Start your day with a refreshing and vibrant energy boosting Kale Smoothie and you will be ready to take on whatever the day throws at you. This apple and kale smoothie is a great way to give your diet a veggie boost too. A simple vegan smoothie that is a mixture of kale and apple. It takes less than 5 minutes to make too!
We are a big fan of green smoothies here and when we feel like we need a little healthy pick me up, then we make ourselves this kale smoothie recipe.
There are so many different ways to make an energy boosting green smoothie, but apple and kale is our favourite because of the iron boost and then the sweetness from the apple. It's a great way to make use of seasonally kale too.
Looking for more ways to get some kale in your diet? Why not try our Air Fryer Kale, Kale Crisps (such a delicious salty snack) or Kale, Watermelon and Feta Salad?
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Why you will love it
- Nutritious - This kale smoothie is packed with iron and it's low in calories and fat too.
- Quick - Ready in 5 minutes
- Vegan - This is a plant based smoothie.
- An easy way to include more leafy greens in your diet - If you struggle to eat enough greens, then this will give you a green veggie boost.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Kale - This is the star of the smoothie and where all the green comes from. Use kale that has been de-stemed.
- Milk - This is what loosens the smoothie up. We used a Almond milk, but any milk will work. Add a bit of coconut milk for extra creaminess.
- Apple - This adds a lovely sweetness.
- Banana - This helps to thicken the smoothie.
- Lemon - A little bit of lemon freshens the whole thing up.
- Maple Syrup - You will get lots of sweetness from the apple and banana, but we wanted a little extra so added some maple syrup. You could swap this for honey, but it wouldn't be vegan.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
How to make a Kale Smoothie - Step by step
One: Put the kale, banana and apple into the blender.
Two: Add the milk and maple syrup.
Three: Blend until smooth.
Health benefits
Kale is called a superfood for good reason. Not only is it a great source of iron, but powerful antioxidants, vitamins A, C and K, as well as dietary fibre and calcium. That is why it makes it the best addition to your green smoothie.
Not everyone finds it easy to include more leafy greens in their diet, but green smoothies like this Kale and Apple Smoothie really help with that. We don't believe in detoxes or cleanses, but if you have had a heavy weekend and need a bit of a lift, we always turn to this.
With a high powered blender, the kale is blended up really smooth, so apart from the vibrant green colour you would never know it is there.
The key to getting a perfect kale smoothie is getting just the right balance between greens (which can be a little bitter) and the sweetness.
That's why we used a small apple and banana and just a little bit of maple syrup, as you don't want it to be too over-powering either way.
Variations
There are lots of ways you can adapt this kale smoothie to suit your own tastes. If you want to make this a super cooling smoothie, then freeze the banana first. You could use spinach instead of kale, or a mixture of them both.
Don't have any maple syrup? You can use honey instead but the smoothie wouldn't be vegan then. You don't have to add any liquid sweetener, but we find it takes the edge off the kale.
You could even add some tropical fruits like pineapple or mango to change things up a bit or some nut butter to make it extra creamy. If you want a banana free version, swap it for half an avocado.
Storage
Fresh is always best so you should try to drink the smoothie straight after making it. However, to save yourself some time in the morning you can make it the night before. Just store it in an air tight container in the fridge. Make sure to give it a quick stir or shake before drinking.
FAQs
Green smoothies taste best when they are made fresh, however if you would like to do some of the prep in advance, you can put the fruit and kale in zip lock bags and then keep them in the freezer. Then, when you are ready to make the smoothie, just empty the bag into the blender and add the milk and anything extra.
We used maple syrup to sweeten the smoothie to keep it vegan, however you can use honey instead. The riper the fruit used, the sweeter it will be naturally. You don't have to use any added sweetener at all.
We LOVE our Ninja 3-in-1 blender. It is fast, powerful and has a whole host of features.
