This nourishing smoothie is cool, creamy and gently tangy with a base of plain yogurt softly sweetened with whole fruit — a very ripe pear and few dates — and with a refreshing zing of ginger. A handful of almonds adds texture, protein and fiber, and spinach leaves provide gorgeous green color and nutritional benefits without any detectable flavor, making it an ideal way to stealthily incorporate leafy vegetables. You can play with variations, using Greek or nondairy yogurt, a ripe banana or chunks of pineapple instead of the pear, a different type of nut or seed, or baby kale instead of spinach, for example, adjusting the thickness and the level of sweetness by adding a little cold water and/or honey to taste.
Servings: 2 When you scale a recipe, keep in mind that cooking times and temperatures, pan sizes and seasonings may be affected, so adjust accordingly. Also, amounts listed in the directions will not reflect the changes made to ingredient amounts.
When you scale a recipe, keep in mind that cooking times and temperatures, pan sizes and seasonings may be affected, so adjust accordingly. Also, amounts listed in the directions will not reflect the changes made to ingredient amounts.
Tested size: 2 servings; makes about 2 1/2 cups
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup ice
- 1 cup lightly packed spinach leaves
- 2/3 cup plain yogurt (low-fat or whole milk, see NOTE)
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1 very ripe medium pear (any variety), peeled, cored and cut into chunks
- 3 pitted dates, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
- Honey, to taste (optional)
Directions
Place the ice into a blender and process to crush it. Add the spinach, yogurt, almonds, pear, dates and ginger and blend until smooth and frothy, with a little texture remaining from the almonds and dates. Taste, and then blend in a little honey to taste, if desired.
NOTE: This recipe is best with regular yogurt, but 1/2 cup Greek yogurt plus 2 tablespoons cold water may be substituted.
Recipe Source
From cookbook author and nutritionist Ellie Krieger.
Tested by Olga Massov.
Email questions to the Food Section at food@washpost.com.
