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Spinach and Banana Smoothie with Apple Juice
The spinach and banana smoothie with apple juice and celery is one of those genuinely virtuous green drinks that tastes far better than its leafy ingredients suggest. Sweet ripe banana balances the gentle earthy spinach, crisp celery adds a pleasant fresh edge, and a generous pour of apple juice ties the whole thing together with a clean fruity backbone. The bright green colour signals freshness from the very first sip and makes a wonderful talking point at the breakfast table on a busy weekday morning.
Best of all, the recipe takes barely five minutes from start to finish, requires nothing more sophisticated than a basic blender, and uses ingredients that most households already have on hand. Spinach loses absolutely none of its nutritional value when blended raw, banana provides the natural creaminess that makes the drink feel like a treat rather than a chore, and apple juice masks any lingering vegetable note. The result is a satisfying, healthy snack that suits any time of day.
Preparation time: 5 minutes.
Ingredients
Show ingredients
- bananas - 2 pcs;
- apple juice - 250 ml;
- spinach - 35 g;
- celery - 110 g.
Preparation
- Gather the ingredients for the spinach and banana smoothie. Wash the bananas, dry them on a clean towel and peel away the skins. Wash the spinach and celery thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry. Cut the celery stalk into shorter pieces that will fit comfortably in the blender jug without jamming the blades.
- Place the two peeled bananas in the blender bowl. Banana acts as the natural thickener and sweetener of the drink, so make sure both fruits are properly ripe with brown speckles on the skin for the very best flavour and the smoothest possible texture in the finished smoothie.
- Add 35 grams of fresh spinach leaves on top of the bananas. Baby spinach works best because the leaves are tender and have a milder flavour than mature ones, but ordinary fresh spinach is fine if that is what you have on hand at home today.
- Add 110 grams of chopped celery to the blender bowl. Celery contains a lot of stringy fibre, so cutting it into shorter pieces beforehand prevents long fibrous strands from wrapping around the blender blade and slowing down the blending process unnecessarily during the next step.
- Pour 250 millilitres of apple juice over the green ingredients. The juice provides both the necessary liquid base and the natural sweetness that masks any lingering vegetable note in the finished drink, so do not be tempted to skimp on the quantity called for in the recipe.
- Lock the lid securely in place and switch the blender to its dedicated smoothie programme, or run it on high speed for one to a maximum of two minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides once if any chunks of fruit cling to the wall above the blade.
- The finished drink should look uniformly bright green with a thick frothy crown on top. If you see any visible flecks of unblended spinach or stringy bits of celery, run the blender for another thirty seconds until the texture is completely smooth and homogeneous.
- Pour the finished spinach and banana smoothie into tall chilled glasses and serve immediately while the foam is still light and airy. Add a slice of fresh apple to the rim if you wish for an extra decorative touch, and enjoy this delicious healthy drink. Bon appétit!
Cooking video
Tips and Tricks
Tip 1. Frozen banana chunks transform this smoothie from a refreshing drink into a properly thick milkshake-style treat that holds its shape in the glass for far longer in a warm room. Peel ripe bananas, cut them into rounds and freeze on a tray before transferring to a sealed bag, so you always have some ready in the freezer for spontaneous smoothie sessions whenever the urge strikes.
Tip 2. Freshly squeezed apple juice has a brighter cleaner taste than carton varieties from the supermarket and contains far more naturally occurring vitamins and antioxidants. For another simple blender recipe to add to your weekly rotation, try our beautifully creamy kiwi and banana smoothie in a blender, which uses milk and ice cream for a richer dessert-style finish.
Tip 3. A small handful of fresh mint leaves dropped in at the start adds a beautifully cooling note that pairs especially well with the green spinach and celery base of this drink. Avoid dried mint here, since it tastes musty and faintly bitter rather than fresh, and never adds quite the same brightness or aromatic lift to the finished glass on the table.
Tip 4. Boost the protein content with a single scoop of unflavoured powder for a more substantial post-workout drink that keeps hunger at bay for hours. For another vitamin-packed blender drink to add variety to your morning routine, our refreshing vitamin smoothie in a blender with kiwi and apple juice makes an excellent green companion.
FAQ
Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?
Yes, frozen spinach works perfectly well in this smoothie and actually blends to a smoother texture than fresh leaves do. Use about half the weight of frozen since it is more concentrated than the fluffy fresh leaves. Thaw briefly first or add it straight from the freezer if you prefer an extra-cold drink. The colour will be slightly darker than the fresh version, but the flavour stays bright and the nutritional profile remains practically identical.
Why does my smoothie taste too strongly of celery?
Celery flavour can dominate when the bananas are not ripe enough or when the celery stalk has reached an older tougher stage in the supermarket. Use only fully ripe bananas with brown speckles for maximum natural sweetness, choose tender pale-green celery from the centre of the bunch, and consider reducing the celery quantity slightly if your palate finds the taste too herbal. A small drizzle of honey also helps balance.
How long does this smoothie keep?
Drink the smoothie within twelve hours when stored sealed in a clean glass bottle in the refrigerator. Always shake the bottle well before pouring, since the spinach and celery fibres will inevitably settle to the bottom over time during storage in the fridge. The colour will darken slightly as the drink stands, but the flavour holds up remarkably well thanks to the natural acidity from the apple juice in the original recipe.
Can I add other fruits to vary the flavour?
Absolutely. Half a ripe pear, a handful of fresh pineapple chunks, a peeled kiwi or a small green apple all work beautifully in this smoothie and complement the existing spinach and banana base without clashing. Berries change the colour to a muddy brown but still taste lovely if you do not mind the appearance. Avoid citrus fruits with thick pith, since they can give the drink an unexpectedly bitter aftertaste.
