5-Minute Extra Creamy Zucchini Smoothie
Looking to add more vegetables to your day? This easy 5-minute Zucchini Smoothie is the perfect way to do so! With spinach, frozen zucchini, and avocado, this smoothie recipe boasts 3 different types of vegetables, in addition to frozen pineapple for sweetness and Greek yogurt for an extra creamy smoothie texture. Makes a quick and nutritious breakfast or snack option!
I love smoothies year-round. As a Registered Dietitian, I see smoothies as a wonderful opportunity to pack lots of nutrition into a single (not to mention quick and easy) meal or snack.
Making delicious and nutritionally balanced smoothies can take some practice. But that’s what I’m here for! To make a healthy smoothie, there’s a simple formula that I like to follow. I make sure to include a solid source of protein, a few servings of fruit and/or vegetables, healthy fats, and some extra fibre.
This quick and easy (I’m talking 5 minutes easy) Zucchini Green Smoothie recipe covers all of those healthy smoothie bases. And it’s extra creamy thanks to a few key ingredients.
Creamy Zucchini Smoothie Ingredients:
To make this nutritious and extra-creamy zucchini avocado smoothie recipe, you’ll need:
- Frozen zucchini: Using frozen zucchini rather than fresh helps to give the smoothie its creamy frozen texture.
- Baby spinach: You can use fresh or frozen spinach.
- Avocado: Fresh or frozen avocado will work.
- Frozen pineapple: The pineapple lends the smoothie a sweet, tropical flavour.
- Vanilla greek yogurt: Greek yogurt also helps to lend this smoothie it’s deliciously creamy texture.
- Hemp seeds: For some extra fibre, protein, and healthy fats.
- Unsweetened milk of your choice: Like almond, dairy, cashew, or soy milk.
Can You Use Fresh or Frozen Zucchini in Smoothies?
Here’s the thing about adding zucchini to smoothies. Realistically, you can use fresh or frozen zucchini to your smoothies if you want to. Keep in mind that fresh vegetables are no more nutritious than frozen ones!
I prefer to use frozen (from raw) zucchini to my smoothies. I choose frozen, because it lends a colder, creamier consistency to my smoothie that I love. While fresh zucchini would be fine, the same texture may not be achieved.
Now, some people choose to cook their zucchini prior to freezing it for smoothies. This is fine, but also optional and not necessary. I freeze my zucchini raw (without cooking first) as this is quicker and easier for me.
Zucchini Smoothie Nutrition Benefits:
As I mentioned, I followed my balanced smoothie formula to ensure that this zucchini smoothie recipe is not only tasty, but nourishing and filling, too. Here are some of the benefits that make it nutritious and satisfying:
- High in fibre: Fibre is one of the keys for feeling full and keeping blood sugar levels stabilized. Thankfully, this smoothie is packed with fibre-rich ingredients like zucchini, baby spinach, avocado, and hemp seeds.
- High in protein: Next to fibre, protein also helps to slow digestion and keep you full for longer. In this smoothie, we get protein from both Greek yogurt (not regular yogurt) and hemp seeds. You can up the protein even more by using a higher-protein milk variety like dairy or soy.
- Contains healthy fats: Adding some fat to our smoothie with avocado and hemp seeds actually helps our bodies absorb some of the other nutrients (like vitamins A, D, E and K) in our smoothie.
- Offers important micronutrients: Thanks to the variety of vegetables and fruit in this smoothie recipe, you get important micronutrients including folate, iron, magnesium, calcium, and vitamin C.
Suggestions for Substitution & Storage:
If you don’t have certain ingredients on hand, or you have certain dietary restrictions, here are some substitution suggestions that may work for you:
- For spinach: You can always substitute another leafy green like kale in place of baby spinach.
- For frozen pineapple: If you don’t have (or enjoy) pineapple, try another frozen fruit like mango or peaches.
- For hemp seeds: Try a different seed variety, like flax or chia, or omit altogether.
- For vanilla Greek yogurt: You can use a plant-based Greek-style yogurt variety if you’re vegan and/or dairy-free. You can also use plain Greek yogurt if you prefer, but the smoothie will not be quite as sweet. Alternatively, you could use a vanilla protein powder of your choosing in place of Greek yogurt.
This smoothie recipe makes two servings. If you have leftovers, they will keep well in a sealed container (like a mason jar) in the fridge up to two days.
Connect with Hannah Magee, RD!
I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. If you try it, let me know what you think by leaving a rating and a review in the comments below. Oh, and be sure to take a photo and tag me at @hannahmagee_rd so I can re-share on my stories!
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My Favourite Blender:
My Vitamix blender is my favourite kitchen appliance! Not only does it make the smoothest, creamiest smoothies, you can also make a variety of recipes like sauces, dressings, and soups in it, too!
5-Minute Extra Creamy Zucchini Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk of choice, can add more to desired thinness
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 1/2 cups frozen zucchini
- 1 cup frozen pineapple
- 1/2 medium avocado
- 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp hemp seeds, (learn hemp seeds' nutrition benefits)
Equipment
- 1 Blender
Instructions
- Add all smoothie ingredients to a blender.
- Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour and serve!
