Lemon Smoothie (Sunshine in a Bottle!)
This Lemon Smoothie is like sunshine in a bottle! Yogurt, lemon, honey, ginger and turmeric will wake you up on a sleepy morning.
Winter, man. It’s dragging on, isn’t it? At least here in Michigan, February seems to be the hardest month in terms of feeling like Spring will never come again.
The only thing getting me out of bed lately is knowing that this Sunshine in a Bottle Lemon Smoothie is only a few minutes away once I get downstairs.
I even set my blender up on the counter the night before, so I’m all ready to go.
And as you know, lemon is my favorite flavor (I make a mean lemon margarita and lemon creme brulee), so it’s kind of like I’m waking up to my favorite food.
Every single ingredient in this smoothie (well, except the ice) is engineered for maximal bright, zingy flavor and health benefits.
That’s right, I engineered this smoothie. My husband is a mechanical engineer, and I’m a food engineer.
About this Lemon Smoothie recipe:
Start with a scoop of French vanilla yogurt or vanilla flavored Greek yogurt to get your probiotics for the day, and create a subtly sweet, creamy base for this smoothie.
Next, grab a big ol’ lemon and zest it into your blender, then squeeze in the juice of the lemon.
Add a spoonful of honey (agave nectar and maple syrup are also great choices here) for further sweetness that will counteract the bright acidic nature of the lemon. Honey will also give you a natural energy boost in the morning.
Have some sore muscles from your workout yesterday? Shoot, I have a sore neck just from sleeping on it wrong. That’s what the fresh ginger is for. Ginger can be used as a natural pain reliever for muscle soreness.
Finally we have a pinch of ground turmeric, which could help fight off a cold if needed!
Can I make this Lemon Smoothie vegan?
Sure, this lemon smoothie is so easy to make vegan! Get rid of the dairy by simply using a non-dairy yogurt alternative (such as yogurt made with almond milk or soy milk) in place of the yogurt, and substitute maple syrup or agave nectar for the honey.
Can I make a Lemon Smoothie without yogurt at all?
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend it. Without the yogurt, you’re basically going to be left with a blended lemonade 🙂 The yogurt is what gives the smoothie body and makes it filling.
What if I can’t find fresh ginger for this lemon smoothie?
While the flavor won’t be quite as bright and fresh without fresh ginger, ground dry ginger can be used in place of fresh ginger in this recipe. 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger will do the trick.
Can I make a lemon smoothie with spinach?
This is one of my favorite tricks to get more veggies into my diet! I’m willing to add a handful spinach to just about any kind of smoothie I make, and I’ve added spinach to this lemon smoothie quite often.
Of course, the smoothie will become a vibrant green color, but personally, I don’t find that the taste changes all that much. The bright flavors of the lemon and the ginger cover up the spinach flavor, in my opinion.
Can I make one serving of this smoothie?
Sure! The recipe is written for two servings because my husband and I will usually each have one smoothie when I make this recipe. You can also double or triple this recipe and include it as part of a brunch food buffet (don’t forget to put some bacon in the oven)!
But I also make a single serving just for me on occasion. If you want to make one serving, simply halve the ingredients like this:
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 1/2 cup ice cubes
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1-1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- pinch of ground turmeric
Lemon Smoothie
This Lemon Smoothie is like sunshine in a bottle! Yogurt, lemon, honey, ginger and turmeric will wake you up on a sleepy morning.
Ingredients
- 1 cup low fat French vanilla yogurt
- 1 cup ice cubes
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
Instructions
- In blender, combine all ingredients; blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 168Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 78mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 0gSugar: 34gProtein: 6g
Other great smoothie recipes:
- High Protein Cocoa Smoothie – try this one to satisfy a chocolate craving in a healthier way
- Blueberry Lemon Smoothie – A lemon smoothie, but make it purple!
- Citrus Zing Green Smoothie Bowl – almost too beautiful to eat, but not quite 🙂
- Berry & Beet Smoothies – vibrant nutrition in a bottle. check out the natural magenta color!
- Tropical Sun Smoothie – a vacation in a glass. you’ll be transported to a beach somewhere.
- Mocha-Banana Breakfast Smoothie – readers love this one in the morning!
- Cinnamon Roll Smoothie from Family Fresh Meals
- Apple Pie Smoothie from Ahead of Thyme
I used less ice and added 1 cup of frozen cauliflower rice. Delicious! My kids loved it too! I don’t always like smoothies fir breakfast but this one…for sure!
I’m so glad you and your kids loved it, Nicole. Love sneaking extra nutrition in there!
 WOW!  Delicious, and what a kick it has with the ginger and turmeric. I used fresh turmeric as well as the fresh ginger root. This is a definite keeper.
So glad you liked it, Nora!
