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I originally created this spinach banana smoothie for my Simple Green Smoothies cookbook. It is a super hydrating smoothie with loads of natural vitamin C that we can all use this winter. Despite its green color, this spinach orange smoothie can definitely be placed on the brunch menu; it is certainly a crowd pleaser!
I love the tart lemon with the sweet orange and banana. The ingredients really balance each other out well in this fun creation. Boost with my homemade protein powder and ride the happiness wave you’ll get after the first sip.
Table of Contents
How to Blend a Spinach Banana Smoothie
Oranges are interesting smoothie ingredients because they act as both liquid and fruit. So I add them into the first of 2 blends:
- Peel and separate the orange and lemon for easier blending (and to easily remove the seeds!).
- Blend the orange, spinach and coconut water until smooth (no leafy chunks).
- Add the remaining ingredients and blend again until smooth.
If you’re using a high-powered blender, it should easily blend up the citrus. Yet if you are using a non-high powered blender, you might have a slightly pulpy finished product. Still delicious!
Tips for the Perfect Blend
It’s hard to blend up citrus fruit completely. They’ve got stringy membranes and weird white stuff on them even AFTER you take off the peel! It’s also hard to get a creamy smoothie when using oranges and lemons because they are so dang watery. So how do I get a smooth ‘n creamy spinach orange smoothie?
First, use the less is more method when blending citrus. By that I mean use a small amount of liquid to start, then add more if needed. Second, add a creamy ingredient for that smoothie-like texture: banana, avocado, cauliflower, yogurt or cashews work.
Third, use my 2-blend method to help break down the ingredients in batches. This gives your blender time to break down the orange before adding the lemon to the spinach banana smoothie below. Now go enjoy that creamy smooth beverage like a pro.
Spinach Banana Smoothie FAQs
Yes! For those new to green smoothies, bananas can really help balance out the earthy taste of spinach. Spinach is fairly mild so while you might notice it slightly in your smoothie at first, I hardly notice it anymore as a smoothie veteran.
Very few nutrients are lost when blending spinach, so no need to worry! Blended spinach is still a superfood of vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. Now juiced spinach does lose that precious fiber content, which is why I prefer to blend vs juice.
Bananas are cream machines. They add natural sweetness, a creamy texture, act as a thickener, and pump up the potassium in smoothies. They do have natural sugar, yet not as much as you might think! When they aren’t too ripe (I’m talking major brown spots), bananas are actually pretty low on the glycemic index.
To Peel or Not To Peel Citrus
Peeling citrus fruit is the most common way of consuming them. Both the rind and pith (the white part between the fruit and the rind) are super bitter so it can be tempting to eliminate them ASAP. But hold up! You might actually want to blend some of it into this spinach orange smoothie.
Health Benefits of Orange Peel
The rind of citrus fruits contains powerful antioxidants, bioflavonoids, vitamin C, calcium, potassium and a phytochemical called “limonene,” which is being studied in cancer prevention and indigestion.
Orange peels specifically contain calcium, copper, magnesium, vitamin A, folate, and other B vitamins and dietary fiber. As a general rule, if you decide to eat the peel of your fruits and vegetables, give them a good wash and scrub to remove dirt or other things. Start by adding a small part of the peel to this spinach banana smoothie, then add more as you start to love it.
More Spinach Banana Smoothie Recipes
You’re about to see how big my love is for all things spinach and banana. I keep coming up with different combos of my favorite citrus fruits and tossing them in the blender. Check out these great recipes for inspiration:
Green smoothies
- Best green smoothie
- Anti-inflammatory smoothie
- Citrus cilantro smoothie
- Green energy smoothie
- Citrus kiwi smoothie
- Fruit and veggie smoothie
- Orange Julius smoothie
- Berry citrus smoothie
- Chia seed smoothie
- Grape smoothie
- Immune boost smoothie
Fruit Smoothies
- Lemon smoothie
- Creamy mango smoothie
- Honey turmeric smoothie
- Peach smoothie
- Orange superfood smoothie
- Dragon fruit smoothie
- Watermelon smoothie
- Anti-inflammatory smoothie cubes
Whether it’s full of leafy greens or something else, a smoothie is pretty much always a good idea. And a smoothie with citrus is sure to be a winner! Let me know your thoughts on this spinach banana smoothie below… and tell me which citrus fruit is your favorite!
Orange Spinach Banana Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach
- ¾ cup coconut water
- ½ lemon peeled
- ½ banana
- 1 orange peeled
- 1 serving homemade protein powder optional
Instructions
- Peel and slice oranges to help blend easier.
- Blend spinach, coconut water and orange together until smooth.
- Add remaining ingredients and blend again.
Equipment
Notes
- Use 1 frozen fruit for a refreshingly cool smoothie.
- If you prep your smoothie and freeze it ahead, add a bit more liquid when blending. The orange is liquid and fruit, so if frozen then more liquid will help it blend well.
- Swap in 1/4 an avocado for the banana to lower the natural sugar in this smoothie.
- Swap regular water in for coconut water.
- Leave the white pith on the orange and lemon for more nutrition.
- Swap spinach with the leafy greens of your choice.
Your classic citrus smoothie. I added thyme and chia seeds to add a little oomph.
Delicious! Wouldn’t change a thing! SOOOO GOOOOD
This is delicious! I can taste the vitamin C!
So glad you’re gettin that immune boosting Vitamin C kick Dawn! 🙂
I only use powders to mix my smoothie with coconut water. The blend of powders I use is spinach, kale, orange peel powder. The fruits and veggies are all organic. I blend them in a blender in my kitchen. Is it okay to mix powders for a smoothie? I all so thought of adding hemp hearts, flaxseed. Is it all right to blend all of this together?
Great question! We prefer the nutrients obtained from using fresh greens like kale and spinach, yet if the powdered version is what’s available to you then it’s def better than not at all! Adding hemp and flaxseed are great ways to up that protein content in your smoothie. In fact, those are two of the ingredients in our homemade protein powder!
I really like this one and have made it before lots of times. This time, I used a power greens mix and added a kiwifruit. Gave it a nice, tart taste.
not a lover of citrus fruits but this was made a lover of citrus smoothies outta me….
This gives a refreshing twist when blending with spinach I will make this again. Next time I may add a stick of celery.
Delicious!
Forgot the stars..
Super good! Loved the citris jump start.
I used a blood orange which added a fun and unique flavor I really enjoyed.
Really good…the only way to really enjoy spinach! LOL
I hadn’t added oranges to a smoothie before this! I certainly will be doing it regularly now!
I gave this smoothie just one star. It’s been my least favorite so far….but still fun to try new combos. It was just too sharp for me. I like some tanginess but this was a little too much for me.
Spinach orange smoothie is a nice citrus flavor.
My son especially loved the lemon tartness! We used frozen mandarin oranges and this was another AMAZING smoothie!
I really enjoyed this smoothie, I used Meyer lemons so they were on the sweeter side. Perfectly tart and sweet at the same time.