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Healthy Spinach Smoothie Recipe MissOlive.HubPages.com

Spinach Juice Smoothies

Spinach juice smoothies are growing in popularity, and rightfully so. Green, leafy vegetables such as spinach pack a punch of vitamins, mineral and antioxidants that our bodies need to maintain healthy skin, muscle and bones. Let's not forget to mention that spinach is rich in iron and is beneficial for maintaining healthy blood.

For all its health benefits, we often "forget" to include spinach in our daily diets. If you want to find a creative and tasty way to add this leafy green to your diet, a spinach smoothie may be your answer. You will be pleasantly surprised by the taste.

I've created two variations for you—the first is made in a blender, and the second in a juicer. Feel free to share your favorite spinach recipe in the comments below. Cheers!

Spinach is high in iron, and citrus promotes the effective absorption of iron, so always be sure to include some citrus in your spinach smoothies!

A spinach smoothie ready to be blended. MissOlive

DIY Healthy Spinach Juice Smoothie . . . Yum! MissOlive

Healthy Spinach Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

Add the following ingredients into your blender in this order:

2 cups fresh raw spinach (measurement is loosely packed)

6 large strawberries

1 cup frozen blueberries

1 large banana

1/2 of a medium peeled and seeded orange

1/2 teaspoon matcha (powdered green tea)

1/2 cup tart cherry juice

1 cup almond milk

Instructions

After adding the ingredients in that order, cover the blender with the lid. Turn on your blender to grate speed. This allows the blades to grate the spinach first. Once the ingredients begin to blend raise the speed to blend speed and then a few seconds on the liquify speed (repeat for a smoother texture). Pour into chilled glasses and garnish with a strawberry or orange ring. Or if you are on the go simply pour into your to-go thermos and enjoy your smoothie on the run.

Makes 4 cups.

What's It Like?

Sweetness: This tastes great and you'll notice I did not add any sweetener. Out of four taste tests, only one tester thought it should be a tad sweeter. A dribble of honey should do the trick.

This tastes great and you'll notice I did not add any sweetener. Out of four taste tests, only one tester thought it should be a tad sweeter. A dribble of honey should do the trick. Texture: The blender version of this smoothie does not completely emulsify the spinach leaf. If texture is an issue, you may want to consider the juicer version below.

The blender version of this smoothie does not completely emulsify the spinach leaf. If texture is an issue, you may want to consider the juicer version below. Color: This smoothie is a deep bluish purple. You will see hints of color from the spinach leaf, strawberry seeds and blueberry skins.

spinach, apples and carrots are a perfect blend for your juicer. Apples and carrots will help the juicer grab the spinach and will produce more nutritious juice. MissOlive

This tastes great as is, or you can swirl it into the blender for another smoothie. MissOlive

Healthy Spinach Juice Recipe

Ingredients

Add the following ingredients to your juicer:

2 cups fresh raw spinach (ball it up and push into the juicer)

3 carrots

2 apples (I used 1 Granny Smith and 1 Pomme)

1 banana

6 large strawberries

1 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 of a peeled and seeded orange (you may substitute with a splash of real orange juice)

1/2 teaspoon Matcha (green tea powder)

1/2 cup tart cherry juice

1 cup almond milk (Tip: If you want more calcium, then go for the almond milk. If you want more protein, then real milk would be your choice)

This will produce approximately one cup of nutritious juice. This juice tastes great as is or you can continue and add it to a blender with a few more ingredients for a yummy smoothie.

Instructions:

Add the carrot, apple, and spinach juice into your juicer. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Juice. Serve in chilled glasses as is or use in a smoothie!

Smoothie Variations and Taste Tests

Both smoothies were a hit with my four taste testers. Three preferred the first smoothie variation over the second. The carrot and apple do add a distinct flavor to the second recipe. As for me? I liked both!

For those of you who are juicers, the spinach, carrot and apple juice does not even taste like it has spinach in it at all. It just tastes like your standard carrot and apple juice made from a juicer.

The great thing about juicing and smoothies is that the variations are endless. So grab a handful of spinach and give it a try. You'll be surprised by the amazing flavors you come up with. Enjoy!

© 2012 Marisa Hammond Olivares

Peter from England, UK on January 29, 2016:

Ah great link to the Shrek smoothie, what a great way to get kids in to healthy eating! :)

Debby Bruck on March 02, 2013:

Voted up and useful again. I'm really into these smoothies lately.