This is very refreshing. I’m a lemon-lover so had to try this. I love it!!
Thanks for stopping by, Janet. Enjoy!
What is the liquid you used? Â I put everything in the blender and my blender made horrible noises. Added lemonade and it only took seconds to make. Very good, but I might try coconut milk.Â
Hi Donna – seems like every blender is a little different with regards to how much liquid they need to “get going.” I love the idea of adding a splash of lemonade.
Just tried this lemon smoothie! WOW! Love it! Love all the ingredients too, great combination- lemon, honey, ginger, turmeric, could not be any better. Sunshine in a bottle is a perfect name. I used almond milk yogurt alternative and a turmeric honey (I mix together). Thank you for this recipe.
Hi Cynthia – I am so glad you loved it! Turmeric honey sounds so interesting. What else do you use it for?
Just tried this smoothie for the first time with whatever I had on hand (i.e. less ice cubes, plain yogurt and a bit of coconut milk). it was fantastic! Especially on a grey and rainy day.
I’m so glad to hear it brightened your day a little, Jen. Stay well!
I love the combination! Lemon, honey, ginger… this is what I use for tea to recover from cold.
This was so good! It’s true – it does wake you up! Thanks for this!
You’re welcome, Shannon!
I made this with frozen banana subbed in for the yogurt and it came out great 🙂Â
It is so healing and yummy! Thank you!
I am so glad to hear that, Ellie. Happy New Year!
This would be a great cold summer soup.Â
WOW!  I made this and it’s a burst of sunshine in the morning. I love it.Â
I modified the recipe slightly. I used lemon yogurt instead of plain. I used agave syrup instead of honey. I found the honey sticks to the blender because of the cold ice. Agave syrup mixes in really well and gives it a bit of sweetness; even though not really needed.Â
This is now my morning smoothie.Â
So glad you liked it, Jackie!
This is straight up the best summer treat of all time – PEFECT lemon smoothie!
Thanks so much, Steph!
I’m curious what you could do if you don’t have fresh ginger? I never buy it.Â
1/4 teaspoon dried ginger will do the trick!
It was delicious! I used lemon flavored Oui yougurt, and it was soooo good!
I’m so glad to hear that, Lisa!
Lemon is my favourite flavour too, this is so tempting, excellent photographs..
I’ve been tinkering with smoothie recipes and thought I had created the ultimate lemon smoothie until I tried yours. The tumeric wasn’t on my radar at all and really adds a nice note. I used maple syrup instead of the honey for a little different taste. I also pop the yogurt in the freezer the night before and don’t use ice, lube the blender with a small touch of almond milk. The ratio of all the things is completely on point.
Hi Christine – so glad you loved it! I think the turmeric really is the magical ingredient. Love the idea of freezing the yogurt first – so smart!
Hi there. I will make this smoothie tomorrow morning but will use Kefir Milk that I make instead of the yogurt.
Regards Frances from Sunny South Africa
I saw this on your Instagram last week and I finally found time to make it. It’s so delicious and refreshing!!!
I am so glad to hear that, Helen! Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂
hi do you know the nutrition of this smoothie? how many carbs?
Hi Lola – I don’t offer nutritional information for my recipes. I would recommend plugging the ingredients into an online calculator such as My Fitness Pal.
Hi, Lori. I finally found the time and made your incredible smoothie to the whole family. It was an absolute hit, incredible. Can’t wait for your next recipes, thanks.
I’m so glad it was a hit, Sara. Thanks so much for letting me know 🙂
I’m an absolute lover of smoothies, but have never tried lemon smoothie before. I guess it’s a must for me now. Next weekend is the lemon smoothie weekend! (:
Awesome! Enjoy, Sara!
I am swimming in lemons over here and this is a great way to use them! I am doing a round up! Can I use a photo in a collage that links back here?
Hi Jacqueline – As long as it’s a photo a linkback (and not the full text of the recipe), I’d love to be included. Thanks!
Yum! I have lemon trees and this winter I have had more lemons than I know what to do with. Â I like finding creative ways to use them and this sounds like a neat way to squeeze some lemon (pun intended) into breakfast/snack time. Thanks for the recipe!Â
Sooooo jealous of your lemon trees, Melanie!
A lemon smoothie?!? Why didn’t I think of this? Must try soon 🙂
Haha, thanks Megan!
This looks delicious! I’m such a smoothie girl but have never thought of making a lemon smoothie! It’s genius and I can’t wait to try it!
xx, Caitlin
Thanks Caitlin!
Oh yum, this looks and sounds delicious!! This winter has been so strange – just when I think spring is around the corner, we get a string of cold, dreary days. Luckily this smoothie looks like it can counteract even the dreariest of days!
I think Spring IS just around the corner…finally. Let’s hope 🙂