Orange You Glad it’s Green Smoothie
Written by Rachel, Posted in Breakfast, Brunch, Dairy-Free, Drinks, Fruit, Gluten Free, Kid-Friendly, Quick and Easy, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
When I need a quick meal, smoothies are a great option. Sometimes I make them with peanut butter, chocolate chips, and banana. That’s one of my favorites. But, I also really love a good fruit and veggie smoothie. Sweet, but not too, and packed with nutrients.
For a wintery smoothie, I opted for orange+pear+persimmon+greens. I just used what I hand on hand. At other times I may use apple instead of the pear, or in the warmer months, stone fruit and berries. The constant is the greens. I like to use mild ones like kale, spinach, or chard, and they just kinda disappear in the fruity goodness.
I wanted to use the orange peel as a cup. We don’t have a dishwasher, so any dishes I generate get washed by hand. The less dishes the better. I used a grapefruit knife to get the segments out, but a sharp paring knife would do just as well. I cut a tiny bit off the bottom of the orange so it would sit flat too. Don’t want any rolling oranges when there’s a smoothie inside!
I like my smoothies to be super thick and pretty cold. So I usually add some frozen banana. Unfrozen would work well too. The riper they are, the sweeter the smoothie.
This can be a great light meal on its own. A working lunch or a good breakfast. If you want to add to the meal, here are a few suggestions for things that I think would compliment it:
Breakfast or Brunch
Sweet and Savory Cornmeal Pancakes
Fresh Fruit and Basil Stuffed French Toast
Toast with Peanut Butter and Honey
Scrambled Eggs with Bacon and Chives
Turnip Hash with Bacon and Gouda
Lunch
Grilled Egg and Cheese Sandwiches
Bacon Sandwich with Dandelion Greens
Any leftovers can be frozen in an ice cube tray and then re-blended or added to a new smoothie (in place of ice, if you use it).
Happy Eating!
Ingredients
- 1 large orange, top cut off, segments scooped out (if you want to serve smoothie in peel - if not just peel, de-seed, and roughly chop)
- 1-2 C greens (kale, chard, spinach), roughly chopped
- 1 frozen banana (or very ripe non-frozen banana)
- 1 apple or pear, roughly chopped
- 1 persimmon, peeled and roughly chopped
- (may substitute fruit with stone fruit or berries depending on the season)
- 1/2 C yogurt (any kind) (or may use silken tofu or omit altogether)
- 1-2 T maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 C milk (any kind) (or use orange juice)
Instructions
- Blend until smooth, adding liquid last until you reach desired consistency. Taste for sweetness.
- Serve in the orange peel to save on dishes.
