Fresh greens are such a welcome sight after the snow melts and the ground thaws. I can only imagine that greens that have survived the harsh Midwest winter will probably make you feel pretty hardy too. This green smoothie is also a little bit chocolately, a delicious pairing for a healthy morning boost.

Sweet spinach is perfect for a green smoothie

Cold-loving spinach plants develop their own version of sugar antifreeze in their cells to prevent water from freezing, and the result is some very sweet spinach. This can ruin a savory dish if you’re not careful (sweet spanakopita is not good, I tried), or it can be used to your advantage in an already sweet smoothie.

Overwintering spinach

The spinach I harvested for this smoothie came from my greenhouse, Gertie. It was planted in the fall and then went dormant for a little while over the winter. It started growing like mad with the return of more daylight in March. We harvest about a pound a week until the plants get too tired.

You can definitely overwinter spinach outside as well if you don’t have a greenhouse. Just make sure you have healthy and mature plants by November or December, and they’ll be hardy enough to last the winter.

Tips on making this spinach smoothie

Greens: Use whatever greens you have on hand for this adaptable green smoothie recipe. This recipe works great with other tender greens like chard, kale, choy, beet greens, dandelion and chickweed. It can be a little combo or just one green.
Extras: Try adding a little scoop of your favorite protein powder if you’re making this for breakfast. I like the pea protein + medicinal mushroom mix from Four Sigmatic. A little extra protein will help you stay full for longer if you can’t break away for a snack until lunch.