Strawberry Banana Kale Smoothie

This easy Strawberry Banana Kale Smoothie recipe comes together in mere minutes! Packed with nutrients for a delicious and nutritious breakfast!

Made with fresh strawberries, kale (either the full leaf or just the stems), ripe bananas, milk of choice, and protein powder, this easy kale strawberry smoothie recipe is a nutritious snack or meal replacement.

Smoothie recipes are the perfect placement for kale stems if you’re like me and you try to be resourceful.

The majority of the time, we discard kale stems because they are ultra tough, and let’s face it: lackluster.

You can also add full kale leaves to this kale strawberry smoothie too!

But they contain some nutrients and a great deal of fiber!

The great thing about smoothies is you can add vegetables to them (like kale, spinach, avocado, carrots, etc.) without noticing them.

Why Use Kale Stems in Smoothies?

Okay, seriously. This is where I give you information. Kale stems contain a great deal of fiber; however, there is debate as to whether they contain less nutrition or more nutrition than the leaves.

Like raw kale leaves (or any cruciferous vegetable), the stems can be difficult to digest. So maybe don’t over-do it if this is your first rodeo. However, blending the stems helps with the digestive process, as the chewing is done for you.

When adding kale stems to your smoothie, there are some basics you may want to know. Here’re some kale stem smoothie tricks of the trade.

Recipe Tips and Tricks:

1. Don’t add too many kale stems (or too much kale if using the full leaf). I probably don’t need to explain this one to you.
2. Use ice in your smoothie. I normally use frozen bananas instead of ice, which results in an ultra smooth texture. The way I see it, adding ice makes the grittiness of the kale stem a little less noticeable. Less evident. Less the center of attention.
3. This isn’t a trick, but it’s a fact: kale stems taste less kale-y than kale leaves. Ergo, you don’t need to mask the flavor as much with a stem smoothie than a leaf smoothie. Ergo, strawberry banana. True story.
4. Use a high-powered blender. A quality high speed blender makes veggie-centric smoothies a million times more tolerable.  I realize not everyone has a fancy blender (and don’t shy away from kale smoothies if you don’t have one), but my Vitamix pulverizes anything I put in it and achieves uniform texture.

If you’re looking for more fruity breakfasts, also try my Green Superfood Smoothie or my Roasted Fig and Walnut Parfait!

Looking for more things you can do with kale stems? Make Sauteed Kale Stems or Creamy Kale Stem Pasta Sauce.

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