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quick shop
Beyond Yoga sports bra // matching leggings // Vitamix blender
Happy Monday you guys! I posted a poll on Instagram stories last night about what you would like to see on the blog today, “My green smoothie” vs. “How I fight seasonal affective disorder.” At first the green smoothie post was winning so I started working on it… then checked later and the post on SAD had way more votes! I’m sorry you guys, the SAD post will definitely be up sometime this week! Hopefully you still want to hear about my green smoothie today 😀
Last week, a very exciting purchase came in the mail: a Vitamix blender! I have been thinking about buying one of these professional blenders for a loooong time – I have probably watched more than a hundred YouTube videos on reviews and recipes over the last few years! My blender finally gave out, so it seemed like a sign from God that it was the right time to order one 🙂 And I couldn’t be happier! I’ve used it every single day to make this exact green juice… we’ve also used it to make “nice cream” (ice cream made out of bananas) and even a carrot potato soup. How crazy is this – the Vitamix’s motor is so strong, that if you blend ingredients for a couple of minutes, the friction will actually heat up and cook the ingredients… which is how you can create soup with it!
The green smoothie recipe I’m sharing with you today is one of my favorites. You can definitely still make this if you don’t own a Vitamix, although it could end up a bit “chunkier” since the blender might not be able to finely puree all of the ingredients. But it still tastes just as good! I like making this first thing in the morning and drinking it before I eat any solid food. Think of your stomach when you first wake up as a clean slate – since your stomach is empty, it will really soak up whatever you put into it! That’s why I like to have a smoothie first thing in the morning – it’s easy to digest and contains tons of nourishing vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
My Green Smoothie Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups water
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1 TBSP flaxseed meal
- 1/2 TBSP turmeric
- Ginger root (peeled)
- 2 cups spinach (or kale)
- 2 stalks of celery
- 1 frozen banana (make sure to freeze it without the skin)
- 1 cup frozen mango
RECIPE
Add everything to your blender in the order that it appears above, and blend blend blend! I love drinking it out of a big ol’ mason jar with a glass straw.
This smoothie tastes amazing (I can really only taste the banana, mango and ginger!), but each of these ingredients has a VERY specific purpose. My husband even loved it, and had no idea how amazing it is for him! Here’s a little rundown on all these good-for-you ingredients:
Lemon
You’ve probably heard that drinking lemon water first thing in the morning is great for you, but have you ever asked why? There are so many reasons, but the main one is that it’s detoxifying! The citric acid found in lemon water has been shown to protect liver function and prevent oxidative damage, and help the liver’s natural ability to detoxify the body. It will also help you from getting sick – the high amounts of vitamin C, potassium and folate will boost your immune system and keep your body healthy. A big bonus is that vitamin C also happen to be great for your skin: it helps you fight free radical damage and helps your body to product collagen, which is essential for smoothing out fine lines in your face.
Flax
Flaxseeds are one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet. There have been tons of scientific studies on flaxseed that prove these little tiny seeds can help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and enlarged prostates in men. I like to buy flaxseed meal because the seeds are ground up; sometimes if you eat them whole, they can pass right through your system and you won’t get any of the benefits! Flaxseeds contain Omega-3 essential fatty acids, fiber and they contain 75 to 800 times more lignans than other plant foods.
Turmeric
You will not taste any of the turmeric in this smoothie, but you will benefit from it’s wide-ranging health benefits! Turmeric has been touted for its anti-inflammatory benefits, decreased cancer risk and support of detoxification, but scientists recently discovered that turmeric can also improve cognitive function, help improve memory and delay the onset of dementia. It can even lessen arthritis! Just a little bit goes a long way – you only need a small amount to get the health benefits.
Spinach and/or Kale
I aim to get greens with every single meal, and this is a great way to get them in at breakfast! I’ve tried this smoothie with both spinach and kale, and they both taste great. Dark leafy greens help protect bones from osteoporosis and prevent against inflammatory diseases. Surprisingly, spinach and kale are also both high in protein!
Celery
Celery juicing is a huge health craze right now, touted for it’s abilities to reduce bloat and even clear acne. So why not add it to your daily smoothie? Celery can lower inflammation, reduce high cholesterol, prevent liver disease, and much more. I recommend checking out this Instagram account for more info on celery juicing!
