Do you like to try a frozen spinach smoothie? You should try this frozen smoothie which is equally healthy as a fresh ingredient and helps quickly make it without using too many ingredients.
Check out other smoothies or drinks on the blog, such as frozen berry smoothie, chia seeds for weight loss, and other healthy recipes, such as overnight oats for water and overnight oats with instant oatmeal.
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About the recipe
This smoothie is made using spinach and a few other frozen fruits, which has a healthy touch to the drink and is an effective smoothie to include in healthy diets.
The smoothie has enough calories to help with your weight loss goals, and a frozen smoothie is equally beneficial as a freshly made smoothie.
The ingredients to blend the smoothie are frozen spinach, chia seeds, frozen banana slices, and frozen pineapple cubes.
Blend the above ingredients to a fine puree using almond milk and serve it as a breakfast or meal replacement smoothie to have healthy calories.
Suggested
Where can I get frozen spinach?
They are readily available as frozen spinach packs in stores, and we can also pack fresh spinach leaves in an airtight ziplock bag and freeze the bag to use in various recipes.
Generally, store-bought frozen spinach is blanched and frozen in air-tight bags, making it easy to use instantly in cooking.
We can also make an instant spinach puree and freeze it by making spinach cubes in an ice tray.
Can I use frozen spinach in smoothies?
The smoothie blends finely if you add any liquid to the frozen spinach, and if no liquid is added, it can make the smoothie lumpy.
Therefore, while making smoothies with frozen spinach, add any liquid to puree the smoothie well.
The smoothie liquid can be dairy-based, non-dairy-based, or whole milk if you are not concerned about calories.
If you are adding this smoothie to a healthy diet or your weight loss list and want to limit the calories, use non-dairy milk, greek yogurt, or water to make the smoothie.
Ingredients
Frozen spinach: Use frozen spinach, readily available in grocery stores or freeze the spinach in an air-tight ziplock bag for smoothies or dishes.
Chia seeds: Adding it to smoothies to make them fiber-rich and have some healthy calories.
Frozen banana: You can use banana slices frozen in the freezer or slices from the store-bought frozen banana.
Frozen Pineapple: Frozen pineapple is the best option, as fresh pineapple may not be readily available, and fresh pineapple tends to spoil quickly if stored in the refrigerator.
Almond milk: I prefer almond milk or liquids as almonds are rich in protein, and a healthy smoothie needs protein.
Making of spinach puree cubes
Take some spinach leaves and puree them using water in a blender. Puree until the spinach turns smooth, and pour the pureed smoothie into ice trays.
Freeze the ice trays until frozen, and use them when needed.
Use the frozen spinach cubes in smoothies, and you do not need to buy frozen spinach from the stores.
What to do if the smoothie is lumpy and thick?
If the smoothie is not pureed well and appears lumpy, add liquid as you blend until you reach the desired consistency.
The liquid can be water and some milk, or the liquid can be a combination of yogurt and milk(dairy or non-dairy).
If you like a thick smoothie, add a cup of liquid(1 cup) for 1 serving; if you like thin consistency, add one and a half cups of liquid(1.5 cups).
The other way can be two liquid combinations, such as almond milk and yogurt, or you can mix and match any liquid to get the consistency you need.
Variations
We can do many variations to the smoothie, such as adding additional ingredients.
The ingredients can be skipped from the mentioned fruits, and add other fruits such as kiwi, frozen mangoes, or apples to the smoothie.
Additional veggies, such as chopped kale or avocado, can be added, but increasing the ingredients adds to the calories.
Keep a check on calories while making different variations while adding fruits, veggies, or other liquids.
You can make variations by adding liquids, such as replacing almond milk with greek yogurt or adding coconut water or non-dairy milk(coconut, soy, or oat milk).
Different seeds, such as flax seed powder, can replace chia seeds in the smoothie.
It is easy to make variations, and remember to add fruit, vegetables, and a healthy liquid without added sugars to make a healthy smoothie.
If adding frozen ingredients, adding liquid(milk, yogurt, water, or juice) is essential to get a finely pureed smoothie.
Storage
Store the leftover smoothie airtight in a jar in the refrigerator for a day, or try to consume it fresh as the smoothie is already made using frozen ingredients.
Tips
You can substitute fresh ingredients if you do not want to add frozen ingredients.
If the ingredients are highly frozen, thaw the ingredients that need to be pureed for a few minutes before making the smoothie.
Do not refreeze the ingredients that have been thawed. Try to soften only the quantity that is going to be used.
If you are not calorie conscious and want to increase the calories, add any fruit, such as mixed berries, or a liquid of your choice, such as whole milk.
Also, add multiple frozen fruits and natural sweeteners such as honey or maple syrup to add some sweetness to the smoothie and increase calories.
When to drink?
These smoothies are perfect for breakfast or any meal and replace heavy or high-calorie meals with these low-calorie healthy drinks.
This can effectively control your weight, and these kinds of diets lead to better health.
Benefits
Spinach, chia seeds, and bananas are high in fiber, and fiber foods keep you full without letting us binge on other foods.
Eating foods at frequent intervals increases the calories and may not burn with a poor dietary and daily lifestyle.
These high calories are deposited as fats; thus, fiber foods try to let us not overeat by keeping us full until the next meal.
Pineapple helps in mobilizing belly fat and body fat and has excellent properties that help reduce fat.
Almond milk is good for bone health, controls blood sugar levels, has a good amount of protein, and is nutritious but low in calories.
Spinach, pineapple, and almond milk are all low in calories but are healthy ingredients to use in smoothies.
Recipe
Frozen spinach smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen spinach (frozen leaves or frozen spinach pureed cubes)
- ½ frozen banana (slices)
- 1 cup frozen pineapple cubes (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 cup almond milk, unsweetened (or greek yogurt too can be replaced)
Instructions
- Add the frozen spinach to the blender.
- Add frozen banana slices to the blender.
- Add frozen pineapple cubes to the blender.
- Add a tablespoon of chia seeds.
- Add a cup of unsweetened almond milk to the blender.
- Puree the ingredients using high speed until the smoothie turns smooth and finely pureed.
- Pour and serve.
- Enjoy in place of meals or for breakfast.
Notes
- You can use other fruits such as kiwi or apples that are fresh and also use different fruits of your choice.
- Also, you can replace greek yogurt instead of almond milk if you like the smoothie flavor with yogurt.
Nutrition
Faq's
Yes, you can use raw spinach in fresh or frozen form to add to smoothies. The fresh raw spinach blends well, but frozen spinach needs a liquid to help it blend well and get a smooth puree.
Frozen spinach is equally nutritious and healthy as fresh spinach, and both contain good amounts of fiber, iron, and calcium; spinach is good for the eyes. Use frozen spinach in smoothies or juices and enjoy a healthy life.
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