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Get your glow on with this creamy, tropical Green Apple Smoothie. A blend of spinach, green apple, avocado, banana and pineapple is just what your body needs for an energizing boost.
I love that this green smoothie is packed with nutritious fruits and veggies for a healthy and satisfying breakfast or snack.
You know what they say: an apple a day keeps the doctor away!
Ingredients You’ll Need
I love the variety of ingredients in this green apple smoothie recipe. Each one has a unique purpose whether it is fiber, vitamins, minerals, sweetener or healthy fat.
- Avocado: When it comes to avocados, the creamier, the better! Look for ones that give just a little when you gently squeeze them—perfect for adding richness to your smoothie. They’re easy to find in the produce section, but if they’re not quite ripe, just let them sit on your counter for a couple of days.
- Spinach: Don’t worry—this green powerhouse blends right in! Spinach has a mild flavor, so you won’t even notice it’s there. I like to grab baby spinach for a slightly sweeter taste, but any fresh spinach will work. Look for those vibrant green leaves.
- Green Apple: Tart and crisp, green apples like Granny Smith add the perfect contrast to the creamy avocado and banana. They also pack a punch of fiber! If you’re feeling adventurous, swap in any apple you love—you really can’t go wrong here.
- Banana: Here’s where the sweetness comes in! I love using bananas for their natural sweetness, and the best part is you can choose how sweet you want it—riper bananas give a sweeter flavor, while greener bananas are a bit lower in sugar. Both fresh and frozen work like a charm!
- Pineapple (Frozen): Nothing says tropical like pineapple, right? I always keep a bag of frozen pineapple on hand. It’s perfect for that refreshing pop of flavor. If you’re lucky enough to have fresh pineapple, grab one that smells sweet at the base and has a little give when you press it.
- Homemade Protein Powder (Optional): If you’re looking to make this smoothie a post-workout powerhouse, toss in your favorite homemade protein powder. It’s a great way to keep you fueled and satisfied.
Ingredient Swapping Tip
When swapping ingredients, I always try to find a swap that can help replace the right nutrients that I’m removing. For example, if you swap out avocado, add two tablespoons of flax seeds or chia seeds to also replace the healthy fats in this avocado apple smoothie.
How to Make a Green Apple Smoothie
Glow from the inside out with this healthy green apple spinach smoothie. It’s a tasty way to enjoy a nutrition-packed snack.
- Blend water, spinach, and green apple together in a high-speed blender to ensure the leafy greens break down completely for a smooth consistency. If you’re using a less powerful blender, blend a bit longer to achieve the desired texture.
- Add the banana, avocado, and frozen pineapple. These ingredients will create a rich, creamy texture, perfect for this green apple smoothie recipe. Blend again until everything is fully combined and the smoothie has a silky, smooth finish.
- Adjust the consistency as needed by adding water for a thinner smoothie or ice cubes for a thicker texture.
Apple and Banana substitutions
If green apples are unavailable, you can substitute with yellow or light red apples without compromising flavor. For a low-sugar option, swap the banana for ¼ cup of frozen cauliflower, which will still maintain the smoothie’s creaminess.
Green Apple Smoothie Health Benefits
This is more than just a smoothie—it’s a delicious, nutrient-packed way to start your day or recharge after a workout. I love how easy it is to make, with ingredients that you probably already have at home. Plus, you’re getting such a variety of health benefits all in one glass!
- Avocados are packed with monounsaturated fatty acids, which help keep your heart healthy and your skin hydrated. Avocados also contain potassium, fiber and B vitamins. Healthy fats help break down the natural sugars in this smoothie and will keep you from having a sugar crash.
- Spinach is a great source of iron and folate and is naturally low in calories. It’s also high in immune-boosting vitamin C, and the potent antioxidants in spinach promote collagen production for healthy skin. I added a cup of nutrient-rich spinach to this apple spinach smoothie. Did you know it also contains calcium and vitamin K for strong bones? Boom!
- Banana is the natural sweetener in this green apple smoothie. Bananas contain pectin and low-glycemic sugars, so they won’t cause your blood sugar to spike. You can use either fresh or frozen bananas. If you are worried about the natural sugars in bananas, the greener they are the less sugar they contain!
- Pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme that fights inflammation. Children who ate pineapple for nine weeks had almost four times more disease-fighting white blood cells. This is why I love including frozen pineapple.
Tips for Blending Apples
- Using a high-powered blender means there’s no need to peel the apple. Just core the apple first and blend until smooth.
- If you’re using a standard blender, it’s better to core, peel, and finely dice the apple for the best results.
- If the smoothie has an applesauce-like, blend it a bit longer to get smoother consistency. You can also add a few ice cubes for a refreshing chill.
- Adding avocado helps achieve a creamier texture.
Common Questions
Depending on the power of your blender, you can either core an apple and toss it in, or core and peel it before blending. I like blending the leafy greens, liquid and apple first, then adding the remaining ingredients and blending a second time. This way everything is chopped up as much as possible for a silky smooth drink.
I pair tart green apples with banana, avocado, and pineapple in this avocado apple smoothie recipe. The pineapple and banana are sweet to balance out the tart apple, and the banana helps make a creamy smoothie vs a gritty one that sometimes results from blending apples.
Green apples contain a small amount of protein, about 0.5 grams per medium apple. While the apple itself is not protein-rich, adding ingredients like protein powder can boost the smoothie’s protein content.
Green apples eaten with the peel on are loaded with fiber and therefore help kick the metabolism in high gear. I use green apples in my cleanse guides as they are lower in sugar and high in fiber. Also, they’re delicious!
More Apple Recipes
Now that you’ve got apples in your kitchen, why not whip up more delicious plant-based treats? Aside from a green apple smoothie, here are a few other recipes I think you’ve got to try:
Leave a comment to share how this Green Apple Smoothie turned out for you!
Green Apple Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 apple green, cored
- ½ banana peeled
- ¼ avocado
- ¼ cup pineapple frozen
- 1 serving homemade protein powder optional
Instructions
- Place water, spinach and apple in a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Add banana, avocado and pineapple. Blend until creamy.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- For added convenience, look for frozen avocado, banana and spinach in the freezer section of most grocery stores.
- If green apples are hard to find, use yellow or light red.
- To lower the natural sugar, swap banana for 1/4 cup frozen cauliflower.
- Turn this into a meal replacement by adding in my protein powder recipe.
Not a huge fan of avocado but I was very surprised how good it was.
Love it very much!
Ultra creamy and sweet and refreshing! I took one of the suggestions and froze the apples and it actually made it harder to blend – the first step made the mix too cold so it the blades wouldn’t cut through. After letting it sit for a few minutes, I continued and eventually got to the end. But next time, I would just blend the spinach first then add the apples (frozen or not) then proceed with the other fruit then finish with the avocado for maximum smoothness. 🙂
I enjoyed this one (a fan of apples) my wife not so much. Looking forward to next fall when our apple trees provides more fruit.
We liked this one as well.
Day4- the green apple smoothie was a hit!! I love the sour apple hints you get with the pineapple and you can’t taste the spinach plus I’m getting my servings of greens in!!! So so so love this challenge
Love the tartness of the apple. Loved the creaminess of the avocado new favourite addition.