Can you add green powder to a smoothie?
Want to start your day with a tasty and nutritious smoothie? Just add some green powder to a banana, apple, pineapple, and some flax and hemp seeds. You can also throw in some chia seeds for added thickness and extra protein. For extra nutrients and an even brighter green color, add a handful of spinach or kale.
Summer is creepin’ on and I’m craving fresh, green things, like this green spirulina smoothie.
Spirulina is an extremely nutritious blue-green algae that’s high in B vitamins and minerals like iodine, beta-carotene, antioxidants, iron, and manganese. It’s also 60% protein and a complete protein, containing all essential amino acids – 1 Tablespoon boasts 4 g protein.
What makes it super green? We’re about to find out. Shall we?
This quick and easy-to-make green powder smoothie can be made with a green powder that contains spirulina.
Super Green Spirulina Smoothie
The smoothie is nutritious, tasty, very thick, and super green because of spirulina’s dark green color).
The ingredients you’ll need are:
- A banana
- A cucumber
- Coconut milk or apple juice
- Spinach or kale
- Spirulina green powder
- Hemp seed powder or chia seeds
So what’s the big deal? Spirulina is a very concentrated source of vitamins and minerals and also very detoxifying and alkalizing to the body, which is why it’s considered a “super food” in many circles. I’ve been incorporating it mainly into my smoothies and love its intense color, neutral flavor, and health benefits. It’s a great way to get a green smoothie without adding handfuls of kale.
What does it taste like? Eaten directly, it has a somewhat unpleasant taste – kind of like seaweed. But, when thrown into smoothies or desserts, it’s undetectable. Huzzah!
You can experiment with the ingredients to create your favorite smoothie flavor.. For example, add some frozen blueberries and granola on top.
You can drink this green smoothie as a snack or breakfast meal.
I hope you all LOVE this gorgeous smoothie!
It’s:
- Creamy
- Bright green
- Perfectly sweet
- Insanely nutritious
- Quick + Easy
- Portable
- Delicious
This smoothie makes the perfect plant-based breakfast or snack. For even more protein, add more hemp seeds, chia seeds, or your favorite vegan protein powder. And don’t forget your toppings! I went for blueberries, hemp seeds, and granola.
The base is frozen banana, cucumber (we learned about cucumber’s health benefits in my Cucumber Smoothie), and coconut milk. I include hemp seed as an optional addition for healthy fats and protein. And last but not least, spirulina!
SMOOTHIE
- 1 medium ripe banana (previously peeled and frozen // ~1 cup as original recipe is written)
- 1/2 cup sliced cucumber (organic when possible // skin on)
- 3/4 – 1 cup light coconut milk (or other non-dairy milk // less for thicker smoothie, more for thinner smoothie)
- 1 cup spinach or chopped kale (organic when possible // I like to freeze mine)
- 1 tsp spirulina powder
- 1 Tbsp hemp seed (optional // or sub chia seeds or vegan protein powder)
FOR SERVING optional
- 1/4 cup frozen or fresh blueberries (organic when possible)
- 1/4 cup granola (store-bought or homemade*) Instructions
- To a blender*, add frozen banana, cucumber, coconut milk, spinach, spirulina, and hemp seed (optional). Blend until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides (or using smoothie wand) as needed.
- If too thick, thin with water or more coconut milk. If too thin, thicken with ice or more frozen bananas. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more banana for sweetness, cucumber for freshness
- Serve immediately as is or in my preferred: top with blueberries, granola, and more hemp seeds. Best when fresh, though leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or the freezer for 1 week. Thaw to enjoy from the freezer.
Notes
- When adding spirulina to smoothies, start with 1 tsp and add more as desired, but this is the max for me without tasting it. Otherwise, it can start tasting a little seaweedy.
- Granola recipes: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola, Banana Bread Granola, Simple Quinoa Granola, or Nut ‘n’ Honey Granola
- Spirulina also works extremely well when added in the same quantity to my Ginger Colada Green Smoothie!
- Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without toppings or hemp seeds.