Pineapple Green Smoothie
Use ripe bananas for this creamy Greek yogurt, spinach and pineapple smoothie. Chia seeds add healthy omega-3 fats, fiber and a little protein for an extra nutritional boost.
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Recipe Summary
Nutrition Profile:
Tips For The Best Pineapple Green Smoothie
This is no ordinary pineapple smoothie. This tropical-flavored drink goes green with a handful of vitamin-rich baby spinach added to the mix. Spinach is an excellent source of folate as well as plant-based iron and vitamins A and C. Combined with chia seeds which offer omega-3 fats and fiber, this pineapple smoothie will start your day off right. Here are a few tips for success:
Use Ripe (Frozen) Bananas
This smoothie relies primarily on the sweetness of the fruit to flavor it. That's why we recommend using ripe, frozen bananas. Under-ripe bananas are less sweet with a chalky texture and while over-ripe bananas are sweeter, their best use is banana bread. The flavor and color of an over-ripe banana can overpower the other ingredients in the smoothie.
Add Liquid To The Blender First
Ever made a smoothie that just won't blend? It's probably not your blender. It may be because you added the ingredients in the wrong order. Adding chunks of frozen fruit before the liquid creates air pockets around the blade making it more difficult to blend. With the liquid at the bottom, the blades can spin pulling the ingredients in from the top down. (Looking for a better blender? We can help! Check out the best blenders according to our test kitchen here)
Taste Before You Add Sweetener
You may (or may not) want your smoothie a little sweeter. Since both bananas and pineapple can vary in sweetness, we recommend keeping the added sugar optional and adding it only after you're sure your smoothie needs it. After all, it's easier to add sugar than it is to take it away! Start with a teaspoon, and add more to taste. We recommend adding liquid sweeteners like pure maple syrup or honey.
Additional reporting by Hilary Meyer
Ingredients
Directions
Nutrition Facts
3 fruit, 1 low-fat milk, 1/2 fat