Weight Loss Smoothie with Kale
This Weight Loss Smoothie with Kale is a healthy protein drink to fuel your morning! This green smoothie recipe actually tastes great and is packed with nutrition and ingredients to help you lose weight while feeling satisfied. This smoothie recipe can be made dairy-free or vegan if needed.
If you are looking for a delicious way to eat your greens, then I’ve got you covered with this enticing recipe.
This chocolate green smoothie with frozen berries is sweet, filling, and incredibly nutritious. This is my favorite breakfast smoothie of all time!
Smoothies are an excellent way to pack in nutrients that taste great too. Learn more about the health benefits of green smoothies. And, if you’re looking to lose weight or manage your weight easier, it’s important to start the day with a decent amount of protein. This smoothie recipe does just that, with almost 25 grams of protein per serving.
See my related Weight Loss Green Smoothie recipe with banana, avocado, and mango.
Why You Need This Recipe
- In addition to being perfect for chocolate lovers, this Weight Loss Green Smoothie recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, paleo, and Whole30!
- Kale is loaded with vitamins and minerals including Vitamins A, K, and C. It’s also high in beta-carotene and cancer-fighting antioxidants. Kale is a nutrient powerhouse and an excellent way to start your day. See my list of the best cancer-fighting smoothies.
- It’s refined-sugar free! Bananas, berries, and carrot juice are all you need to sweeten up this smoothie. You can also use frozen sweet cherries.
Key Ingredients
Kale packs in nutrients without overpowering the sweetness of the fruit. It’s one of the healthiest leafy greens you can eat and is a great addition to your weight-loss smoothie. Raw kale is high in vitamin K and is one of the healthiest foods on the planet!
Carrot juice sweetens it up while adding the necessary liquid to get the smoothie blended. Carrot juice is high in beta-carotene and also vitamin C. If you don’t have or like carrot juice, feel free to use unsweetened almond milk in its place.
Ripe banana is a great way to thicken up a smoothie while adding natural sweetness. I like to use a frozen banana in my healthy smoothies and especially in this kale weight loss smoothie.
Frozen berries add a sweet berry flavor that accents the cocoa powder. Berries are full of antioxidants which are great for fighting free radicals. They’re also great choices for aiding the immune system and fighting heart disease.
Cocoa powder adds a touch of chocolatey richness while adding antioxidants, too.
Hemp seeds help add plant protein and nutrient, plus healthy fats.
I also recommend adding protein powder or Green yogurt to the smoothie as the best ways to add protein. If you’re on a dairy-free diet, skip the yogurt and use a whole food protein source instead.
Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Steps
Step One
Remove the stems off the kale leaves. Rinse and dry them in a salad spinner.
Step Two
Steam the kale leaves on the stovetop or in the microwave and then set them aside.
You don’t have to steam the kale, but I find that it make the flavor milder and also makes the smoothie easier to digest. Feel free to leave the kale raw if you prefer.
Add everything but the steamed kale to the blender. A high-speed blender like a Vitamix works best to fully blend the greens.
Step Three
Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.
Use tongs to transfer the steamed kale to the top of the smoothie mixture.
Step Four
Blend the smoothie for 60 seconds until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.
I hope this healthy green smoothie with leafy green vegetables is one of your new favorite weight loss smoothies! It’s a great kale shake that will delight your taste buds with many of the essential nutrients you need.
Skip the packaged shakes and smoothies and choose this one made with healthy ingredients instead.
Recipe Tips & Substitutions
- One bunch of kale will yield about 3 cups of kale leaves when the stems are removed. You can also use baby kale in this recipe, but you won’t need to steam baby kale as long as regular kale.
- You can also substitute any other type of leafy green in this recipe for the kale including collard greens, bok choy, chard, or spinach. See my article all about green leafy vegetables.
- Add protein powder to increase the protein content of this smoothie. See my list of the best paleo protein powders or the best protein powders while pregnant.
- Feel free to use chia seeds instead of hemp seeds, if you prefer. You can also use almond milk, orange juice, apple juice, or coconut water instead of carrot juice. You can also add a squeeze of lemon juice if you like.
- If you’re serving this recipe to kids, you may want to add a tablespoon or two of peanut butter or almond butter to help mask the flavor of the greens. In that case, reduce the amount of hemp seeds to two tablespoons. This will alter the overall nutritional value, but not by much.
