This blueberry spinach smoothie recipe is the perfect simple breakfast or snack. Perfect for breakfast on the go, this blueberry spinach smoothie without yogurt is deliciously thick and creamy and packed full of nutrition.
Why this recipe works
- Low carb: This blueberry spinach smoothie is made without bananas or sugary ingredients, so it’s low in carbs and won’t spike your blood sugar like other smoothies might!
- Nutrient-dense: Packed with protein, healthy fats and fiber, this blueberry smoothie is the perfect balanced meal and you can eat it on the go! The perfect solution to your busy mornings!
- Flexible: Eat your smoothie in a bowl with your favorite toppings like this homemade granola to make it even more filling and enjoyable! It’s super thick and satisfying!
Ingredients
Frozen spinach: using frozen spinach is an easy way to get more veggies into your daily routine. Frozen spinach has much more spinach per cup because it’s been steamed before being frozen. If you will be using fresh spinach, I recommend doubling the amount.
Frozen blueberries: blueberries are what give this smoothie it’s incredible taste and color. I recommend using frozen blueberries as they help make this smoothie thick, smooth and creamy. If you want to use fresh blueberries you can, just be sure to add 1/4 cup of ice to get the same texture and consistency.
Ground flax seeds: ground flax helps thicken the texture of the smoothie and adds some healthy fats and fiber. If you don’t have flax seeds you can use chia seeds or ground chia seeds (sometimes called chia protein) instead.
Nut butter or coconut butter: add your favorite type of nut butter, peanut butter, tahini or coconut butter to this recipe. You really can’t go wrong on what you use here as it will help to make it creamy and dreamy.
Vanilla protein powder: protein powder helps sweeten, thicken and increase the protein. I recommend using a vegan protein powder such as Nuzest. However, you can use any protein powder you prefer. If you do not have protein powder you can omit and instead add in 1/4 cup of rolled oats with 1-2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup for sweetness.
Dairy free milk: use any kind of milk here you prefer. Almond milk, oat milk, flax milk, cashew milk. If you are not dairy free you can use cow’s milk here. If you don’t have milk on hand you can use water.
How to make a blueberry spinach smoothie
Blueberry smoothies with spinach can be thrown together in under 5 minutes. To get tips on how to get them together even faster be sure to check out the meal plan tips below!
- Start by getting out all of the ingredients.
- Measure the ingredients and add them to your high speed blender.
- Blend on high until smooth. Serve in a cup or pour into a bowl and top with your favorite toppings.
How to make a smoothie more filling
Protein: Protein is known to be very satisfying and the lack of protein in a meal can actually be what makes you feel very hungry very fast. Adding protein will make your smoothies instantly more satisfying!
This recipe uses protein powder to add protein. Protein powder is easy to digest and a great choice when you are trying to get breakfast on the go in under 5 minutes!
Read up on the best protein powder for smoothies from EverydaySmoothies.com learn more
Healthy fats: Fats help fill you up and are also very important for the absorption of other vitamins and minerals. One of the easiest ways to add fats by adding a nut butter. Almond butter, coconut butter, sunflower seeds butter or even peanut butter all work here!
Vegetables: vegetables not only add a ton of vitamins and minerals but they also help add more fiber and volume to the smoothie, making it more filling.
Fiber: fiber is known to help you feel physically full after eating. By adding ground flax seeds or chia seeds, this adds a ton of fiber and also helps thicken the smoothies, making them more like a milkshake consistency!
Smoothie bowl toppings ideas
You can enjoy this blueberry spinach smoothie out of a glass or you can pour it into into a bowl and make it a smoothie bowl. Turn this into a blueberry spinach smoothie bowl by adding a 1/4 cup rolled oats to help thicken and make it the perfect consistency. Pour it into a bowl and add your favorite toppings.
- Sliced fruit: use any fruit fresh or frozen
- Granola: I enjoy my 4 ingredient granola on smoothie bowls to add a yummy crunch.
- Chopped nuts or seeds: cashews, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin nor sunflower seeds.
- Nut butter: Drizzle your favorite nut butter such as almond, cashew, sunbutter or even tahini.
- Coconut: Toasted coconut flakes, coconut butter or coconut whip would add some good healthy fats.
- Hemp hearts, fax or Chia seeds
Common questions
The best blueberries to use in smoothies
I recommend buying frozen blueberries for smoothies. Since they are frozen, they help keep the smoothie cold and thick when blending.
Try to grab organic or wild frozen blueberries when you are at the store. Blueberries are highly sprayed and are always on the dirty 15 list, so grab organic when you can!
The best dairy free milk to use in smoothies
I always recommend using a unsweetened dairy free milk. Here are some of my favorites:
- Almond milk
- Cashew milk
- Oat milk
- Hemp milk
- Coconut milk (in the carton not in the can)
The best nut butter to use in smoothies
The nut butter adds healthy fats and also helps add a creamy consistency to the smoothies. Here are some great ideas:
- Coconut butter
- Almond butter
- Sunflower seed butter
- Cashew butter
- Peanut butter
- Tahini
The best protein powder to use in smoothies
I used a vegan protein powder. Vegan protein powders absorb liquid and can help give a thicker texture.
