December 12, 2012
Almond Coffee Green Smoothie
Did I lose you at green smoothie? Wait! Come back! I promise, if you try this, you will never, ever know there is anything green in this smoothie! It will taste like your favorite iced coffee drink from any one of those famous places! I think, even better!
I’ve been into green smoothies since we returned from our last vacation where we totally overindulged! I’ll give you my regular green smoothie recipe soon. This one was born from a need for some caffeine and breakfast one busy morning. I wanted my smoothie and my coffee simultaneously. Throw this in a travel cup and you’ve got breakfast and coffee to go! I hope you love it as much as I do!
Almond Coffee Green Smoothie
5 ice cubes
2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/8 cup whole raw almonds (about 12-18), optional
1 cup baby spinach
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso (or instant coffee)
honey or pure maple syrup, to taste
1/2 of a frozen banana
Blend all ingredients in a blender on liquify, or highest speed, until smooth. Serves one large or two small servings.
Notes:
- I’m not a fan of instant coffees at all, but, instant espresso does seem to work really well in recipes like this. Feel free to use a shot of cooled espresso in its place.
- I like the texture that the raw almonds add to this, but you can absolutely omit them.
- You can use romaine or kale in place of the spinach.
Hi Caroline,
I am wondering if your green smoothie with the espresso or regular coffee with the color of the smoothie would stain my teeth. I am having my teeth whitened, and have been told I cannot drink coffee or tea nor eat blueberries, strawberries, or tomatoes anymore. I am looking for a morning coffee alternative. I know I will miss the caffeine and need the morning pick-me-up. Your smoothie sounds like it might be what I am looking for.
That’s a really interesting question, Brenda! I wish I could answer it. I think you’ll get a more informed answer from your dentist. I commend you…I’d have a hard time giving up all of those things! Best of luck to you!
Hi Caroline,
Thank you. Yes, I will talk to him tomorrow further. But after I e-mailed you, I checked further on-line, and unfortunately found that the combination of a green smoothie would/could stain teeth. The only suggestion given was to use a straw so that the drink doesn’t touch my teeth. Kind regards. Brenda
I just made this smoothie with fresh kale instead of spinach, with some leftover drip coffee from a local coffee-house. The coffee is strong – it sort of fought with the taste of the kale. I added more banana and it got better. I could have added more almonds – the amount I put in completely blended! I will freeze my coffee into cubes as suggested, and will try spinach next time. However, kale is my usual green of choice. Thanks for the interesting recipe!
Thank you, Natasha! I’ve made this with kale too, and I like it just as much as with spinach.
Try substituting frozen mango for bananas in smoothie recipes…I’m also allergic to bananas!
We seem to have leftover coffee often, so I just freeze it into cubes. I think I’ll use that and omit the instant coffee. One less thing to buy as we likely wouldn’t use it in anything else. Can’t wait to share this with my sleepy guy.
That’s a great idea Sylvia! I think it will taste delicious! Let me know how you both like it!
I have made it with spinach and also with any greens I have in the house. The coffee, banana, dismiss the taste of the greens. Also, feel free to throw more greens in.
Also. All you need is almonds and water because when you blend the two, you get almond milk.
I absolutely love this recipe, thank you so much for posting it.
I agree, Jeannine…you can add a lot more greens. I usually do that. I wrote the recipe using almond milk because I wanted the addition of the almonds to be optional. Not everyone likes the texture that they add. I’m absolutely thrilled that you love this! I do too…I honestly drink this one almost every morning! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment! :D
Simply wonderful. Such a creative pairing and so delicious. I liked the little bits of almonds, too. Thanks for a great recipe.
Awww…thank you Kristine! I love the almonds too…they add tiny bits of crunch that I like! I’m so glad you like this one and so glad you took the time to let me know!
This is a wonderful idea! What would you recommend as a substitute for the banana? I’m allergic to them :(
I’m glad you like this smoothie Kimberly. I drink it most mornings! The banana adds some creaminess and some sweetness to this smoothie, but it’s not necessary. You can just leave it out and maybe add a bit more stevia or honey to taste. I’d also increase the almond milk just a bit. If you do want to try adding something to replace the banana, you could try about 1/4 C. of silken tofu (or vanilla Greek yogurt if you don’t care about adding dairy) or half of an avocado. Let me know how you end up making it and if you liked it!
This smoothie is perfect!! Now I can have my coffee and smoothie at the same time! Love it.
Thank you so much Lisa! That’s how I see it too! It’s great for busy mornings!
Thanks for the recipe, it’s really unique! Coffe and spinach, the best pairing. I hope you don’t mind I’ve posted also marking you as a source :)
Have a nice day :)
Thanks very much! I’m so happy you liked it. It really is unusual, but since drinking green smoothies, I’ve been experimenting a lot. It’s amazing how neutral the greens are against other flavors.
I am thrilled that you posted about it on your blog. Your photos are beautiful! I wish you could give me a few lessons! :D Thanks for stopping by!