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.
Freeze In Plastic Storage Container
After you remove the leaves from the stalks, put the leaves into a plastic storage container or some other type of freezer safe container that is big enough to hold all of the leaves.
I use a container like this one and it works great. I can fit all of the leaves from a full head of Kale in this type of storage container.
Put all the leaves in the container and then put the container in the freezer!
Pineapple Kale Banana Smoothies
It is a healthy smoothie since it is made from fruits and veggies together. If you dont like to eat fruits or veggies traditionally, you can make smoothies instead.
Ingredients
Instructions
Add the oats to the blender first and pulse it for a few seconds.
Next, add other listed ingredients in the blender and blend them until the smoothie takes a smooth consistency.
Pour the smoothie in a serving glass and drink immediately.
Making a glass of smoothies in a blender is very simple as you can see from the above discussion. Choose a high-speed blender or any personal blender to make smoothies in a matter of time or if you dont have a smoothie blender no problem we have some suggestion for you checkout from here Best blender for smoothies
Also Check: Healthy Meal Replacement Smoothies Recipes
How To Make A Smoothie + 27 Simple Smoothie Recipes To Try
Im a believer that smoothies are the perfect meal or snack no matter what the weather. It is never too cold to have an awesome smoothie! Since smoothies are such a tasty way to pack in a meal on the go, I put on a big sweater and happily drink them even when the temps are frigid.
We originally published our first guide on smoothie making way back in 2015, and since then, millions of folks have visited this post and used our recipes to make the best ever smoothies! I consider these smoothies simple classics because they have great flavor, all the ingredients are easy to source , and they pack a nutritional punch that can nourish you nicely. These are the kinds of smoothies that I think everyone should know how to make, and chances are, youll find a favorite combo among these recipes. There really is no wrong way to make a smoothie, but I think these recipes are a great jumping-off point if the blender intimidates you.
Tip For Blending A Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Add your milk to the blender first.
This will help make sure the blender works the best that it can, and has easy access to the liquid of the recipe.
If you do not have a high speed blender, you may need to add more milk to make it not as thick so that the blender can handle mixing the smoothie up.
If you dont care about thickness, you can make this more easily by splashing in some extra milk to help the blender out.
Its really whatever works for you!
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What Is A Smoothie
Smoothies are a blended fruit drink. The most basic smoothie recipe calls for frozen fruit and a liquid component, often juice or a dairy product like yogurt blended until smooth. It makes a great quick and nutritious on the go meal or snack.
Smoothies are infinitely customizable with a variety of different fruits and liquids. Some recipes call for frozen fruit since the addition of ice to the smoothie will eventually water it down.
Smoothie Recipe Serving Sizes
There are lots of Smoothie recipes but it can be confusing if they are written for use with certain size blenders
Typically, smoothie recipes that you see for Vitamix, Blend-tec or other full-size countertop blenders will make 2 servings which equals 32 ounces or 2 pints.
Whereas, a recipe for a Nutribullet, Magic Bullet, Nutri-Ninja, or other similar size personal blender will be make a single serving which is about 12-16 ounces.
A counter-top 2-serving green smoothie recipe would typically have:
- 2 Cups of Liquid Base
- 2 Cups Leafy Greens
- 3 Cups of Fruit
> > You would cut above amounts in half for a personal blender since it makes 50% less. < <
These are just general guidelines and certain recipes will have variations to the portions.
Read Also: What Do You Put In A Fruit Smoothie
S On How To Make A Smoothie
Below is the basic 4 step process listed in the order you should follow. We provide the most popular ingredient suggestions for each step so that you know the best ingredients you should use to make smoothies.
Add Your Liquid Base
The amount of liquid will depend on the ingredients, blender size, and how much you are making.
Generally the rule of thumb is about cup of liquid for every 1 cup of solid ingredients but it really depends on the ingredients.
