What Is A Fruit Smoothie
A fruit smoothie is a drink made from blended fruits with a liquid base of fruit juice, yogurt, milk, ice cream, or other dairy product. Once you blend all your fruity ingredients into a smooth mixture, you have your perfect smoothie.
You can use various fruits to make a fruit smoothie, including bananas, oranges, apples, kiwis, peaches, and more. First, we’ll look at some fruit smoothie recipes that you can try. However, before we dive in, let’s look at the steps to make a basic smoothie.
How Can I Make My Smoothie Healthier
The smoothie recipes below are plain, but if you want to expand your smoothie horizons, go for it! Toss in chia seeds or protein powder or hemp seeds or flax or whatever else makes your heart happy. If you have a standard set of mix-ins you like, you can even freeze them into booster packsgreat for really quick and easy smoothies!
Are Smoothies High In Sugar
A smoothie may sound like an ideal healthy snack, but it might be hiding more sugar than you think . Toss in some juice, maybe a drizzle of honey, banana slices, and before you know it, youve consumed 50+ grams of sugar!
But, this doesnt mean you cant create smoothies that will satisfy your sweet tooth while having lots of nutrients, protein, and fiber. With the right combination of specific fruits and vegetables, you can enjoy your smoothie without having to worry about your sugar intake.
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Why Add Veggies To Smoothies
Im probably not shocking anyone by saying this, but vegetables are good for you.
They are full of vitamins and minerals. Even though we know we should eat vegetables, they are something many people struggle with enjoying and/or getting enough of on a consistent basis. This is why I loved adding them to the blender! Adding vegetables to smoothies is the perfect way to start getting into the healthy habit of adding more plants to your diet in a way that is delicious. Blended with naturally sweet fruit , the veggies almost melt into this tasty drink that is downright delightful.
More Smoothie Blender Recommendations
I did want to share some other great blenders that I have personally owned and recommend depending on your price point.
Low cost:Ninja BL480D Blender$99 this is a great single serve blender for those that want to conserve space. Plus you cant beat the price point.
Medium cost:Ninja Kitchen System $229 Ive owned the Ninja Kitchen System for about 5 years and I love that its interchangeable between a blender, food processor, and single-serve smoothie blender. For $229, you really do get it all!
High cost:Vitamix 5200$429 at the highest price point, the Vitamix is THE BEST kitchen appliance Ive ever owned. It will literally crush, pulverize, mix, or puree anything and everything because its so powerful! I highly recommend, 10/10!
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Make It Plant Based / Vegan
You can make this banana smoothie plant-based or vegan by doing two swaps:
- Use vegan yogurt or another ½ banana. Use your favorite brand of plant-based yogurt or try another half banana to get just the right texture.
- Substitute non-dairy milk for the milk . We like using oat milk or almond milk. Another good option here would be coconut milk, since the flavor pairs well with banana.
The Best Fruit Smoothie Recipe
Smoothies have become a favorite in our home! In fact, the kids called them yummy drinks!
I dont blame them, because its hard not to love fruits blended together to make a delicious drink!
Were always looking for new healthy smoothie recipes, and today I wanted to share with you one we recently came up with that has become a favorite. It has some of my fav fruits including strawberries, bananas, kiwi, blueberries and more!
Sometimes a smoothie is just the right thing for our appetite and its always so fun coming up with new yummy recipes for them. Theyre great as an after-school snack for kids, a special treat or even for breakfast.
Todays recipe has to be the familys new favorite, and we cannot wait to share it with you!
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Blueberry And Spinach Smoothie
Packed with loads of fiber, it is also a rich source of superfoods. And if you have ever struggled to get your kids to eat their daily recommended allowance of spinach, this might just be the most effective way to go about it!
Ingredients
1 banana
1 cup spinach, fresh
½ cup apple juice
Instructions
First, remove the ribs and thick stems of the kale. Then chop up the leaves along with the pineapple. Place the strawberries, milk, honey, and half the ice in blender, and pulse until smooth. Transfer it to another container, and then pulse the kale, pineapple, banana, apple juice, and remaining ice until smooth. Pour the strawberry in a tall glass and top with the kale mixture.
Components To Maximize Your Smoothie
Smoothies can ultimately be colorful, vibrant, and resplendently nutritious when prepared in the right manner and proper ratio.
Thats why you should not just pick every portion of the ingredients from your refrigerator to be set in your smoothie blender. Do you? Instead, you have to know how to balance the ingredients.
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How To Make A Smoothie
When it comes to making a smoothie, dont overthink it. The best ones are often made from improvising with what you have on hand. Toss in your slightly browned banana, sprinkle in a handful of spinach thats about to go bad, or use up that half can of coconut milk. Just a little bit of each can go far in a delicious blended drink.
While theres no right or wrong way to make a smoothie, heres a few tips to for making a healthy, well-rounded smoothie.
