This Espresso Almond Butter Green Smoothie Starts Your Mornings Off Right
Take On Your New Year’s Resolutions With This Healthy, Energizing Breakfast Smoothie
If you’re one of the roughly 51 percent of Americans who will make the resolution to eat healthier in 2021, you’re in the right place. We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and this green smoothie packed with protein, healthy fats, and (of course) espresso gives you the long-lasting energy you need to get through the day. While some might not think green is the most appetizing color, we promise this smoothie makes up for it in taste: banana, almond butter, and honey are sweet and nutty, and espresso adds an extra layer of flavor (and a sweet caffeine boost) that’s sure to improve your busy mornings. One cup breakfast? Yes please.
The Green Smoothie Ratio
You can, in fact, have too much of a good thing. And if you’ve ever put too much spinach or kale into your green smoothie, you’ll know that firsthand. Though we’re not opposed to enjoying a big salad, we don’t want our smoothie to taste like one – that’s where the green smoothie ratio comes in.
Roughly speaking, you’ll want to use a 1:1:2 ratio, or one part liquid, one part greens, and two parts fruit. Liquid choices are endless, though we like using nut milks for extra flavor and creamy texture. For greens, we prefer the less bitter tastes of spinach and kale, but other options like collards or beet greens can work too.
When it comes to fruit, we (almost) always use a frozen banana as the base. They’re cheap, freeze easily, and give your smoothie a delicious, frosty creaminess. Banana also plays beautifully with espresso and nut butters, as we used here. If you’re looking to add some extra fruit, just remember to aim for the 1:1:2 ratio and swap as you please.
Lastly, we have add-ins. Though not part of the green ratio, extras like espresso powder, almond butter, honey, and vanilla are key to giving your smoothie plenty of flavor – and can pack in some additional nutrition, too. We also like options like chia seeds, flax seeds, and oats.
Want to switch up your breakfast smoothies? Try our dirty chai smoothie or our espresso peanut butter banana smoothie.
Ingredients
2 cups frozen banana
1 cup spinach or kale
2 tbsp almond butter
2 tsp honey
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp instant espresso powder
1 cup almond milk
Directions
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
If the smoothie is too thick, add additional liquid and blend again.
Pour into a cup and enjoy!