A green smoothie with celery and spinach sounds like a bold choice. We have been making this detox smoothie in the Thermomix® for years and can tell you that the colour is deceptive. With two pears and half a bunch of mint, it tastes fruity and fresh, not like salad.
First things first: ‘detox’ is a marketing term, and we do not take it literally. Our bodies detoxify themselves; the liver does that, not a smoothie. What this drink genuinely does is come together quickly, provide plenty of vitamin C from the lemon and spinach, include 60 g baby spinach as a source of iron, and come out of the blender without sugar, additives or colouring. We promise no more than that. And that is enough.
Detox Smoothie in the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 8 ✓
- 2 Pears
- 2 stalks Celery
- 60 g baby spinach
- 1 Cucumber
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 bunch mint
- 1 tsp honey
- 100 g ice cubes
Instructions 0 / 7
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1
Prepare the pears.
Wash and quarter the pears, then place them in the mixing bowl.
- 2 Pears
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2
Prepare the celery.
Trim the celery, cut it into pieces and place it in the mixing bowl.
- 2 stalks Celery
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3
Prepare the spinach.
Wash the spinach and place it in the mixing bowl.
- 60 g baby spinach
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4
Prepare the cucumber.
Peel the cucumber, cut it into pieces and place it in the mixing bowl.
- 1 Cucumber
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5
Juice the lemon.
Juice the lemon and add the juice to the mixing bowl.
- 1 lemon
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6
Add the mint.
Wash the mint, shake it dry and add the leaves to the mixing bowl.
- 1/2 bunch mint
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7
Blend the smoothie.
Blend for 2 minutes / speed 10 and serve with ice cubes and honey as required.
- 1 tsp honey
- 100 g ice cubes
Tip: You can also blend the ice cubes into the smoothie.
Video
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Nutrition per serving
Why the Thermomix® makes a difference here
Celery is the real problem in green smoothies. A conventional blender leaves fibres behind, making the smoothie fibrous and unpleasant to drink. The Thermomix® blends at speed 10 for 2 minutes until neither the celery stalks nor the spinach can be felt. The result is a smooth, silky texture, rather than the usual ‘I am drinking liquid salad’ sensation.
The Thermomix® also handles all 8 ingredients at once. We add the pears, celery, spinach, cucumber, lemon juice and mint one after another, then select speed 10. There is no need to pre-blend or finish it by hand.
The texture makes all the difference: add ice or not?
This is the question we are asked most often. The recipe calls for 100 g ice cubes, but the answer depends on what you want:
- Blend the ice straight in: This makes the smoothie colder and slightly thicker. We recommend it on hot days. Simply add the cubes to the mixing bowl and blend for 2 minutes / speed 10 as usual.
- Add ice when serving: The smoothie stays thinner and is easier to pour. If you are not drinking it immediately, leave out the ice and briefly chill the glass in the fridge.
- No ice at all: This works well when the cucumber and pears are cold from the fridge. We usually take the cucumber straight from the vegetable drawer.
What can go wrong
Too bitter: This happens if the cucumber is not peeled. Especially on older or large cucumbers, the bitter compounds sit in the skin. We always peel it, even when using young cucumbers.
Too sweet or too bland: The pears determine the sweet spot. Unripe, firm pears provide little flavour and the smoothie needs more honey. Ripe, soft pears no longer need honey. We always taste briefly before blending.
Not enough mint flavour: Mint quickly loses intensity when blended. Use the full half bunch, and pluck off the leaves just before blending, not earlier.
Apple, cucumber or ginger instead of pear and celery
Kale instead of spinach: For a bolder flavour, use 60 g kale leaves with the tough stalks removed. It is more intense and slightly earthy. We then recommend a little more honey to balance it.
With ginger: A thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger sharpens the smoothie and gives it a warmer finish. This suits the smoothie well in winter if you prefer a little more kick.
With chia seeds: Add a tablespoon of chia seeds, wait briefly for them to swell, then blend. This makes the smoothie thicker and more filling.
Breakfast or pre-workout booster
If you drink the detox smoothie for breakfast, we have more smoothie ideas for you. For something creamier, we recommend banana milk in the Thermomix®, where we set the texture in the first step. For a dessert feel after exercise, Yogurette® soft ice cream in the Thermomix® is a good option.
Drink it fresh, do not keep it
Green smoothies oxidise quickly. The colour changes after 30 minutes and the flavour after an hour. Lemon juice helps a little, but that is still not truly fresh. We always make exactly as much as we will drink immediately. The quantities in the recipe make 2 servings of 400 ml, intended as breakfast for two people.
Freezing works in ice cube trays, allowing individual portions to be dissolved in water or coconut water later. The spinach and mint flavours survive freezing well, although the mint aroma becomes slightly milder.
Ginger and lemon boost: the fiery summer variation
For a less sweet smoothie with more kick, replace one of the two pears with 250 ml coconut water and add a thumb-sized piece of ginger (about 3 cm), plus the grated zest of half an unwaxed lemon. Cut the ginger into thin slices so the fibres do not wind around the blade. Order in the mixing bowl: first chop the ginger and zest with the lemon juice for 10 seconds / speed 8, then add the remaining ingredients and blend as usual for 2 minutes / speed 10. The result is much fresher, lightly sparkling from the coconut water and has a gingery heat on the finish. If you like, add 2 tablespoons of fine oats before serving and blend for another 30 seconds / speed 10. This is filling and works well as a quick breakfast before a training session.
Our tip: mango buttermilk in the Thermomix®.