Gail Meyers from Johnson County, Kansas on March 02, 2013:

I love spinach based smoothies, too. Voted up and awesome.

adity5 from Incredible India !! on February 19, 2013:

I love spinach based smoothies. Great Hub, thumbs up !!

Ruchira from United States on February 18, 2013:

Sounds powerful and makes me envision muscles..lol

Gotta try it.

Thanks miss olive :)

Olde Cashmere on February 18, 2013:

Love the idea of incorporating this healthy food by creating these smoothies. Looks delicious and very creative. Voting up and rating awesome, useful, and interesting :)

Angelo52 on February 18, 2013:

Great ideas for healthy smoothies. Making your own, with these recipes, would beat the artificial ingredients, sugar and salt laden varieties sold in stores. Thumbs up and sharing. Great hub.

Donna Hilbrandt from Upstate New York on February 18, 2013:

I love green smoothies. I don't mind the bits, so I just do a blender version. I like the addition of the tea. I'll have to try that. Voted up!

Devika Primić from Dubrovnik, Croatia on February 18, 2013:

Looks a wonderful idea and thanks for sharing such a creative way for a smoothie

Victoria Lynn from Arkansas, USA on February 18, 2013:

Funny, I just made a spinach smoothie yesterday with a recipe passed on to me. It was amazingly good. I think the spinach gives it a unique flavor and texture. I loved it and am eager to try yours. Voted up and others. Awesome hub!

Ms. Immortal from NJ on February 18, 2013:

Yummy, beautiful recipe. Can't wait to try it! Thanks!

voted up.

Cynthia Calhoun from Western NC on February 18, 2013:

OMG - so THIS is the spinach smoothie I've been hearing so much about!? YUMMY! This all looks heavenly. I love spinach salad with strawberries so I can imagine what it tastes like as a smoothie. mmm mmm good! :)

Marisa Hammond Olivares (author) from Texas on May 27, 2012:

rbm, Thank you so much for stopping by to read and leave a lovely comment. Aren't vegetable juices great? I hope you give this smoothie a try. Thanks again.

rbm on May 25, 2012:

Thanks for writing this article, I have to try those! I'm a big fan of home-made veggie juices already, and am looking for a way to make them a bit tastier. Your smoothie recipes sound really delicious!

Marisa Hammond Olivares (author) from Texas on May 24, 2012:

Hi Docmo, I'm glad you liked this idea. Although I enjoy a nice spinach salad for lunch a smoothie definitely hits the spot too. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. Enjoy your smoothie :)

Mohan Kumar from UK on May 22, 2012:

This sounds wonderful. Spinach is such a healthy source of nutrients and making a smoothie is truly interesting. Great way to get the iron and vitamins into children and grown ups alike. Thanks for sharing! Voted up.

Marisa Hammond Olivares (author) from Texas on April 22, 2012:

vespawoolf - Hi! Thank you. Your variation sounds wonderful. I just bought a bag of frozen chopped mangoes for my smoothies and snacks. I'll be sure to try it with papaya and almonds too.

I appreciate the comment and votes. Happy Smoothies! :)

Vespa Woolf from Peru, South America on April 22, 2012:

Smoothie #1 is fabulous! I would have never thought of putting these ingredients together. We don't have blueberries or cherry juice here in Peru, so I substituted papaya juice and mangoes. I soaked almonds overnight and made the almond milk in the blender, then added the remaining ingredients for the smoothie. Next I'm going to try the other recipe. My husband doesn't like spinach so this is a great way to add greens to our diet. Thank you so much! Voted up and everything across the board except funny.

Marisa Hammond Olivares (author) from Texas on April 17, 2012:

Taalib Pugh1 - Thank you very much. I'm happy to hear this was informative. Welcome to HubPages!

Theodore Pugh from Wilkes Barre Pa on April 14, 2012:

Very good hub very informative. Thanks. I will be following you and the food lol, God willing.

Marisa Hammond Olivares (author) from Texas on April 12, 2012:

Angela Kane - Thank you for reading and commenting. I hope you have given it a try to liked it. You can always add different fruits if you like making variations or want to try different flavors. I appreciate the votes :)

Angela Kane from Las Vegas, Nevada on April 03, 2012:

I have never had a spinach smoothie drink before, the recipe on this page sounds and looks very good. I already have most of the ingredients in my kitchen so I think I will be giving this a try very soon. Voted up and useful.

