Blueberry spinach smoothie recipe {vegetarian, gluten-free}
My husband Ted, a.k.a. the Smoothie King, suggested we name this blueberry spinach smoothie Dark and Anti, thanks to its rich color and mega-dose of antioxidants. I love this smoothie, but think the name doesn't do it justice, so I've dubbed it Purple and Powerful. The spinach plays a supporting role, so what you have is a vibrant fruit smoothie with a bonus of dark leafy greens tucked inside, perfect for sending kids back to school with a serving of vegetables for breakfast. I tried on two different days to get a good photo of this amazing smoothie, and believe it or not, these photos are the best of the bunch. Purple and Powerful looks much better in real life than it does here. Alas, I don't seem to have the smoothie photography gene. You'll have to trust me, and taste for yourself.
Blueberry spinach smoothie (a.k.a. Purple and Powerful)
From the pantry, you'll need: plain low-fat yogurt, agave nectar, lemon.
Serves 2.
Ingredients
1/2 cup baby spinach leaves, firmly packed
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup unsweetened white grape juice
1 Tbsp agave nectar
Zest of half a lemon (or half a Meyer lemon, or half a tangerine)
5 ice cubes
Directions
Place all ingredients except the ice in a blender. Process until almost smooth. Add the ice cubes and process until completely smooth.
Serve immediately.
More blender drink recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Berry blast smoothie
Green goodness smoothie with banana and raisins
Mango lassi
Ted's apple smoothie with yogurt, honey and cardamom
Cool-as-a-cucumber smoothie with Greek yogurt
Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Ginger and spinach green smoothie, from Love and Olive Oil
Dark chocolate blueberry protein and spinach smoothie, from Green Lite Bites
Kale spinach and pear smoothie, from Joy the Baker
Mango, banana, raspberry and spinach smoothie, from Clean & Delicious
Coconut green smoothie, from Two Peas & Their Pod
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I like your blog! it´s very original!
This sounds like a smoothie I would like!
Kalyn, I think you would like it!
No offense to hubby, but yes, your name is better. ;-) Isn't it fun to have those conversations though? Love this one, Lydia!
Shirley
To tell you the truth, I have never had a smoothie with vegetables in it. But with the berries and the grape juice I can only imagine how sweet and tasty it is. My kids usually are only up for a liquid breakfast and I think they may actually like this! And healthier than what they usually grab! And I think the photos are pretty and make the smoothie look more than tempting!
Shirley, I hope we're not the only ones who name our food!
Jamie, I was skeptical at first, but really, you cannot taste the spinach. Yet, knowing it's in there really does make me feel stronger in the morning. Give it a try!
shhhh - don't tell my husband. I am going to try to slip the spinach in when he is not looking!! Do you think I could use thawed and WELL drained frozen spinach?
Lydia,
I like using dark fruits to cover dark vegetables in a smoothie. My kids are . . . resigned is a good word . . . to the knowledge that mom's gonna put veggies in their smoothies. It's amazing what a handful of blueberries or blackberries will do to cover up the green of spinach. Carrots go with citrus-based smoothies. I've had tomatoes in a smoothie (at a demo in Costco) but never at home.
I really like Ted's lemon zest idea--I need to try that. He hasn't steered me wrong yet!
Thank you.
This is lovely! I love trying out new smoothie recipes . . . such a great way to get a lot of nutrients in food that is yummy AND pretty!