Give your immune system a healthy boost with this vibrant vegan lemon smoothie! It's made with a whole lemon, pomegranate arils, frozen blueberries, and sweet frozen mango to perfectly balance the natural tartness. It's tangy, refreshing, and loaded with antioxidants and vitamins to start your day off right!
This vegan lemon mango pomegranate smoothie is packed with immune system boosting ingredients like a whole lemon, tangy pomegranate arils, kiwi, and blueberries. If you're like me, then you probably like to boost your immune system naturally with foods that are rich in vitamin C too. Did you know that lemons are high in vitamin C and kiwis have more vitamin C than oranges do?!
Not only is this lemon smoothie so good for you, but it's easy to make, and it tastes delicious! It's super tangy but has the perfect balance of natural sweetness from the frozen mango and the most beautiful deep berry color thanks to the pomegranate arils.
Is it Ok to Blend a Whole Lemon?
Yes, it's 100% ok to blend the entire lemon. Why would you only use the juice and discard the peel, pith, and pulp, when the entire lemon is packed with beneficial vitamins (especially high levels of vitamin C) and antioxidants? The only part of the lemon that I cut off is the stem.
If you're concerned with using a whole lemon in your smoothie and it being too acidic for your teeth, you can use a reusable straw to suck up the smoothie so it won't touch your teeth as much. Also, you should rinse your mouth with water after you finish drinking the smoothie.
How to Make a Whole Lemon Smoothie
This whole lemon smoothie recipe is extremely simple to make. All you have to do is add the frozen fruit, plant milk, and seeds to a blender and blend on high until the mixture is smooth and creamy. I used my Nutribullet with the large blender cup, but any high-powered blender will work.
How to Cut a Pomegranate the EASY Way!
I've seen so many people teach that cutting a pomegranate in half and banging on it with a spoon to knock the seeds out, is the best option. Except it's not the best way or the easiest way! All that does is make a huge mess and deter you from wanting to eat fresh pomegranate arils again because it makes such a mess.
I think that the most efficient way to remove the arils from a pomegranate is to do this:
- Cut the top off.
- Trace the white pith lines with a paring knife and score the pomegranate into wedges.
- Pull the wedges away from the center and open it like a flower.
- Use your fingers to remove the arils from the little pockets on each wedge. It takes a few minutes to get all the juicy seeds out but it's worth it!
This method creates less of a mess and is much quicker! Now you can freeze the arils or enjoy them fresh. I like to keep a bag of frozen pomegranate arils in the freezer so I'm ready whenever I want to make this lemon pomegranate smoothie or my favorite wild rice pomegranate salad.
How to Freeze Pomegranate Arils
Arrange the pomegranate arils on a parchment paper-lined tray and put the tray in the freezer for 2-3 hours, or until the seeds are completely frozen. Then you can transfer the seeds into a reusable silicone freezer bag.
What Fruit Goes With Pomegranate?
Pomegranate seeds are a little bit tangy and they turn the lemon smoothie the most beautiful berry color! That's why I paired it with more antioxidant-rich berries, zippy kiwi, tart lemon for brightness, and the sugar-sweet mango balances it all out. These flavors all work so well together!
How to Freeze Whole Lemons
If you want to prep a batch of small frozen lemons for future lemon smoothies, this is the best way to do it.
- First, wash all the lemons and cut the stems off.
- Next, arrange the lemons so they're not touching each other on a parchment paper-lined baking tray, stem side down because the flat edge will stop them from rolling.
- Put the tray in the freezer for 3-4 hours or until they're frozen solid.
- Transfer the frozen lemons to a reusable silicone freezer bag.
Doing this step first helps to stop the lemons from sticking together when they freeze. Plus, it's just more convenient to buy a bunch of lemons at once and freeze them together so you have them ready to use in a pomegranate blueberry lemon smoothie when you need it. It also helps to reduce food waste because frozen lemons last much longer than fresh lemons do.
How to Freeze Whole Kiwis
Just like the lemons, you can freeze a kiwi whole. The peel is edible and fiber-rich, but I prefer to slice it off first before freezing because if you're planning on using it for a smoothie, the brown skin tends to muddy the vibrant color a little bit.
Once you remove the peel and both ends, arrange the kiwis on a parchment paper lined tray and put it in the freezer for 3-4 hours or until they're frozen solid. Then transfer the frozen kiwi's to a reusable silicone freezer bag.
Ways to Adapt This Recipe
While I do love this whole lemon + fruit mixture as a smoothie, there are so many ways for you to enjoy it!
