Nutritious can be decadent. It can even taste a bit like dessert. This green smoothie has dessert written all over it, but you can enjoy it for breakfast. This creamy tropical green bean smoothie also has kale, but adding a tropical blend of fruit, watermelon juice, and some cashew milk to make it taste like something you should be drinking on the beach under the umbrella (maybe with a cherry on top). I always try to make about half of the smoothie (or more) based on vegetables. I then add some fruit and cold-pressed fresh juice to balance out the flavors.
Smoothies are fantastic as they are whole food, containing tons of fiber, and are an easy way to eat a large amount of vegetable relatively easily. They are quick and easy to make, and easy to take on the road, too.
The reason that I love this smoothie so much is the watermelon juice or fresh watermelon cubes (your choice). It adds a really tropical, but almost slightly unexpected flavor that works so well alongside the cashew milk.
Then I add ginger and turmeric to add functional health benefits. They’re optional though – this smoothie tastes great with or without them. You can read more about ginger and turmeric benefits below, here’s the recipe first.
Tropical green bean smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup green beans frozen or fresh
- 1 cup kale frozen or fresh
- 1 cup frozen mango strawberry, banana and/or pineapple can be added or substituted
- 1 cup watermelon cubed, or 1/2 cup cold pressed juice
- 1/4 cup cashew milk Or favorite plant-based milk
- 1/4 cup water Approximate, as needed
- 1 Tbsp ginger minced
- 1 tsp turmeric optional
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the blender, reserving the water, and blend.
- Gradually add the water to the smoothie until you reach the desired consistency.
- If still too thick, add some additional water, juice, or cashew milk to the mixture.
Notes
Recommended substitutions
If you do not have a juicer or a healthy version of watermelon juice, you can use fresh watermelon instead.
Any milk alternative will work in lieu of the cashew milk. Cashew milk is very creamy, so it is my preferred go-to for this smoothie.
The frozen fruit blend can be substitute with fresh banana, fresh or frozen mango, and fresh or frozen pineapple. If you use fresh fruit, you may want to add some ice cubes to chill your beverage.
And, as with any smoothie, can also use just about any berry or fruit in lieu of these ingredients.
Healthy ingredients: turmeric and ginger
I always like to add some function to my smoothies to make it into a functional beverage (add a specific health benefit to a drink). I usually add ginger and turmeric, as they are very safe to eat and have many possible health benefits.
It is important to make sure you take turmeric as a whole food, as pills can contain too much of the active ingredient curcurmin and can negatively affect the body.
Ginger is a powerhouse. Ginger helps with digestion and nausea, is an antiviral (fantastic during cold season!), and may also help with inflammation and heartburn. The properties in ginger may also help cancer, but further study is necessary. Fresh ginger is an excellent and safe addition to your smoothies, and also adds a distinct flavor. It can really help mask strong vegetable flavors, if this is a goal for your smoothies.
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