How Do I Make A Smoothie In A Blender

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Choosing The Right Ingredients

Blender | How To Make a Smoothie (Ninja® Professional Plus DUO®)

Our standard fruit smoothie recipe starts with a banana or apple and yogurt,but anything you can imagine can work. We’ve made delicious treats with peanutbutter, pineapple, carrots, spinach and kale, and more. We’ve even added celeryto the spinach peargrape smoothie. If you’re going for complete nutrition, adding protein powder tosmoothies puts power in your day without changing the flavor.

You don’t have to break the bank by paying out the nose for little bags ofwashed, chopped, and frozen fruit at the store. Freezingyour own fresh fruit takes less time than you think, and you can make yourown mixture of ingredientsready to dump a little baggie in yourblender!

The amount of ice affects how smooth or chunky your smoothie is .The more ice, generally the chunkier the end result given the same amount ofblending time. Too much ice or too much frozen fruit and you’ll end up with asorbetdelicious, but harder to drink through a straw.

For a very healthy, low-calorie smoothie load up with flavorful fruits and cut down on high calorie ingredients. Punchup your drink with spices, herbs, and other low-calorie flavors. Remember thata smoothie packed full of leafy greens will keep you full too without blowingyour calorie budget.

How To Make A Smoothie The Ultimate Guide

With so many types of blenders and smoothie recipes, it can be a little confusing trying to figure out the best way to make a smoothie.

  • Is there a right way to make a smoothie at home ?
  • What ingredients should I use and how much ?
  • Does it matter which type of blender I use ?

Whether you are experienced or brand new to making smoothies our goal is to make this the most comprehensive guide on how to make healthy smoothies.

First we will cover the 5 simple steps for making any smoothie.

Then we will go into more details on using different blender types and answering common questions about smoothies and smoothie ingredients.

The main focus of this guide is about making healthy smoothies not dessert smoothies because we want to get healthy. Lets Get Started !

Side Note We assume you already have a blender since you are reading this article. If not, this page summarizes the top blenders for every budget and links to the best model/price for each blender line.

Can I Use This Smoothie For A Cocktail

This is one of my favorite questions because the answer is YES! The simplicity and sweetness of this smoothie make it a perfect base for a summer cocktail. Add shot of rum or tequila and serve it blended with ice or on the rocks. You can also turn it into a fancy tropical mimosa by blending it half and half with prosecco or cava. Its great addition to the bar at a bridal shower.

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How To Freeze Fruit For Smoothies

To make smoothies even easier, freeze fresh fruit into portions. You can even prepare smoothie packs and freeze them for a grab-and-blend smoothie option.

To freeze fruit for smoothies, rinse and chop fresh fruit into small pieces. Pat them dry then arrange, in one layer, on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Slide the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze until hard .

When the fruit is hard, divide it between freezer-safe bags and keep it in the freezer for your next smoothie.

Choosing Fresh Or Frozen Fruits And Vegetables

How to Make a Smoothie + 27 Simple Smoothie Recipes to Try

When it comes to what goes in your smoothie, only you can decide. There are no wrong answers here!

Pros of Fresh Fruit & Vegetables: Its a great way to use up fruit that is no longer visually appealing, but still tastes good. Think browning bananas, soft strawberries, blackberries so ripe they are falling apart. All still have good flavor, but arent what youd pick first out of the fruit basket on the counter.

Cons of Fresh Fruit & Vegetables: You have to make your smoothies on your fruits schedule, not your own. If those fresh fruits no longer taste good, they wont make your smoothie taste good. If the fruit is underripe, it will be harder to blend and may not make for the smoothest smoothie.

Pros of Frozen Fruit& Vegetables: Frozen fruit makes a thicker texture that stays colder longer without watering down the flavor. Most frozen fruit is picked at peak ripeness. You can have summer blackberries in January or tree ripe peaches in March. Also, unless you are shopping an in-season market stand, frozen fruit is usually cheaper than fresh.

Cons of Frozen Fruit& Vegetables: If you arent using a high power blender, frozen solid fruit may be more than it can handle. While my Vitamix does just fine with it, my stick blender would leave frozen fruit in chunks. Let the frozen fruit thaw on the counter for 10 minutes or so before making your smoothie.

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How To Make A Perfect Smoothie

You want to know how to make a smoothieand not just any smoothie. One that rivals those perfectly creamy ones that your favorite health food store or juice bar charges upwards of $10 a pop for. Well, look no further, because we have everything you need to know about how to make the tastiest smoothie youve ever had, and how to adjust the ingredients based on your favorite flavors, textures, nutrition goalsoh, and foods you already have in your kitchen. On top of that, we have the gear guide youll need to choose the best smoothie maker or blender to make all your wildest smoothie dreams come true. With a little know-how and the right tools, youll be surprised at how easy it is to make next-level smoothies in your own kitchen.

Lean Mean Green Machine

If youre looking for a post-workout recovery drink, this smoothie is it. Protein powder helps replenish the energy you burned, sweet banana and kiwi provide potassium and vitamin C, while coconut water helps you rehydrate.

