This Green Tea Green Smoothie is perfect for beginner green smoothie drinkers.
A Beginner Green Tea Green Smoothie served in little shot glasses.
One day two summers ago while our family was on vacation, we were served little shot glasses of green smoothies at breakfast. Who can resist anything that’s free and comes in a cute little glass, right? Well, there were a lot of perplexed looks around the table as everyone tried to figure out whether or not to try the green concoctions. With a family of all boys who love some competition, trying the little glasses of green smoothies turned into a challenge. My oldest son, the pickiest eater in the family, surprisingly took the plunge first, and gave it a thumbs up. Once everyone realized it couldn’t taste that bad if their older brother drank it, we all followed.
There was definitely a mental block we all had to get over – a green drink doesn’t have to taste like a savory dish of vegetables. This year, I am challenging myself to eat or drink more vegetables at breakfast. Smoothies are a quick way to get multiple servings of fruits and vegetables into one glass, so if I can start my day off with a fruit and vegetable smoothie, I’ll have packed in at least 3 servings of fruits and vegetables before my day gets started.
The other day, I made a batch of this Beginner Green Tea Green Smoothie using spinach, green grapes, bananas, and green tea, and served it in little shot glasses to my kids at breakfast. Although they probably would have rejected a full glass, I knew they wouldn’t resist this green smoothie in the tiny glasses that could be gulped down in one second. I was surprised – there was no resistance at all to trying the green smoothie.
I call this a Beginner Green Tea Green Smoothie because this recipe uses more fruits than vegetables, so although this smoothie is definitely green, it tastes fruity, not vegetal. I did not want to scare my kids off, so I figured some vegetables at breakfast are better than none, right?
For an even greener Green Smoothie, check out my recipe on One Green Planet. I made this one for my husband and me, the day after I made the “strawberry” colored Beet and Orange Smoothie as a warm-up.
An even greener Green Smoothie
More Smoothie Recipes:
50+ Healthy Smoothie and Juice Recipes
Sweet Green Goddess Smoothie
Beginner Green Smoothie
Detox Beet and Carrot Smoothie
Peach Green Tea Smoothie and Green Tea Almond Smoothie
Blueberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie
A Healthy Healing Smoothie
Guava Pineapple Banana Smoothie
Mango Smoothie or Lassi (dairy-free)
Easy Fruit Smoothie
Mango Pineapple Smoothie
Beginner Green Tea Green Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups green grapes
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 cup frozen banana slices
- 1 cup green tea decaf for kids
Instructions
-
Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
looks great!!! I will be trying this
i LOVE the idea of putting green tea in :D. i think its so cute how your boys try all these healthy foods!!!
I made a green tea smoothie last summer, but with fruit no veggies, so I thought why not add it to a green smoothie. My boys are good sports and the shot glasses definitely made it easier and more fun.
Brilliant idea to give kids shots in the morning – oh yeah, shots of green smoothies I mean. Sometimes the green smoothies get old and painful toward the end even to adults, so giving them in smaller doses means you’ll actually get the nutes. And the smoothies become condensed fruits and vegetables – about half the volume of their actual size. I’m taking your advice and doing shots in the morning. Thanks
I actually bought these shot glasses just for my blog photos, so I’m glad I had a chance to use them. Smaller, fun doses are definitely a nice way to ease into a green smoothie, and you are so right, concentrated so they’re getting more than they realize in a couple of shot glasses.
I am glad you clarified the decaf green tea point for kids….was wondering how that was going to work out (peeling them off the ceiling after their smoothies!!). I love this idea, and while I have no problem getting red & purple smoothies down the little hatches, I have never served up a bright green one…yet. This just might be the ticket!
Yes, decaf for the kids! Color is so important and I have to say my kids were skeptical when I served them these little green smoothies. The shot glass sizes definitely helped. Once they tasted it, they realized that it just tasted like a fruit smoothie.
I’m in love. And going to do this.
I love the idea of serving it in shot glasses, that’s a great way to encourage kids and frankly reluctant adults to try a green drink.
I agree Sylvie – even adults have a hard time with green smoothies. I was one of them, and I think I would still like to drink them in a smaller glass than a large one.
What a great smoothie recipe! I always go for the red/pink versions so this will be a delicious change. Also glad to have discovered your great blog. Over from Blogging with Families 🙂 I agree with Sylvie, the shot glasses are a great idea!
Thanks for stopping by – I make red/orange smoothies for my kids usually, so this green smoothie was a change, but the shot glasses definitely helped.
Yum! Shot glasses are a great idea. In fact, we did a support group meeting on making green smoothies and juicing about two years ago and all the samples were served in disposable shot glasses. I didn’t think of them that way at the time, but that’s what they were. 😉 It’s so funny that we think that green willl taste so bad. Love the inclusion of green tea and I LOVE the really green ones. They tell me that the smoothie is full of even more nutrition and goodness. I swear you can can feel yourself being infused with vitamins, minerals, etc. as you drink them!
Shirley
I think the green throws people off because there are so few fruits that are green, so we automatically think it’s going to taste savory. I agree – I feel like I’m injecting my body full of nutrients when I drink smoothies.
HA! ALL my smoothies are beginners versions by your standards. I think my kids would gulp this down as well! 🙂
I love this recipe! I’m going to make it this weekend! Although my kids are 2 and 4, so I don’t know how they’ll take it. My older one can be pretty experimental though. Otherwise my husband and I will happily consume it. 🙂
Heather, you never know, kids are either super picky or super adventurous. Serving them in smaller doses like these shot glasses definitely make them more kid-friendly.
I love the shots idea. I love having smoothies but not that crazy about the green ones. Having a packed smoothies hoot might be a start. Baby steps ..
