Silky Green Breakfast Smoothie

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A juice-bar-thick green smoothie built the way the good places do it: the spinach gets puréed smooth with the liquid first so there are no leafy flecks, then frozen banana, frozen mango and a wedge of avocado go in to make it cold, creamy and thick enough that the straw stands up on its own. Fresh lime and a little grated ginger keep it tasting bright and breakfast-ready instead of grassy or cloyingly sweet.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, plus more as needed
• 1/2 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 3 packed cups baby spinach
• 1/2 cup packed kale leaves, stems removed (optional)
• 2 medium very ripe bananas, peeled, sliced and frozen solid
• 1 1/4 cups frozen mango chunks
• 1/4 medium ripe avocado
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup, or 1 pitted Medjool date
• 1 pinch fine sea salt

• 2 tablespoons hemp hearts or chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 1 scoop unflavored or vanilla protein powder
• 2 leaves fresh mint
• toasted coconut flakes, for topping

Instructions

1. The night before, peel the bananas, slice them into 1-inch coins, spread them on a small parchment-lined plate or tray and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours. Frozen banana is what makes this thick without watery ice.
2. Pour the almond milk and Greek yogurt into the blender first, then add the spinach, the kale if using, the lime juice, ginger, honey, mint if using, and the pinch of salt. Blend on medium-high for 45 to 60 seconds, until the mixture is a completely smooth, uniform green liquid with no visible leaf flecks. Scrape down the sides and blend 10 seconds more if you see any specks.
3. Add the frozen banana coins, frozen mango, avocado, and any boosters you're using (hemp hearts, almond butter, protein powder). Start the blender on low, then ramp to high and blend 60 to 90 seconds, using the tamper or stopping to scrape down as needed, until glossy and thick like soft-serve. Avoid blending past 2 minutes total — friction warms the smoothie and thins it out.
4. Check the texture: it should mound slightly on a spoon and hold a straw upright. If the blender is straining, add almond milk 1 tablespoon at a time. If it's thinner than you want, add 3 or 4 more frozen mango chunks and pulse to combine.
5. Taste and adjust: another squeeze of lime if it tastes flat, another teaspoon of honey if your bananas weren't fully ripe, a second pinch of salt to make the fruit pop.
6. Pour into two tall chilled glasses, top with toasted coconut flakes if you like, and serve immediately with wide straws. Green smoothies separate and dull within about 20 minutes, so drink them fresh.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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