In a blender, add 1 medium banana , 1 kiwi , 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 cup spinach, 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder, 1/2 cup coconut water. Pulse until creamy and smooth.

Nutrition: 304 cal, 22 g pro, 47 g carb, 7 g fiber, 5 g fat

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How Do You Make Smoothies With Frozen Berries

The recipe calls for a cup of liquid. You can use water but I like it with ½ cup juice and ½ cup water. You can also mix milk and yogurt together.

Try orange juice, apple juice and even pineapple juice. Any of these ideas will make for a delicious smoothie. Sometimes, I just use what I have in the fridge. This healthy smoothie is a hit no matter what juice I use.

Caramel Apple Overnight Oatmeal Smoothie

How to Make Green Smoothies with any Blender – Blender Babes

This vegan, gluten-free breakfast smoothie is perfect for cold mornings when youre craving a fall treat. Dont worry: Theres no caramel in this recipe. Instead, this blogger subs in dates to add natural sweetness, along with antioxidants, fiber, and minerals. Rolled oats also pack fiber and protein, while apples and cinnamon give that undeniably heartwarming taste. This dreamy mixture sits in the fridge overnight, saving you so much time in the mornings.

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Read Also: Healthiest Green Smoothie To Buy

How To Build A Healthy Smoothie

Smoothies can make a healthy breakfast if you have a good balance of ingredients and nutrientsincluding protein, carbs, and healthy fats.

Smoothies can be a healthy and convenient way to add in several nutrients to help jump-start your day, says Andrea Mathis, M.A., R.D.N., L.D., an Alabama-based dietitian and author of The Complete Book of Smoothies: 115 Health Recipes to Nourish, Health, and Energize.

Mathis especially loves that you can modify smoothies for any taste or preference. She emphasizes the importance of making smart swaps to ensure youre getting all the nutrients your body needs. For example, protein powder is a great addition to your smoothie for an extra kick of the macronutrient, but Mathis also loves nuts, cottage cheese, chia seeds, and other foods that already contain high amounts of protein.

Additionally, adding a source of healthy fat, like nuts or avocado, and extra fiber from vegetables, flax seeds, hemp seeds, or chia seeds can help provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, she says.

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How To Make A Smoothie With Fresh Fruit

Of course, fresh fruit can be an amazing addition to your favorite smoothies. Just be sure your fruit is soft and free of large seeds before you add it to the blender. Peel your fruit, and chop it into smaller pieces if its large or a little on the firm side.

One fresh fruit smoothie recipe youll definitely want to try: Adlers Everyday Green smoothie, made with fresh avocado, banana, blueberries and spinach.

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Why Use Frozen Fruit To Make Smoothies

Using frozen fruit automatically makes the smoothie thicker and more like a milkshake, which I love!I know some people like to add ice to smoothies, but I personally am not a fan of the watered-down flavor that gives.

I also find that its more convenient to use frozen fruit. I dont know about you, but I dont always have fresh fruit on hand- at least not enough to make enough fruit smoothies for our family of six.

But its easy to buy a couple of bags of frozen fruit and keep them in the freezer!

The Right Smoothie Ratios

5 Best Smoothie Makers in 2020

Start your smoothie with two mugfuls of a liquid base. This can be milk, or a dairy-free alternative such as soya or almond milk, natural or flavoured yogurt, fruit juice, or for a tropical flavoured smoothie, low-fat coconut milk or coconut water. Its important to add the liquid to your blender before adding the fruit, as this will prevent the blade from getting damaged.

Next, add about three quarters of a mug of your chosen fruit. Banana is a great base flavour for any smoothie, and will give you a lovely creamy texture. Other fruits that work well are berries, mango, peaches, plums, nectarines, grated apple or pear, and melon. You may have to add more fruit or liquid, depending on the type of fruit you choose. Play around until you have a texture you like. Add a squeeze of honey, maple syrup or agave syrup if your smoothie needs it, and finally add a few ice cubes to the blender for a thick and frosty smoothie.

Smoothie combination ideas

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Protein And Other Powders Sweeteners & More Extras

Any optional ingredients come next. This can include:

Nut or seed butter. Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, soy butter, and sunflower seed butter are all delicious additionsand they add protein to help curb your appetite.

Powders. A scoop of protein powder or a nutrition boosting powder can be a great addition to almost any smoothie, and beneficial if youre looking to add more protein into your diet. Adler cautions though, that many protein powders contain artificial ingredients and recommends instead, sticking with clean and pure powders. You want your protein powder to have one to three ingredients, max, and no flavors, she says. Be careful of soy powders, generic whey brands, and ones with long ingredient lists of things you can’t pronounce!

Sweetener. To sweeten naturally, add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. But be sure to taste your smoothie before you add sugar, as you may not need it if youve used sweet, ripe fruit, such as frozen mango, banana, or blueberries.

