Mango Spinach Smoothie

Breakfast at a Glance

• Prep Time: Under 5 minutes
• Planning Ahead: None
• Morning Effort: ~ 5 minutes
• Protein: 25g
• Fiber: 15g

Nessy's Note

Adding vegetables to smoothies is one of my favorite ways to sneak extra vegetables into my breakfast (and my day!).

And this mango spinach smoothie is a perfect example of just how delicious it can be.

Not only does it have a serving of spinach, I also add avocado which ups the veggies and makes it extra creamy and satisfying.

But when blended alongside the mango and banana, it tastes like a tropical vacation. If it wasn't green in color, you might not even guess there were vegetables in it!

• Frozen Mango- I prefer to use frozen mango because it is quicker (no need to cut a mango early in the morning) and the frozen texture makes the smoothie extra thick. But fresh mango will work too.
• Banana- I love the flavor of mango but find that in a smoothie on its own, you have to use A LOT for it to have enough flavor so I added half of a banana to bring out the sweetness of the mango.
  • Substitution: If you aren't a fan of banana in smoothies (I wasn't for the longest time), you can use half a navel orange instead which is what I use in my mango protein smoothie.
• Greek Yogurt- This makes for a smoothie that is high protein without the need for protein powder (I use it to boost this high protein breakfast casserole as well).
  • Substitution: Skyr works well and is high in protein also. You can sub with another kind of yogurt but note that the protein content will vary.
• Chia Seeds + Flaxseeds- I added these to thicken the smoothie as well as to up the fiber and increase the plant diversity.
  • Substitution: You can use all flaxseeds or all chia seeds or leave them out altogether. Oatmeal also works well to thicken the smoothie.
• Avocado- This adds some healthy fats to make the smoothie extra creamy and satisfying.
  • Substitution: A tablespoon of nut butter such as almond butter is another great way to make it creamy though the flavor is a bit less neutral.
• Spinach- One of my favorite ways to incorporate a serving of veggies into breakfast is adding it to smoothies. I used frozen spinach (it is so convenient to keep on hand) but fresh works too.
  • Substitution: Another leafy green such as kale will work.
• Salt- Just a pinch brings the flavors together but you can leave it out if you'd like.

Notes for a Tasty Mango Spinach Smoothie

• Layer for Proper Blending. The order that you put ingredients into the blender helps it blend more efficiently.
  • If using a blender cup with the blade on top, add frozen and hard ingredients first (like frozen mango, banana and spinach), then seeds and avocado and finish with the yogurt and liquid on top.
  • If using a standard blender with the blade on the bottom, the order is the opposite: Liquids and yogurt, then seeds and finally frozen or heavy items.
• Freeze your banana ahead of time. This smoothie works with fresh banana but I prefer it with frozen banana as it makes it thicker.
  • I buy a bundle of bananas and let them ripen. Then I peel and break them in half and freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, I transfer to a freezer safe container or bag and have frozen bananas at the ready for all types of smoothies (like this banana strawberry smoothie).

More Breakfast Smoothie Recipes...

• Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
• Banana Matcha Smoothie
• Blueberry Banana Smoothie
• Chocolate Protein Smoothie