Cranberries give this green smoothie a tart edge that stands out from sweeter berry blends. A whole orange brings juicy citrus flavor, while frozen banana softens the finish. Spinach adds a leafy base without needing a milk ingredient.
Healthy Smoothie Recipes
Cranberry Orange Spinach Smoothie
Cranberries give this green smoothie a tart edge that stands out from sweeter berry blends.
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 spinach
- 0.5 cup water
- 0.5 cup cranberries
- 1 orange, peeled and seeded
- 0.5 banana, peeled and frozen
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
Use unsweetened cranberries rather than dried, sweetened fruit. Remove the orange peel and hard seeds. If the berries are especially sharp, let ripe banana provide balance before changing the recipe.
Peel the orange fully and remove hard seeds before adding it. A little white pith is normal, but thick peel creates bitterness. Smaller segments release juice sooner, which is useful when the recipe starts with only a modest amount of added liquid.
Wash loose spinach well and drain it before measuring. Blend leaves with the listed liquid before adding dense frozen ingredients. This helps prevent intact leaves from collecting above the blades, particularly in a smaller or less powerful blender.
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
- Orange provides vitamin C, used in normal collagen formation.
- Spinach contributes folate, needed for normal cell division.
Nutrition references: NHS: Vitamin C; NIH: Folate. These are ingredient contributions; nutrition per serving has not been calculated.
You may also like
- Creamy Orange Banana Spinach Smoothie
- Mango Orange Coconut Water Smoothie
- Orange Banana Cauliflower Spinach 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.