Texture or crunch.A sprinkle of cocoa nibs or chia seeds can give your smoothie a fun crunch to it, and added minerals and good healthy fats! says Adler. Cashews add the perfect amount of creaminess and satisfying feel, without being overly nutty tasting.

Seasonings and spices. Some people love to add a sprinkle of cinnamon, ground nutmeg, vanilla bean powder, or turmeric for an extra kick to their smoothie.

What Is A High

A high-speed blender is like a regular blender, but stronger, faster, and heftier. Blenders range from 200 to 1400 watts, which is the reason we call the Vitamix, at 1400, a high powered blender, says Robin Asbell, author of 300 Best Blender Recipes: Using Your Vitamix and 10 other cookbooks. Vitamix is the flagship brand of high-speed blenders, but these days nearly every maker of blenders makes high-speed models.

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How To Make A Smoothie With Or Without Ice

If you want to skip the iceand the resulting brain freezeyou totally can. This is the beauty of making your own smoothie you can make it however you want.

I adore lots of ice in the summertime months which makes it fluffy and cold, and none in the winter, where it’s more comforting and dense, says Adler.

Creating This Frozen Fruit Smoothie With Yogurt

How To Make a Blueberry Smoothie | With Ninja Blender

I love smoothies. Theyre fast, easy, healthy, and refreshing. This one has just three ingredients but youd never know it based on how creamy, smooth, and satisfying it is.

I got the ingredients at Vons. Look for the new tag at your local Vons or Safeway stores to find new items like these at great values. I used Silk Unsweetened Cashewmilk, Silk Strawberry Dairy-Free Yogurt, and a frozen mixed berry blend of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.

I love baking and making smoothies with Silk products because theyre so low in calories and fat, theyre vegan and dairy-free, and I always get impressive-tasting results.

Between the naturally sweet fruit and the strawberry yogurt, I didnt need to add sugar to the smoothie. Love it when that happens!

The recipe as written will serve two, and you can freeze the second portion for later. Or get creative and make frozen yogurt popsicles with it. However you try it, youre going to love it!

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Why Should You Buy A Hand Or Immersion Blender

A hand or immersion blender is much more efficient than a smoothie maker. First of all, hand blenders create less messy tools to clean up. A smoothie maker must be disassembled and washed separately, whereas a hand blender needs a quick wipe! Also, smoothie blenders are big and clunky, so they occupy many kitchen countertop spaces. An immersion blender or hand blender takes up very little space.

Heres Whats Actually Important For Making Smoothies At Home

No matter what kind of blender youre using, there are a couple things you need to keep in mind for making great smoothies.

#1 How You Layer Ingredients in Your Blender Matters

It turns out theres a strategy to using a blender, whether its high-speed or not. Whod have guessed? You need liquid in the bottom of the blender to get the action going, so everything can be liquefied, says Asbell. Thats why you need to put liquids in first, then layer everything else on top. The blender jar has a narrow bottom with a spinning blade, and it works by creating a vortex in which the ingredients spin down into the blade, where they are chopped and spun back up the inside of the blender, so everything moves up and down and around.

Heres how you should be adding your ingredients for the smoothest smoothies:

  • Add first: Liquids
  • Add fourth: Chunks of fresh fruit and/or vegetables
  • Add last: Ice or anything frozen

Layering ingredients this way lowers the possibility of an air bubble forming down where the blades spin. If you add liquid first, theres less air.

TIP! If you have a personal blender , load the ingredients in the opposite way, since you invert the blender onto the base.

#2: Without Enough Liquid, a Smoothie Isnt a Smoothie

Another thing: if you dont start out with enough liquid, your blender cant blend a smoothie. The right amount of liquid is the vehicle that gets all the chunky stuff moving.

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Frozen Fruit Smoothie Recipe

Frozen fruit can always be found stocked in our freezer.

When that moment strikes and I have literally NOTHING else to make, a frozen fruit smoothie can always save the day.

It doesnt even matter what fresh or frozen fruits Im working with. They can ALL be turned into a creamy and delicious smoothie.

That is, if you have this basic formula on hand.

I would never leave you hanging, though. In addition to this simple guide, youll also find a few recipes you can start off with and then add in all of the nuts, seeds, milks, juices, yogurts, and protein powders your heart desires.

Because after you finish reading this post, youll never need me again. Well, at least not when it comes to making incredible frozen fruit smoothies!

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How To Make A Smoothie Bowl

Best Smoothie Blender

If you like to eat your smoothie with a spoon instead of a straw, put it in a bowl and keep it thick.

The key to any smoothie bowl is a little amount of water, and either avocado or a clean protein powder in there to thicken it up, says Adler. Ice is great, but keep the water or liquid to ¼ cup at most! Youll need a powerful blender to make this happen.

Many people add whole berries or cut fruit on top of their smoothie bowls and then sprinkle them with chia seeds or chopped nuts. Adler recommends her recipe for a Green Smoothie Bowl, a hearty smoothie that can stand-in as a meal.

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