Mango Spinach Smoothie- No Banana

This nutrient dense mango spinach smoothie is definitely what you want for breakfast, today, tomorrow and every day. Make this easy vegan smoothie a part of your healthy eating routine because it keeps you full and energetic. If you have ever wondered how spinach tastes in a smoothie, you cannot taste the spinach at all. 

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A few years back, if someone had asked me to add spinach to a smoothie, I would have probably run a mile. In my thirties, I m welcome to the idea of making all my meals not only delicious but also nutritious. Over the years, my smoothie making experience has made me wiser and more knowledgeable about nutrient values. 

Now I know that a mango green smoothie can be made just as delicious as any other smoothie.

You will love this mango green smoothie because

1. It s creamy and sweet but has no banana.
2. how can one ever say no to a green glow smoothie that is a fantastic mid-morning post gym pick-me-up?
3. This smoothie is vegan and gluten-free.
4. you can make this a part of your meal-plans.
5. sweet mangoes, plant milk and herbs are an insanely delicious way to kick start the morning.
6. protein rules in this smoothie.
7. This has no refined sugar and can easily be made sugar-free.

Jump to:

• Building blocks of a green smoothie
• Variations
• Ingredients- substitutes
• Mango Spinach Smoothie
• More Smoothies

Have I convinced you enough? Shall we talk more about getting that green smoothie right?

Building blocks of a green smoothie

If you ever thought that a green smoothie can be made only in one or two ways, I m here to change that. There are so many fruits, herbs, veggies and greens that can work together to make some of the best green smoothies ever.

Fruits that work well in a green smoothie-

Apart from the humble yet healthy banana that not many people love these days, fruits like pineapple, kiwi, pears, berries and mangoes are great in green smoothies. Since mangoes and zucchini are in season, I chose these two. A few chunks of pineapple or some cored pears work in this smoothie just as well.

Greens that you can add to a smoothie-

Very often, when people think of green smoothies, they only think of baby spinach or romaine lettuce. But greens include herbs too. Kale is fantastic in a smoothie as well.

Herbs that make a smoothie amazing include sweet basil, parsley and arugula. You have to try our Pear Arugula Smoothie to believe this!

Substitutes for banana in a smoothie-

Well, there was a time when banana ruled the smoothie game but not anymore. For the most part, bananas are healthy and a fantastic source of fiber. They are not preferred by some because its not ideal for low calorie diets.

So, what else can be added instead? Zucchini, pineapple, cucumber, roasted sweet potatoes are perfect replacements for bananas. They add body to the smoothie and also a rich source of fiber.

Protein rich smoothies-

I have never bought the idea of a protein supplement, not even when I was pregnant. The upside to being a vegan or vegetarian means you are always looking for creative ways to make your food protein rich. 

Flax seeds, hemp hearts and chia seeds along with nut butter can be included in any smoothie recipe to make it protein-dense. Seeds and nut butters are not only rich in protein but also a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids.

Fun fact- hemp hearts are a whole protein. Include them in your smoothies, soups or top your avocado toasts with these.

Amp up the fiber-

Smoothies are excellent ways to improve your fiber intake. Other than fruits, you can also add gluten free oats or millet flakes for a fiber rich smoothie.

Grain-free smoothies-

Since I have added gluten-free rolled oats in this recipe, it is not grain free. You can easily make this a grain-free green smoothie by adding millet flakes or coconut flour or almond flour. The easiest way to a grain-free smoothie is to skip the oats. Use a banana or roasted sweet potato instead.

Spices in smoothies-

Yes, you heard me right. Ground spices add a nice earthy flavor to smoothies. Ginger, cinnamon and Ashwanganda (Indian Ginseng) are potent spices to add to your smoothies.

Liquids for a smoothie-

All plant based milk are great for this smoothie. But if you are not a fan of non-dairy milk, consider making this smoothie with just water or switch to chilled coconut water. This is true for all smoothies and not for just this one.

Variations

1. For a different green smoothie, use 1 cup kale instead of baby spinach. 
2. You can easily make this a no-sugar added smoothie. Just choose the sweetest mangoes possible. Natural sugars in mango are more than enough to sweeten this up.
3. Use other non-dairy milk instead of oat milk. Almond milk and pistachio milk are great choices.
4. Include other dried fruit like apricots, figs or prunes. Just soak them in hot water for 10 mins before adding them to the blender. This helps in smooth blending.
5. Make a banana mango spinach smoothie by adding 1 cup peeled and chopped banana instead of the zucchini for a classic mango banana green smoothie.
6. To make this healthy mango smoothie with spinach healthier, add soaked nuts or nut butter.
7. Get inspired by this pineapple turmeric smoothie and blend some mango pineapple spinach smoothie. Add that turmeric and take the ginger up a notch for a zesty and flavor packed breakfast drink.
8. Make a mango spinach smoothie bowl by emptying this smoothie into a bowl and topping it with coconut flakes, hemp hearts, roasted nuts and other fruits. A scoop of peanut butter or almond butter is good too!

Ingredients- substitutes

For the complete ingredient list, refer the recipe card. Here is a list of substitutes for the ingredients in this recipe.

Mangoes- I have used Thai mangoes for this smoothie. You can use any mango. Use frozen mango chunks if you cannot find fresh mangoes.

Spinach- organic baby spinach or salad spinach is my favorite greens to add to a green smoothie. You can substitute this with kale or romaine lettuce. 

Oat milk- I have used organic oat milk. You can make this healthy mango smoothie with almond milk too. Choose unsweetened almond milk to skip the added sugars.

Maple syrup– The mangoes that I added were not too sweet. So I had to use maple syrup. You can also add monk syrup, agave nectar or skip the sweetener altogether.

 

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More Smoothies

Whether you are making your way into whole foods or trying to be a breakfast person, a healthy smoothie is a good place to begin with. Here are some delicious morning pick-me-ups.