Extra tips
• Make sure you use a high powered blender, as the kale is quite tough. If you don't have a high powered blender, then blend the kale with the almond milk first and then add the rest of the ingredients and continue blending.
• You can use any milk you like in this recipe.
• If you want a banana free smoothie, swap it for half an avocado.
• Remove the ribs and stems of the kale before adding it to the blender.
• Give the smoothie a stir before serving, as it can get a bit mottled.
• You can save yourself some time and make it the night before and store in an air tight container.
• Make a super cool smoothie by freezing the banana before using it.
• You can swap the kale for spinach or use a mixture of the two.
• If you wanted to make it even sweeter (not that we think it needs it), then you could add a little bit of orange juice to it.
• Make it even cooler by serving it over ice.
• If you need even more of a pick me up from your smoothie, add some grated ginger to it. Only a little though, as a little goes a long way.
More smoothie recipes
If you’ve tried this kale smoothie recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Kale Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 Apple - small
- 1 Banana
- 80 g (1.25 cups) Kale - chopped
- 500 ml (1.5 cups) Almond milk
- 1 Lemon - (juice only)
- 1 tablespoon Maple syrup
Instructions
- Put all of the ingredients into a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure you use a high powered blender, as the kale is quite tough. If you don't have a high powered blender, then blend the kale with the almond milk first and then add the rest of the ingredients and continue blending.
- You can use any milk you like in this recipe.
- If you want a banana free smoothie, swap it for half an avocado.
- Remove the ribs and stems of the kale before adding it to the blender.
- Give the smoothie a stir before serving, as it can get a bit mottled.
- You can save yourself some time and make it the night before and store in an air tight container.
- Make a super cool smoothie by freezing the banana before using it.
- You can swap the kale for spinach or use a mixture of the two.
- Adding a little bit of lemon really gives it a lift.
- If you wanted to make it even sweeter (not that we think it needs it), then you could add a little bit of orange juice to it.
- Make it even cooler by serving it over ice.
- If you need even more of a pick me up from your smoothie, add some grated ginger to it. Only a little though, as a little goes a long way.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Tara says
Really healthy smoothie, both are great flavours!
Manali@CookWithManali says
I love green smoothies, this sounds wonderful!
Nayna Kanabar says
This looks like a super healthy shake and perfect to kick start the day.
Sabrina @ The Mummy Stylist says
Oh wow that does look healthy! If you did meet the love of your life on that bus, that would certainly be a funny memory drinking that green drink together! :-D
shannon ritchie says
This smoothie looks delicious! I will add this to my smoothies to try out list when I get my new blender!
nadia says
I can't skip breakfast, but I can't eat a big meal either when I'm nervous (which is in almost all social situations!), so something like this kale smoothie would be just right in giving me energy without being too heavy for my stomach :P
This Mama Life says
Oooh yum. I think I'll be trying this out. Sounds yummy and super healthy at the same time. Winning! Love your little bottles and the straws :) x
Hannah says
I've tried a green smoothie before, at first i was a bit unsure as the color put me off, but it tasted alright x
Carolyn says
I love the colour of this smoothie and the date bus is such a cool idea. I wish they had it in more places than just London.
Laura Nolan says
It sounds so easy to make and so good for you, especially if you are having a nervous morning! I'm not s really a big fan of smoothies of any kind though!
Tandy | Lavender and Lime says
What a great way to meet new people. If I were single I think I would try the date bus. Thankfully I don't have to be single to try the smoothie. My juicer works for leafy greens which makes life very easy
WhatLauraLoves says
I really wanna try kale in a smoothie as on its own, I'm not a fan of it xxxx
Lilinha says
I've discovered kale recently and have been adding it to everything. Will try this smoothie! :)
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
Love the combination of flavors here! I believe there is a special power in kale!
So glad I'm not dating anymore too!
Megan Marlowe says
I am always on the lookout for new smoothie recipes and this one is right on point. I love apples and kale!