Anti-Inflammatory Vegan Green Smoothie
This refreshing and light Anti-Inflammatory Vegan Green Smoothie is full of anti-inflammatory, immune boosting ingredients like spinach, mango, avocado, cinnamon, turmeric, chia seeds, spirulina, and almond butter for a creamy, delicious, easy healthy vegan breakfast!
If you’ve read other breakfast blog posts on my blog, you’ll probably know that breakfast isn’t quite my favorite meal… I kind of get tired of the same things over and over- and let’s face it… a lot of the good breakfast dishes, at least in America, include eggs, meat, and bread lol. Or lots of sugar like with pancakes and waffles.
I had the craving for a smoothie one morning, in the middle of a snow storm in January nonetheless, which I don’t know about you, but smoothies in winter are usually off the breakfast menu for me because I crave something warming. BUT I went to my fridge to see what I had on hand to satisfy my smoothie craving, and to my surprise- this Anti-Inflammatory Vegan Green Smoothie has actually become my new favorite! It’s so good! My kids suck it down too π
This Anti-Inflammatory Vegan Green Smoothie includes wholesome, plant-based ingredients specifically known to have anti-inflammatory effects.
Let’s take a closer peek!
β Spinach: Spinach has many beneficial nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, K1, folic acid, calcium, and iron, but is also one of the richest dietary sources of quercetin, an antioxidant that helps ward off infection and inflammation.
β Avocado: Avocado is rich in nutrients that are often lacking in many peopleβs diets, including magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, and B6- which particularly helps suppress inflammation. The good fats in the avocado in this smoothie will also help with turmeric absorption.
β Frozen Mango: Not only is mango high in vitamin C to help with absorption of the iron in the spinach and for boosting immunity, but it also contains B6 just like avocados. Mango is actually great for digestive health as well- which we are all learning that most of our immune system stems from our gut.
β Plant Milk: I use flax milk in this green smoothie recipe for added omega-3’s (aiding in anti-inflammatory benefits) and fiber but you can use whatever plant milk you have on hand. You could even try to make your own at home.
β Orange Juice: By adding just a splash of orange juice you will be adding some great vitamin C to this smoothie which aids in iron absorption from the spinach. It also helps move the smoothie along to create the best smoothie consistency.
β Cinnamon: Cinnamon by far is my favorite spice. I use it all.the.time! It’s great in this smoothie recipe to add a touch of sweet spice, but cinnamon is also high in antioxidants as well as containing anti-inflammatory properties. It’s best to use Ceylon cinnamon– also known as true cinnamon and can be found on Amazon.
β Turmeric: Turmeric has been gaining popularity lately for it’s anti-inflammatory properties, but it has actually been used in India for thousands of years as both a spice and medicinal herb. Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric and is fat soluble, which means that it’s best absorbed with fats or oils: hello again avocado π You could also add a pinch of black pepper as research shows that the active ingredient in black pepper also helps with turmeric absorption.
β Chia Seeds: Aside from being such a powerhouse of a food, chia seeds are high in antioxidants, specifically caffeic acid and the quercetin we also see in spinach to help with inflammation.
β Spirulina: Spirulina, a type of blue-green algae, grows in both fresh and salt water and is dubbed one of the most nutritional foods on the planet! It gives all the essential amino acids that you need, so not only is it high in protein, but it also has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Phycocyanin, the primary antioxidant in spirulina that gives it the unique blue-green color, can help inhibit production of inflammatory signaling molecules from free radicals. Pretty neat! It’s pretty popular nowadays, so you can find it in stores but also online.
β Almond Butter: Nuts are often known for their anti-inflammatory benefits, and also add a bit of plant-based protein to this green smoothie. If you can’t have tree nuts, you can swap this out with sunflower seed butter- which is also high in protein and vitamin E and magnesium. Or you can leave this out altogether. I’ve had this smoothie both ways and both are delish!
β Frozen Banana: While bananas aren’t necessarily an anti-inflammatory food, they do provide large amounts of nutrients, fiber, and help add a touch of natural sweetness and creaminess to this green smoothie.
Then we are also going to add pure vanilla extract and a little maple syrup for the perfect finishing touches to this green smoothie.
How to make this Anti-Inflammatory Vegan Green Smoothie
So, you probably know how to make a smoothie, lol. BUT a few things I’d like to go over to get just the right consistency.
β Having a quality blender is helpful in making sure all of the ingredients are fully blended. I understand they can be pretty pricey, but if you enjoy smoothies, I definitely think splurging a tad on a good blender is worth it!
β Start off slow when you blend and then increase the speed. If your blender has this ability it will help the frozen fruit from getting stuck.
β You may need to add more liquid if it’s just not moving along. BUT do this in small increments! The size of your mango chunks, the size banana and avocado you use all make a difference, so just see how it’s going.
β We’re not adding ice cubes to this smoothie. Instead, that is why we use frozen fruit. You can buy mango frozen at the grocery store, but the bananas you most likely will have to freeze on your own the night before. I like to take the really ripe bananas that nobody wants to eat, peel them, break them in half and freeze them for smoothies! I always have frozen bananas in my freezer. It cuts back on food waste while also putting them to good use! So be sure to have frozen bananas before you make this smoothie recipe. The night before is great.
β Thick vs. thin smoothie. So if you like thicker smoothies, add more frozen fruit. If you like thinner smoothie consistency add a bit more liquid. This part is all your own preference. I like my smoothies somewhere in the middle π
This smoothie is so easy and delicious I think you’re going to love it just like my family and I! And it’ll leave your skin glowing, your tummy happy, and give you an anti-inflammatory start to your day! Let me know how it goes down below in the comments section, as well as giving it a rating βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ so that others can discover this powerfully healthy smoothie recipe! Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
If you’re a smoothie lover, be sure to check out these other smoothies!
COOKIE MOSTER SMOOTHIE BOWL
STRAWBERRY BANANA SUNDAE SMOOTHIE BOWLS
VEGAN PUMPKIN PIE SMOOTHIE BOWL
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Anti-Inflammatory Vegan Green Smoothie
This refreshing and light Anti-Inflammatory Vegan Green Smoothie is full of anti-inflammatory, immune boosting ingredients like spinach, mango, avocado, cinnamon, turmeric, chia seeds, spirulina, and almond butter for a creamy, delicious, easy healthy vegan breakfast!
Ingredients
- 1 cup flax milk (or other plant milk)
- 1 cup frozen mango chunks
- 2 cups loosely packed spinach leaves
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/2 large frozen banana
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon spirulina powder
- generous pinch of turmeric
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon almond butter/sunflower seed butter
- 3-5 tablespoons orange juice
- pinch of black pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to your high speed blender starting with the milk and blend until smooth. I like to add the orange juice at the end as it's blending to help it along if the frozen fruit gets stuck, but just add it 1 tablespoon at a time until you achieve the desired smoothie consistency. If it's too thin, add a few more chunks of frozen mango.
