Avocado Green Smoothie

Published May 4, 2013. Updated August 21, 2019

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Some of you may look at green smoothies and think, really? That’s just gross. Green smoothies basically look like a cup of grass blended with water. I’m one to think, if it looks good it’s probably going to taste good. To me green smoothies never looked that appealing.

A lot of the time they are a pretty color but they are, well, green. I never thought I’d be a green smoothie lover, but I’m hooked. My sister-in-law made one for me a few months ago and I’ve made them probably 4 times a week since.

My kids ask for them all the time. Now I’m not begging them to eat their veggies. They are coming to me and saying “Mom, will you make me a green surrly (which translates to green smoothie).”

avocado green smoothie | Cooking Classy

They love them and I love that they are eating so many fruits and veggies in one sitting. I also love that they are healthy and not loaded with refined sugars and fats. It’s so much better for them to snack on these versus fruit snacks or Cheetos.

I won’t lie I do give me kids fruit snacks and I’m always laughing to myself at their title and how they are labeled “made with real fruit juice” basically smacking on this idea that somehow they must be super nutritious even though they are mostly sugar simply because they are made with real fruit juice.

So, swap out some of those fruit snacks you’re giving your kids for green smoothies. If they don’t like the color just pour it into a water bottle that isn’t clear so they won’t see the color they’ll just love the flavor :). If you haven’t had these before you’d be surprised at how filling they are.

If you are snacking on these you may just starting eating smaller portions when dinner times rolls around.

avocado green smoothies

These smoothies are really versatile too. I kind of just use what I have on hand. I do always like to add a banana for sweetness. Then of course either spinach or kale (baby kale is better if you can find it), sometimes celery, parsley or a little cilantro, cucumber, avocado, then I’ll always add other fruits.

I like to have some kind of acidic fruit, orange, lemon or lime to drowned out any harsh flavor from the greens, then I add frozen strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or blackberries and sometimes grapes. The liquid I usually always use is almond milk but some people like to use orange juice or coconut milk/coconut water or even just water.

Others will add yogurt but I rarely do since I get enough creaminess from the banana. So just use what you have and the recipe below is a great place to start. It’s deliciously creamy with just the right amount of sweetness. Enjoy!

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Avocado Green Smoothie

A filling and refreshing green smoothie that's brimming with nutritious ingredients.
Servings: 3
Prep5 minutes
Ready in: 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 medium avocado
  • 1 large granny smith apple , chilled, cored and sliced
  • 1 ripe banana , peeled and frozen (use one with spots)
  • 1 Navel orange , chilled and peeled
  • 2 cups (76g) packed spinach
  • 1 cup almond milk , chilled*
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 2 tsp honey , or to taste (optional)
  • 8 ice cubes (about 1 1/3 cups)

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients except ice, in a blender and puree until well blended and smooth. Add ice and blend until smooth. Serve.
Nutrition Facts
Avocado Green Smoothie
Amount Per Serving
Calories 230 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Sodium 137mg6%
Potassium 750mg21%
Carbohydrates 34g11%
Fiber 9g38%
Sugar 20g22%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 2647IU53%
Vitamin C 49mg59%
Calcium 157mg16%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.
Join I Wash You Dry and Southern Fairytale for the California Avocado Cinco de Mayo Recipe Fiesta, sponsored by the California Avocado Commission.

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13 Comments

  • Janelle @ Run With No Regrets

    Looks delicious! Really dumb question though…it’s my first time working with avocado. Do you just add the entire avocado or do you have to pit it?

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Yes, slice it in half around the pit, then pit it and peel it (you can just scoop out the flesh (edible part) with a large spoon, leaving the skin behind), and yes it’s the whole thing (but I recommend using a medium or small so it’s not overwhelming).
      This link might help more than me explaining :) – you don’t need to dice it though as it’s pictured:
      http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_cut_and_peel_an_avocado/
      I hope you love it Janelle!

  • Shan

    Can you tell me how many calories are in this smoothie. I am one of those people who counts calories. I love the taste of the smoothie by the way.

  • Tia

    I really enjoyed this recipe, but I felt a few improvements were needed. First, I squeezed the orange because there was always a level of bitterness from the outerparts that remained. Second, I blanched the spinach. No matter how long i had blended it raw I kept getting textured bits of spinach, and also a small amount of bitter flavor. Also, cooked spinach is healthier than raw. After that, the natural sweetness of rest of the ingredients really popped and I intend to make this again and again. Thank you for a wonderful recipe.

    • Mona Oxford-Lyman

      I make raw spinach smoothies all the time! I am obsessed with them to tell you the truth. I used to use almond milk or coconut milk depending on what type of smoothie, then I tried just water to reduce the calories and it works! My favorite: 1.5 cups cold water, 2 large handfuls of fresh spinach, frozen pineapple, frozen mango (about 1 cup each) with 1 pkg of Stevia. Delicious! I use a Blendtec and never have a problem with things not blending.

  • Jennifer

    Love this recipe, thanks for sharing! It’s an nice combo of sweet, tart and creamy!

  • Annie @ Natural Sweet Recipes

    That color is gorgeous! I am totally weird and think green smoothies actually look delicious! :) I love the avocado added to this. I find that avocado helps keep me full for longer since sometimes just almond milk, greens and a bit of fruit aren’t that “hearty”. :) Thanks for sharing!

  • Kristy @ Sweet Treats & More

    Just shared an avocado green smoothie last week! Too funny. LOVE the texture avocado gives the smoothie though, it’s a new fav!!

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Seriously? It really is crazy how much we are making similar things all the time! They are delicious!

  • Susan

    I just did a nutritional analysis on this recipe, because I was interested, but it is over the top with carbs and not much protein (I do better physically with high protein, low carb). Calorically it would have to be a meal, but unfortunately, because of the composition, it won’t work for me, with the eating plan I’m on. I’m glad your kids love it, because it definitely gets them to eat their fruits and veggies. I’m glad you posted this because it gives me something to think about for smoothies.

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Mixing in greek yogurt may be a good option for you – to get more protein and you can cut out some of the higher carb fruits/veggies. I hope you’re able to come up with a version that will work with your diet :).