Mint Spirulina Smoothie
Welcome to my latest smoothie addiction! This pretty green smoothie is cool, refreshing, and absolutely packed with fresh mint flavor and vanilla essence. Thats right, it’s made with fresh mint–which makes it magical. In terms of texture, this smoothie works beautifully as either a spoon-able mint “ice cream” bowl with all the toppings (think: chocolate sauce, bananas, nut butter, coconut whip, and mini chocolate chips) or a fresh, sip-able beverage you can enjoy with a nice big straw. Either way, you’ll be happily cooling down, hydrating yourself (there are, after all, 3 whole cups of ice in this baby!), and nourishing your body. Spirulina works seemlessly here behind the scenes. You won’t taste it, but one of the world’s healthiest foods will be hard at work, providing you with loads of B vitamins, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, and Protein. Plus, the spirulina and spinach give this mint smoothie it’s lovely green, minty color 🙂
Don’t forget the fat!
Since it is important 1) To chew your smoothies so that digestive enzymes in our saliva have time to get to work on our food and 2) to consume some kind of fat with fat soluble vitamins to promote absorption, this smoothie is really best when served with a nice dose of fats. You have a few options for how to accomplish this. All of them are wonderfully delicious, so choose your favorite, and enjoy!
Chocolate Sauce
To make this mint smoothie into a mint chocolate chip smoothie, gently melt a little dark chocolate in the microwave. Then stir it into your favorite nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter can all work depending on your needs and preferences). Alternatively, you can use a fork to whip a couple Tablespoons of chilled coconut cream (put the can in the fridge overnight to chill) together with a couple teaspoons cocoa powder and a little sweetener (perhaps stevia or maple syrup).
Coconut Whip
To make coconut whip, chill a can of coconut cream or full fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight. Then scoop out the amount you want (I suggest 1-3 Tablespoons) and use a fork to whip it into a quick coconut whip. Sweeten with stevia or other sweetener if desired. You can also add a little vanilla.
Avocado
To make an extra creamy smoothie, you can blend your fats of choice directly into the smoothie! This is a particularly good option if you want to drink the smoothie rather than eat it with a spoon. Just add 1-2 oz frozen or fresh avocado into the smoothie with the other smoothie ingredients. It adds no flavor, and lends a great creaminess.
Nut Butter
My fat of choice in this smoothie is actually just a dollop of all-natural nut butter on top (then I eat the smoothie with a long-handled spoon and eat a little nut butter in each bite). Peanut butter is my favorite with this smoothie. Almond is also delicious. Use whatever you like best. It’s a great quick and easy way to get in some healthy fats and make this smoothie a satiating and speedy meal.
Mint Spirulina Smoothie
Add your ingredients to the blender.
For the easiest blending: add the ingredients in the order listed.
For the optional stevia, I generally wait until it's blended, give it a taste, and add stevia for extra sweetness if I feel it needs it (then blend very briefly just to incorporate). If your bananas are super ripe, you may not even need any. But if you have greener bananas and/or your protein powder is bitter or unsweetened, you may need a little extra sweetness.
Blend!
Start low and slow. After the blades catch, start increasing the blender speed gradually. Use a tamper or stop periodically to scrape down the sides as needed.
Be patient. It takes a few minutes to blend to creamy spoon-able perfection.
Note: Don't be too quick to add more liquid unless you prefer more a "drink-able" smoothie than a smoothie bowl.
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Serving Size 1 large smoothie (using unsweetened almond milk, without added nut butter or coconut whip)
Servings 2
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 271
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 4g7%
- Sodium 262mg11%
- Potassium 835mg24%
- Total Carbohydrate 37g13%
- Dietary Fiber 7g29%
- Sugars 18g
- Protein 26g52%
- Vitamin A 354%
- Vitamin C 38%
- Calcium 28%
- Iron 22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Ingredients
Directions
Add your ingredients to the blender.
For the easiest blending: add the ingredients in the order listed.
For the optional stevia, I generally wait until it's blended, give it a taste, and add stevia for extra sweetness if I feel it needs it (then blend very briefly just to incorporate). If your bananas are super ripe, you may not even need any. But if you have greener bananas and/or your protein powder is bitter or unsweetened, you may need a little extra sweetness.
Blend!
Start low and slow. After the blades catch, start increasing the blender speed gradually. Use a tamper or stop periodically to scrape down the sides as needed.
Be patient. It takes a few minutes to blend to creamy spoon-able perfection.
Note: Don't be too quick to add more liquid unless you prefer more a "drink-able" smoothie than a smoothie bowl.