If you own a Vitamix, I’d love to hear your favorite recipes! Leave me a comment or feel free to email me! xoxo
How many serving is this?
It makes two servings! If I’m making this for myself, I like to put half in an airtight mason jar and it keeps in the fridge for a full day. 🙂
This is super Interesting, thanks for Listing the health benefits of the ingredients! I don’t own a Vitamix but regularly make Smoothies in my blender- i Love it!
Xx Janine
https://walkinmysneaks.blogspot.com/
I’ve been wanting to know what your recipe was! Thanks for sharing!!
I love using lemon for my morning waters! But I was wondering if you know of any turmeric recipes that I can use to where I can’t really taste the seasoning? Love to hear from you!
I like putting turmeric into soups and crock-pot meals and I don’t think you can taste it! If your taste buds are sensitive to it, try lessening the amount – you actually only need 1/4th of a teaspoon per day, which is not very much at all!
I just got a vitamix a couple of weeks ago. I’ve been looking at them for years and have probably watched all the youtube videos you have! I was a little worried. But it 100% lived up to the hype. That blender is amazing! Worth every penny!
I love making healthy smoothies and I drink a nighttime chocolate banana protein smoothie every night! To my blender I add: one frozen banana, cacao powder, almond milk, some collagen protein, and a big handful of spinach! It truly tastes like chocolate soft serve but has so many amazing benefits and nutrients!
Oh wow this sounds amazzzzzing!!! I’m definitely going to try this, thank you!
Do you have a specific recipe for this?! I NEED it in my life! Thank you in advance!
Fun fact about the turmeric, adding a little black pepper (like, just a pinch) helps the effectiveness of all of the health benefits it offers! Just an idea!
So true. The black pepper acts as a binder. You NEED the black pepper with it
I received a Vitamix as a gift about 5 years ago and I have used it literally every day since for my morning smoothie. When I’m not doing smoothies I use it to make homemade peanut butter and pureeing soups (like last night’s Spicy Split Pea soup). The thing is AMAZING.
Hi Caitlin! This looks fantastic! It’s very similar to one I already make, but minus the ginger root and turmeric. I’ve never worked with fresh ginger root — do you grate it with a microplane? And how much do you put in — the whole root or just a tsp or TBSP? Thanks in advance for any tips you can provide.
Love your blog, BTW! You have such a sweetness and positive energy that really shine through. 🙂
Hey Susan, I peel the ginger first using a vegetable peeler, then throw it in whole! The Vitamix is strong enough to handle it. If your blender isn’t as strong, I would recommend grating it first. I buy a whole root at Whole Foods and then chop off little pieces as I need them, usually the piece I put in the blender is about half the size of my thumb. I hope that helps!
Super simple- 2 cups of spinach, 1 cup of water, peeled banana, cup of strawberries, and 2 tbsp ground flaxseed. I drink it several days a week!
I can’t wait to try this smoothie! It looks so healthy and delicious!
That looks super healthy! Thank you for sharing!😍
What size are your leggings? Are they TTS?
They are on sale right now 🙂
Thankx.
Yes they’re TTS! 🙂
Hi Caitlin!
We have the Ninja blender, do you think it will be just as effective? I’m trying to add smoothies to my morning routine, it’s just so hectic getting ready for work!
Hey Jillian, I had the Ninja blender too and tried to make this exact smoothie with it – the only thing that it couldn’t handle was the ginger root! I would recommend grating it if you use the Ninja instead of putting it in whole. Then I think it would be perfect!
I love my Vitamin so much I have two of them! They are used about four times a day and my kids love and use both of them, as well. Try making peanut butter – just peanuts and when you make it the oil doesn’t separate from the peanuts so no crazy stirring is required. I also make my own almond milk (as well as coconut milk and oat milk) and I grind my own chickpeas into flour for gluten free recipes. I’ve had my one Vitamin for 8 years and it’s still going strong – actually the motor broke (yikes!) and when I called them to say it sounded weird, the customer service rep told me to put it up to the phone and she knew exactly what was wrong with it! Their warranty covered the cost of shipping to and from my home, they repaired it and even threw in a new pitcher. Honestly, they are the best company (no, I don’t work for them) and I would recommend this hands down to anyone on the fence about it.
