Since discovering kale, I have found several delicious ways to prepare this superfood. This Kale Apple Smoothie (vegan, paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free) is one such way that I love its ease and simplicity.
A few years ago, I discovered kale. I have a kale salad that I love but have been looking for other ways to incorporate kale into my everyday life.
Enter the kale apple banana smoothie.
What you will love about this smoothie is that it is light, slightly sweet and refreshing. There is the only hint of kale flavor. If you like sweet drinks, you will like this. I had an appointment at 11:00 a.m. one day and knew I would be gone through lunch. I had this smoothie at 10:15 a.m. prior to leaving for my appointment and I was fine until 1:00 p.m. when I had lunch. I was not hungry at all.
This is a simple way to incorporate veggies and fruit into your diet with this satisfying drink.
Related: Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie
Kale Smoothie Benefits-
Adding ground flaxseed adds omega 3s to your diet. Feel free to add additional ingredients to your taste. For example, I have made this smoothie adding a small piece of fresh ginger and it came out great. I use organic Lacinato kale. The original recipe is enough for two servings and I have adjusted the ingredients to my taste and for one serving. I prefer to make this and consume it right away. It seems that when it "sits" the flavors become more intense and I prefer a lighter taste.
Related: Green Spinach Smoothie
Try This For Smoothie Success:
I find that in order to be successful in my smoothie a day habit, I need a good routine where ingredients and tools are easily accessible. The ten minutes it takes to pull my blender out of the cabinet, and chop up fruits and veggies will too often come between me and my nutritious smoothie, especially during a particularly busy morning. However, with a few easy strategies, smoothie success is a breeze, even on the busiest of days.
- A great blender - While I have a larger blender for certain recipes, it is this smaller blender which you will find on my counter.
- Make my daily smoothies with this blender.
- Strong enough to whip up frozen fruit, ice, and nuts
- Easy to rinse cups (vs. harder to rinse and clean blender pitcher)
- Portable caps for the blender cups (so I can take my smoothies to-go!)
- Less clunky than a larger blender and fits perfectly on my countertop.
- Frozen fruit in plastic bags ready to go:
- It is super easy to buy frozen, pre-chopped fruit from the grocery store.
- Reasonably priced and organic produce available.
- If buying fresh produce, freeze by placing the fruit on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread fruit in an even layer with no pieces touching. Freeze completely and then place in plastic bags. If you place fresh fruit in bags and freeze, you will have frozen clumps of fruit that are hard to separate and use. 🙂
- Have your favorite smoothies all year, not just when the fruit is in-season.
- I often transfer the contents into resealable individual clear plastic bags for easy use. It is easy to monitor when the supply is running low.
Kale Apple Smoothie Recipe-
Ingredients:
1 ripe medium banana
1 ripe pear or apple, peeled and chopped
1 cup kale, remove stems and chop
1/2 cup cold orange juice
1/2 cup cold water
6 ice cubes
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
Preparation:
Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth, about a minute or so. I like to puree until there is a frothy foam at the top.
This would make a refreshing drink before or after a workout.
A light, refreshing Kale Apple smoothie drink which would be great for breakfast, snack, before or after a workout.
- 1 ripe medium banana
- 1 ripe pear or apple (peeled if desired, and chopped)
- 1 1/2 cups chopped kale leaves (stems removed)
- 1/2 cup cold orange juice (fresh or bottled)
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 6 ice cubes
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (optional)
- 1 piece 1" piece of fresh ginger (optional)
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Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth, approximately one minute.
Dannii says
This is one of my favourite smoothie combinations and it's such a lovely colour. A great way to start the day.
Christine says
Glad you like this smoothie!