Banana Date Smoothie With Ginger And Cardamom
The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner
Dates add a natural sweetness to smoothies that will provide the flavor you want without spiking your sugar levels. Combined with frozen banana, Greek yogurt, fresh ginger, and a pinch of cardamom, you have a healthy, dessert-worthy drink. If your dates are a little hard, simply soak them in warm water before using.
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Vanilla Bean Coconut Yogurt Smoothie
You won’t believe the amount of flavor or nutrients packed into this five-ingredient smoothie. Vanilla-infused honey lends a touch of aromatic sweetness, Greek yogurt adds a little tang and coconut-water ice cubes create a refreshing, tropical finish.
Get the Recipe: Vanilla Bean Coconut Yogurt Smoothie
The Best Ratio For Leafy Greens In Smoothies
Dont just throw everything in your blender and keep your fingers crossed itll turn out well. Chances are itll taste awful!
Its better to plan your green smoothie and decide on the ratio of fruits and veggies youre going to use. If youre a green smoothie beginner, start slow and work yourself up!
In the beginning, a 50/50 ratio is a good start. That means 50% of veggies and 50% fruits. Fruits act like a spoonful of sugar that makes you enjoy your medicine .
I know many people are concerned about adding too many fruits can let your blood sugar spike.
I wouldnt worry about it too much.
Its more likely youll keep your new habit of making green smoothies if you can enjoy the taste. Once youre getting used to green smoothies, you can easily reduce the number of fruits and add more leafy greens. An 80/20 ratio is a great ratio to aim for once youre more experienced.
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Smoothie Recipes You Can Try
Now that you have an idea which fruits and vegetables you can make into smoothies, why not try some of these recipes out for yourself? In addition to all the health benefits that they provide, they are undeniably tasty and refreshing as well.
But dont stop there. Keep in mind that most any fruit or vegetable can serve as a flavorful ingredient for a smoothie, or make an excellent base for other flavors. Use these recipes as a guide for your own experimentations, and feel free to come up with your own nutritious creations!
Are You Looking For Even More Smoothies No Worries Weve Got You Covered:
- Clementine Avocado Smoothie. If youve never added avocado to your smoothie before, you are missing out! The flavor is so mild, that you cant taste it, but the texture is dreamy, creamy smooth, and the healthy added fats help keep your fuller longer.
- Cold Buster Smoothie. When youre feeling under the weather and your throat is sore, this smoothie for colds is soothing and nourishing.
- Coffee Smoothie. Get a jolt of caffeine and your breakfast all in one cup! This is packed full of coffee flavor.
- Persimmon Smoothie. Packed full of autumnal flavor, this spiced smoothie is creamy and sweet!
- Spinach and Pear Smoothie. Bright green and fresh in flavor, this smoothie is a perfect light breakfast.
- Sweet Potato Smoothie. Sweet potato in a smoothie? YUP! It tastes like a delicious pie. Youll love it!
- Apple Smoothie. This smoothie is packed full of healthy spinach, but tastes like apple pie!
- Pumpkin Pie Smoothie. This pumpkin smoothie is perfect for the weather is still warm but your heart wants fall to show up.
- Dark Chocolate Raspberry Smoothie. This smoothie is rich and dark, and it tastes decadent enough you could sip on it for dessert!
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie. All the flavors of your favorite sandwich in a tasty smoothie! Pick your favorite jelly to add to this peanut butter smoothie.
- Tart Cherry and Spinach Smoothies. We show serving this cherry smoothie as a light breakfast in a bowl, but you could easily pour it in a glass and sip away!
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Can You Use Dried Fruit In Smoothies
Dont forget to consider using dried fruits in your smoothies. Because they have been dried, their flavor and sugar content are concentrated, so use sparingly. Dates, prunes, dried apricots, figs and raisins are all great additions to smoothies.
But remember, if using dried fruits you will need to add ¼ cup of extra liquid to the smoothie. Or you can reconstitute the fruit first by adding the extra liquid to the fruit and not the smoothie. Simply pour boiling water over the fruit until covered, then leave for 30 60 minutes or until the fruit is plump and soft. Remember to drain the fruit before adding it to the smoothie. The added bonus is that the liquid can be reserved for use in other recipes.
Best Fruits And Vegetables For Smoothies
Practically any fruit or vegetable can be made into a smoothie, and combining different fruits and vegetables together could make your blends even more enticing.
Most every one of these natural treasures has some sort of health beneficial component to it, and some have even been accorded the status of superfood.
Here are some of the best fruits and vegetables that you can make into your own nutrient-rich concoctions.
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A Work Weeks Of Fruit And Vegetable Smoothies
Still recovering from the holiday indulgent eat-a-thon, Im trying to start the day with fruits and veggies, instead of pancakes and lattes.
While Im still on the fence whether smoothies are truly healthy, I think these smoothies are super tasty. I feel so much better starting the day off with something bright and fresh. I have yet to try making smoothies with oats or nuts, but for now, these are my favorites!
Once upon a time I was skeptical about green smoothies. Spinach in my drink? Yuck. But ever since trying my first green smoothie circa 2014, Ive been hooked.
