Let’s talk green! If you’ve never tried a green smoothie before because you’re not that big a fan of any leaves and you probably despise anyone who adores their vegetables, try again! Subtly introducing leafy greens such as spinach and kale to your smoothies makes them twice as healthy and is a great boost to your immune system. Believe me it’s not as bad as you think. This smoothie uses bananas and mangoes that are incredibly sweet in flavour to mask even the slightest taste of kale. That definitely makes it a perfect solution for any of you that have a hard time fulfilling your daily dose of greens.
PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS (serves 1)
- 1 whole ripe mango (fresh or frozen)
- 1 frozen banana (chopped)
- 1 large curly kale leaf
- 1 cup of coconut flesh
- 1/4 cup coconut water
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon bee pollen
- 1/2 teaspoon flaked almonds
- Few mint leaves
METHOD
This smoothie is adapted from my basic recipe for a Mango & coconut smoothie bowl, only this time it’s got an added bonus : Kale!
In my previous post, Superfood snack bowls: Kale chips I spoke about the goodness of kale and how important it is to make it a part of your routine in any way that appeals to you. A bowlful of kale chips might sound easier to snack on but adding kale to your smoothies is another simple way to load up on kale and is sure to keep you hydrated as well.
Although this is essentially a fruit smoothie, it tastes just as sweet even with the addition of greens and no artificial sugars as it contains bananas, mangoes and coconut that are natural sweeteners themselves.
To know how to prep a fresh mango, look up one of my previous posts Breakfast smoothie bowls : Mango
Add the coconut water, chopped frozen banana, mango and kale to the blender. Blend for a few minutes until smooth. Pour into a bowl and stir through the chia seeds saving some for the topping. Top it up with mango, coconut, chia seeds, bee pollen, flaked almonds and mint leaves.
If you give this recipe a go, I’d love to see how it turned out. Leave a comment below and share your pictures on Instagram using the tag #thecookbooklife!
Stay healthy!
Nikita xx
The Cookbook Life 