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I’ll be honest, I’m not usually one to copy celebrity routines, but when Reese Witherspoon gushed about her glowing green smoothie on Instagram, my curiosity got the better of me. Turns out, this little morning ritual comes from Kimberly Snyder, a celebrity wellness coach and author of The Beauty Detox Solution. I’ve made this smoothie a few times, tweaking each version until it was just what I liked. It’s one of those rare trends that actually earns a permanent spot in your everyday routine.
Table of contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
This glowing green smoothie is blended with simple, everyday produce you can grab on your next grocery run. Just fresh, wholesome ingredients that taste amazing together.
- Spinach and romaine lettuce: Mild in flavor yet packed with nutrients, these leafy greens give the smoothie its vibrant glow and fresh, crisp base. Choose pre-washed bags for ease.
- Pear: Juicy and naturally sweet, pears soften the blend. Bartlett and Anjou are best since they’re reliably available year-round.
- Apple: Crisp and slightly tart, apples brighten the flavor and balance the sweetness. Granny Smith, Gala, or Fuji all work beautifully.
- Banana: Adds creamy texture and natural sweetness. Use ripe bananas for best flavor or follow my guide on how to freeze bananas if you prefer a thicker, colder smoothie.
- Coconut water: Light and slightly sweet, it smooths the blend and adds a hydrating finish. Find it bottled or boxed in the beverage aisle.
How to Make Glowing Green Smoothie
If you’ve ever wondered how to get that perfectly silky, bright green glowing smoothie, follow this easy process at home:
- Prep the produce by rinsing the spinach, romaine, pear, and apple. Core the apple and pear, peel the banana, and remove the lemon peel while leaving the white pith.
- Blend the greens with the coconut water until smooth and no leafy chunks remain.
- Add the pear, apple, banana, lemon, and optional protein powder, then blend again until silky.
- Taste and adjust by adding more lemon for brightness or extra banana for creaminess. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy.
Recipe Tips
Always blend your leafy greens with the liquid first before adding fruit. This two-step method breaks down tough fibers for a silky texture (aka no leafy chunks).
For a thicker, colder smoothie, freeze ripe banana slices before blending. If your smoothie tastes too tart, add extra banana for natural sweetness. To save time, prep greens and fruit in freezer bags for quick grab-and-blend smoothies.
Easy Swaps and Add-Ins
This recipe for glowing green smoothie is already a powerhouse, but the beauty of smoothies is that you can make them your own:
- Leafy greens: If you’re out of spinach or romaine, toss in kale, butter lettuce, or even a handful of arugula.
- Milk: No coconut water? Use filtered water, coconut milk, or almond milk for a flavor change.
- Fruit mix-up: Don’t stress if you’re missing an apple or pear. You can use mango, pineapple, or even peaches. If you’re going with pineapple, check out my guide on how to cut a pineapple.
- Extra protein: Make it more filling with homemade protein powder.
- Healthy fats: A spoonful of nut butter, chia seeds, or flaxseeds adds creaminess and lasting satisfaction.
Serving Suggestion
This recipe makes about 32 ounces. It’s recommended to drink all of it, yet that’s a lot at one time. I like to divide it up into two servings and have half for breakfast and the rest for a mid-morning snack.
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More Glowing Green Smoothies
If you’re loving the bright, refreshing vibes of this green smoothie, here are a few more green smoothie blends to get your glow on:
- Best green smoothie recipe is my go-to vibrant blend of mango, banana, and spinach that’s creamy, energizing, and ready in 5 minutes.
- Green tea smoothie delivers a gentle boost of energy with leafy greens, creamy fruit, and green tea.
- Green pear smoothie balances juicy sweetness with earthy greens for a silky, refreshing sip.
- Green apple smoothie adds tart, crisp brightness that makes every sip feel revitalizing.
If you make this glowing green smoothie, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your feedback helps me and all the readers in this community. And if you’re interested in more plant-based recipes (and exclusive content), sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter.
Glowing Green Smoothie
Ingredients
- ¾ cup spinach
- 1 head romaine lettuce
- ½ pear
- ½ apple
- ½ banana
- ½ lemon remove peel, but leave as much white pith as possible
- ¼ cup coconut water
- 1 serving homemade protein powder optional
Instructions
- Add spinach, lettuce, lemon and coconut water to blender. Blend until no leafy chunks are left. Add more water if needed to blend.
- Add pear, apple, banana and protein powder. Blend again until smooth.
- Enjoy the green goodness!
Helpful Tools
Notes
- Blender tip: If you don’t have a high-speed blender, blend the greens and liquid first until smooth, then add fruit.
- Texture fix: For a creamier smoothie, add extra banana or a few chunks of avocado. If you prefer it lighter, increase the coconut water.
- Sweetness level: Pears and apples vary in sweetness. If your smoothie tastes too tart, add a little honey, maple syrup, or an extra half banana.
