Tropical Spinach Cucumber Smoothie

This spinach cucumber smoothie is refreshing and light with a tropical flair! Sweet pineapple, crisp cucumber, and nutrient-packed spinach make a delicious and healthy breakfast.

Why you’ll love it:

This spinach cucumber smoothie is jam-packed with fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins to boost your immune system.

But just as importantly, if not more, it tastes DELICIOUS! It’s naturally sweet and refreshing from the cucumber and pineapple, with a vibrant green hue from the spinach.

It’s my favorite detox smoothie and it’s naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, and refined-sugar-free.

Key Ingredients:

This cucumber smoothie calls for six simple ingredients. Here’s what you need:

Banana – Always use a ripe banana for smoothies. Underripe bananas taste chalky and bitter, so they won’t give you a sweet, creamy result.

Frozen pineapple – This is what thickens your smoothie! It’s important to use at least one frozen ingredient. Sweet and tangy pineapple pairs well with greens, especially mild spinach.

Cucumber – I prefer to peel the cucumber, but if you don’t mind bits of peel in your smoothie, you can leave it on. Regular or English cucumbers both work great.

Spinach – For a smoother blend, use baby spinach, but regular works fine too. Spinach adds a boost of nutrients without altering the flavor or texture too much.

Lime – I love to add a squeeze of fresh citrus to fruit smoothies. It makes the flavor of the fruit pop! Always use fresh lime juice. I keep limes in my fridge at all times.

Orange juice – For a tangy sweetness! For the healthiest option, use fresh squeezed orange juice that’s not from concentrate.

How to make a spinach cucumber smoothie:

This spinach and cucumber smoothie is a breeze to make!

First, prep your ingredients. Peel and cut the cucumber into chunks.

Combine the banana, frozen pineapple, cucumber, spinach, lime juice, and orange juice in the base of a high-speed blender. A quarter cup of orange juice may not seem like enough, but remember cucumbers are 96 percent water!

Blend until creamy and smooth!

Health Benefits of a Green Cucumber Smoothie

This green smoothie is loaded with nutrients! Check out these awesome health benefits:

• It’s loaded with antioxidants. Leafy greens like spinach help prevent cancer and reduce the damage to your cells.
• It’s low in calories but nutrient-dense! Both spinach and cucumbers have less than 25 calories per 100 gram serving.
• It supports a healthy gut. Spinach is high in insoluble fiber which can help prevent constipation and improve digestion.

Variations & Substitutions:

Smoothies are easy to customize! Try one of these delicious variations:

• Fruit: Frozen mango, apple, or kiwi would all taste great in this smoothie. You could even add avocado to make it creamier.
• Yogurt: Add a scoop of unsweetened Greek yogurt for a creamier texture.
• Greens: If you don’t have spinach, you can swap it with kale. Just be sure to remove the tough stems.

Smoothie Making Tips:

• If the smoothie’s too thin, add a few pieces of frozen pineapple to thicken it up.
• If the smoothie’s too thick, add a splash of orange juice to thin it out.
• If possible, use frozen fruit instead of ice to thicken a smoothie. Ice melts faster and has a grittier texture.

Storing Tips:

Technically, you can store smoothies in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours after you make them. But I don’t recommend it. In my opinion, the smoothie doesn’t taste as good after a day in the fridge and it only takes 5 minutes to make it fresh!

However, if you have leftover cucumber smoothie, it makes delicious smoothie pops!

Just pour the smoothie into a popsicle mold, add popsicle sticks, and freeze for later. My kiddos love smoothie pops!

FAQs:

More Smoothie Recipes:

• Arugula Pineapple Smoothie
• Pineapple Apple Smoothie
• Strawberry Apple Smoothie
• Green Passion Smoothie – Panera Copycat
• Tropical Carrot Banana Smoothie
• Spinach Apple Smoothie