When I’m looking for a burst of energy in a refreshing green smoothie, I make this low sugar kale + avocado smoothie without banana. I recommend this easy and zingy smoothie recipe to my diabetic and pre-diabetic health coaching clients as it is made with greens, avocado, apple, lemon and ginger and ready in just 5-minutes.

Green smoothie in a mason jar surrounded by greens, lemon, apple, ginger and avocado.

This post has been updated from the original posted May 14, 2018.

I enjoy this refreshing smoothie without banana because it’s not sweet. It’s perfect for a post-workout as it’s hydrating and refreshing without a
This lemon ginger detoxifying smoothie is just the type of green smoothie I enjoy…rich and creamy with a bit of zing.

Hubby prefers smoothies that are sweetened with fruit. If that sounds more like what would make your taste buds sing, then you’ll definitely want to check out my recipe chocolate cherry smoothie, green mango smoothie or the delicious Orange Julius Smoothie.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Labeled ingredients: kale, spinach, ginger, apple, avocado, lemon and hemp seeds.

Leafy green vegetables: I chose kale and spinach. You can mix and match your favorite greens for a total of 2 cups. Other great choices include collard greens, lacinato kale, swiss chard, watercress, parsley, romaine or green leaf lettuce, purple kale, arugula or micro-greens.
Avocado: Avocado smoothies allow for better absorption of the vitamins in greens, plus the healthy fats help with satiety…win-win!
Hemp seeds: I love the way these little seeds blend right up without any grit, so there’s no need for milk or even a dairy-free milk alternative.
Lemon + Ginger: Where the zippy, zingy…rather than sweet…flavor profile comes from.
Apple: Since I don’t like sweet drinks, a tart apple fits right in, thickening this green smoothie without the need for a banana….if I don’t have an apple, I use a zucchini.

Step by Step

For a super smooth smoothie, use a high speed blender like a Vitamix. I most often use my personal sized blender because it blends up beautifully, has a lid that makes it easy to take on the go or make ahead and the parts go right into the dishwasher making clean up a breeze.

Prep the produce for your smoothie:

First, wash the kale and spinach. If you’re not using a high speed blender, remove the center hard rib from the kale.
Roughly chop the apple and peel the lemon.
Halve the avocado and scoop out the flesh.
Use a grapefruit spoon to scrape off the peel from the fresh ginger.

Avocado half, kale, spinach, lemon, ginger, apple and hemp seeds in the pitcher of a blender.

Step 1: Place spinach, kale, apple, lemon, ginger, avocado and hemp seeds into the pitcher of your blender. It’s ok if the greens are wet.

Blender pitcher filled with avocado kale smoothie ingredients including ice, hemp seeds, lemon.

Step 2: Add water and ice cubes. If you prefer to use any type of plant milk or coconut water instead of the water, still add the ice.

Gorgeous lime green colored smoothie made with kale and avocado.

Step 3: Blend until smooth and creamy.

Pitcher of green smoothie, pouring into a wide mouth mason jar.

Step 4: Pour and Enjoy. This kale avocado smoothie recipe makes 2 large smoothies. If you would like to save half for later, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I like to use a mason jar so I can shake before drinking.

Green smoothie in a mason jar with glass straw.

More Avocado Recipes

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📖 Recipe

Kale Avocado Smoothie

Author: Debra Klein

Lemon Zinger Smoothie with kale and avocado is tasty and refreshing. Lemon and ginger bring the zing while the avocado adds a creamy deliciousness. A green smoothie that's totally crave-worthy and great for weight loss.

5 from 41 votes

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Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 256 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and creamy.
You can make this in advance and store in the refrigerator in a glass jar with lid. Shake well before enjoying within 24 hours of making for best retention of nutrients.

Notes

How to store and serve your smoothie

Serve: Drink cold or at room temperature. Pour into silicone popsicle molds and enjoy as a frozen treat!
Store: Store in a jar with tight fitting lid in the fridge. Drink within 48 hours for optimum nutritional value.
Freeze: You can freeze your smoothie to enjoy at another time. Use an airtight container. Leave a couple inches extra space to allow for expansion when frozen. Thaw in the fridge, or take it with you and allow to thaw until you’re ready to drink. Shake well before drinking.

Leafy Greens: I used 1 cup spinach and 1 cup green curly kale. Use 2 cups of your favorite leafy green vegetables, or whatever you have on hand. More good choices include: lacinato kale, purple kale, collard greens, swiss chard, arugula, microgreens, watercress, romaine lettuce, and bok choy.

Apples: Choose your apple based on your health goals and your taste preference. Green apples have less calories and carbs than red apples. A tart granny smith apple has just 14.9 grams of carbohydrates, where as a red fuji apple has around 21 carbs, depending on the size.

Nutrition

Calories: 256kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 12gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 45mgPotassium: 460mgFiber: 7gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 4970IUVitamin C: 47mgCalcium: 154mgIron: 5mg

Note

The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag me @dkhealthcoach or use hashtag #dkhealtcoach on Instagram so I can see it!!

Categories

Gluten Free Grain Free Kosher for Passover No Oil Smoothies Snack Vegan Kale

Comments

5 from 41 votes (33 ratings without comment)

Kale Avocado Green Smoothie No Banana

Ingredients and Substitutions