Smoothies are incredibly refreshing for the hot summer months and they are jam packed with nutrients to keep you feeling energized throughout the day. However, making a smoothie takes a lot of time and they only stay fresh in the fridge for 1-2 days. This green smoothie cubes recipe will save you a lot of time and help you make healthier choices throughout the week.
Store-bought smoothies often contain ‘fruit juices’. According to Nutritionist, Corrina Rachel, this means that the fiber from the fruits have been removed leaving mostly sugar and water (1). When you make your smoothies at home, you know exactly what goes into it. All of the nutrients from the fruits and vegetables goes right into your body!
This recipe takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and will save you a lot of time throughout the week. You will need some ice cube trays and a smoothie recipe of your choice (I’ve linked to some of my favourites below).
If you do not feel like having a smoothie, you can simply use fresh vegetable juice, freeze it into cubes and enjoy it all the same.
The 60/40 Green Smoothie Formula
Sometimes green smoothies don’t always turn out right, especially during your first few attempts. Follow this simple formula to turn any fruit smoothie into a fresh green smoothie: 60% fruits to 40% leafy greens (2).
Blend 2 cups of leafy greens, 2 cups of a liquid base (I like to use coconut water or unsweetened vanilla almond milk) and 3 cups of ripe frozen fruit. That way you won’t be able to taste the greens at all!
Nutrient Dense Toppings
Add your choice of toppings for a kick of nutritional benefits. Some topping ideas are chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, nut butter, collagen powder, protein etc.
- Chia seeds – Omega-3 essential fatty acids (“good” fats)
- Flax seeds – Omega-3 essential fatty acids & Fiber
- Hemp seeds – Healthy digestion, improves hair, skin & nails
- Nut butter – High protein, stablizes blood sugar
- Tumeric – Reduces inflammation
- Collagen powder – High in vitamin E, improves hair, skin & nails
- Protein powder – Helps build muscle by repairing tissue
- Wheatgrass powder – Antioxidants, may help lower blood cholesterol
- Spirulina powder – Anti-inflamatory, anti-cancer properties
Healthy Green Smoothie Cubes Recipe
For this recipe, I decided to go with a refreshing mango citrus green smoothie. You will need to find a few empty ice trays before getting started!
Ingredients
Servings: Customizable, Prep time: 20 minutes, Freeze: Overnight
- 2 cups kale
- 2 cup coconut water or water (your choice of base liquid)
- 1 cup frozen mango, chunks
- 1 cup frozen orange, chunks
- frozen banana
- whole lemon, juiced
Optional Toppings
- 1 tsp chia seeds, whole or ground
- 1 tsp ground flax seed
- 2 tbsp collagen powder
- 1 tsp tumeric powder
- 1 tbsp spirulina powder
Directions
- Blend coconut water (base liquid) with kale (your choice of leafy greens).
- Add frozen mangos, oranges, bananas and additional toppings, blend until smooth.
- Pour the smoothie into the ice cube trays.
- Freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
Serving Sizes: Green Smoothie Cubes
- Full-sized: 8 smoothie cubes
- Size-sized: 4 smoothie cubes
Choose your Serving Option
- Blend into a smoothie– Blend the selected serving size with a liquid base of your chose (I typically go with unsweetened almond milk, oat milk or water).
- Serve it cold– Toss some smoothie cubes into your bottle of water. It will dissolve over time and give your water a fruity taste.
- Serve it warm– Toss some smoothie cubes into a cup, use warm water to melt the cubes. This may be a good option for those who prefer starting the day with a warm drink.
Nutrition: Healthy Green Smoothie Cubes Recipe
Calories: 173, Fat: 1.9g, Protein: 10g, Carbs: 31.4g
Other Healthy Green Smoothies Recipes to Try!
The wonderful thing about smoothie cubes is you can make so many drink combinations!
- Peanut Butter & Banana Green Smoothie (by PickUpLimes)
- Banana, Berries & Spinach Green Smoothie (by MinimalistBaker)
Conclusion
Spending that little bit of time to prep healthier food and drink options goes a long way. When you’re heading off to start your day, you can simply throw in a few smoothie cubes into a bottle and enjoy the natural boost of energy. If you enjoyed this recipe, feel free to check out other quick meal prep recipes here.
