Green Broccoli Smoothie with Carrot & Pineapple [Vegan & Gluten free]

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A green broccoli smoothie is a great choice whether you’re on a detox or just trying to add a bit of greens to your diet! Vegan, dairy free, gluten free and loaded with vitamins this delicious smoothie has spinach, carrots, pineapple, avocado, ginger and lemon for the ultimate mix of health benefits and taste. Easy to make with fresh or frozen broccoli – your choice!

Broccoli not your thing? How about if you hide it in a strawberry banana smoothie? Or just skip it an go for a green mango smoothie or green chocolate peanut butter smoothie instead!

As you might know by now I’m not big on salads – but I still want to make healthy choices and therefore love adding greens wherever I can. Be it hidden spinach or roasted veggies so good you’d rather just skip the main – or, like here, a veggie packed smoothie.

Best thing about smoothies? It’s so easy to pack all those “5 a day” into one glass, without losing any of the health benefits. And after that breakfast, any more greens you add during the day are just a nice bonus.

Why smoothies are better and healthier than juice

While I love a good mixed fruit & veggie juice (heavy on the veggies and extra lemon & ginger please!), it’s not as healthy as you might think. In general, a smoothie is always a better choice – both health wise and for the environment. Why?

1. Smoothies have more fiber since for juice they are separated (as pulp) from the juice, but for smoothies they’re all mixed together. Fibers are super important for a balanced diet and will also make you feel full for longer. Just think about the difference in how full you get from drinking a smoothie vs a glass of juice!
2. Smoothies contain less sugar per serving, even with the same ingredients. Why? Well, to make the same amount of juice as smoothie you will need to add more of each ingredient. Which, if the ingredient is a fruit, equals more sugar.
3. Smoothies create less waste since you’re using the whole fruit, and not throwing away the pulp as is often the case when juicing.

So great for the environment, and great for you! Easy choice then, right?

Well, yes, it might seem so. But it also has to taste good…

How to make a green smoothie (that actually tastes good!)

A broccoli smoothie might not sound so exciting at first. But neither does a spinach or kale smoothie, right? Until you add some extras and all of a sudden can’t even tell that green stuff is there!

There are a few key steps to think about when making a great smoothie, one that will taste good while giving you a nice health boost:

1. Choose your main healthy ingredient(s). What nutrients do you want to get in your smoothie? I almost always include spinach (great for iron), and for this one it’s both spinach and broccoli (great for iron, vitamin C & fiber). But maybe you’d rather add kale? Bell pepper? Cauliflower?
2. Choose something for taste. Mango, pineapple and raspberries are some of my favorites – mainly because they’re easy to keep in the freezer for any time you want to make a smoothie. But this doesn’t have to be a fruit or berry! It could just as well be red bell pepper (surprisingly delicious) or raw cacao powder & peanut butter.
3. Add some kind of fat. I don’t always follow this step but it’s a good one to follow if you’re looking for something really filling – like to replace your breakfast with just one glass. Avocado is an easy go-to that helps make your smoothie super creamy, but peanut butter or coconut oil are great options depending on what you choose for step 1 & 2.
4. Add lemon strategically. Lemon is great for making your smoothie taste better – but also for increasing your iron uptake. So if iron is one of the nutrients you’re going for, you really should add some lemon as well. Or another vitamin C rich fruit or veggie!
5. Add ginger for a kick (& to hide tastes you don’t enjoy). Just like lemon, ginger is great for making your smoothie taste better. And it’s also super healthy! I always use fresh (organic, so I don’t even need to peel it!) – keep it in the freezer to make it last long. You can even grate it while it’s still frozen! But if you don’t have the fresh one the powdered kind will also work.
6. Pack in any other healthy stuff you want to get in your diet. This could be turmeric (fresh or powder), maca, spirulina, collagen powder, or any other health boosting ingredient you want.
7. Add something sweet if you really need to. If you added fruits and/or berries in step 2 you probably don’t need this. But if you do, consider half a banana or 1-2 dates.
8. Make it smooooth. Add water, coconut water, almond milk, yogurt, or another liquid ingredient of your choosing until you reach your desired consistency.

