Kale Protein Smoothie

This kale protein smoothie is a delicious breakfast drink made with leafy greens, yogurt, milk, peanut butter and protein powder.

I'm usually not the kind of person that wants a full breakfast in the mornings, but I do like to have something simple that makes me feel like the day is off to a good start.

Smoothies are among the easiest ways to make that happen, and lately I've been trying some variations with leafy greens and lots of protein.

This kale protein smoothie is a creamy breakfast (or anytime) drink sweetened with fruit and thickened with nut butter and yogurt.

Nutrition Disclaimer

I am not a nutritionist or a doctor; this is simply a smoothie that has worked well for me with my dietary needs.

I've needed to up my personal protein intake because of a heavier workout load while training for multi-day backpacking trips.

That said, I think this smoothie tastes great, and it's helped keep me full all morning long. I also love that I can start my day with a nice serving of raw leafy greens!

Can I Substitute a Different Leafy Green in a Kale Protein Smoothie?

You sure can!

Kale is my favorite green for this smoothie, but it also works quite well with spinach.

I've also tried using mustard greens, which worked fairly well but did have a peppery aftertaste that I didn't care for.

Whatever greens you use, they should be uncooked and well-rinsed. For large leaves, chop them up first before blending.

Best Dairy Products for This Kale Protein Smoothie

The specific yogurt and milk you use is totally up to you!

My preference is Oikos Triple Zero plain Greek yogurt, which has a slightly higher protein count than a standard plain Greek yogurt. You could also use homemade Greek yogurt.

I generally use Fairlife 2% milk in this smoothie, which is an ultra-filtered milk with less sugar and more protein than standard cows milk. Of course, other milks will work too.

If you opt to use a non-dairy yogurt or milk, just keep in mind that the nutrition information will vary from what I used. Also the flavor profiles will change based on the non-dairy options you use.

What Protein Powder Should I Use?

Use whatever protein powder you prefer, as long as the flavor profile works with kale. I recommend vanilla or unflavored, and I'd probably skip flavors like chocolate for this smoothie.

My preference is Designer Whey's vanilla protein powder. (I find it's easier on my stomach than some other protein powders I've tried.)

Remember that the amount of protein in a powder varies by brand, so keep that in mind, and do your own nutrition label math (if that matters to you) if you use a different brand.

Can I Skip the Protein Powder?

Absolutely! In fact, I often forget to add it when making my morning smoothie (oops) and I don't notice a taste difference.

Obviously, skipping the powder will affect the amount of protein in the smoothie.

If you decide it's not a high-protein kind of day, here are some other options you could also try: arugula smoothie, orange smoothie with kefir, persimmon smoothie, or turmeric smoothie.

What Peanut Butter Should I Use in the Kale Protein Smoothie?

In general, I like to get peanut butter with one ingredient: peanuts. My current favorites are the natural peanut butter from Aldi or Smuckers Naturals.

Even if you prefer a less oily, smoother peanut butter for sandwiches, for a smoothie the natural ones work extremely well.

It's also fine to swap peanut butter for another nut butter that you prefer.

Blender Recommendations

Are you blender shopping? Check out our comparison of Ninja, Blendtec and Vitamix blenders.

I typically use a Vitamix blender for my smoothies at home.

When I'm on the go and still want to make smoothies, I really like this portable Ninja blender.

Whatever blender you're working with, it helps to layer the ingredients in order from liquid to frozen. See the recipe notes for more details!