Whoopsie – one more thing about the Vitamix – buy whole flaxseeds instead of ground meal. The Vitamix chops them up anyway. One never knows how long the ground meal sits around and it’s way healthier to do it yourself because it’s fresher. 🙂
Ahh very true! My old blender wasn’t strong enough to chop up the flaxseeds, which is why I bought flaxseed meal! But you’re right the Vitamix would definitely chop them up! Thank you! 🙂
This looks sooooo good! I’ll definitely have to try it out! My boyfriend absolutely hates anything green and healthy, so maybe I can convince him to drink this! 🙂 I don’t have a vitamix, but I do have the Oster Blend-N-Go system, so hopefully it’s strong enough!
xoxo
Ashley
https://www.blessedinlilly.com
Books??? What have you been reading…?? It would be great to read some reviews!
I have owned a Blendtec for eight years. I make green smoothies most days of the week. I also make tomato soup, blend my own homemade pasta sauce plus make other kinds of smoothies. It is wonderful!
Can i use any other fruit than Mango.. Coz i live in india and u only get mango in summer… And can this smoothie help in losing weight. ???
Would love to try this recipe!!! How much gingeroot do you add? I know I can be potent sometimes lol
Thank you so much!!!
Realty want to start trying smoothies in the am as I just bought a new blender around Christmas!!!
Sounds yummmy! I hate bananas – what do you think would taste good in their place?
I’m trying this. Love anything with mango.
http://a-woman-of-a-certain-age.com/
Yum! Thank you for a straight forward and easy to understand (doesn’t require a million, expensive ingredients) healthy smoothie recipe! I’m definitely buying these items on my next grocery run and going to give it a go! I’ve been following you for about a year now and I really enjoy your content. I love that your so clean and classy! 💕
I just made this smoothie and it is so good! Thanks for sharing!
How much ginger root do you use in this recipe?
I lovvvvvve ginger so I usually add quite a bit! But it does have a kick and most people don’t like that much! I would start by cutting off a piece the size of half your thumb!
sounds so yum! one note – turmeric has been all the craze the past few years because of its health benefits but just be careful about it when you are trying to get pregnant! do some research on it because it’s not very well known but even in small amounts it is known to cause miscarriages 🙁 just something to be aware of!!!
Merci pour ce blog qui m’apprend pas mal de chose sur la nourriture..
Belle journée à vous, MIP
Sounds good. Do you freeze fresh mango peeled or buy it frozen? What brand if frozen? Thanks.
I buy it frozen! I’ve bought a lot of different brands, the one thing to look out for is organic! I only buy organic frozen mango 🙂
Hi Caitlin
I have an organic turmeric farm in india with the highest curcumin percentage in the world… it really helps with cancer and many other diseases.. i am looking to bring it into market if we can collaborate. I can send you sample of it too.
Hoping to hear back from you.
Thanks
Ramya!
I love this green smoothie recipe! What protein powder do you normally use?
What green tea would you recommend? There’s so many to choose from. Thanks.
Where do you get your Turmeric and which brand do you use?
I try to use fresh Turmeric root when I can (I buy mine from Whole Foods) but if I’m using powdered then I like this one: https://thrivemarket.com/p/simply-organic-ground-turmeric-root?utm_medium=pla_smart&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Shopping_Engagement_Smart_Members&utm_content=089836185259&utm_term=na&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhJrqBRDZARIsALhp1WRwHH_84Vmym0DvbMxg5YILvYkubGMumHmgskSJZ3fWYFG_OyjMdKoaArhXEALw_wcB
This was delicious! Thank you for sharing!!
Hey Caitlin!