Two of my other favorite smoothies created along the lines of these steps is this Green Mango Smoothie and this delicious, healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie. Both vegan, gluten free & dairy free just like this Broccoli Smoothie!

Still not convinced smoothies are for you? Then read on.

My 5 top tips for making smoothies

I know, making smoothies (especially for breakfast…) can seem like too much trouble. I know I thought so, until I started following these five steps.

1. Get a good blender* – this makes all the difference.
2. Use frozen ingredients whenever you can.
3. Prep ingredients ahead of time. You can go all out and prep smoothie kits in the freezer – just place all ingredients for a smoothie in a bag, freeze it, and bring it out when it’s time to make it. Or just keep some frozen veggies, fruits, ginger etc. in the freezer all ready to go.
4. Make smoothies for several days at once. Most smoothies are good for 1-2 days. They might loose a bit in color, but the taste is usually still good. Makes it so easy to just grab on the way to work!
5. Get reusable smoothie cups to go. Especially if you plan on making a batch ahead of time.

Got other tips? Let me know in the comments below, and I might just include them here!

Substitutions for this recipe

I get it, you don’t feel like running out to the store just because you’re craving a smoothie. So here are some ways to make this smoothie with what you already have at home:

• Broccoli can be skipped for more spinach or leafy greens.
• Carrot can be skipped.
• Spinach can be substituted for kale, or another leafy green. Or skipped, if your using broccoli.
• Pineapple can be substituted for fresh or frozen mango or passion fruit.
• Avocado can be substituted for banana or coconut oil.

Frequently asked questions

Is a broccoli smoothie healthy?

Yes, this broccoli smoothie is very healthy as it has a high fiber, healthy fat, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C content while having a pretty low sugar content.

Should I use raw or cooked broccoli in smoothies?

I recommend using raw (fresh or frozen) broccoli in smoothies as they have the highest nutrient content. However if for some reason you can’t have raw broccoli you can use cooked broccoli that has cooled down – in that case, if you cook it in the microwave more of the nutrients will remain.

Green Broccoli Smoothie with Carrot & Pineapple

5 from 4 votes

Print Rate

Course: Breakfast, Smoothie, Snack

Cuisine: dairy free, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1 smoothie

Calories: 281kcal

Author: Emmeline Kemperyd

Ingredients

• 1 dl broccoli fresh or frozen, florets and/or stem
• 1 handful spinach
• ½ carrot
• 1 dl pineapple fresh or frozen
• ½ avocado peeled and pitted
• ½ lemon juiced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger
• 2 dl water

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

• Add all ingredients except water to a blender. Add half of the water and mix until smooth. Then add the rest of the water and mix again. Serve immediately!

Equipment needed for this recipe

• High-powered blender*
• Measuring spoons*
• Measuring cups (metric or imperial)*

Notes

Substitutions for this green broccoli smoothie

• Broccoli can be skipped for more spinach or leafy greens.
• Carrot can be skipped.
• Spinach can be substituted for kale, or another leafy green. Or skipped, if your using broccoli.
• Pineapple can be substituted for fresh or frozen mango or passion fruit.
• Avocado can be substituted for banana or coconut oil.

Frequently asked questions

Is a broccoli smoothie healthy?

Yes, this broccoli smoothie is very healthy as it has a high fiber, healthy fat, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C content while having a pretty low sugar content.

Should I use raw or cooked broccoli in smoothies?

I recommend using raw (fresh or frozen) broccoli in smoothies as they have the highest nutrient content. However if for some reason you can’t have raw broccoli you can use cooked broccoli that has cooled down – in that case, if you cook it in the microwave more of the nutrients will remain.

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 97mg | Potassium: 1252mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 8736IU | Vitamin C: 186mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.

Did you make this? Tag me today!Tag @alwaysusebutter and use the hashtag #alwaysusebutter!

I hope you enjoyed this green broccoli smoothie! Have questions or smoothie making tips? Let me know in the comments below!

Enjoy!

Emmeline