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The very first green smoothie recipe I ever tried was this one, the Very Berry Smoothie– and it changed my life. At that time, my husband and I were financially struggling as he transitioned to a new job as a pastor.
We had no health insurance and our kids were at that age when all they did was pass colds back and forth (and they almost always turned into an ear infection). This berry smoothie recipe gave us the immunity boost we needed to stay healthy, as well as caused us to fall in love with green smoothies.
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Berry Smoothie Recipe for Immune Boost
For the past 8 years, I’ve sipped green smoothies with my family, and used real, whole food to keep us healthy. We also use natural remedies to heal our body. We haven’t needed any prescriptions (or over the counter meds) since starting green smoothies, so that’s proof enough for me that real food heals!
Specifically, this berry smoothie’s got over 100% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C. It also boasts 8 grams of fiber, which keeps the body regular. Fiber is often overlooked, yet getting enough fiber daily can combat Type II Diabetes, obesity, certain types of cancer, and cardiovascular disease. That makes it an important ingredient in my opinion!
Blend a Quality Smoothie EVERY Time
Follow these steps to a perfectly blended smoothie, no matter the blender! First, make sure you start with a mix of fresh + frozen ingredients. I recommend at least 1 frozen fruit in each smoothie, so that it is nicely chilled.
I also follow the 1 1/2 + 1 + 1 rule: 1 1/2 cups of fruit, 1 cup of leafy greens, and 1 cup of liquid in every smoothie. Finally, if you are blending with a non-high powered blender, then make sure to blend your liquid + leafy greens first. This will minimize the leafy chunks at the end, and also help your blender break down the ingredients better.
Note: this berry smoothie recipe has a little less water in it, because oranges act as a liquid and a fruit, they’re so juicy!
How to measure leafy greens
I often get the question, “How do you measure leafy greens?!” It’s a great question, yet the answer varies depending on the person. If you are new to green smoothies, I recommend a lightly packed 1 cup serving of spinach. If you’re a #greensmoothiequeen, then stuff those greens in as much as you can!
Seriously though, if you need to start with 2 spinach leaves and work your way to more, then that’s great. I know that you’ll be adding more greens to each smoothie in no time, just like I did! These days, I just grab a few *big* handfuls of spinach for my smoothie, and skip the measuring cup.
Ingredient Swaps
Green smoothies are super versatile, so don’t be afraid to make these recipes fit your pantry, as well as your tastebuds. I like the strawberry/blueberry combo in this berry smoothie, yet choose the berries you like best. Cherries + raspberries are also a great combo.
If you need to cut down on the sugar, swap the banana with 1/2 cup cauliflower, or 1/2 avocado. That way your smoothie stays creamy and your blood sugar stays happy. If fresh oranges aren’t easy to find, you can sub in 1/2 cup 100% orange juice, just make sure it’s the kind with lots of pulp!
More Berry Smoothies
Berries are easy to add to smoothies, so I’ve got a whole list of recipes for you berry lovers to try:
- Strawberry mango smoothie
- Cranberry smoothie
- Blueberry smoothie
- Elderberry smoothie
- Cherry açaí smoothie
- Blackberry smoothie
What berry combos are your fav? Leave a comment and let me know! Let’s keep that antioxidant love going.
Citrus Berry Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 orange
- ⅓ cup strawberries frozen
- ⅓ cup blueberries frozen
- ½ banana
- 1 serving homemade protein powder optional
Instructions
- Blend spinach, water & orange until smooth.
- Add fruit and blend again.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- You can swap the orange for 1/2 cup of orange juice with lots of pulp. Remember— fiber is our friend!
- Use at least 1 frozen fruit for a refreshingly cool smoothie.
- Swap in any leafy green you want.
Easy to make and tasty. The colour isnt the most appealing but it tastes good.
Thick and creamy .. I feel like I’m indulging here!!! This recipe made ALOT so I shared it with hubby. We both enjoyed it and the mixed berries was a nice change up.
I really like the citrus taste in this one.
I made this with 1/2 an orange because I felt there was a lot of fruit in it. I liked the freshness of it. Will make it again!
This one was a winner! I added the antioxidant smoothie cubes(just 2 for starters). And it worked out very well. I’m thinking I prefer water in smoothies over almond milk.
Very tasty….loved the citrus. Felt super charged after drinking this smoothie.
Very Delish! But it came out really thick. So i diluted with little more water!!
I consider myself a Rawkstar on this smoothie as I forgot to peel the orange and used it in the mix. It was obviously pretty bitter, but I powered through it. I will remember to peel the orange on the next batch.
Added cacao to mine for a super food boost, plus chocolate was on my radar, and this does the trick!
#4 Smoothie was great! I have it for breakfast so I add my lean protein powder & chia seeds
And a fancy glass! Cheers!
Really yummy. After tasting it, I added vanilla protein powder and made it creamier.
Made this today , added glow protein powder, maca, and spirulina and brought it to work.
I love how smooth and frothy this one is. Granted, instead of using the water, I used the leftover creamy coconut milk from making the Simple Green Veggie Bowl (which was a hit with my parents as well).
One of these days I am going to figure out how to post a photo on FB, but for now I just keep taking pictures of everything I make,
The SGVB was delicious! I made it for dinner at my parents’ tonight and everyone loved it. Oh, and my mom really liked the Day 1 smoothie. She drank both instead of sharing with my dad.
Every recipe I’ve tried is good! Including this one. Following a recipe tastes so much better than just throwing whatever is in the fridge.
Day 4 “very berry”was “very delicious”. I subd coconut water for the water and added a little extra plus I added Chia seeds, almonds, and superfood Everyone in the family tried it and loved, it all five of us. my 11 yr old grandson said it was the best and I should make more . More rawkstars in the making. #simplegreensmoothies are awesome!
I think it’s good