Zucchini Apple Pear Smoothie

Quench your thirst with this vegetable and fruit packed zucchini smoothie. It’s refreshing, smooth, healthy, and so satisfying that you will be happy to have it every day.

Zucchini!? You might be thinking, how does that work in a smoothie? Well, be prepared to be surprised. Zucchini goes well with a wide variety of fruits. And that is proven in this zucchini smoothie packed with subtle sweet and earthy flavors that is just perfect for late summer or early fall. With two full servings of fruit and one and a half servings of vegetables, it’s everything you need for a healthy breakfast or snack.

Vegetables in smoothies

When you first think of smoothies, you might be inclined to think of something sweet. A drink with lots of fruits, yogurt, juice, and maybe some protein powder. And while I love my fresh fruit smoothies, I think there is definitely something to be said for adding vegetables too.

I’m certainly not the only one thinking about this. I’ve definitely noticed more people incorporating leafy greens into their smoothies in recent years – especially kale. It’s a great way to add extra vitamins and minerals to your diet. You might note I frequently through a handful of spinach into my smoothies. Spinach blends up very easily – it is such a soft leaf – especially if you get baby spinach. I like to add it because it has so many nutritional benefits. Lots of iron, calcium, fiber, and so many other micronutrients. 

But you would be surprised how well zucchini works in smoothies. When blended, it creates a fluffy, creamy texture. There are also plenty of other vegetables out there that are fun additions to smoothies. If you haven’t yet, I suggest you start getting creative – it’s a great way to add more vegetables to your diet or sneak them to a picky child. Avocado is an obvious choice, but you can even use veggies like celery!

The benefits of yogurt

When you are trying to go healthy, a little yogurt can be a good thing. I love adding yogurt to my smoothies or to my overnight oats. Not only does it make the smoothie rich and creamy, it adds an extra boost of protein, good fats, and calcium. 

There are plenty of resources that suggest starting your day with a meal that contains proteins and fats as well as carbohydrates will help you stay full longer. I don’t know about you, but I frequently get so busy that I need that extra energy. Breakfast is important to me, but it has to be fast – which is why smoothies are perfect.

Yogurt also contains probiotics which are exceptionally good for your digestive tract. Any variety listed as having “live cultures” contains bacteria which are beneficial for digestion. Most of the time people think of bacteria as bad, but here they are good. If you are regularly prone to an upset stomach, or are getting over an illness, probiotics can be helpful in replenishing the bacteria that help you digest food!

What type of yogurt should you buy?

When you are picking a yogurt, I recommend choosing a plain, full-fat version that lists live cultures in the ingredients. Avoid anything with sugar or “fruit on the bottom”. Those frequently have a syrup around the fruit that is really high in sugar. Personally, I prefer to purchase a large container of plain yogurt because it is so versatile. Add some fruit, add some honey, maybe even some nuts or oats and you are good to go.