The Ultimate Kale Smoothie

Are you looking for a delicious and healthy drink to kick off the new year? Look no further than The Ultimate Kale Smoothie! This delicious, creamy smoothie is packed with fresh fruit, creamy almond milk, and one of my all-time favorite ingredients: kale! This smoothie makes for a delicious breakfast, a grab-and-go lunch, or the perfect post-workout snack!

It should come as no surprise that one of my all-time favorite ingredients is kale. After all, my name IS Kalejunkie! But I have to admit, as much as I love kale now, it wasn’t one of my favorite foods. When I was recovering from my eating disorder many years ago now, kale was one of those foods that I used to eat simply because it was healthy- not because I actually enjoyed it. Now, however, I absolutely love it, in everything from soups to salads to smoothies like this one

If you’re unfamiliar with this magical ingredient, kale is a superfood that is packed with nutrients and has numerous health benefits. It is high in fiber, vitamins A, C, and K, and contains antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and improve overall health.

But don’t let the healthy aspect fool you – kale smoothies can be delicious as well! When blended with other fruits and vegetables, the taste of kale is subtle and adds a nice, refreshing twist to your smoothie. Just like in this one!

Not only is this smoothie delicious, but it is also the perfect way to start your day. The combination of protein, fiber, and healthy fats will keep you feeling full and satisfied, and the nutrients from the kale and other fruits and vegetables will give you a boost of energy to power through your day.

What You Need to Make This Simple & Easy Kale Smoothie

• Chopped Kale: Of course, you need kale to make this kale smoothie! Any variety of kale works, as long as it is chopped, with the stems removed.
• Frozen Mango or Pineapple: To add a boost of sweetness, I recommend adding either frozen mango or pineapple chunks to this smoothie. If you like your smoothies extra sweet, you can always add a little of both!
• Medjool Dates: Medjool dates are a true superfood that are packed with fiber, antioxidants, and an incredibly sweet taste! If you don’t have any, just leave them out.
• Vanilla (or unsweetened) Protein Powder: I love using vanilla protein powder in this recipe, but you can also use unsweetened protein powder, if you prefer.
• Lemon: A squeeze of lemon adds the perfect amount of tartness and helps cut through the kale!
• Ginger: I love adding ginger in my smoothies because it’s great for your digestion!
• Almond Milk: Any non-dairy milk works well in this recipe, but I love almond milk!
• Hemp Hearts: These are optional, but make for the perfect garnish for this smoothie and add an extra boost of protein!

Tips for Making the Perfect Smoothie, Every Time

Curious how to make the absolute perfect smoothies? As someone who makes smoothies almost daily, here are my TOP fool-proof tips for creating the perfect smoothies:

1. Use frozen fruit: Adding frozen mango and/or pineapple to this smoothie is the way to go! The ice from the frozen fruits adds thickness to the smoothie, without needed to add in additional ice.
2. Play around with the liquid amount: If you find that your smoothie is too thick to blend, don’t panic! It happens! Just add a bit more milk, blend, open the cover, scrape down the sides if needed, and blend again. And if you have both a high-speed blender and a smaller blender (like a Nutri-bullet), use the high-speed blender instead, as it will blend the frozen fruit much better.
3. Blend your smoothie on medium speed. If you blend the smoothie too fast from the beginning, it’s really hard for the blender to properly blend the frozen ingredients – so start lower and then gradually increase the speed.

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! And, since I practically live on Instagram, be sure to tag me in your creations so that I can repost them! xx

** Photography by Gayle McLeod