs. Smoothies
I’ve been trying to get into juicing for years. Every so often, I muster up the courage to try it again. I load both refrigerators with bushels of kale, cucumbers and apples and dust off the industrial strength juicer.
I tell myself, “This time I will like juicing. I will, I WILL.”
Then I shove my produce feverishly into the juicer and watch and thick murky liquid emerge. Long sigh….
Slow reluctant sips, followed by green teeth and a gritty coating on my tongue.
Then I spend the next week serving kale salad with every meal.
Why do I do this to myself over and over?
Smoothies For The Win
After several episodes of juicing, I determined to make “green” smoothies, hoping they would be more enjoyable.
Again, I loaded both refrigerators with kale and started searching for a green smoothie recipe online that I would enjoy each morning. Unfortunately, this proved to be tricky.
Most of the green smoothie recipes I found were heavy on greens, low on fruit, and just as tough to swallow as green juice. So today I’m sharing my version of a healthy green smoothie recipe. One that tastes good.
The Green in Green Smoothie
The key is to use less kale and more fruit. I know, I know, you are liquifying your greens to make sure you get MORE of them each day.
Hey, some kale is better than no kale. For me, it has to taste good, or I won’t keep up with it.
This simple smoothie recipe combines pineapple, banana, and mango with kale and protein powder, to provide a healthy dose of vitamins, minerals and protein each morning. I find the combination of creamy banana with tangy pineapple and mango, really balance out the grassy flavor of the kale.
Plus they are Gluten Free! (If your Protein Powder is Gluten Free.)
Cheers to green smoothies! Even Lt. Dan asks for this one.
P.S. If you can’t stomach kale, make this as a Spinach Smoothie Recipe instead!
Protein Smoothie Ingredients
These ingredients, though minimal, will make a great tasting and filling smoothie with those pesky greens that you have been struggling to get into your daily diet!
- Protein Powder
- Chopped Kale (or Spinach)
- Low-Fat Milk or Almond Milk
- Frozen Pineapple Chunks
- Frozen Mango Chunks
- Frozen Banana
How to Make This Green Smoothie
This is also a great recipe that you can prepare ahead and keep in the freezer until you are ready to make.
- Make sure all the frozen fruit is in 1 inch chunks and place into the blender
- Add the kale and protein powder to the fruit.
- Add in the milk and puree until it is smooth
This will make about 2-3 servings.
Get The Full (Printable) Recipe Below For How To Make Healthy Green Smoothie Recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the fruit need to be fresh or can I buy it frozen from the store?
Either one will make this smoothie taste just as great. I prefer to make this with fresh fruit, but for some people who have more of a time crunch, the frozen fruit will also make it just as tasty.
How do I make my smoothie thicker? How do I make it thinner?
The best way to make a smoothie thicker is to add more frozen fruit, or even add in some ice before blending it to add in that extra thickness. If you want to make it thinner, you can either add in less frozen fruit or add in more of your almond milk or low fat milk to add in that extra liquid to make it thinner.
Why is there no ice in this smoothie?
We wanted this recipe to have all the great fruit flavors and adding in more fruit in place of the ice cubes was a way to make the kale flavor less noticeable. If you are trying to watch your sugar intake and want to up your veggie intake, you can substitute some of the fruit for ice cubes and add more kale, just know you will get more a kale flavor which could make it harder to drink.
More Amazing Smoothie Recipes
- Mango Green Tea Smoothie Recipe
- Milk and Cereal Smoothie Recipe
- Simple Strawberry Smoothie Recipe
- Smoothie King Caribbean Way Recipe
- Coconut Choco Chai Smoothie Recipe
- Strawberry Chocolate Mint Smoothie Recipe
- “Date with Fate” Tropical Smoothie Recipe
- Yogurt Berry Smoothie Recipe
Best Green Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 scoop protein powder plain or vanilla
- 1 cup chopped kale, about 1 large leaf (or spinach)
- 2 cups low fat milk or almond milk
- 3/4 cup frozen pineapple chunks
- 3/4 cup frozen mango chunks
- 1 frozen banana
Instructions
- Prepare ahead: Cut all fruit into 1-inch chunks and place in separate freezer bags. Freeze. (You can find these items precut and frozen in most grocery stores.)
- To make: Place all ingredients in a heavy-duty blender and puree until smooth.
- Makes one enormous serving, 2 large servings, or 3 small servings.
I’ve yet to try a green smoothie, but I think I might be able to do this one!
I need to give more green smoothies a try !
Love this Sommer – definitely some kale is better than none. My kids will drink green smoothies in small doses, but only if they’re sweetened with lots of fruit.
What a healthy and delicious way to start the day!
Green smoothies are my JAM! just add some peanut butter and you have no idea they are healthy!
Seriously, some kale IS better than no kale! Although I don’t have a blender strong enough to whip kale into smoothie material, so I usually stick with spinach. This smoothie sounds amazing to me though!
Your green smoothie sounds fabulous. I can’t wait to give your recipe a try! I have everything on hand except the mango. must run out and grab a mango!
I am so anxious to try this! I love green smoothies and usually use spinach. I never used kale before so that is a great idea my kids would even enjoy!
I’ve been looking for some smoothie and juice recipes for the New Year–I’m adding this one to my list!
I love smoothies but I have not tried the green variety. It would have to taste good and I’m betting yours is great!
We love a fruit smoothie anytime of the day. YUM!
I’m definitely one of those that chokes it down, no matter the taste. Every now and then when I accidentally make a good green smoothie (usually when I’m running low on kale), it tastes good and I’m shocked. Yours looks delicious! Frozen pineapple sounds perfect!
I agree… green juices have never been appealing. But a fruit smoothie with a little kale…. that works beautifully! Will have to pull my juicer out for this baby!
The spinach -fruit smoothie in the Vitamix cookbook has about one cup spinach to four cups fruit, and it’s deelish. Turns very, very green, but you only kinda sorta get a V8-ish taste in the background.
If you want breakfast smoothies, you gotta get one of the high-powered blenders. You can throw pineapple cores in a vitamix, saving all the fiber.
Cheers!
Totally agree. I love my Vitamix!
this is my morning favorite! Can’t wait to try your version
I too tried Juicing and not only is it not filling….it is sooooo expensive. You have to use so much produce for so little drink :(
Green smoothies are my fav. I always use spinach, I will have to try Kale.
I’ll take one of these for breakfast :)
I love the mango and pineapple in this!
I love smoothie and mango also, but I don’t think I have time to have smoothie in the morning every day except in the weekend. I’m way get up too late. :(
I keep meaning to juice…but I’m a lazy juicer!