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[Recipes] The Green Ginger Monster Protein Smoothie

Posted by on Apr 8, 2014 in Cook It UP, Gluten Free, Protein Shakes, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Smoothies & Shakes, Snacks, Vegetarian | 5 comments

Go GREEN and let a waterfall of heavenly ripples cascade down your throat. The Green Ginger Monster is a radiant, light, uber-refreshing protein smoothie that’s cracking with an explosive, ginger-sparked zing.

Between its potent combo of whey protein, spirulina (a blue-green algae that’s ~60% protein and loaded with carotenoids + antioxidants), ginger, spinach, cinnamon, and green apple, it’s absolutely STACKED with 100% lean liquid nutrition. And unlike most fruit-based smoothies, it’s not laced with an obnoxious sugar count; which makes it a svelte option whenever, wherever.

For a modest 310 calories, the Green Ginger Monster packs an ENORMOUS 42g of protein and 6g of fiber, with a mellow 19g of sugar (from an apple). And if you’re looking for nutrient dense, this might be as dense as any smoothie comes — it’s gushing with iron (50%), calcium (70%), antioxidants, and vitamins A/B12/C/D/E/K.

Chug it post-workout to kickstart the growth and recovery process — ginger acts as a stealthy workout warrior that can help reduce muscle soreness — blend it up first thing to turbocharge your day (in, like, 3 minutes), or make it whenever as a lean, belly-busting snack. It’s a killer way to fuel new muscle growth, cut weight, lean up for summer, or detox after a wicked hangover.

 

The Green Ginger Monster — Ingredients

*Makes 1 BIG smoothie. Feel free to split it up into 2.

  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut almond milk (I use Califia Farms) — or choose any other milk variety as a base.
  • 1.5 scoops unflavored or vanilla whey protein (I use NOW unflavored) — any vanilla or unflavored variety works; use our protein powder guide if you’re looking to buy a jug. You can also adjust this # up/down depending on your own protein needs.
  • 1 green apple
  • 1 cup spinach
  • 1″ sliced ginger
  • 1 tsp. spirulina (I use Pure Hawaiian) — it’s available dried in bulk on Amazon.
  • A few shakes of cinnamon
  • 2 ice cubes

 

The Green Ginger Monster — Make It

Time: 5 Minutes.

  • (1) Throw everything in a blender.
  • (2) If you’ve got a variable speed blender, like a Vitamix, start on low and work your way up slowly to top power.
  • (3) Chug.

 

Nutrition Info

  • green protein smoothie, protein smoothie, green protein shake, protein smoothie recipe, protein smoothie recipes, green protein smoothie recipes, green protein smoothie recipe, protein shake recipes, smoothie recipes, protein smoothies, smoothie recipe, green smoothie recipes, fruit smoothie recipes, smoothies recipes, health smoothie recipes, smoothie recipes for weight lossCalories — 310
  • Total Fat — 3.5g
  • Carbs — 28g
  • Sugar — 19g
  • Fiber — 6g
  • Protein — 42g
  • Vitamin A — 300%
  • Vitamin B12 — 150%
  • Vitamin C — 28%
  • Vitamin D — 25%
  • Vitamin E — 48%
  • Vitamin K — 280%
  • Calcium — 70%
  • Iron — 50%


Print
[Recipes] The Green Ginger Monster

Total Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 1 Big Smoothie

Calories per serving: 310

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut almond milk
  • 1.5 scoops unflavored or vanilla whey protein
  • 1 green apple
  • 1 cup spinach
  • 1 inch sliced ginger
  • 1 tsp. spirulina
  • A few shakes of cinnamon
  • 2 ice cubes

Directions

  1. Throw everything in a blender.
  2. If you’ve got a variable speed blender, like a Vitamix, start on low and work your way up slowly to top power.
  3. Chug.

Notes

Calories — 310 Total Fat — 3.5g Carbs — 28g Sugar — 19g Fiber — 6g Protein — 42g Vitamin A — 300% Vitamin B12 — 150% Vitamin C — 28% Vitamin D — 25% Vitamin E — 48% Vitamin K — 280% Calcium — 70% Iron — 50%

Bryan DiSanto

Owner & Editor-in-Chief at Lean It UP
Bryan DiSanto is the Owner & Editor-in-Chief of Lean It UP, ACE-CPT & CSN, NYU graduate, ex-fat kid, and all-around fitness/nutrition nutjob.

When he’s not working on his (or somebody else’s) abs, whipping up Eggocados, or running a Tough Mudder, he’s probably off yelling at a Carolina Panthers game somewhere.

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  • Amanda

    what is a cup of spinach? by weight or volume, and if by volume should I compress it or leave it lose?

    • https://www.leanit-up.com/ Bryan DiSanto

      By volume, compressed. But it’s really just a ballpark — I always just peel off the stems and throw a handful in. It’s tough to overdo it.

  • Tom

    Hi Bryan, love the recipe idea. I’ve been making something similar lately, only I’ve been using a juicer for my fruits and veggies - does this detract from the overall nutrition of it (besides the fiber, most of which I know is lost). Despite my best efforts to find unbiased facts on the internet, it seems that its mostly just stuff propagated by blender/juicer companies and their respective fanboys. So as a neutral party, would you say that juicing is a waste of nutritional value?

    • https://www.leanit-up.com/ Bryan DiSanto

      Hey Tom. It depends, but most of the info I’ve read also is WAY overblown.

      It’s absolutely not a waste, but you do lose some of the fiber, pulp, and bulk — that can impact hunger levels and blood sugar swings. I also prefer blending because it’s much easier to integrate protein powder and other smoothie boosters.

      That said, you’re still getting the majority of the nutrition/vits/minerals when you juice. My only reco would be that if it’s highly fruit-based and higher in sugar (vs. a veggie blend), pair it with something that’s rich in protein. The sugar count can easily skyrocket and impact the way fat’s stored, depending on timing and a bunch of other factors.

      -Bryan

    • https://www.leanit-up.com/ Bryan DiSanto

      Juicers are also a pain in the ass to clean; blenders take about 16 seconds. So from a purely practical standpoint, that wins out for me :).

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