Spinach, mango, and apple come together to create the simplest, light, and refreshing green smoothie! With just 4 ingredients and 5 minutes, you'll have this ready in no time!
I love summer! Growing up in Arizona, all I knew was warm (or hot) weather. So, it should come as no surprise that this Pennsylvania transplant (me;) is thrilled when warm weather returns.
Warmer weather means more smoothies and smoothie bowls, refreshing salads, grilling, and more. Sure, all of these things can be made year-round, but it's just not the same, you know?
The past few weeks I've playing around with different 'green smoothie' variations. My thick and creamy Island Green Tropical Smoothie was my first big green smoothie success.
Still, I wanted to create a lighter option as well, so I kept on experimenting. It turns out that spinach, mango, and apple make such a lovely combination. I can't wait for you to try this!
This is one smoothie that kids will be drinking poolside this summer!
Jump to:
Why This Recipe is so Great
- Easy to make.
- Light and refreshing smoothie recipe.
- Three ingredients. Four ingredients, if you count water.
- No added sugars. Naturally sweetened with fruit.
- No banana.
- No yogurt.
Dietitian Tip
To increase acceptance of green smoothies, consider what appeals to your kids. Some kids will drink almost anything that is served either with a straw or topped with mini chocolate chips.
Another may prefer not to see the green color of the smoothie. In this case, try serving it in a colorful cup with a lid and straw. This way they can enjoy it without being distracted by the color.
And here's a time-saving tip! If you have a high-speed blender (I used a Vitamix), it will pulverize the skin of an apple, so there is no need to peel it first. By not peeling the apple, you are saving time and increasing the fiber content of the smoothie.
Ingredient Notes
- Baby Spinach Provides a good source of iron, folate, potassium, various vitamins, and phytonutrients. Spinach also contains a small amount of protein.
- Frozen mango Frozen mango chunks can be found in the freezer section of most grocery stores. Mango is a stone fruit and is typically very sweet. Mangos are high in fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin A.
- Gala apple High in fiber and vitamin C. Apples also contain phytochemicals and pectin. Pectin is a soluble fiber.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here is a brief overview of just how easy it is to make this smoothie. For a complete list of ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the recipe.
- Put all ingredients in the blender, adding the frozen mango last.
- Blend in a high-speed blender for about 90 seconds.
- Serve and enjoy.
Expert Tips
- Remove the stem and core from the apple.
- There is no need to peel the apple. Leaving the skin on saves time, produces less waste, and adds prebiotic fiber to the smoothie.
- Adjust the amount of water depending on how thick you would like this smoothie.
- If your kids like banana, either add a half of banana to the smoothie as is or substitute the apple with an overripe banana.
- If your kids like the flavor of coconut, coconut water or coconut milk can be used in place of water.
Photo Credit: amazon.com
Recipe FAQs
Adding dairy (milk, kefir, or yogurt) to smoothies is the easiest way to boost the protein content of smoothies. In fact, I use both milk and kefir to make my mango and pineapple smoothie for this reason.
Flax meal, nut butters, and chia seeds also contain protein and can be added to smoothies. And, if you are feeling really adventurous, you can even try adding leftover unseasoned edamame to green smoothies to boost protein content.
I have found that banana, pineapple, orange, and apple go well with mango in smoothies. So, if you don't have apple, try substituting one of these other fruits when making this smoothie.
I tried making this smoothie with just spinach, mango, and water and it had an unpleasant aftertaste. In my opinion, mango needed to be balanced out with another fruit.
I haven't tried it with this smoothie specifically, but I'm sure it will work great!
More Smoothie and Smoothie Bowl Recipes
Did your kids love this refreshing spinach mango smoothie? Please leave a 5-star rating below or a review in the comments section!
Don't forget to snap a pic of their smoothie in a colorful cup and tag @carrots.and.cookies on Instagram so I can see it. Enjoy!
Spinach Mango Smoothie
Equipment
- 1 Measuring cup
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen mango chunks
- 1 cup baby spinach One packed cup. Or about one and a half cups of loose spinach.
- 1 Gala apple Washed.
- 1 ½ cups water
Instructions
- Remove the stem and core (including seeds) from the apple.
- Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender. Add the frozen mango chunks last.
- Blend for about 90 seconds on high speed, or until your desired consistency is reached.
Notes
- Remove the stem and core from the apple.
- There is no need to peel the apple. Leaving the skin on saves time, produces less waste, and adds prebiotic fiber to the smoothie.
- Adjust the amount of water depending on how thick you would like this smoothie.
- If your kids like banana, either add a half of banana to the smoothie as is or substitute the apple with an overripe banana.
- If your kids like the flavor of coconut, coconut water or coconut milk can be used in place of water.
Leave a Reply