So this is very left-field, as I’m sure you never expected a reaction like this from a recipe post lol. Last night, my (very mean) husband basically told me he thought I was fat/out of shape. I’m not–I’m 5’4″ and around 127 pounds. Not the fittest I’ve ever been, but obviously not anything to be ashamed of. Anyway, he said that trying to get under my skin and knock down my self-esteem, but all it did was make me angry. I woke up this morning and came to your site, and decided I was going to take the best possible care of my body. For ME. Not my abuser. And for me, that means being as *healthy* as I can be. I turned to your site, because I’ve been following your blog for so long that you sort of feel like a friend to me. I made your green smoothie this morning for breakfast and it made me feel so good. And it didn’t taste bad at all! I quite liked it! Anyway, I just wanted you to know that you’re helping women like me who are in abusive situations, in ways you probably never thought. Thanks for keeping up your blog and sharing with us. More recipes, please! 🙂
I’m really sorry that your husband doesn’t support you – you deserve SO MUCH MORE! What he said really makes me angry!!! I’m so happy that my blog is a happy/safe place for you to come, feel free to email me if you ever need anything!
Hi I’m going to try this sounds yummy!
Do you know how many calories are in it??
Thanks in advance!
I love smoothies, just can’t seem to like the green ones?! I know the green is important, I love tasty foods! Do you taste the green? Anything else I can do to make it easier to eat green? Thanks!
How much ginger root?
I’m going to try this recipe now. Something to be mindful of regarding celery juicing is that the celery juice ALWAYS needs to be consumed on an empty stomach and not included with any other fruits, juice or ingredients-it must be consumed alone for the full liver benefits. You can then have a fruit-based smoothie with water (no fats of any kind like almond milk, or adding coconut milk/cream or coconut oil) 30 minutes later, or coffee/tea etc., but celery’s benefits get buried and are nearly ineffective when mixed. This alone as a smoothie minus the celery would be great 30 minutes after an initial 16oz of celery juice on an empty stomach. If you read Anthony’s book Celery Juice you will understand why. Also, he has a fabulous recipe for a Liver Rescue smoothie that is pitaya-based and a heavy metal detox smoothie with lots of wild blueberry, banana and cilantro as the main ingredients along with other things such as atlantic dulse. You may want to check it out, such a great book and he is now posting regular recipes on his Medical Medium IG page which I’m loving, like the apple pie smoothie and even strawberry bread! 🙂
Hey Karla! Sorry to disagree with you, but I am not a fan of Anthony! He has not been to medical school or had ANY type of formal education on nutrition or medicine, and claims that he receives all of his knowledge from “spirits.” Here is the disclaimer on his site saying that he has had no formal training: https://www.medicalmedium.com/medical-medium-disclaimer
There is no doubt that drinking celery juice is good for you, but I feel just as great when I mix it with other ingredients in a smoothie!
Is it possible that this is supposed to be a 0.5 teaspoon of tumeric instead of tablespoon? I tried with a tablespoon and it was too much for me.
I don’t taste the turmeric at all, but if it’s too much for you definitely decrease it to 0.5 teaspoon! 🙂
Since you said this motor is so powerful that it cooks the food ( for soup ) does this mean that my smoothie will be warm ? I was thinking about getting a new mixer since my magic bullet is fizzing out. I’m down to the Ninja or Vitamix ….
There is a specific soup setting on the vitamix that you choose, and it goes on high speed for 5 minutes, whereas the smoothie only blends for 1 minute, enough to blend it really well but it doesn’t get hot at ALL. 🙂
Congrats on the pregnancy!!
I have been making this smoothie for about 2 weeks now…I add about 2 handfuls of frozen blueberries and a dash of cinnamon and its amazing!!
Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
I love this! I am going to try your recipe, how much ginger root do you put in? Thank you so much!
Start with the same size amount as the tip of your thumb! After you make it a few times you will learn if you like the taste of the ginger or not and you can adjust accordingly!
I just made this smoothie and it’s amazing!!!! Even my 1 year old loves it! It’s so yummy! I’m currently pregnant so I’m hoping the fresh ginger will help with the nausea. Thank you for a great recipe. I’ve been following your blog for over a year and your recipe posts are always so good. Would love to see more. Especially now that you have a sweet little baby. I’d love to see what type of meals you’re having for dinner lately. This momma needs something simple (LOL)! Congratulations on your beautiful baby girl!
Instead of flaxseed meal could I use chia seeds instead? Thanks 🙂
Hey Amalia! Yes, you can use chia seeds! 🙂
Yum!! While I love this… It is not husband approved in my house 😂 I made my husb drink it because he is the unhealthiest person I know. He did not enjoy it though. Oh well! Maybe his taste buds will start to like it if I make it enough.