Daily Green Smoothie

Green smoothies – overrated, or are you a fan? I think they can be a healthful dietary addition, IF they’re made right. Here’s my favourite recipe – super simple, just 5 ingredients, and subtly sweet whilst still being packed with greens.

by Buffy Ellen Gill · updated 10/09/23 · Leave a Comment

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Jump to recipe

Prev Next

clear glass of green juice on white plate with dates, almonds, mint, and cinnamon

This is my favourite go-to green smoothie recipe. It’s super simple, with just 5 ingredients, and is subtly sweet and creamy whilst still being packed with greens. It’s also one you’ll actually want to drink (it tastes good).

I’ve also written up my thoughts on a few common questions around green smoothies…

Is it ok to drink a green smoothie every day?
What are the benefits of green smoothies (& can they be good for weight loss)?
And… smoothies vs whole foods – which one’s better?

Enjoy the recipe! If you make it, let me know – leave a comment and rating below (not only do I love hearing from you, it also helps other people find the recipe too).

How to make my Daily Green Smoothie

Ingredients for this everyday green smoothie

This particular recipe is really nicely balanced, with banana and dates for complex carbohydrates, almond butter for protein and fats, and a big handful of spinach for greens. And yet with just five ingredients overall (bar the water and ice) – making it the perfect green smoothie recipe for beginners.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Frozen banana
Spinach
A date
Almond butter (only a tablespoon)
Cinnamon
Water and ice

As you’ll see, it’s not hugely protein-rich – we’re getting a hit from the spinach and almond butter, but not enough for a really filling meal. I personally love it as is, but if you want to up the protein content, feel free to add a scoop of vanilla protein powder, tablespoon of hemp/chia/flax seeds, or half a teaspoon of spirulina/greens powder. Check out this top 75 sources of protein post for more protein-boosting add-ins.

gif of buffy ellen drinking green juice on white plate with dates, almonds, mint, and cinnamon

Substitutions for this classic green smoothie

So many substitutions you can do here – let’s get started:

Banana – personally for me this is a mainstay. I love the creaminess frozen banana gives it, as well as providing the bulk of the sweetness, whilst still being relatively calorie light. But, if you really must swap it out, go for ½ an avocado, and increase the dates to 3-4. Or you can use ½ a banana, and another ½ cup of fruit (one feijoa, kiwifruit, or ½ a cup of berries or pineapple).
Spinach – spinach is a really nice dark leafy green to add to your green smoothies, especially if you’re starting out. It’s delicate in texture so doesn’t add too much fibre or bulk, and is also really neutral in flavour. The result being – this smoothie ends up tasting more like a banana cinnamon blend, despite the heaping of greens inside. Other greens you could try though are kale (skip the stalks), silverbeet, cos/iceberg lettuce, or a stick of celery is super delicious here too.
Date – try a small scoop of raisins or sultanas, or a fig instead.
Almond butter – any nut butter will work – peanut, cashews, brazil, hazelnut, or even sunflower seed butter or hulled tahini. Or if you don’t have any nut butter, use ½ a cup of creamy soy, oat, or coconut milk instead of the water.
Cinnamon – skip it, or swap with a pinch of cardamom, half a teaspoon of vanilla extract, or half a teaspoon of maca powder.

Essentially, as long as you’ve got the banana and date, and you use my recommended quantities, you can mix up the greens and nut butter with whatever you like. I do however highly recommend giving my baseline version a go before attempting any switcheroos. The banana, spinach, almond butter and cinnamon, is just so good together, it’s not to be missed.

top down of clear glass of green juice on white plate with dates, almonds, mint, and cinnamon

What are the benefits of green smoothies

Extra greens – green smoothies can be a great way to get in extra greens, if you don’t ordinarily consume them. This is particularly great if you eat a lot on the run, consume a lot of convenience food (which is generally devoid of vegetables), or have family members who balk at anything green on their plate.
Nutrient dense – green vegetables are a fantastic source of B vitamins, antioxidants, fibre, chlorella, and a host of other phytonutrients. They’re the perfect example of a food that’s nutrient dense, but energy light – exactly the type of thing we want to be eating more of.
Highly absorbable – as with all smoothies, a green smoothie has been pre-masticated, or blended, for you. This means your body doesn’t need to consume energy in order to break down the food; it simply has to digest and absorb it. This can be great if you’re unwell, fatigued, or healing from illness. Pre-blending your food means your body can move away from the digestive system and focus on something else.
Good for weight loss – if they’re made right (fibre rich, calorie light), green smoothies can be a great meal replacement option for weight loss. This particular blend for example makes a great breakfast option, or filling snack. Just remember to think of your smoothies as more of a meal, rather than a “drink” to go alongside something else.

buffy ellen drinking clear glass of green juice on white plate with dates, almonds, mint, and cinnamon

Smoothies vs whole foods – which one’s better

With all the hype around green smoothies, are they better than our salads, steamed veggies, and stir-fries of yesteryear?

In my opinion, no.

If you chew your food sufficiently, you’re just as well off eating your greens in the whole form they come in. You still get all the nutrients, whilst potentially also consuming less, as your body has more time to register satiety. Not only does a plate of salad or broccoli look like a lot more food, it also feels like a lot more food when you’re eating it, and takes longer to consume than that same salad blended into a glass. So if you’re partaking in green smoothies, sip them slowly, and think of them as a mini meal. Some people even recommend chewing your smoothies – I don’t go that far, but, you get the picture!

I personally eat a tonne of greens at lunch and dinner, so if I go without a green smoothie for a month I’m not worried. I will however choose one for the extra greens they provide, the feel-good factor (you literally feel perkier afterwards), and the refreshing flavour (especially in summer, and in this recipe’s case!).

How to store your super green smoothie

This recipe makes enough for one large serve, or two smalls. Serve the full serve for brekky, or half as a snack. It’s best consumed straight away, but if you want to reduce your blender-cleaning-time, you can make a double batch and freeze some for the coming days.

Keen for more healthy smoothies? Try these:

If you try this Daily Green Smoothie, let me know! Leave a comment and rating below (it helps others find the recipe too), and if you want to go the extra mile, tag me @begoodorganics in your green creation on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. I can’t wait to hear how you go.

V GF NF SF OF