40 Green Smoothie Recipes For Weight Loss and Detox Book (5 page)

Smoothie fact:

Raw bananas have more resistant starch than ripe ones. Resistant starch is an important component in weight loss because it inhibits digestion in the small intestines and helps block the conversion of carbohydrates.

Green Milk Smoothies

Tropical Green Kale Smoothie

Yield:
1 glass

Ingredients:

3 cups chopped kale leaves

1 whole medium sized mango

½ cup sliced banana

½ lime fruit

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Preparation:

1. Wash and prepare all ingredients. Peel the mango, remove the seed and slice into 2-inch cubes. Juice the lime fruit.

2. Pour coconut milk into blender. Add mango, banana and lime juice. Add kale leaves last.

3. Blend all ingredients on high speed until smoothie reaches a creamy consistency (This will take about 30 seconds to process).

4. Pour into a glass and serve fresh.

Variation:

Serve chilled or over crushed ice for a refreshing drink perfect during hot days.

Do without the ice but use chilled or frozen chunks of mangoes instead. For a surprisingly cool twist, do not puree the mangoes and just add the mango chunks just before serving.

Smoothie fact:

The tropical flavors of coconut, mango and lime will make you think of a place under the sun and boost your mood. This smoothie recipe also gives a powerful dose of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers.

Spinach Yogurt Smoothie

Yield:
2 glasses

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped spinach leaves

1 large whole orange

½ cup sliced bananas

1/3 cup strawberries

1/3 cup plain yogurt

1 cup ice cubes

Preparation:

1. Peel oranges and divide into segments. Remove seeds if there are any.

2. Put all ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth.

3. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

Variation:

Although this recipe calls for strawberries, you can use other kinds of berries, too. Be not afraid, experiment!

Smoothie fact:

This smoothie is a great post-workout or morning drink energy booster, thanks to the orange and berries in it. You can even drink just a glass of this smoothie and store the remaining portion in an airtight container in your refrigerator or freezer for a later drink. Just remember to thaw your smoothie from the freezer 30 minutes before you intend to drink it.

Green Lime Pie Smoothie

Yield:
1 glass

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon lime zest

1 cup sliced ripe bananas

¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (alcohol-free)

1 tablespoon sunflower butter

2 cups shredded spinach leaves

1 whole pitted date

1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk

4 ice cubes

Preparation:

1. Prepare all ingredients.

2. Put everything in a blender and whiz until smooth.

3. Pour into a tall glass and serve immediately.

Variation:

To make this dessert smoothie more even more enticing, top with whipped cream and graham cracker bits.

Use strawberries or blueberries instead of lime for a different taste.

Smoothie fact:

Green smoothies can also serve as a dessert with the right blend of sweetness from natural ingredients like fruits. Do not mind the spinach because even if it gives a goblin green color to your smoothie, its slight taste will be masked by the fruits you blend it with.

Tropical Green Blast Smoothie

Yield:
1 glass

Ingredients:

2 cups spinach leaves

1 cup diced banana

1/3 cup diced ripe mangoes

1/3 cup pineapple chunks

¼ cup orange juice

Preparation:

1. In this particular order, put spinach, banana, mango, pineapple and orange juice in the blender. Blend until ingredients are mixed (this will take about 90 minutes on high speed).

2. Add milk and blend again until mixed fully and smooth.

3. Pour into a glass and enjoy.

Variation:

Add a sprig of parsley (approximately 3 whole leaves) to add zing to your smoothie.

Smoothie fact:

When using milk in your smoothie recipe, it is best not to use dairy milk—even if it’s low-fat—when using acidic fruits like pineapple and orange because it may result in curdling. It is best to use soy or coconut milk when using acidic fruits.

Caramel Banana Green Smoothie

Yield:
1 glass

Ingredients:

1 cup spinach

1 cup sliced bananas

1 tablespoon caramel (store bought)

1 tablespoon walnuts

½ cup coconut milk

½ cup non-dairy milk (soya, oat, almond, hemp or rice)

Preparation:

1. Put spinach, coconut milk and don-dairy milk into a blender. Blend until thoroughly mixed.

2. Add bananas, caramel and walnuts. Blend until smooth.

3. Pour into a tall glass and serve.

Variation:

To make this smoothie into a cold drink, add ½ cup ice cubes before blending or refrigerate before serving.

Make your own healthy caramel by boiling apple juice and putting it into a simmer until it caramelizes.

Smoothie fact:

Spinach is a versatile green that is healthy yet mild in tasted. If you have your own favorite fruit smoothie recipe, just add 1 cup of spinach for every glass of yield to turn it into a green smoothie.

Mango Spinach Green Smoothie

Yield:
1 glass

Ingredients:

1 cup spinach leaves

1/2 cup fresh ripe mango chunks

½ tablespoon linseeds

2 tablespoons desiccated coconut

2 tablespoons raisins

½ cup oat milk (can be substituted with any non-dairy milk)

½ cup water

Preparation:

1. Blend spinach, oat milk and water together until mixed well.

2. Add mangoes, linseeds, desiccated coconut and raisins and blend on high speed until mixture becomes smooth.

3. Pour into a tall glass and serve.

Variation:

Add ½ cup instant oats to the recipe to make a more filling smoothie.

Add ½ cup ice cubes for a cooler alternative.