Cilantro and lime give banana and spinach a fresh herbal-citrus flavor. Ginger adds warmth, chia contributes body, and water keeps the base simple. This combination is intended for someone who likes cilantro rather than trying to disguise its distinctive taste.
Healthy Smoothie Recipes
Cilantro Lime Banana Chia Smoothie
Cilantro and lime give banana and spinach a fresh herbal-citrus flavor.
Prep: 5 minutesServings: 1
Base recipe: 1 serving; the full base batch
Vegan
Category image
Measured ingredient amounts adjust with servings. “To taste” amounts and directions stay as written.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 0.25 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 cup water
- 1 banana, peeled
- 1 lime peeled
- 0.5 inch ginger root fresh
- 2 tablespoon chia seeds
Directions
- Put the measured liquid in the blender with the prepared leafy greens. Secure the lid and process until the leaves are finely dispersed, stopping the machine before scraping down the sides if needed.
- Add the remaining edible ingredients, including the measured fruit, nuts, seeds, or spices listed for this recipe. Blend until evenly combined. Use the machine instructions to choose a suitable speed, and stop before checking texture or scraping the jug.
- Taste a small spoonful after blending. If the mixture is too thick to pour, add cold water one tablespoon at a time and blend briefly again. Divide the base batch into 1 serving and enjoy promptly.
Notes
Prepared ingredients are required; additional cooking, cooling, freezing, brewing, or soaking time is excluded from the active prep estimate. Serving volume and nutrition totals are not measured.
Adapted from Jen Hansard at Simple Green Smoothies.
Tips and ingredient notes
Wash tender cilantro leaves and stems well. Peel and seed lime. Chop ginger finely. Chia thickens after blending, so reassess texture before adding more water if the smoothie has been standing.
Chia absorbs liquid after the blender stops. Serve promptly for a lighter consistency, or allow a short rest and stir before judging thickness. If adjusting later, add liquid gradually; adding more seeds immediately can make the drink unexpectedly thick after it stands.
A banana with a few brown speckles gives a different sweetness from a firm, barely ripe one. Slice it before freezing, keeping pieces separate. This makes measuring easier and avoids a large frozen mass that the blender cannot move.
Ingredient health benefits
- Chia seeds provide fiber and plant-based omega-3 fat.
- Spinach contributes iron, used in oxygen-carrying hemoglobin.
Nutrition references: Harvard Nutrition Source: Chia seeds; NIH: Iron. These are ingredient contributions; nutrition per serving has not been calculated.
You may also like
- Apple Celery Fennel Chia Smoothie
- Papaya Cucumber Pineapple Green Smoothie
- Pineapple Strawberry Ginger Kale Smoothie
Recipe adapted from Jen Hansard at Simple Green Smoothies. Article text and directions written for Healthy Smoothie Recipes. Supplement omissions and preparation changes mean source nutrition totals do not apply.
