Erika’s Favorite Green Monster
May 13, 2011 § 38 Comments
It’s amazing what the Blog World has introduced me to. Twelve months ago if someone asked me what a Green Monster was I probably would have said the large wall in Fenway Park. (Go Red Sox!) I would have never guessed that it was actually a name for smoothies blended with spinach! At first I’ll admit that I was grossed out by the concept of adding a vegetable to a sweet smoothie, but eventually the idea grew on me and I decided to try it for the first time. It was delicious! Believe it or not, Green Monsters are actually pretty darn yummy. You can’t even taste the spinach. Not even a little bit. The flavor is masked by whatever fruit you blend it with, in this case banana and pineapple. 
Erika’s Favorite Green Monster
“Green Monsters can be made with any combination of fruit, but banana and pineapple taste the best. Trust me.”
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1 ½ cup pineapple chunks, frozen
- ½ banana, frozen
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- ½ – 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup water or milk (omit for a thicker smoothie)
- 2 tablespoons ground flax-seed (optional)
Directions:
- Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend for 1 minute or until smooth and pour into glasses. Garnish with a pinch of ground cinnamon and enjoy!
Yield: 1 serving
Doesn’t the spinach make the Green Monster look so pretty? Seriously, I love it! In addition to being extremely pretty and delicious, Green Monster smoothies also have stellar health benefits. They are high in fiber, Omega 3s (if you use the flax), and help you reach your daily fruit and veggie servings. I should also add that this is not entirely my own creation. This particular flavor combination is my own, but the genius behind the Green Monster is actually Angela. To read more about Green Monsters click here.
So what are you waiting for?! Get up off your seat and make yourself a Green Monster! I bet you’ll like it! 
I’ve always been freaked about adding spinach ot my smoothies. But this looks so delicious that I just have to try it!
HA Im totally drinking a monster right now lol Mine is not as good as yours Im sure though!! For some reason mine have been really lacking taste recently! Its making me quite sad
I am loving green smoothies at the min.
I LOVEEEEE GREEN MONSTERS!!! I always add frozen blueberries to mine so they are never really green…..
I’ve never had a spinach smoothie, it just seems weird! But I might make this because I love anything pineapple!
i LOVE THE PINEAPPLE!! girl ur photography is amazing!! u even make a GM look good!
MMMM pineapple in a green monster ♥ I love pineappple and cannot beleive I’ve never thought of that, thanks girl! Love the straw
I love green monsters! I usually just keep it simple and add banana, but I have to try it with pineapple. It sounds delicious!
Oh my goodness, that straw would make any gm the best ever!
Whitney
I love your straw!
I so want to try a green monster with pineapple – that stuff is so fresh right now
Looks great! Pineapple works so well in green smoothies.
I LOVE green smoothies! I’ve never tried pineapple in it, but I bet that would be great. I’ve been making them with cherries recently- yum yum yum
I just started enjoying these as well!! I love everything blog world has introduced me too.
You know what i love best about your smoothie? Your straw!
Green monsters are delicious! Yours looks particularly yummy. I see pineapple listed on commercial brands of green monsters but have never tried it, I always use apples! Looks good, though, I’ll have to try it
Green monsters are delicious! Yours looks particularly yummy. I see pineapple listed on commercial brands of green monsters but have never tried it, I always use apples! Looks good, though, I’ll have to try it
MY favorite GM combo used to be vanilla soy, spinach, banana and pb, but I found that is was getting too sweet and backed way off drinking GMs for awhile, but I whipped one up yesterday with 1/2 banana, frozen pineapple and original almond milk and it was baller
Omigosh I love the crazy straw! I remember having so many of those as a little kid and I miss them! Too bad my smoothies usually end up being so thick that I have to eat them with a spoon. Wait a sec, that’s a good thing
Thick smoothies are my favorite!
I’ve never tried spinach in my smoothie because of its interesting green hue, but maybe I’ll give it a try!
[...] Pineapple Banana Green Monster [...]
This sounds like an awesome green smoothie. The addition of pineapple is probably a tasty surprise. I may have to try it
I have never added spinach to my smoothies before but I have seen so many recipes with it. I have to give this a try!
lots of handfuls of spinach <3 yummmmmms <3
I love spinach anyway I can get it!
YUM! Love the green monster. I’m going to have to try this one out soon since I just bought a huge bag of spinach from costco
Green monsters are the best!! Cool idea to put pineapple in yours! Never heard of that before, but it sounds delicious!
I love green monsters. I’m constantly experimenting with them.
I’m totally obsessed with Green Monsters year ’round, but my love gets crazier in the summer
I’m in love with green smoothies!!! I love your funky straw also!
Yum, that green monster looks awesome! My skin always feels so refreshed after drinking those things;)
The smoothie looks so cute, but I’m still doubting about the spinach in it… You really really can’t feel the taste of it?
Nope, you cannot taste it at all! Even my little brother agrees!
Mmmm this looks so good and thick!
I really like the color, and that bendy straw is awesome!
Glad to hear you’re doing okay Erika!
Love it! I enjoy a green drink for breakfast every morning. This one sounds great! I will have to try it tomorrow
Will definitely have to try this!
this is perfect!
since juicing is not an option, because I absolutely hate
cleaning the juicer.
Definitely recommend that “beginners” use banana in their blend of fruits.
I noticed at first, if I didn’t have banana in it, I could still catch a little “sense” of the spinach. Only cuz I knew it was there, I suppose, and was looking for it. Banana, especially ripe banana (which in my opinion is only good for smoothies at that point) seems to completely obliterate any suggestion of a spinach taste. It also is a great way to add sweetness without adding refined sugar. I, too, LOVE ground flax in my smoothies. I thought I was weird.
I make this with banana, spinach, peanut butter and almond milk and ice to get the desired consistency. It tastes just like a milkshake!