If you cannot tolerate vegan protein powders or prefer not to use it, you can also you whatever your favorite protein powder is: whey, collagen, egg white, beef. If your protein powder is unflavored, you may want to add vanilla extract to help enhance the flavor.
You could also omit the protein powder and add hemp hearts (vegan) or greek yogurt for more protein.
How to sweeten a smoothie without banana
This low carb smoothie is sweetened by the blueberries and also gets additional sweetness from the protein powder.
If that is not sweet enough, you can 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey to your smoothies or you could add sweeter fruits like frozen cherries or 1-2 pitted dates.
If you don’t have frozen spinach
You can also use frozen kale, frozen cauliflower rice or even frozen zucchini in place of the frozen spinach. You can also use fresh spinach but the texture may not be as creamy and thick.
If you don’t have ground flax seed
The ground flax helps to thicken the smoothie. If you don’t have any ground flax seed, you can also use chia seeds. If you have whole flax seeds, you can grind them down in your blender before adding them to the smoothie.
If you are not able to add flax or chia seeds, you can omit them from the recipe however you may need to add a little less liquid (2 tablespoons up to ¼ cup depending on how thick you like your smoothies).
How to meal prep smoothies
You can measure out certain ingredients and divide them into freezer safe bags or containers so you can make smoothies even faster in the morning.
For this blueberry spinach smoothie recipe, simply measure out the frozen blueberries, frozen spinach, ground flax and store them all in a freezer safe bag. In the morning, add the contents of the bag to the blender. Add a serving of protein powder, dairy free milk and a tablespoon of your favorite nut butter. Blend on high.
How to store smoothies
This smoothie can be stored in the fridge for 24-48 hours in a sealed glass container. I like to use mason jars with a tight fitting lid for this.
Substitutions
Frozen Spinach: If you don’t have frozen spinach on hand you can use fresh spinach, baby spinach, zucchini or kale. Alternatively, you could also use cauliflower rice which will make this an extra creamy smoothie.
Frozen Blueberries: this recipe was written to use frozen blueberries but you can use any berries you enjoy. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries would be a great alterative. You can also use fresh blueberries with 1/4 cup of ice.
Nut Butter: use any kind of nut butter you prefer here. Almond butter, cashew butter, tahini, sunbutter, peanut butter or you can use coconut butter. If you are nut free you could add a serving of Greek style yogurt in place of the nut butter.
Flax seeds: If you don’t have flax seeds available, you can use chia seeds or ground chia seeds or simply omit.
Protein powder: I recommend using a vegan protein powder as it helps add a nice thick consistency to smoothies but you can use any protein powder you prefer. If you want to omit protein powder from this recipe you can, just be sure to add 1/4 cup of oats for thickness and 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey for sweetness.
Dairy free milk: you can use any kind of milk you enjoy or water here. Almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, flax milk. You can also use regular dairy milk here if you are not dairy free.
If you love this recipe, you should try
Blueberry Spinach Smoothie
Guided Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 3/4-1 cup frozen spinach
- 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 tbs. flax seeds
- 1 tbs. coconut butter - or nut butter of choice, see notes
- 1 serving vanilla vegan protein powder - Nuzest
- 1/2 – 1 cup dairy free milk - see notes
Instructions
Measure and Blend Ingredients
- Add ingredients to the blender in the order listed.
- Blend until smooth
Equipment
- High speed blender
Notes
- Almond butter
- Sunflower seed butter
- Cashew butter
- Peanut butter
- Tahini
- Almond milk
- Cashew milk
- Oat milk
- Hemp milk
- Coconut milk (in the carton not in the can)
- Frozen kale
- Frozen cauliflower rice
- Frozen zucchini
Sarah
Sunday 17th of October 2021
Eat your greens! This is one of my favorite smoothies. Add some spirulina too for an intense neon-green color. Bon appetit and have a great morning!
Deborah Davis
Monday 22nd of June 2015
I love to include healthy, nutritious smoothies in my diet in a variety of ways, so I am delighted that you shared your wonderful Blueberry Smoothie recipe with us on the Healthy Happy Green and Natural Party Blog Hop. I'm pinning and sharing.
Stephanie
Monday 22nd of June 2015
Cannot get enough smoothie recipes!! Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday! Your recipe has been pinned to the Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board! Please join us again this week!
Jess @hellotofit
Tuesday 16th of June 2015
I used to eat bfast in the car every morning, but it left me feeling kind of stressed haha. Now I make time to have it before I leave. It feels nice to sit and enjoy breakfast sometimes! Looks delish, Sam :)
Sue @ This Mama Runs for Cupcakes
Tuesday 16th of June 2015
I have not tried coconut butter yet! I'm not a huge fan of the coconut flavor, although I don't mind coconut oil!