Ok, maybe a Green Smoothie isn’t the most Asian recipe in the world. But people ask me all the time, what do you have for breakfast? I’m not really a breakfast eater, so I like something that’s quick and nutritious. And when you’re busy running restaurants all day and night, it’s so helpful to have an easy and delicious way to sneak in raw green vegetables.
I whirl this up in the morning, hand one to my husband, and we have something delicious and healthy to sip on throughout the day. It’s also a great portable breakfast for the kids on their way to school. Make a big batch and share it with the whole family!
Some smoothies are so sweet, whether loaded with fruit juices or sweeteners like honey or maple syrup, they might as well be dessert. My Green Smoothie has some natural sweetness from the banana and the coconut water, but it doesn’t taste like you’re having dessert. It’s more like a refreshing lightly sweet green juice you can feel (smugly) good about drinking every day. Plus it’s not bitter or strong in flavor, so it’s a non threatening way to introduce more vegetables into health resistant family members. This is such a fast recipe you can be enjoying it less time than it takes to read this, so let’s go!
Just 4 Ingredients
My standard Green Smoothie has just 4 ingredients. I sometimes see recipes for smoothies with so many Superfood this, Superfood that ingredients, that it becomes a 20 dollar smoothie. And by all means if you want to add your chia/maca/collagen/hemp/goji/maqui, go for it! But I actually like the taste of greens and I don’t feel the need to mask them. Just a little banana for sweetness (this is a perfect way to use up overripe ones), avocado for creamy thickness, chilled coconut water as your liquid, and a handful of fresh mix greens. I like to use a mix, or whatever looks good. A pre-mixed bag makes it simple. Baby kale, spinach, chard-they blend up beautifully in this smoothie and all add different nutrients.
Another great thing about this smoothie is that all of the ingredients can be stored in your freezer. I like to buy an extra bag of mixed greens to freeze. And somehow I always end up with a surplus of bananas and avocados sitting on the kitchen counter. Don’t let them go to waste. Even if they are overripe, no worries. Stick them in the freezer and when you’re ready for your smoothie, blend them up. No one will know!
And that’s it-your super healthy Green Smoothie is ready to power your day! I pour them into insulated drink holders and it stays fresh and cold for hours. These are best enjoyed the day it’s made though as the beautiful green color with start to darken. I know you’re gong to appreciate this streamlined smoothie on busy mornings. I love how how much energy it gives me through the day. Take a moment to review the recipe or leave a comment below-we love hearing from you! And tag us in your obligatory Instagram #smoothie pics @funkyasiankitchen.
Green Smoothie
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 2 minutes
- Yield: serves 2
- Category: beverages
- Cuisine: vegan
Ingredients
- 1 overripe banana, frozen is fine
- 1/4 avocado, frozen is fine
- 3 ounces baby greens (2 handfuls)
- 1 ½ cups chilled coconut water
Instructions
- Peel the banana and add it to the blender with the avocado, baby greens, and coconut water.
- Blend on high for 30 seconds until you have a thick and smooth drink.
- Drink immediately or refrigerate until ready to consume. This smoothie is best the day it is made.
Notes
*I used a bagged mix of baby kale, spinach, and chard. You can use whatever you like or have on hand. If you use straight baby kale (which I often do) the flavor will be noticeably stronger and “greener”
