• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Lettuce Veg Out
  • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegan and Gluten Free
    • Breakfast
    • Dinner
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
    • Appetizers
    • Side Dishes
  • Vegan Nutrition
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Nutrition
  • About
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Nutrition
  • About
×

Home > Vegan Recipes

Green Apple Cinnamon Smoothie (with Spinach and Banana)

1/21/21 by Nicole | 2 Comments

Jump to Recipe Video Print
5 from 1 vote. Leave a review!

This ultra-creamy green apple cinnamon smoothie is made with spinach, banana, avocado and other delicious, nutritious ingredients. It creates a tasty, satisfying smoothie that’s perfect to drink for breakfast or a snack without using protein powder!

It’s easy to customize and a great recipe to keep on hand for days when you’re short on time but want a nourishing smoothie.

Three glasses with green apple smoothie with two garnished with apple, cinnamon and hemp seeds.

Get the Veg Out newsletter for vegan recipes + nutrition content!

This post contains affiliate links (including Amazon Associates) and I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients for an Apple Cinnamon Green Smoothie

This recipe uses some delicious and nutrient-packed ingredients. Feel free to customize to your taste preferences or based on what you have on hand! I typically like to use:

  • Plant-based milk: I use soy milk when making smoothies because I find it to be the richest, creamiest plant-based milk option. It makes for a delicious smoothie and adds some protein to help keep you feeling full. Soy milk typically has 6-7 grams of protein per cup whereas many other plant-based milk options have 1-2 grams.
  • Green apple: This smoothie uses half a green apple for a tart and delicious flavor! The recipe makes one serving (a large serving) which is why we’re only using half an apple, but use more if you want a strong apple flavor or are making a smoothie for 2 or more people!
  • Banana: Half of a medium-sized banana goes a long way to boost the carbohydrates and sweetness of this smoothie. You can use frozen banana if you prefer (then you can skip the ice). If you aren’t a fan of banana, leave it out or replace with extra avocado or vegan yogurt.
  • Avocado: Bringing healthy fats, ¼ of a medium-sized avocado per smoothie will help you feel full for longer while also adding some green color and creaminess to the shake.
  • Spinach: Full of antioxidants, spinach (or another type of leafy green vegetable like kale) will help boost the nutrition of the smoothie with vitamin C, iron and calcium.
  • Hemp seed: Packing-in even more nutrition and protein, hemp seeds are one of my favorite ingredients to add into smoothies. They don’t gel or cause the smoothie to thicken like chia or flax seeds would, making it the ideal addition.
  • Cinnamon: One of the prominent flavors in this recipe is cinnamon, which pairs perfectly with apples!
  • Vegan yogurt: Making for an even creamier smoothie, vegan yogurt brings a lot to the recipe. Choose a vegan yogurt that’s higher in protein if possible (soy-based yogurts are typically the best) to keep you feeling fuller for longer.
  • Dates: If your plant-based milk and/ or yogurt is not sweetened to start with, you may want to add a dried date for extra sweetness. They also provide a boost of fiber and potassium.
  • Vanilla extract: I’ve tried this vegan green apple cinnamon smoothie with and without vanilla extract, and believe me, you’ll want to add it! A splash of vanilla truly adds to the flavor of any smoothie.
  • Ice cubes: While these have no impact on nutrition or flavor, you’ll likely want to add a couple ice cubes to ensure your smoothie stays cold.
Ingredients for apple cinnamon smoothie arranged on a marble board.

How to Make This Smoothie Recipe

As with any smoothie, all you need to do is prep the ingredients, toss them into a blender and blend to smooth!

A Vitamix blender combining all the whole, plant-based ingredients together to create a smooth, green apple cinnamon protein shake

For this recipe, prep the apple by cutting out the core. You also need to cut and peel an avocado and peel a banana.

That’s it! So easy and quick to toss together and perfect for when you’re short on time.

Top view of three glasses of green apple cinnamon smoothie with apple slices, cinnamon sticks and avocado decorating around glasses.

Vegan Protein for Smoothies (Without Protein Powder)

I don’t enjoy the texture or flavor of protein powder, so I’m always looking for tasty add-ins that help increase protein content without making the shake chalky or have a strange aftertaste.

Some of my favorite vegan protein sources that go well in smoothies include:

  • Hemp seeds
  • Chia seeds (these gel after soaking, so only use if you plan to drink right away!)
  • Tofu (soft/silken or firm work)
  • Peanut butter
  • Powdered peanut butter
  • Any other type of nut or seed butter
  • Soy milk (instead of almond, rice, cashew, etc. with oat generally being the next best choice)
  • Non-dairy yogurt that’s high in protein (likely a soy-based yogurt)
  • Rolled oats
  • Quinoa

Rolled oats and quinoa aren’t super high in protein but can be a nice addition with other high-protein options. Rolled oats bring a nice flavor to a smoothie and make it taste more like a muffin or baked-good.