Marisa Hammond Olivares (author) from Texas on March 26, 2012:

SanneL - Give these smoothies a try. I'm sure you will like them. Thank you for reading and for your great comment about the pictures. I appreciate the votes and sharing. :)

SanneL from Sweden on March 26, 2012:

I love spinach and I love smoothies! I have to try these recipes out. I have bookmarked it. Your fantastic and very color pictures are great! Just beautiful. Voted up, useful and sharing.

Marisa Hammond Olivares (author) from Texas on March 25, 2012:

Hi Sinea! So glad to see you here. I think I can handle cider vinegar on my fresh spinach. Smoothies are another great option - minus the vinegar. UNLESS you want to make your own dressing. I bet that would be interesting - homemade dressing with spinach. hhhmmm

I hope you enjoy the smoothie! Thank you for reading and commenting. :)

Sinea Pies from Northeastern United States on March 25, 2012:

I love spinach, all by itself, with a little bit of cider vinegar on it. Of course, I stand alone in that in my family. :) Now I have an alternative that the rest may be willing to try. Thanks, Missolive!

Marisa Hammond Olivares (author) from Texas on March 24, 2012:

seekingpeace91 - I like to be creative with my smoothies as well. My daughter is the brave one and tries the craziest combination of things with various...some not so good. :)

I'm glad you came by to read and comment. I hope your daughter is inspired to give spinach smoothies a try.

seekingpeace91 on March 24, 2012:

This looks so good- my daughter loves to create smoothies, and I might be able to encourage the incorporation of spinach if I can actually make a good one myself! I tend to try the "throw in whatever you can find" method, which often ends in disaster and wasted food... =)

Thanks for a great hub!

Marisa Hammond Olivares (author) from Texas on March 23, 2012:

zzron - give it a try. Variations are easy if this one isn't to your liking. Different fruits can make a difference. Thank you for reading and commenting.

Debby Bruck - Yes, I was very blessed to have an interview by Vinaya. He is a wonderful hubber, friend and supporter. Thank you for that. Also, this smoothie is delicious - glad you are inspired to try it.

prasetio30 - Wow - what a wonderful compliment and comment. I'm glad to share my research and recipes. I appreciate the votes too. To your health! Cheers! :)

prasetio30 from malang-indonesia on March 22, 2012:

I love spinach and spinach juice smoothie is new option for me to process this vegetable into healthy recipes. Beautiful presentation, delicious and healthy as well. Thanks for writing and share with us. Good job, my friend. Rated up (useful, awesome, interesting)

Prasetio

Debby Bruck on March 22, 2012:

Dear Marisa ~ These drink combos look delicious. Shall give it a try. Vinaya wrote a wonderful interview and that's what brought me here today. Blessings, Debby

rosika on March 20, 2012:

Very interesting hub on making healthy smoothies adding spinach. Something really new for me....I will try it...voted up...well presented as well!

zzron from Houston, TX. on March 20, 2012:

This sounds very interesting I will have to try it.

Marisa Hammond Olivares (author) from Texas on March 19, 2012:

thoughtforce - Hi Tina, these smoothies are a great way to start the day. I always feel so much better when I do. The fun and tasty par of making smoothies is you can vary the fruit if you are seeking a different taste. I'm happy to hear your daughter enjoys making spinach smoothies. Thank you for reading and for your great comment.

Cloverleaf - Thank you so much! I spotted that hub on the feed. I'll be sure to read it and I'll link that as well. I appreciate the votes and the sharing. :)

PegCole17 - Hi there! The approaching spring season always has me feeling motivated to stay healthy. These smoothies will keep us cool while pumping us up with nutrients after all those Holiday and resolution wavering treats. Glad to share - thanks for stopping by.

Peg Cole from Northeast of Dallas, Texas on March 18, 2012:

Perfect timing for these delightful recipes. I can't wait to try them out. Thank you so much for sharing these great spinach smoothie recipes.

Cloverleaf from Calgary, AB, Canada on March 18, 2012:

Hi Miss Olive, thank you for these smoothie ideas, I think they are both great! I've linked your hub to my "easy tips for adding fruit and vegetables to your diet" hub.

Voted up & shared :)

Christina Lornemark from Sweden on March 18, 2012:

These recipes sounds so healthy and look tasty too! I will show this to my daughter who make smoothies with spinach every morning using the same recipe. We all need some variation now and then and she will be so glad for these new recipes. I will also try them, sounds like a great way to start the day!

Thanks for sharing! This hub is so well designed, beautiful!

Tina

Marisa Hammond Olivares (author) from Texas on March 16, 2012:

barbergirl28 - Hi Stacy! I am so glad you came by. I love your Shrek Smoothie variation and I've already included it in this hub with the cute pic of the girls.

