Cool, refreshing and packed with nourishing ingredients, this Citrus Ginger Smoothie with Mint is an easy and delicious way to get your morning green smoothie in with a vitamin C punch! Quick to whip up and so refreshing to start the day or enjoy as a snack. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.
This recipe was first published Jan. 2015 and has been updated with new photography and recipe notes Jan. 2021.
Morning Green Smoothies
A new goal I made a years ago was to start incorporating green smoothies into my daily routine. I started slow with a few morning green smoothies per week. When I realized how they made me feel, I eventually started enjoying green smoothies almost daily for breakfast or lunch, with occasional weekend breakfast skips for waffles, sourdough pancakes or eggs.
Getting Rob on the morning green smoothie train was a challenge. At first he turned his nose up, totally; after all, green smoothies are not regular (his word).
Then I discovered adding a frozen banana sweetens green smoothies and helps quell the grassy notes. He finally got on board the smoothie train (a triumph!). Although I still hear about it when I try sneak in some wheat grass, parsley or heaven forbid, make a ginger smoothie! My efforts continue.
A Green Smoothie You’ll Love!
Smoothie Versatility
- Greens: Use just about any green you have on hand to make a green smoothie. For this citrus ginger green smoothie recipe, I like to use softer greens such as spinach, Swiss chard or Romaine lettuce. Also, their flavor is more mellow than greens such as kale or arugula.
- Citrus: Winter and early spring is the perfect time to load green smoothies up with bright citrusy ingredients. Look for Satsuma, Mandarins, CaraCara, Clementine, Naval or Tangerines to use in this smoothie recipe. Blood orange tend to be a bit more tart and expensive, so I tend to avoid them in smoothies.
- Ginger: Noted for it’s loud flavor, it’s an ingredient that can add spice and interest to smoothies. Add it directly to your high speed blender… no need to peel. Use a larger or smaller piece, depending on your ginger love.
- Mint: I absolutely love citrus smoothies with mint! Adjust to taste up or down, as it’s another loud flavor.
- Banana: Use frozen bananas for extra creamy and chill green smoothies. They make smoothies sweet too, turning grassy notes of the greens down. Adjust banana up or down to adjust sweetness.
- Protein: Hemp hearts add creaminess and a punch of protein to keep you satiated through the morning.
A Few Recipe Notes
- A high speed blender is a must for the creamiest green smoothies. I’ve been using VitaMix for over 12 years (the same one!). I love it for green smoothies and so many other things.
- Plan Ahead: Keep a bag of frozen bananas in the freezer for smoothie making. They’re always ready when you are! Too, check with the produce department for old, spotty brown bananas. Sometimes they’ll offer them at a discount. Be sure to freeze em’ when you get home!
- Use your favorite green or try something new! For the most neutral tasting citrus ginger green smoothie, use Romaine, a neutral tasting lettuce.
- Substitutions in this Citrus Ginger Smoothie:
- Swiss Chard or Romaine for Spinach
- Nut Milk for Water and Hemp Hearts (I like homemade cashew milk)
More Green Smoothies to Love
the recipe
Citrus Ginger Green Smoothie with Mint
Ingredients
- 4 Small Handfuls of Spinach OR Small head of Romaine Lettuce chopped into 4 chunks
- 4 Mandarin Oranges or 4 Clementines or 3 Naval or 3 Cara Cara Oranges peeled
- 1 - 2 Frozen Bananas chopped into chunks, adjust to taste
- 1/2" piece Ginger Root unpeeled
- 3 Tbs Hemp Seeds aka hemp hearts
- 4-8 Leaves Mint adjust to taste
- 1 C Water
- 1/2 C Ice optional
Instructions
- Place ingredients in a high speed blender (I use Vitamix) in the order above and blend until smooth. Add more water to thin if desired.
- This smoothie is best enjoyed right away but may be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator in a lidded Mason jar for up to 12 hours.