Two glasses of creamy green smoothie topped with hemp seed and cinnamon sprinkle and apple slice garnish.

More Vegan Smoothie Recipes

If you’re looking for more smoothie inspiration, check out these other recipes:

  • Spinach pineapple smoothie
  • Peanut butter banana and avocado smoothie
Close up of the top of a glass filled with creamy green smoothie and topped with cinnamon and hemp seeds with sliced apple garnish.

If you make this recipe, please rate and comment below to help others benefit from your experience!

Close up of glass with green smoothie garnished with hemp seed and cinnamon sprinkle and an apple slice on the edge of the glass.

Vegan Green Apple Cinnamon Smoothie

This apple cinnamon smoothie is vegan and made using simple plant-based ingredients and no protein powders. With a vibrant green color and lots of nutrition, it’ll keep you full and satisfied.
5 from 1 vote. Leave a review!
Prevent screen going dark
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Servings 1 Serving
Calories 427 kcal
Cuisine Vegan

Equipment

  • Blender
  • Cutting board
  • Knife

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup plant-based milk , I use soy milk (250 milliliters)
  • ½ large green apple (75 grams)
  • ½ cup spinach (20 grams)*
  • ½ medium banana (50 grams after peeling)
  • ¼ large avocado (35 grams)
  • â…“ cup vegan yogurt (100 grams)
  • 2 tablespoons hemp seeds (20 grams)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 dry dates
  • 2-3 ice cubes
Prevent screen going dark

Instructions

Step 1: Prep Ingredients

  • Prep all ingredients as needed. This includes cutting the core out of an apple, cutting and peeling an avocado and peeling a banana.
    ½ large green apple, ¼ large avocado, ½ medium banana

Step 2: Blend and Serve

  • Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
    1 cup plant-based milk, ½ large green apple, ½ cup spinach, ½ medium banana, ⅓ cup vegan yogurt, 2 tablespoons hemp seeds, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1-2 dry dates, 2-3 ice cubes, ¼ large avocado

Video

Notes

*Can use kale or leafy greens of choice.
Accuracy of nutrition information cannot be guaranteed (certain ingredients may not have all nutrients listed in the database); amounts may vary (and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used); all nutrition fact values rounded to the nearest whole number.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 ServingCalories: 427 kcalCarbohydrates: 47 gProtein: 17 gFat: 23 gSaturated Fat: 3 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11 gMonounsaturated Fat: 5 gSodium: 148 mgPotassium: 1165 mgFiber: 12 gSugar: 23 gVitamin A: 249 IUVitamin C: 17 mgCalcium: 364 mgIron: 4 mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Vegan Beverage Recipes

Like this recipe? You should also try:

  • Close up of a glass mug with milk being poured into prepared matcha tea with ice cubes.
    Iced Vanilla Matcha Latte (Vegan)
  • Close up of a glass of spinach pineapple smoothie garnished with pineapple and cucumber on the edge of the glass.
    Vegan Pineapple Spinach Smoothie (with Banana)
  • Close up of a wine glass filled with pale yellow lemon and mint mocktail.
    Lemon Mocktail (Mojito-Style with Mint)

About Nicole Stevens

Nicole is a vegan Registered Dietitian (RD) and founder of Lettuce Veg Out.

She helps people thrive on a vegan diet with balanced recipes and easy-to-understand nutrition science.


Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Penny McKay

    April 09, 2019 at 11:12 am

    This was so delish!! I didn't have any hemp seeds so I used some walnuts. I also added a little avocado. This will definitely be a regular!

    Reply
    • Nicole Stevens

      April 09, 2019 at 11:22 am

      Hi Penny, I'm glad you liked it! Walnuts would be really tasty, and you can't go wrong with some avocado either 🙂

      Reply

Reply to comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Nicole! As a vegan Registered Dietitian, I empower vegans to live a balanced life and gain confidence in the kitchen.

More about me →

Latest Vegan Recipes

  • Close up of a mug filled with apple cake.
    Vegan Apple Mug Cake for the Microwave
  • Close up of a folded stack of red lentil tortillas with rolled tortillas in back.
    Red Lentil Tortilla Wraps Recipe
  • Close up of a bowl filled with oat and puffed rice granola with walnuts and pumpkin seeds.
    Granola with Puffed Rice Cereal Recipe
  • Close up of a chocolate chip muffin with the paper muffin liner pulled back.
    Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe

Footer


About

  • About Lettuce Veg Out
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms of Service
  • Contact Nicole

Email Updates

© 2016–2023 Lettuce Veg Out

Manage your privacy
To provide a quality experience, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies allows us to process data such as browsing activity or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting, or withdrawing consent, may affect site features and functions.
Functional Always active
Necessary to enable a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
Required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}