Green ones take a little warm-up, at least they did in our house. I agree…baby steps 😉
If your kids can do it, I can do it! And, actually, the color makes it look fun.
Jeanette, love how this looks and I am more likely to have it if you call it green tea than something else:). I am slow coming around to ‘juicing’ veggies but I know it is good for me. At least you added here fruits and green tea and the photos are enticing so you never know!! 🙂
Green smoothies do take some getting used to – if you did a blind taste test, I don’t think you would even know this smoothie had any vegetables in it. I agree, calling it a green tea smoothie makes it more appealing doesn’t it.
Jeanette, I love the color. Since The One is now on a health kick, I’ll try this out on him.
Thanks David – I think The One would appreciate you making one of these Green Tea Green Smoothies for him
I love a green smoothie! This one is simple and looks delicious!
I have to laugh because my kids use to look at green smoothies the same way. And now they do not even blink at them. But, I am loving the idea of adding the green tea! Totally doing that soon!
You are one step of me Kim – the green color definitely takes some getting used to…blind-folded, they would never have known there was anything green in them.
Beautiful green colour…did you use the green tea bags to make tea or loose leaves?
I used green tea bags just because I had them on hand, but loose tea leaves would work just as well (just strain of course)
So pretty… love the bright green color… and they’re healthy! Score!
I’m crazy for green smoothies! And I love this idea of having them in smaller glasses. Cheers!
I would love for you to link this recipe up to my Famous Linkz Party! I am all about green smoothies!
http://www.made-famous-by.com
Hugs,
Heather aka Made Famous By
This looks fantastic! I have always wanted to try one of those green drinks after a hard workout but I didn’t think they would taste very good. Your recipe looks easy and good enough to try. I will have to make one modification though. I am allergic to grapes so I am thinking maybe kiwi might be a good substitute??
After you try this beginner green smoothie, I think you’ll try more. I think kiwi would work perfectly. You can use whatever your favorite fruits are, just try to keep the color green or on the lighter side, otherwise you will end up with an odd colored smoothie.
HI Jeannette,
I absolutely love everything about your website, from your story of your father-in-law, to the pantry suggestions, to (naturally!) all the amazing recipes.
I would like to morph into the world of smoothies, and this seems like a great one to start with. My question is this: How does one measure 1 1/2 cups green grapes? and 1 cup baby spinach? Are we stuffing them in the measuring cup? What does 1 cup frozen banana slices usually use? A whole banana? Two?
Thank you in advance for your help! I am on my way out the door to get ingredients for your Creamless Cream of Tomato Soup…Yum!
Thank you Jennifer. I measure grapes by taking them off the stem and putting them into a measuring cup. Same with the baby spinach, just pack them into a measuring cup. 1 cup frozen bananas is probably about 1 1/2 bananas, depending on the size of the banana. This recipe is extremely flexible, so you really don’t need to measure anything. I included measurements to give readers an idea of what I used, but don’t worry about being exact. Hope you enjoy the Creamless Cream of Tomato Soup – it’s one my kids’ favorites.
This looks great! I was craving a matcha smoothie, but I don’t have any match on hand. (Or spinach or grapes, for that matter– but those I usually have). I’m going to try this version sometime, as I always have green tea bags.
This will be great for St. Patrick’s Day!!!
So excited to find this post I’m really getting into green smoothies right now, who knew throwing spinach into something would taste so good!
I am on a 30-day green smoothie “challenge” so inspiration is always welcome! Love that you used green tea. I don’t care for green tea, but I have used cooled herbal teas for smoothies in the past, I can’t believe I didn’t think of using it for the green smoothies! Thanks for the idea 🙂
I’ve tried to get my kids to drink so many green smoothies with no success but they actually like this one!!! I give them a shot glass of it before school 🙂
Thanks!!!
Cassidy – so glad you tried this on your kids. The shot glasses are great for kids – it worked on mine too. Thanks for letting me know that you all liked idea.
A little bit o’ genius to serve these in shot glasses. Down the hatch! We’ll link to you the week of April 1, which we have declared is Green Smoothie Week!
–Your friendly Southern California farmers at Cut ‘N Clean Greens
https://www.facebook.com/Cut.n.Clean.Greens
I’m embarrassed to ask! Is the green tea brewed already when you put it in or are we adding tea leaves? Help this clueless woman!
Hi Rosheen, thanks for your question. The green tea is brewed, so just use a green tea bag if you have it and brew a cup.
hi
I made a smoothie with:
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup frozen banana slices
1 cup green tea
2 kiwi
1 ring/slice of pineapple
It was very good 🙂 I will have to try with the grapes as well.
Thanks for sharing Justin – sounds really good! I’ll have to give that a try next time.
Wow these look great and I love the idea. Sometimes I put too many things in my smoothies and they start out purple and after awhile they turn gray and I end up choking them down, not too appetizing! I cant wait to try
these, especially with the green tea!
Your green Smoothies are wonderful but I’m leaving out the green tea. Took me a while to figure out that my headaches are a fairly common side effect of green tea. (I finally googled it)
Hi
Why frozen banana slices? What’s wrong with fresh banana?
Thanks.
Jon – you can use fresh bananas. I just like frozen ones to help make the smoothie cold without ice.
I will try it in the morning….. I am diabetic do you think its diabetic safe
Keisha, grapes and bananas like other fruits contain carbs, although they contain fiber too. Here are a few articles you might want to read:
http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/making-healthy-food-choices/can-you-still-eat-bananas-with-type-2.html
http://www.joybauer.com/photo-gallery/worst-foods-for-diabetes.aspx
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/08/30/type-2-diabetes-risk-factors-fruit_n_3841300.html?just_reloaded=1