Ginger Banana Green Smoothie:
This one is my favorite of the series. The combination of ginger, banana, and mango is so tropical and invigorating. The ginger really packs a punch and I LOVE IT!
- 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled
- 1/2 medium banana
- 1 cup mango chunks, frozen
- handful fresh baby kale leaves
- handful fresh baby spinach leaves
Banana Mango Green Smoothie:
This is the perfect introduction to green smoothies. The sweetness of bananas and apple juice masks any flavor from the kale and spinach.
- 1/2 medium banana
- 1 cup mango chunks, frozen
- 1/2 cup coconut water
- 1/2 cup apple juice, or fresh apple cider
- 2 handfuls fresh baby kale leaves
- 1 handful fresh baby spinach leaves
Wheatgrass Green Smoothie:
- 1 cup apple juice, or fresh apple cider
S To Make A Perfect Fruit Smoothie
No matter what kind of fruit smoothie recipe you are making, you can follow these steps.
Now that you have a great idea of making any fruit smoothie let’s look at how to make some of the most popular fruit smoothies.
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The Best Liquid Bases To Put In Your Smoothies
You may have made your smoothies many times and use dozens of varieties of fruits and vegetables, and this time you want to add some liquids to your smoothies.
Many of you probably add water or ice cubes to give some liquid consistency to your smoothies. There are a lot of options available when choosing the right liquid bases.
The choice of a liquid for making a smoothie can make or break your smoothie. It can determine the right harmony which exists between all ingredients when they come to a blend. More on that, a base can add more nutrition, flavor, and support creaminess.
So without further ado, here are the best liquids you can put in smoothies:
Contents Summary
Low Sugar Smoothie Recipes
Finding the right balance of flavor between lots of vegetables and minimal fruits can seem hard, but Ive tested out for you a few of my favorite smoothie recipes that are veggie filled and keep sugar levels at a minimum. Watch the video below!
Pineapple Coconut Smoothie
This is a tropical fruit delight of creamy coconut milk, fresh pineapple, and a hint of ginger. Add any of the protein options mentioned above for a boost.
Blackberry Cream Smoothie
A luscious blackberry smoothie mixed with greek yogurt and a sprinkle of hemp seeds. Plus, its packed with protein and a few sneaky cauliflower florets.
Orange Carrot Smoothie
This blend of almond milk, orange, carrot and vanilla bean is like a creamsicle in a cup! But dont look past the fact that its loaded with protein from cauliflower and a scoop of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides.
Cucumber Kiwi Smoothie
A creamy yet refreshing smoothie loaded with fiber and protein. The mix of spinach, avocado, cucumber, kiwi, cauliflower, and almond butter makes for the ultimate green drink!
Berry Spinach Smoothie
A Downshiftology classic recipe made from a rich blend of mixed berries, spinach, chia seeds and avocado. Ditch the banana for zucchini and youve got yourself a delicious low sugar smoothie recipe.
Remember that I have separate recipes for homemade almond milk, cashew milk and almond butter if youd like to make your own. Happy smoothie-making!
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Easy Ways To Eat More Fruit Smoothies
They look good they taste good and theyre nutritious. But sometimes, theyre a pain to make. Hello smoothies, yes were talking about you.
We get it. Busy schedules tend to get in the way of maintaining a healthier diet. The issue issimple, convenient snacks have traditionally been unhealthy and heavily processed.
But we have the tips and tricks to get you drinking nutritious smoothies happily, conveniently, and consistently! Because we believe that incorporating more fruit and vegetables into your eating habits shouldnt be difficult. In fact, it should be so good.
Below, we highlight some of the benefits of and options for drinking more fruit smoothies!
- Handy and convenient. Easy health food can be challenging to come by, especially when youre used to the convenience of a bag of chips or soft drinks. Smoothies are nutritious and portable so that you can drink them on the go without an issue.
- Packed with nutrients. The nutrients in fruits and veggies often lie in the skin, rather than the juice. Since smoothies incorporate the majority of fruits and veggies, they are often more nutritious than juices.
- Versatile. Want a full meal? Light snack? Need to detox or satiate your sweet-tooth? The options are endless with smoothie flavors!
- So good. One of the best things about smoothies is the ability to mask the taste of vegetables behind fruits! That means you can create a delicious smoothie while still getting all of your vegetables in for the day.
Best Strawberry Banana Smoothie
One of the best ways to enjoy summer is drinking a cold and refreshing smoothie made from fresh ingredients. Im definitely a smoothie lover as its so easy to toss a bunch of ingredients into my Vitamix and 30 seconds later have an amazing drink.
And with strawberries in abundance in the markets right now, it only makes sense to whip up this classic strawberry banana smoothie recipe. I can get fancy with smoothies and include chia seeds, collagen, hemp seeds and other fun ingredients, but a simple, straightforward smoothie is just as delicious.
So think of this strawberry banana smoothie as your little black dress. Its a classic. Because whats not to love about fresh, seasonal strawberries, sweet bananas and creamy yogurt?
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