Healthy Pineapple Julius Smoothie (Paleo or Vegan!)

Pineapple Julius Smoothie – This tropical twist on an orange Julius adds fresh or frozen pineapple, plus a few extra boosts to make this the perfect healthy breakfast or snack! (Paleo or Vegan)

Here’s the thing: My kids still don’t love vegetables.

We serve them every single day (usually at least at lunch and dinner), and every single day, they’re disappointed I’m still putting them out. But there’s one glorious, delicious way my kids WILL eat green vegetables: SMOOTHIES!

We’ve made this Pineapple Julius Smoothie every morning for the last THREE weeks and my (veggie averse!) kids are still begging for it every morning. It’s creamy, dreamy texture, bright citrusy flavor, and that sweet hint of vanilla make this healthy green smoothie a winner every time.

WHAT’S IN A PINEAPPLE JULIUS SMOOTHIE?

A Pineapple Julius Smoothie (or Pineapple Orange Julius Smoothie) takes the classic orange julius ingredients and gives them a tropical twist. The end result has that creamy, bright flavor and kiss of vanilla you’re looking for, plus a few extra boosts of nutrition. Here’s what’s in ours:

FROZEN PINEAPPLE. Frozen pineapple makes up the base of the smoothie, giving it a frosty texture and a nice, bright flavor that’s the perfect balance of tangy and sweet.

HALF A RIPE BANANA. Banana adds natural sweetness and creaminess that’s key in an orange Julius. We only use half a banana, so it doesn’t overpower the punchy pineapple and orange flavors, but if you don’t like or tolerate banana, you can use 1/2 cup mango instead.

SPINACH. LOTS OF SPINACH. Pineapple Julius can take a LOT of spinach without impacting the flavor. It’s a miracle! We usually use at least 1.5-2 cups of spinach, but I’ve even gotten away with more. I just grab a few generous handfuls, and we watch the blender makes them disappear like magic.

ORANGE JUICE. The orange Julius recipe I grew up on used orange juice concentrate and a hefty amount of sugar. The pineapple and banana make this version sweet enough you can skip added sugar and use regular orange juice instead of concentrate. We like Simply Orange with pulp, but use whatever you love.

VANILLA. The magic ingredient! Somehow, a tiny 1/2 teaspoon or so of vanilla gives this an almost dessert-like quality we all crave.

COLLAGEN (OR VEGAN PROTEIN POWDER). We balance out the composition of the smoothie a bit here by adding some protein. Collagen is our go-to. It’s flavorless and non-dairy, but isn’t vegan. (For a vegan option, sub 1-2 Tbsp. vegan protein powder, hemp hearts or ground flax.)

NOTES + TIPS FOR THE PERFECT PINEAPPLE JULIUS SMOOTHIE:

TIPS FOR PICKY EATERS. I have VERY picky eaters at my house, so I get it! This pineapple Julius smoothie is a great place to start since it’s super kid friendly. If your kids are nervous about green smoothies…

• PICK A FUN NAME. Hulk Smoothies, Jedi Juice, Monster Smoothies, etc.
• START SMALL with the spinach and work your way up.
• TRY AN OPAQUE CUP. It’s amazing what kids’ll try when it’s in an opaque cup! We have these and love them.

THE BLENDER WE LOVE. We got this this Blendtec blender 6 years ago and more than 1500 blends into using it (there’s a counter!), it’s still going strong. I love ours!

DON’T HAVE A HIGH-SPEED BLENDER? Try blending your juice and greens together before adding the pineapple, banana, etc. It’ll give you a smoother end result!

SWAPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS. The biggest swap I get asked about is bananas. I know they’re polarizing! If you’re not into bananas, swap 1/2 cup or so of mango instead of the banana. It’s yummy! You can also try other greens if you prefer, like kale or chard.

SMOOTHIE LOVER? I BET YOU’D LIKE:

• Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
• Pineapple Peach Perfection Smoothie
• Peach Mango Bliss Smoothie
• How to Make Acai Bowls
• Our Best Healthy Smoothie Popsicles

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