Energy Boosting Green Smoothie

Do you want to raise your energy without caffeine? This energy boosting green smoothie recipe, full of nutritious vegetables, will invigorate you any time of the day minus the negative effects of caffeine or the dreaded sugar high and crash.

January 2024 Update: I am still creating these green smoothies several times a week. I use it as a snack or a light meal. In my opinion, this is the best green smoothie recipe. It’s easy to make and the ingredients are easy to keep on hand.

I love finding ways to boost not just my energy but my immune system and improve my gut health. I believe these smoothies do this.

Why Make Your Own Green Smoothies

We all need more vegetables in our diets! Most smoothies that you buy almost always have too much fruit or even worse have added sugar.

Making your own at home is the best way to use a green smoothie to get extra vegetables because you control what you add to it.

When you make your energy boosting green smoothie at home you get to add extra nutrition in the form of healthy fats and collagen powder.

Plus if you want, you can use organic fruits and vegetables When you make your own, you know exactly what you are getting!

Benefits of Homemade Green Smoothies

This clean dairy-free smoothie is also great for your skin and your body too! I offer a lot of options for ingredients.

Coffee or other caffeine drinks are just not an option for me in the afternoon. 

Yet, I love something special to pick me up in the afternoons. This energy boosting green smoothie is perfect for me.

It’s no secret I love coffee, however coffee doesn’t always love me, especially if I drink a little too much or drink it too late in the day.

That can mean trouble falling asleep later or that uncomfortable feeling from too much caffeine.

I decided that a green smoothie might work. When I make smoothies they are made mostly with vegetables so that I don’t get a sugar-crash later.

Yet, the vegetables and small amount of fruit would ideally be energizing. In addition, I add a scoop or two of collagen powder to give it some body and for added skin-improving benefits.

Sometimes I use coconut water, coconut milk, almond milk, or just plain water. While I don’t use a lot of fruit, a small amount of apple, banana, strawberries, or blueberries provide just the right amount of sweetness without added sugar. 

This smoothie really does the trick for me.

It has celery and cucumbers in it, in addition to the leafy greens and an orange. A little ginger gives it some snap and there you go.

It’s super simple to make, refreshing, and gives you the feeling you are taking care of your body.

Notes on Making an Energy Boosting Green Smoothie

Blending a green smoothie

Start blender on slow, especially if you are using a high speed blender. This is so important. If you forget and go to high too quickly, sometimes the ingredients get stuck or worse the top can blow off and smoothie goes every where!

As the veggies and fruits get chopped up, increase speed until it is smoothly blended into a lovely drink. Oranges and cucumbers are juicy so don’t add too much water at first.

When to drink your smoothie

I love having this refreshing, energizing smoothie in the afternoon or along side my lunch for extra veggie deliciousness.

Collagen for your green smoothie

I usually use a scoop or two of vanilla flavored collagen protein. I use one serving which for my brand is two scoops. Collagen is great for your skin and the addition to the smoothie, makes it, well, smoother.

In addition to a little extra flavor it also adds sweetness. Mine is sweetened with stevia. If you don’t want the artificial sweetener, you can use unflavored/unsweetened collagen.

Vegetables for your green smoothie

I always keep the basics for my green smoothies in my freezer. You can use fresh for all of it too. Here are my favorite vegetables to use.

• ​Spinach
• Kale
• Frozen green beans ( I used these by accident once and they didn’t impact the flavor at all)
• Cucumbers
• Celery
• Cilantro
• Energy Boosting Green Smoothie Basics
• Green vegetables: Use about a cup of your favorite green veggies
• Fruit: Use about 1/4 to 1/2 Cup of fruit
• Collagen Powder: I like vanilla or unflavored
• Citrus: Fresh lemon or orange juice
• Spices and seasonings: one or two teaspoons of fresh ginger really elevates the taste. Sometimes i also use about a teaspoon of cinnamon

An Example of My Smoothie

This is the recipe I started making in the fall of 2020. It’s clean and provides just the right amount of energy.

• 2 small cucumbers cut into chunks (can substitute baby spinach)
• 1 stalk of celery cut into chunks
• 1/2 inch of ginger, peeled and chopped
• Juice of 1 whole lemon
• 1 serving of collagen powder
• 1/2 small apple
• About 1 cup of water, coconut milk or water, or almond milk

Place all the ingredients in a blender. Mix on slow at first and gradually increase the speed until the smoothie is green and everything is thoroughly blended.

Drink immediately or store in refrigerator in glass jar with lid.

Energy Boosting Green Smoothie #2

Here in another lively mix of green vegetables and citrus that will boost your energy in the afternoon without caffeine.

• 2 handfuls of super or power greens (spinach and/or kale is fine too)
• A slice or two of ginger
• ½ cucumber sliced (I like to keep the peel on so I try to buy organic)
• 1 2 stalks of celery sliced
• 1 orange (cut peel away, leaving white stuff on, and then chop)
• 1 or 2 scoops of collagen powder
• A chunk or two of banana (optional)
• About 1 cup of water, coconut milk or water, or almond milk

1. Add ingredients to the blender in the order listed. I find the blending easier when the greens go in first and the chunkier things on top.
2. Start blender on slow. This is so important. If you forget and go to high to quickly, sometimes the ingredients get stuck or worse the top can blow off and smoothie goes every where!
3. As the veggies and fruits get chopped up, increase speed until it is smoothly blended into a lovely drink. Oranges and cucumbers are juicy so don’t add too much water at first.

This makes a gorgeous bright green drink. It’s not too sweet. Sometimes I add a chunk or two of banana to sweeten it up. But I usually forget and I like it just fine. If you want something even tarter, you could swap a lemon for the orange. But I am partial to the orange in this.

Not only do I get a pick-me-up; I get an extra serving of vegetables in. I also believe it is good for my immune system and gut health. This is a total win-win in my book!