Taking care of your skin from the inside out is key to getting your best results. In addition to your men’s skincare routine, healthy, vibrant skin comes from eating the right foods.

You want to eat healthy but not at the expense of enjoyment and well … deliciousness. Health is all about balance, right? Food is fuel, but it’s also one of life’s great pleasures––and you don’t have to give up your favorite foods to take better care of your body. While it’s best to eat pizza and burgers in moderation (that’s what cheat days are for), you don’t have to go full-tilt into rabbit food to get the most nutritional punch at mealtimes. 

Enter the humble yet super convenient green smoothie. Smoothies are packed with vital nutrients in an easy-to-digest form and are quick to make. Keeping your green smoothies simple yet delicious will keep you from downing too much sugar while maximizing the power of greens. 

Drinking a green smoothie every day helps amp up your daily intake of fruits and veggies while creating a powerful energy boost. And guess what? You don’t have to load up on kale to make an amazing green smoothie that tastes good. If you want a quick green smoothie recipe that blends up super creamy and doesn’t taste like lawn clippings, read on. (And if you want to toss some kale in your smoothie because you’re just that kind of guy, more power to you.)

First things first: the basics

A good blender is your golden ticket to winning the smoothie game. 

If you can swing it, go for a Vitamix or Blendtec. These are seriously powerful kitchen appliances that can make anything from sauces to soups to guac and then some. Plus, they’re fantastic for blending up a dreamy smoothie with a smooth, awesome texture. Just grab the best blender you can afford and get started.

Plan ahead and shop for groceries

Don’t leave your meal planning up to chance. Pick a favorite green smoothie recipe or two and grab all your groceries before the start of the week. Fresh fruit, avocado, nut butter, and yes, greens, are your go-to ingredients. 

The three elements to a bomb smoothie

First, choose a base liquid for your smoothie. Water, milk, coconut water, or juice can help thin out your smoothie so it’s not too thick while adding creaminess or a touch of sweetness. Add your liquid to the blender first for ease of blending.

Next, add your fat if using. A dollop or two of nut butter or avocado will give your smoothie an extra smooth, creamy texture while adding healthy fat and boosting satiety. 

Finally, toss in greens and some fresh or frozen fruit and blend away. 

Our favorite green smoothie recipe of all time

A note about greens: the best green for a great-tasting smoothie, in our humble opinion, is … spinach. 

Spinach blends up crazy smooth and has a subtle taste that doesn’t scream health nut. Not that we’re knocking the kale guy, but if you’re a beginner or have a more sensitive palate, spinach is the perfect smoothie stealth green. 

Now onto the recipe.

• 1/2 cup water or fresh orange juice
• 1 knob of fresh ginger, peeled
• ¼ fresh avocado
• 1 handful of fresh spinach
• ½ cup fresh or frozen pineapple
• ½ cup fresh or frozen mango

Add your liquid to the blender first. Next, add the ginger, avocado, spinach, and fruit (in that order) and blend until smooth and creamy. Add a bit more liquid if needed or if you like a thinner texture. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Yields one to two servings.