I prefer the frozen fruits as well. It helps keep the smoothie icy and cold. Thanks for the link, comment and for stopping by. You ROCK!

Stacy Harris from Hemet, Ca on March 16, 2012:

I love adding spinach to my smoothies... as you said it is a great way to get it into your diet! I have a recipe like this that I call the Shrek Smoothie. With the exception of the spinach, the fruit is pretty much all frozen so it is easy to keep the ingredients on hand.

Speaking of which... I am going to link this to my Shrek Smoothie hub! :)

Marisa Hammond Olivares (author) from Texas on March 16, 2012:

Hi Stephanie! Believe me, I had my doubts too, but the combination I came up with was really good. I'm trying to come up with more recipes and enjoying the outcome. Thank you for stopping by, voting and sharing. :)

Stephanie Henkel from USA on March 16, 2012:

When I saw "Spinach" in a smoothie, I wasn't sure it would be for me, but I love the way you've added a combination of fruits and almond milk to the smoothie. I'm sure it gives the drink a flavorful and sweet/tart taste that is very pleasant. Voted up and shared!

Marisa Hammond Olivares (author) from Texas on March 14, 2012:

rusticliving - I'm so glad you like this! I had so much fun trying different variations for this hub. These smoothies are so good and refreshing too. Thank you for your comments and support. :)

Despunetfish - Let me know how you like it. Thank you for reading, commenting, voting and sharing. You Rock!

cloverleaffarm - oh I am so glad you are inspired. Thank you for your votes and for sharing. I greatly appreciate it.

Just Ask Susan - Tart cherry juice is so good for you. It adds just the right touch with the other fruits. I'm barely starting to try almond milk. My daughter prefers it over dairy. It does have its benefits. I still like both though. Thank you for reading and commenting.

Susan Zutautas from Ontario, Canada on March 14, 2012:

Both of these look delicious. I like the fact that the first one has cherry juice in it. I've not seen almond milk but will have a look for it.

Up awesome and delicious.

Healing Herbalist from The Hamlet of Effingham on March 14, 2012:

Oh, my. I can't wait to try some of these recipes. I love smoothies! vote up! and shared too.

Deepunetfish on March 14, 2012:

Let me try this healthy drink as i am never been used it before, great hub, voted up and sharing

Liz Rayen from California on March 13, 2012:

Oh my gosh.. the smoothie looks so refreshing! I have to tell you that I am bookmarking all your "Spinach Hubs." I love cooking, baking and juicing with it! This one is so appealing! Voted way up and shared allll over! :)

Marisa Hammond Olivares (author) from Texas on March 13, 2012:

jeyaramd - I love all the different ways you incorporate spinach into your diet Thank you for reading and leaving such a lovely comment.

Victoria Lynn - I'm glad you liked the pictures. Thank you for reading and commenting. I appreciate it.

homesteadbound - the vitamixer sounds perfect for making smoothies. I'm happy to hear you liked the pictures. I'm always glad to spot you on my hubs.

theclevercat - yay! Another tart cherry juice fan! It does add a nice sweet and tart flavor that bounces off the orange nicely.

AEvans - Thanks for the bookmark. I really think you will enjoy this smoothie. It tastes pretty good and you'll feel great too. Thank you for coming by and sharing. :)

Julianna from SomeWhere Out There on March 13, 2012:

The spinach smoothie sounds yummy! I have bookmarked it and will try it this weekend. I am always looking for something healthy to add to my diet. Thumbs up and shared!:)

Rachel Vega from Massachusetts on March 13, 2012:

That tart cherry juice in there really saves the day, I think. I can't wait to try something like this (maybe this weekend!)

Cindy Murdoch from Texas on March 13, 2012:

This is a great followup for your hub on the health benefits of juicing spinach. We have a vitamixer which does a great job of liquifying anything. Will have to try one of your variations. Your pictures are wonderful and add so much to your hub.

Victoria Lynn from Arkansas, USA on March 13, 2012:

I love spinach! What creative ways to use it! Your pictures are great, too. They're so bright and vibrant. Useful, lovely hub!

jeyaramd from Mississauga, Ontario on March 13, 2012:

Spinach definitely has many benefits. I enjoy spinach in my salads and sandwiches. Spinach pannini is one of my favorites along with spinach with lasagna. Spinach is perfect with salads as well. These smoothie recipes would be a perfect addition to my love for all things healthy. Thanks for sharing another awesome hub. Voted up.