Meet my new favorite feel good smoothie. It’s green (of course), but not too green.
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The base of this smoothie is brewed green tea infused with golden coins of fresh ginger. I used some organic green jasmine tea here, but you can use whatever you’ve got. Just make sure the tea bags haven’t been sitting in the pantry for 5 years. Green things include spinach for nutrients and mint for flavor. Pear and pineapple join the mix to naturally sweeten things up. Blend that all up, and you’ve got a vibrant green beverage that’s pure sunshine on a cold winter morning. There’s no kale or celery in this smoothie, so its “greenness” is definitely on the pleasant side. Continue reading for the smoothie recipe.
The main flavor of this smoothie is green tea, so there is some room for variation here based on what type of green tea you use. Once you’ve blended up the smoothie, taste for sweetness and acidity. If you need a little more sweetness, add a dab of honey. A little more acidity? Add a squeeze of lemon. Just avoid adding more fruit, because you’ll start to mask the flavor of the green tea.
Mint and Green Tea Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 green tea bag
- 2 coins of peeled ginger
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 to 2 sprigs of fresh mint, leaves only
- 3/4 cup diced pineapple (fresh or frozen)
- 1 ripe pear, cored and cubed
- Small pinch of kosher salt
- 1/2 cup crushed ice
- Honey, to taste
- Fresh lemon juice, to taste
Instructions
- Place green tea bag and ginger in a 1-cup measuring cup, then top with boiling water. Steep tea for 2 minutes, then remove the tea bag from the water. Steep ginger for 3 minutes longer, then remove the ginger. Let ginger green tea cool before using.
- Place cooled tea, spinach, mint, pineapple, pear, salt and crushed ice in a blender, and blend until smooth. Season to taste with honey and lemon juice. Enjoy immediately.
Check out some other smoothie recipes on Kitchen Konfidence:
Banana Smoothie with Nuts and Seeds
Spiced Apple and Oatmeal Smoothie Bowl
Orange Carrot Chia Smoothie
Pear and Arugula Smoothie
Mixed Berry and Candy Beet Smoothie
Blood Orange Power Juice
I’m Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Did you make a recipe? Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can see the how it went!
Sara @ Cake Over Steak says
I love the sound of this sooooo much! I swear you’re like my blog soulmate with these recipes you’re throwing out into the world. I want all of them.
Brandon Matzek says
YAAASSSS!! Loved your recent green tea smoothie 🙂
J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats says
I think I’ve actually said the phrase “green but not TOO green” when asking for help on which green juice to buy at juice shops haha
Brandon Matzek says
HA!!! Yeah, sometimes green juices/smoothies can be very bitter. I have a hard time downing them 😛 This one is nice and balanced.
Maggie says
Hi Brandon, your photos are stunning and this drink is divine! We love green tea but I never thought about using it in a smoothie. What a wonderful idea! I’ll try out making this with matcha powder next time. I believe it will work well too 🙂
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Maggie! Definitely give it a try 🙂
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
I wish I had a big glass of this right now! The pear and pineapple with the mint and the tea…so much flavor and so healthy. Love it!
Brandon Matzek says
Yeah, this smoothie is PACKED with flavor. Much needed in the morning. Thanks Averie 🙂
Kylee @ Kylee Cooks says
We make green smoothies and call them “hulk juice” to my sons…. this looks so delicious!
Brandon Matzek says
Haha nice!! That’s a great way to get kids to like green juice/smoothies 🙂
Allison says
I’m so into smoothies right now! Adding this one to the breakfast menu – I love the idea of combining mint and green tea. Also, Gorgeous Photos!!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Allison! Let me know how you like it.
Megan @ A Dash of Megnut says
I love green tea in my smoothies! Definitely going to give your version a go!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Megan!
fabiola@notjustbaked says
I’m all about health in a glass and this is perfect for me! I love that you used mint, I’ve not done that in my smoothies. I have mint growing everywhere, so I will need to!
Brandon Matzek says
This would be a perfect mint use-up! Mint goes well with all sorts of fruit smoothies. Enjoy!
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says
I’m all about smoothies right now, but I never thought to put green tea in. Perfect for a little extra zip and extra antioxidants!
Brandon Matzek says
Green tea makes a great flavor base. I want to try black tea next!
Christina | Christina's Cucina says
I can taste the freshness and zing from this smoothie just from reading the ingredients! Fabulous!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Christina!
Annie @ Annie's Noms says
I am loving this! It looks so refreshing and love that kick from the ginger!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Annie! This smoothie is definitely more on the fresh side.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
This sounds wonderful, Brandon, and as always your pictures are just drop-dead gorgeous!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Kimberly!
Alana says
Hi, this sounds like my dream smoothie. All that green tea must make the morning look bright (not just bearable but bright!!). And pineapple and mint!? DREAMS.
Brandon Matzek says
YES!! You would totally love this 🙂 I need to try it with matcha next time!
Stephanie says
Hi, this sounds amazing!! I am wondering how well this would freeze pre-packed for quick smoothie making on the go. Brew and freeze the tea in cubes then add to freezer bag with fruits/veg. Has anyone tried this with success?
Thanks!
Brandon Matzek says
Hi Stephanie! I think that would work well. I wouldn’t keep the spinach and mint frozen for too long, but a couple days would be fine.
Nenoskaal says
I tried your recipe, and thought the taste was quite sharp.
So I added some unsweetened almond milk to soften the vast mix of flavors. That made it even better for me.
Brandon Matzek says
Great suggestion! Flavors can vary depending on the sweetness levels of the pineapple and the pear, so it’s always a good idea to tweak things at the end to taste. Thanks for sharing!
Joleen @ Joleen Cuisine says
Usually when I’m making my smoothies in the morning, I always just throw in an extra spoonful of matcha booster to give it that green tea taste, but adding actual tea is SUCH a good idea!! I’m kind of mad that I didn’t think of that myself, because I LOVEE tea! Thanks for such a tasty recipe 🙂
Anna Powell says
Hello Brandon, I was putting together some green Tea smoothie recipes and really liked yours. I love Ginger and pear together. I referenced your recipe in a post if that is OK.
-Anna
Brandon Matzek says
Sounds good! Thanks Anna.
Ravin kumar says
I love Ginger and pear together. I liked this recipe! It looks so refreshing and love it. They are sounds really amazing. Thanks for such a tasty recipe 🙂
Radwa says
This looks amazing and easy to make; I can’t wait to try it.
Hayley Shaver says
I like adding avocado and milk of any kind with a splash of lime to this kind of smoothie. I also add cinnamon, honey and ginger to anything.