Green Smoothie for Pregnancy: A Banana, Spinach and Chia Recipe That Takes 2 Minutes

This recipe is part of the Nella Vosk Pregnancy Nutrition: Complete Guide for Australian Mothers — a comprehensive resource covering what to eat across all three trimesters, from managing morning sickness to preparing nutritionally for birth and breastfeeding. This recipe focuses on one very specific problem: how to get folate, iron, omega-3s, and meaningful nutrition into your body in two minutes flat, on the mornings when anything more elaborate is not going to happen.

There is a strong argument that the green smoothie is the most useful thing you can make during pregnancy. Not because it is medically necessary or because nothing else works — but because the nutritional density per minute of effort is exceptionally high, the ingredients are cheap and universally available, and it is cold enough to be tolerable even when food smells are triggering nausea.

This version starts with the most achievable base possible — a banana, a handful of spinach, and water — and then shows you how to upgrade it step by step depending on what you have, how you feel, and what your pregnancy nutritional priorities are. The Nourish Mama Lactation Bliss Ball Premix works beautifully blended in for mothers in the third trimester preparing for breastfeeding, adding oats, linseed, and millet flour to the base without changing the flavour. The Pregnancy & Lactation Golden Latte adds a warming turmeric and ginger note for mothers who want something anti-inflammatory in their morning routine.

At Nella Vosk, supporting mothers through every stage of pregnancy nutrition sits at the heart of our Maternal Wellness Support pathway — and the simplest, most consistent habits are always the most valuable ones.

Author

Kelly Northey, Certified Postpartum Nutrition Professional

Servings

1

Category

Breakfast

Ingredients

• 1 small to medium ripe banana (the riper the better — more sweetness, more B6)
• 1 large handful baby spinach (approximately 1–1.5 cups, lightly packed)
• 1–2 cups cold water (start with 1 cup and add more to reach your preferred consistency)
• 4–6 ice cubes (optional — makes it colder and helps with nausea; omit if cold temperatures are uncomfortable)
• 1 tbsp chia seeds — omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, iron, fibre (flavourless when blended)
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed (linseed meal) — omega-3s and phytoestrogens (flavourless when blended)
• 1 tbsp hemp seeds — complete protein and omega-3s (mild, nutty flavour)
• Juice of ½ lemon — vitamin C, which significantly increases iron absorption from the spinach
• 1 Medjool date, pitted — additional natural sweetness, potassium, and magnesium
• 2 tbsp Nourish Mama Lactation Bliss Ball Premix — adds oats (galactagogue, iron, beta-glucan), linseed meal (omega-3s), sunflower meal (zinc, magnesium), millet flour (calcium, B vitamins), and raw cacao. Mild chocolate flavour. Particularly useful from the third trimester as preparation for breastfeeding. Contains oats — not suitable for coeliac disease.
• 1 tsp Pregnancy & Lactation Golden Latte — adds turmeric (anti-inflammatory), ginger (nausea support), and millet flour. Creates a warm-spiced flavour profile. Note: maca in this blend is not recommended for people with thyroid conditions. Best paired with a banana and mango smoothie for a golden-tropical flavour.

Directions

1. Peel and roughly chop the banana. If you prefer a thicker, colder smoothie, use a frozen banana (peel, chop, and freeze in a zip-lock bag beforehand).
2. Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender. Put the liquid in first — water or coconut water goes in before the greens and banana. This ensures the blender blade can move freely from the start and prevents the motor from struggling with a dry load.
3. Blend on high speed for 60 seconds until completely smooth. Spinach should be fully incorporated with no visible green flecks. If using chia seeds, they will also blend completely smooth.
4. Taste and adjust. Too thick: add water in splashes. Too thin: add more banana or ice. Not sweet enough: add a date or a small drizzle of honey (note: honey is not suitable for babies under 12 months but is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers). Too green tasting: this usually means the banana was under-ripe. A riper banana will mask the spinach flavour more effectively.
5. Pour and drink immediately, or transfer to a sealed jar and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. The smoothie separates as it sits — stir or re-blend briefly before drinking if refrigerated.