Spinach Banana & Peanut Butter Smoothie

Creamy and refreshing, this Spinach Banana Smoothie is like your favorite banana + peanut butter smoothie but packed with nutrients from spinach and flaxseed. Enjoy it as a healthy start for breakfast, after a workout, or whenever you’re craving something fresh – either way, this vibrant green smoothie is the perfect fuel for your day!

I love whipping this up for a quick meal or snack and knowing that my body loves it! It only has 6 ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes with minimal clean up, making it perfectly low maintenance. Plus you can get creative with add ins which is always fun, I’ll share some of my favorites below!

And if you’re looking for something to pair with this green smoothie, check out my Chunky Grain Free Granola recipe. It has delicious chocolate flavor and adds a good crunch for texture. Enjoy a bowl with almond milk and fruit or top this smoothie with it!

Ingredients

Banana – I prefer to freeze these whole (peels removed) and keep a stash in the freezer for whenever a smoothie craving hits! If you don’t have a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix) – you can cut ripe bananas into rounds or in big quarter/half pieces then freeze. You can then freeze them in a plastic container or line a baking sheet with parchment paper and freeze a bunch at once. I find this method easier if you don’t have a high-speed blender since the pieces are smaller.

Spinach – Fresh spinach is easy to rinse then toss in the blender. You can also rinse the spinach in advance, just pat it dry with a towel then store in an airtight container in the fridge. One less step for later!

Almond Milk – Any plant based milk will work for this green breakfast smoothie. Use less milk for a thicker consistency and more for a thinner consistency.

Flaxseed Meal – A great way to add in healthy fats + protein and you can’t even taste it! I use flaxseed meal which is already ground up flax but you could also use whole flax seeds, they might just need extra time to blend.

Peanut Butter – Helps to cover up the spinach flavor and makes this banana smoothie extra creamy. I like to use a natural peanut butter without added oils or sugars, Georgia Grinders is a good option for this but feel free to use whichever brand you already have!

Ice Cubes – Hardly an ‘ingredient’ but make sure you prep these in advance if your freezer doesn’t automatically make ice. You can always sub for frozen zucchini or leave out entirely if needed.

How to Make a Spinach + Banana Smoothie

The most simple recipe ever, all you need is a good blender! And as a quick tip, always layer your smoothies for the creamiest blend. Start with the liquid then add in fresh ingredients (like flax + spinach + peanut) then add the frozen ingredients last.

For this spinach banana smoothie add the ingredients, almond milk, spinach, flaxseed, peanut butter, banana, then ice cubes, to a high-powered blender. Blend for 2-3 minutes until evenly combined and it reaches a smooth consistency.

Another tip, if your blender isn’t very powerful, try blending the spinach and almond milk first until the spinach is completely liquified with the almond milk. Then add in the flax, peanut butter, banana, and ice cubes. This may help the spinach blend in more fully if your blender is old/not as powerful.

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What is the Best Blender

The struggle with finding a quality blender within budget can be real tricky. It took me years to finally get the vitamix I now have and the only reason was because my husband gifted it to me. And even then, he found a refurbished one!

That being said, I’ll share my insight and experience with various blender options below. Hopefully it can help you a bit in the search for what works best for you!

Vitamix – I have a refurbished standard model of the Vitamix and love it. It’s the most powerful and efficient blender I’ve ever used and can be used for everything from smoothies to soups, sauces, nut butters, homemade nut milk, and more. It’s also easy to clean and they have great customer support with lots of replacement options available if needed. They can be quite pricey though so I suggest looking at dependable refurbished options or investing in an explorian model if you’re financially able to.

Ninja – I’ve used both their stand blender and small top blender before. The stand blender definitely has more power and is better for large portions or harder to blend ingredients. The small top blender is great for small spaces (like a dorm room) or if you only plan on making blends like a smoothie, frothy drink, or pulsing nuts/seeds, etc.

Blendtec – I haven’t personally used a Blendtec but they were in the running when I was looking into different blender options. They definitely run on the pricey side but are supposed to have a lot of power for smooth and consistent blends. Also great for larger portions and hard to blend mixtures.

Smoothie Add Ins

One of the reasons I love smoothies is because you can pack so much good into one smoothie! From the fruits and veggies to the additional add ins, smoothies are a great way to pack in the nutrients and flavor.

A few of my favorite smoothie add ins + other options include:

• Nut butter for flavor, creamy texture, and healthy fats. I usually opt for peanut or almond butter but cashew, pecan, or even sunflower seed butter would be tasty too.

• Seeds like flaxseed, chia seeds, or hemp seeds (hemp hearts) are all great for healthy fats + plant based protein. They usually blend in smooth and have no flavor at all!

• Protein powder is an easy way to add protein and thicken a smoothie up or add some flavor. I personally don’t use protein powders but if you’d like to, simply add a scoop and adjust the smoothie flavor as needed.

• Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger can add a kick of flavor to the smoothie, just be sure to not use too much. I’d suggest starting with 1/8 tsp, tasting it, and then increasing as needed.

• Cocoa powder can turn this green smoothie into a chocolatey dream. Just imagine, banana + peanut butter + chocolate!

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Green Breakfast Smoothie Flavors

While this vegan green smoothie is made with banana and spinach as the base, there are so many other options. Experiment with different fruits to switch things up with this green breakfast smoothie!

For these fruit options, feel free to leave the banana in or remove it entirely. Just taste test along the way and adjust as needed.

Blueberry Banana Spinach Smoothie – Add in 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries and watch your smoothie turn to a light purple or sometimes not-as-pretty brown tinted color. The flavor is still DELICIOUS though.

Mango Banana Spinach Smoothie – Add in half a fresh mango or 1/2 cup frozen to create a tropical flavored green smoothie.

Orange Banana Spinach Smoothie – Add half an orange or swap 1/3 cup orange juice for 1/3 cup of the almond milk for a super fresh green smoothie.

Strawberry Banana Spinach Smoothie – Add in 1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries for a refreshing blend. Fresh strawberries will make for a slightly thinner smoothie consistency versus frozen.

How to Store a Spinach Banana Smoothie

Smoothies are definitely best when enjoyed fresh but there are a few options for storing it. If you have leftovers or simple want to make this ahead of time, go ahead and blend it then store in the fridge for up to a few hours (ideally in a insulated container like a Yeti). Just make sure to shake it or stir it up before drinking!

Another option is to blend the smoothie and then pour it into a freezer safe tumbler or to-go cup. Place the smoothie in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour and it’ll start to slightly freeze. That way when you get it out, it’ll last longer (say for a commute into work, taking it to-go, etc) because it’s extra cold/semi freezing. The thick consistency and fresh, chilled flavor will last longer this way!

If you’re looking for more healthy breakfast recipes, check these out. Carrot Cake Energy Balls would pair perfectly alongside a smoothie or as a quick bite with your coffee. They’re sweet + chewy vegan energy balls filled with your favorite carrot cake flavors – cinnamon, raisins, pecans, coconut, and carrots!

And if you try this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment and rating in the boxes below! I always love to hear from you, and it also helps other people find this recipe when they search online for the BEST Spinach Banana Smoothie 🙂