- Lemon Smoothie Bowls: Instead of pouring the smoothie into a cup, scoop it into a bowl and top it with more fresh fruit, granola, coconut flakes, cocoa nibs, nuts, and seeds!
- Popsicles: Pour the smoothie mixture into a popsicle mold and freeze it for 5-6 hours or until completely frozen for a healthy snack or dessert! You might also like these watermelon popsicles.
- Chia Seed Pudding: When you're making the smoothie, omit the 1 tbsp of chia seeds and instead stir in ¼ cup of chia seeds after you blend the fruit. Pour the mixture into a container and store it in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours. The chia seeds will absorb the liquid, puff up, and make a delicious fruity chia seed pudding!
Notes & FAQ's
- Ground Flax Substitute: I keep a bag of ground flaxseed in my freezer to use in smoothies or vegan meatballs because whole flaxseeds tend to pass through your system if they're not ground. However, if you only have whole flaxseeds on hand, that's fine to use because the blender will grind them up anyways.
- More Frozen Fruit Options: If you don't have pomegranates, blueberries, kiwi, or mango available, you can also use raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, or pineapple.
- Citrus Substitute: Instead of lemon, you could use a frozen lime.
- Add More Fiber: Bananas are low in calories, high-fiber, and they taste great in smoothies! Add one fresh or frozen banana to make the smoothie taste extra creamy and filling.
- Plant Milk Options: You can use any plant milk that you have on hand but I prefer to use unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened coconut milk, or unsweetened oat milk in smoothies to make it taste extra creamy. If you don't have any plant milk, you could also use water or organic orange juice that doesn't have any sugar added (I like the OJ from Costco).
- Do You Have to Use Frozen Fruit? You don't have to use frozen fruit but I think it gives the smoothie a better texture instead of having to add ice to make it taste cold and frosty.
- Do You Have to Use a Whole Lemon? No, you don't have to use the whole lemon to make the smoothie taste good. You can start with just the lemon juice or only use a couple of lemon slices if you prefer.
- How to Peel a Pomegranate Without Staining Hands? The only way to deseed a pomegranate without the red juice staining your hands is to wear gloves.
Success Tips
- Use as much frozen fruit as possible! Fresh fruit is delicious, but it won't give your smoothie that frosty texture. It will blend well, but you'll need to add ice to chill it.
- If you use fresh pomegranate, remove the arils on top of a large plate, or put a piece of parchment paper on top of a cutting board so the red juices won't stain anything.
- Add the hemp seeds, chia seeds, and ground flax to the smoothie after you pour in the plant milk. I've found that if you add the seeds before you add the plant milk, the seeds settle and stick to the bottom of the cup and it makes the blender cup difficult to clean.
- You can store leftover pomegranate lemon smoothie in the fridge for 1-2 days but I don't think that is tastes as good as when you first make it fresh. If you have leftover smoothie, I like to pour the extra into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Then you can add the frozen cubes to the next fruit smoothie that you make.
More Vegan Lemon Recipes You'll Love!
Roasted Lemon Garlic Asparagus
Whole Lemon Pomegranate Smoothie
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- ¼ cup frozen pomegranate arils
- ¼ cup frozen blueberries
- ½ cup frozen mango
- 1 small whole frozen lemon (peel included)
- 1 medium whole frozen kiwi (peel removed)
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp hemp seeds
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
Instructions
- Add the frozen fruit, unsweetened almond milk, and seeds to a large blender cup and blend on high until the mixture is smooth and creamy. If the mixture is too thick, keep adding 1 tbsp of plant milk until you reach the desired consistency.
Notes
- Use as much frozen fruit as possible! Fresh fruit is great but it won't give your smoothie that frosty texture. It will blend well, but you'll need to add ice to chill it.
- If you use fresh pomegranate, remove the arils on top of a large plate or put a piece of parchment paper on top of a cutting board so the red juices won't stain anything.
- Add the hemp seeds, chia seeds, and ground flax to the smoothie after you pour in the plant milk. I've found that if you add the seeds before you add the plant milk, the seeds settle and stick to the bottom of the cup and it makes the blender cup difficult to clean.
- You can store leftover pomegranate lemon smoothie in the fridge for 1-2 days but I don't think that is tastes as good as when you first make it fresh. If you have leftover smoothie, I like to pour the extra into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Then you can add the frozen cubes to the next fruit smoothie that you make.
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally posted on 1/2/16, but I updated it with better recipe instructions on 5/22/20.
