Blueberry Spinach Spirulina Smoothie

This light and nourishing dairy-free Blueberry Spinach Spirulina Smoothie is boasting with vegan protein, iron, fiber and immune boosting ingredients like frozen blueberries, spinach, spirulina, cinnamon, banana, chia seeds, orange juice and almond butter for a creamy, delicious, easy vegan breakfast!

My smoothie craving switch was flipped on almost immediately after we had our first warm day here in Ohio. I love this time of year because not only are smoothies easy to make, but they pack in so many nourishing foods that I just feel amazing starting my day off with.

I really like my Vegan Green Smoothie recipe, if you’re a fan of green smoothies you’ll love it! But lately my family and I have been diggin’ this Blueberry Spinach Spirulina Smoothie. I’m also a big fan of smoothie bowls! You can check out my Smoothies + Smoothie Bowls section!

The Smoothie Ingredients

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.

Plant Milk. I use flax milk in this dairy-free smoothie recipe for added omega-3’s (aiding in anti-inflammatory benefits) and fiber but I have also used rice milk. You can use whatever plant milk you have on hand. You could even try to make your own at home!

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.

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.

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. These will blend right up int the smoothie, but feel free to sprinkle more on top!

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.

Almond Butter. Nuts are often known for their anti-inflammatory benefits, and also add a bit of plant-based protein to this blueberry smoothie. If you can’t have tree nuts, you can swap this out with sunflower seed butter- which is also high in protein, vitamin E and magnesium. Or you can leave this out altogether. I’ve had this smoothie both ways and both are delish!

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. Be sure to always have frozen bananas in your freezer for when the mood hits! I like to take the bananas that are about to go bad, peel and break them in half and place them in a ziploc gallon bag to freeze for recipes that call for frozen banana. Here are some you might want to try!

Then we are also going to add pure vanilla extract and a little maple syrup for the perfect finishing touches to this Blueberry Spinach Spirulina Smoothie.

Nutritional information summerized from Healthline.com.

How to make this Blueberry Spinach Spirulina Smoothie

You probably know how to make a smoothie already, but here’s a few of my tips for an extra smooth and creamy smoothie.

Helpful Tips

Have a quality blender. 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! I personally use my blender daily for multiple recipes, so by far worth the investment.

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. I also like to add my liquid in the blender first to help move things along.

You may need to add more liquid if it’s just not moving along. Because the frozen blueberries are small, this smoothie usually doesn’t need more liquid BUT if you so need it, add it in small increments! You mostly want to make sure the frozen banana gets fully blended.

We’re not adding ice cubes to this smoothie. Instead, that is why we use frozen fruit. You can buy frozen blueberries at the grocery store, but the bananas you most likely will have to freeze on your own the night before. Im not sure why they don’t sell frozen bananas?! Hello?! Lol 😆 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.

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 😉 .

The color is brown-ish. Because we are combining blueberries with green spirulina powder as well as green spinach, the color of your smoothie may vary. If you are looking for a more purple colored smoothie, add more blueberries. The taste is just as delicious if it’s not the blueberry purple color, but sometimes we eat with our eyes first, haha, so if that matters- it’s a simple fix.

Let me know how it goes down below in the comments section, as well as giving it a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ so that others can discover this powerfully healthy (delicious) dairy-free smoothie recipe! Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!

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