This Green Detox Smoothie has been my go-to reset after holidays and special occasions I’ve indulged! I find myself craving fresh fruits and veggies, and this smoothie is just the trick. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan and packs a punch of vitamins and nutrients. This smoothie as a light ‘meal’ in between bigger meals is a great way to regain your appetite. It also nourishes your body and gives it a break from heavier foods.
What’s your secret? I hear this question a lot during the holidays from people wanting to know how I can indulge without gaining lots of weight, or feeling bad from eating way too much rich food.
So… I’m going to let you in on the ‘secret’! I eat light meals in between the heavier ones. It’s so simple it barely qualifies as a ‘secret’, but there you have it! I often find myself having this Green Detox Smoothie after an indulgent meal. It’s fresh, and light, and it gets me right back on track.
This might sound crazy, but after a full-scale holiday meal, I drink a green smoothie for breakfast or lunch the next day. It helps me regain my balance, (and my appetite). Smoothies also give me a boost of nutrition from fresh fruits and vegetables.
I love to indulge, and I definitely don’t feel guilty about it. However, after too many heavy meals, I usually don’t feel as good and am low energy.
My way of coping with indulgences and staying healthy is to keep the indulgences spaced out, (balance). By eating lots of fresh raw produce, I feel great and I still enjoy all the occasions.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Apples – any apple you love works perfectly here. My favorites are Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Granny Smith. Or sub in cucumber to keep this smoothie lower in sugar.
- Oranges – add a boost of Vitamin C and tasty flavor. You can also use Mandarins or Tangerines as well.
- Spinach – or kale both work here, but I prefer the lighter flavor of spinach in this smoothie.
- Kombucha – adds both flavor and naturally occurring probiotics. I also love to use fresh orange juice here for a sweeter version and an extra boost of Vitamin C. Coconut water also is super tasty and perfect for electrolytes.
- Smoothie add-ons – try some of my Superfood Smoothie Boosters. My favorite thing to add to this smoothie is 1/4 of an avocado. It’s the perfect healthy fat to add to this smoothie. To make this creamier, you can add Greek yogurt for calcium or unsweetened almond milk. Protein powder is also another option that makes this more of a meal. Finally, add some extra fiber with some ground flax or chia seeds.
How to make this recipe step by step
Step 1: Add the ingredients in the order listed to a high-speed blender.
Step 2: Blend until smooth and enjoy right away for the best flavor.
Ways to serve this
- Make it more of a ‘meal’ by adding a bit of avocado as mentioned above.
- Serve it as part of a breakfast/brunch menu with something like my Sausage Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole.
FAQ’s
Fruits and veggies are the perfect way to give your body a break and support your body to detox itself. There are no ‘detoxing’ ingredients here just the detoxing nature of fresh fruits and vegetables.
They can simply by increasing your intake of fresh fruits and veggies which are high in fiber they fill you up and nourish your body with vitamins and minerals.
Storing leftovers
- To store – green smoothies are best immediately, but you can refrigerate them for up to 4 hours. It will separate, just stir or shake it back together.
- To freeze – I don’t recommend freezing blended green smoothies. Try making my Freezer Smoothie Packs instead. This takes out the prep work and you’re always minutes from a smoothie.
Tips & Tricks
- Mix it up by subbing in pineapple for the apple for a more tropical flavor. Pineapple also gives you an extra boost of enzymes like bromelain.
- Add a superfood like barley grass juicy powder or Hawaiian spirulina. Or try fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro, (my favorite) but go light because they can be intense with flavor.
- Make it sweeter to taste by adding a banana in place of the apple.
For lots more smoothie tips, check out my How to Make a Smoothie (35+ recipes) and my How to Make Freezer Smoothie Packs.
I really hope you enjoy this Green Detox Smoothie! If you do get a chance to make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Green Detox Smoothie
INGREDIENTS
- 2 large oranges - peeled and quartered
- 1 large Honey Crisp apple - quartered and cored
- 16 ounce bottle of Kombucha - (ginger is my favorite flavor), see notes or 1-2 cups of orange juice added to your desired consistency
- 3 cups baby spinach - 3 ounces
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the spinach to the blended fruit and blend, increasing your speed to high and blend until smooth and creamy in texture.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 day.
NOTES
nutrition facts
This recipe was originally published in 2013 but has been updated in 2021 & 2023 with more information, tips, new photos, and nutrition information.
Do you have any info on what each ingredient of the smoothie detoxes and to what degree of a detox? I guess also how powerful of a detox is it?
I don’t have any information for the specific ingredients. My purpose in titling this smoothie with the word ‘detox’ is to imply a break from the holiday over indulgence with an abundance of fresh fruits and veggies. The smoothie would have an actual detox effect on your body, but I wouldn’t be able to give you a straight answer because how powerful the effect would be because it would vary from person to person. I’m sorry I don’t have a specific answer, I just know I personally drink green smoothies as a way to feel balanced and full of energy from day to day. 🙂
How much does this make? I’m trying to prepare freezer packs so I want to know how many different servings this will make so I can split them appropriately.
It makes about 48 ounces give or take depending on the size of your produce (I just updated the recipe because I realized I forgot to put the serving size in, so thanks for asking)! That means it makes around 6 cups, depending on how big you like your smoothies will determine the size of your smoothie packs. I make this one in freezer smoothie packs all the time, and it turns out really well. I hope you enjoy it, and be sure to let me know if you have anymore questions.
Kari this is a great idea! Thanks for sharing! My snacking habits during the holidays usually consists of grabbing more pie but this is something that makes the transition to detoxing way easier–i’m gonna try that today! Thanks!
It really does make the transition easier, I’ve found that green smoothies make me crave more fruits and veggies which makes it much easier to eat healthy!
This smoothie sounds and looks just like the perfect way to detox during the holidays! YUM! Wish you a happy New Year. Hope we stay in touch through the wonderful world of blogging!
It’s a great way to regain your appetite for sure!