- Make ahead: You can wash and chop your greens + fruit ahead of time and store them in freezer-safe bags for easy grab-and-blend smoothies.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks!Common Questions
You can start with leafy greens like spinach or romaine, add hydrating fruits (pear, apple, banana), and blend with lemon juice and coconut water. The vitamin C from citrus plus antioxidants from greens support collagen production and help your skin look fresh and radiant.
Glowing green smoothies deliver a powerful combo of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and hydration in one glass. They can boost energy, improve digestion, support clear skin, and help you pack more plants into your day, without feeling like you’re eating a salad.
The “green glow drink” is simply another name for a glowing green smoothie. You’ll layer your liquid first, blend in the greens, then add your fruits for a smooth, creamy texture. It’s quick, easy, and ready in 5 minutes.
Yes, if you balance your ingredients. Daily green smoothies are a great way to increase fruit and veggie intake, boost hydration, and add fiber. Just switch up your greens regularly (like spinach one week, kale the next) to keep your nutrient intake balanced and avoid overdoing any one veggie.
Wasn’t sure about the coconut water, lemon, and romaine lettuce… but this was delicious!
I had my doubts about this one… I doubled it so my husband could have it as well… but 6 cups of Romaine??? That seemed like a lot. It was AMAZING! Definitely like having a nutritious salad for breakfast.
Loving this
Interesting Romaine lettuce and coconut . I’m here for it !! If I didn’t make it I would never have known the lettuce was in it
❤️❤️❣️
I used the 1 head of romaine lettuce but I think next time I’ll use half instead of the whole because I did taste the romaine. It would have tasted better with half. I also would add frozen banana or ice to make the smoothie colder. This is day 4 for me.
*forgot to add the stars ⭐️
This one is has too much lemon for me. It might be ok with just the lemon juice. I was surprised that I didn’t taste the lettuce.
I used the 1 head of romaine lettuce but I think next time I’ll use half instead of the whole because I did taste the romaine. It would have tasted better with half. I also would add frozen banana or ice to make the smoothie colder. This is day 4 for me.
Wow Glowing Green Smoothie, this one got my tast buds going this am I love the flavors that come out of this one it’s so refreshing at this time of morning why at work 4 down 3 more to go can’t wait been a very interesting challenge for my very first one but so Is enjoyable and refreshing
Seriously, 2 heads of romaine?? With all the other ingredients this smoothie is really suited to a “celebrity” budget.
Hi Kiki! This smoothie serves two, so you could always half it for one serving!
YUMMY!!!! I will definitely add this to my favorite smoothie. I think I’ll add half an avocado & a teaspoon of ground flaxseed though to add some more fat to it.
Those are great ways to get a little extra healthy fat into your smoothie!
This was an ok smoothie for me. Nothing was frozen or cold, which was fine, but different. I was a bit scared by the head of romaine at first. There was a lot of flavors in this but I think next time I will do a full frozen banana to make it more creamy. Mine was a bit watery.
Didn’t love this smoothie. The apple texture wasn’t yummy. It was too thick. I will try it again and adjust the ingredients. I love the greens in it! Love the pop of lemon! Thanks for sharing. Do you have any suggestions to make it less thick and fibrous?
Hey Ashlee! I suggest peeling the apple and pear and that should help. Also, make sure you are blending long enough. You don’t have to blend at full blast but you do want to make sure your smoothie is smooth. 😉
Thank you Jess! I’ll try it! I’ll let you know how it goes.
You’re welcome, Ashlee! Definitely let me know if peeling the apple and pear made a difference for you, texture-wise. 🙂
Yes one of my favorite morning smoothies.
This one is definitely a winner!
This is a great smoothie. Very refreshing taste and easy to prepare never would have thought to add a whole lemon but it works.. Thanks for all your great recipes I am really enjoying them. Keep up the good work you do.
Thanks for your awesome review, Judy!! We love the bright flavor the lemon adds!!
I would love to try your smoothies, but many are too high in carbs. As a diabetic, I look for recipes that are 15 grams of carbs or less. Is there a way to make some low-carb? Thanks.
Luci, you can always flip the ratio of greens to fruit, i.e., add more leafy greens and less fruit. I’d also recommend using low-glycemic fruits in your smoothies. 🙂
When I was on a serious health kick, I made this smoothie every day. It made enough for breakfast and lunch… and kept me full. I think I’m gonna give it a shot again and add in the protein powder to see how it goes. Thanks for the inspiration!
Sounds great!
Exactly how much is “two heads of romaine lettuce?”
Hey Desiree! You might find a head of lettuce in your grocery’s produce section, as literally a round ball of lettuce. If you can’t find romaine in a head, you may also find it in longer bunches, 3-4 bunches per bag. If you find it this way, just use 2 bunches as 2 heads.
Do you mean measurement-wise? Not exactly sure but maybe ~6 cups.