Go-To Green Smoothie with Banana and Cherries

I have a confession: I’m a dietitian, and I can’t stand raw spinach. 

While other nutrition professionals talk about eating salads every day for lunch, I’m constantly having to find creative ways to sneak more greens into my day. From adding spinach to turkey meatballs to pulsing it into sauces, I’ve gotten pretty good at hiding leafy greens from myself. 

But one of the easiest ways has been adding spinach to smoothies. However, there are a few key tips for making a deliciously smooth beverage: 

• Use a high-powered blender. While you don’t have to go out and buy the most expensive brand out there, you want your blender to be able to fully blend the spinach and not leave large pieces. 
• Place your spinach closest to the blade, this will also make sure it gets fully blended. 
• If you’re still having trouble getting a smooth consistency, blend the spinach and milk first until the spinach is thoroughly blended, and then add the remaining ingredients. 
• Use a frozen banana for a creamy texture. 

In addition to half a banana, I like to add a few frozen cherries. Besides being one of my go-to snacks, frozen sweet cherries also have a strong flavor that masks the flavor of spinach. If you’re not as sensitive to spinach, feel free to use more mild frozen fruit like blueberries or strawberries. 

Go-To Green Smoothie with Banana and Cherries 

Ingredients

• 1-2 cups baby spinach, washed and patted dry 
• ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice) 
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (I use 2% fat) 
• ½ frozen medium banana 
• ½ cup pitted cherries (fresh or frozen) 
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional) 

Instructions

1. Place ingredients in the blender in the order that they’re listed above, with spinach at the bottom. 
2. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Pour into a glass and enjoy! 

Nutrition 

Servings 1 |  166 calories

Total Fat 3 g | Sat Fat 1g | Cholesterol 8 mg | Sodium 154 mg | Total Carbs 29 g | Fiber 5 g | Sugar 15.4 g | Protein 9 g

Notes: 

• I like adding Greek yogurt for extra protein but feel free to leave it out.
• For even more protein, add a scoop of your favorite protein powder. 
• If you’re looking for a more filling smoothie, you can also add a tablespoon of almond butter.
• Hemp hearts, ground flax seed, and chia seeds can also be added for a boost of healthy fats (start with 1 tablespoon of one of these) 
• This smoothie does not save well. I recommend drinking it soon after blending.