Recipe FAQs
I strongly recommend it, but you certainly don’t have to. Steaming the kale makes the leaves softer and easier to blend which in turn makes the smoothie creamy and not gritty.
Steaming greens like kale also has the benefit of reducing the oxalate content which can be irritating to some individuals. Steaming the kale also helps make it milder in flavor and easier to digest.
You can freeze the banana whole or in chunks. The important thing is that you peel the banana before you freeze it. See my guide for how to freeze ripe bananas.
Yes frozen strawberries will work just fine. Frozen sweet cherries are also great in this smoothie.
Yes, you can use either one.
This Weight Loss Smoothie with kale can aid weight loss by providing low-calorie, nutrient-dense ingredients that help satiate hunger. The fiber content in leafy greens and fruits promotes digestion, reduces cravings, and stabilizes blood sugar. Consuming green smoothies can replace higher-calorie meals, leading to a caloric deficit that encourages weight loss. For more help with weight loss to your specific needs, please speak to your healthcare provider or a dietitian.
More Healthy Smoothie Recipes You Might Like
- Cucumber Pineapple Smoothie
- Collard Green Smoothie
- No More Constipation Smoothie
- Anti-Cancer Green Smoothie Recipe
- Liver Detox Green Smoothie
- Iron Rich Smoothie
Or, check out my entire list of dairy-free smoothies.
Don’t Miss These Smoothie Resources!
Weight Loss Smoothie with Kale
This Weight Loss Smoothie with Kale is a healthy protein drink to fuel your morning! This green smoothie recipe actually tastes great and is packed with nutrition and ingredients to help you lose weight while feeling satisfied. This smoothie recipe can be made dairy-free if needed.
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3 1x
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch of kale (you can use curly kale or lacinato kale)
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 2 cups jarred or fresh carrot juice
- 1 frozen ripe banana, broken in half
- 2 cups frozen berries (I used a mixture of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries)
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder or cacao powder
- 2 scoops unsweetened protein powder
Instructions
- Prep your kale for the smoothie by removing the leaves from the stems. Place the leaves in a salad spinner or in a large bowl of water to rinse the leaves thoroughly. Spin the kale dry or shake the leaves to get rid of excess water.
- Place the kale leaves in a steamer basket or in a microwave-safe bowl. Steam the kale for 3-4 minutes on the stovetop in a steamer basket or for about 2 minutes in the microwave.
- Set the steamed kale aside while you prepare the smoothie. You don’t have to steam the kale, but I find that it make the flavor milder and also makes the smoothie easier to digest. Feel free to leave the kale raw if you prefer.
- In the pitcher of a high-speed blender like a Vitamix or a Blendtec, combine the hemp seeds, carrot juice, frozen banana, frozen berries, cocoa powder, and protein powder.
- Then, use tongs to transfer the steamed kale to the top of the smoothie mixture inside the blender pitcher.
- Lock on the lid and then blend the smoothie for about 60 seconds, or until it is smooth and creamy.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate any leftovers for up to 48 hours in a covered container.
Equipment
Buy Now →
Notes
- One bunch of kale will yield about 3 cups of kale leaves when the stems are removed.
- You can also use baby kale in this recipe, but you won’t need to steam baby kale as long as regular kale.
- You can also substitute any other type of leafy green in this recipe for the kale including collard greens, bok choy, chard, or spinach.
- Feel free to use your favorite frozen berries in this smoothie. Frozen sweet cherries are also great.
- Feel free to use chia seeds instead of hemp seeds, if you prefer. You can also use almond milk or orange juice instead of carrot juice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Smoothie
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Diet: Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 304
- Sugar: 21.4 g
- Sodium: 162.6 mg
- Fat: 7.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 42.5 g
- Fiber: 6.8 g
- Protein: 22.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: kale smoothie, steamed kale in smoothie, steamed greens in smoothie
If you like this post, consider following me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!
About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition. She is a top wellness and food blogger with over 10 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.
I noticed in another one of your article you suggested either the Blendtec blender, or the Vitamix. However, for this recipe you only suggested the Vitamix. Is there a reason for that? Is the Vitamix better for kale?
★★★★★
Great question! Either the Blendtec or Vitamix works great for this smoothie (and all smoothies). 🙂
I make this almost every morning! So good.
★★★★★