Green apples and spinach are blended with protein-packed lentils and spicy cinnamon and ginger to make this satisfying vegan smoothie recipe.
Course Breakfast, Drinks, Smoothie
Cuisine gluten-free, vegan
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Total Time 5 minutesminutes
Servings 2
Calories 456kcal
Author Stephanie McKercher, RDN
Equipment
blender
Ingredients
1 ¼cupcooked lentils(see note)
1cupfrozen spinach(see note)
1large cucumber,(2 cups) roughly chopped (peeled if desired, see note)
2mediumgranny smith apples,(2 cups) cored and roughly chopped (peeled if desired, see note)
1cupice cubes
2tablespoonschia seeds
2 tablespoonsmaple syrup(optional)
1teaspoongrated ginger
1teaspoonground cinnamon
1teaspoonmatcha(optional)
1cupwater(or coconut water or dairy-free milk of choice)
Optional for serving:
apple slices
ground cinnamon
Instructions
Add cooked lentils, spinach, cucumber, apples, ice cubes, chia seeds, maple syrup (if using), ginger, cinnamon, matcha (if using), and water to blender container. Cover and blend on high 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy.
Divide between glasses and garnish with apple slices and ground cinnamon if desired.
Notes
Store smoothies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. If the ingredients begin to separate, blend the smoothies again in the blender before serving. ½ cup dry lentils yield the 1 ¼ cup cooked lentils needed for this recipe. To cook dry lentils, combine them with 1 ½ cups water and bring to a boil. Cook 15 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Drain any excess water if needed and set aside to cool. If you don't have frozen spinach, substitute pureed fresh baby spinach instead. To puree the spinach leaves, add them to the blender with ¼ cup water and blend on high for 1 minute, or until smooth. I prefer to use unpeeled cucumber and apples for convenience and less food waste. If you want the smoothest texture possible, peel the skins off of the cucumber and apples before adding them to the blender. (This recipe was originally published January 1, 2016, and updated most recently on September 21, 2020.)