You can always add liquid as you blend to get the consistency that you want since certain ingredients like bananas, mango, or oats will make a smoothie thicker, whereas fruits like melons have a high water content.
Popular liquids for healthy smoothies include: Water, Soy Milk, Coconut Milk, Coconut Water, Hemp Milk, Raw Milk, Almond Milk. ** You can also use yogurt like Greek yogurt which adds a nice texture.
Add Fruits And Vegetables
You want the softest ingredients closest to the blade so it can blender better. There are 1000s of fruit and vegetable combinations so following proven recipes will save you a lot of trial and error from mixing ingredients that dont taste well together.
Popular Greens : Spinach, Kale, Collards, Swiss Chard
Popular Fruits : Apple, Banana, Strawberry, Mango, Pear, Peach, Berries, Melons, Pineapple, etcetera..
Kale has a little more earthier taste but is good to switch up with spinach sometimes because Kale is nutritionally dense.
Add your Boost Ingredients
OPTIONAL
What Can I Do With Extra Smoothies
Refrigerator
Zakiya Kolijn
Read Also: How To Make A Strawberry Pineapple Smoothie
Choosing Fresh Or Frozen Fruits And Vegetables
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.
Fruit Smoothie Vs Green Smoothie Vs Meal Replacement Smoothie
Green smoothies are all the rage now. To make a green smoothie you simply add leafy greens to a fruit smoothie.
If you want to make a fruit smoothie then just use fresh or frozen fruit and a liquid. If you want to make a green smoothie then you would add one of the popular greens listed below.
Keep in mind that the sweeter the fruit then the more sugar it will contain so try to avoid adding any sweeteners like maple syrup or stevia if you are doing a fruit smoothie.
Also, a typical fruit smoothie can hide the taste of greens and vegetables so you might as well make it a green smoothie to get the extra health benefits.
Fruit Smoothie = Liquid + Fruit + Boost
Green Smoothie = Liquid + Fruit + Boost + Leafy Greens
Meal Replacement Smoothie = Liquid + Fruit + Boost + Leafy Green + Healthy Carb *
Recommended Reading: Dannon Light And Fit Protein Smoothie
A Layering Guide To A Better Smoothie
Making a really good smoothie is more than just piling ingredients into your blender. The way the ingredients are layered has a big impact on the way the drink is processed and on the final texture. To whip up a creamy smoothie, you have to know when to add ingredients to the blender.
The first order of business is dividing the ingredients into different categories based on their texture and consistency this determines when theyll be added to the mix. Lets start from the bottom and work our way to the top of the blender, layer by layer.
When Using Only Fresh Fruit
If frozen fruit is not available, thats okay! Fresh fruit still adds body to the smoothie as the ingredients become pureed. However, you wont get that cool chill. Add in ice cubes, start with ½ cup to 1 cup of ice , add more until the desired consistency is reached.
Just be aware that the more ice used, the more the flavor will dilute as the ice melts.
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Basic Steps For How To Make A Fruit Smoothie
1. Add your frozen fruit of choice
In this case, we used blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. However, any type of frozen fruit will work great!
2. Add a yogurt or banana base to thicken
Plain greek yogurt and/or bananas are great for thickening smoothies.
3. Add protein powder
Adding protein powder helps sweeten the smoothie and, of course, adds protein. This is always an optional step!
4. Add your milk of choice
Our favorite is unsweetened almond milk, but cashew milk, coconut milk, oat milk, and regular dairy milk are all great options as well.
To make the smoothie: Simply blend everything in a single serving blender and enjoy! Another option is to pour the smoothie into mason jars and freeze for quick smoothies throughout the week. Simply thaw in the refrigerator a few hours before youre ready to drink it !
How To Make A Smoothie Creamier:
- Avocado is ideal for adding creaminess to smoothies. Its mild flavor disguises its nutritional wallop. After removing its skin and pit, you can add a whole avocado to your smoothie, or save some for the next day. As an alternative, add ice cream, frozenyogurt, or vanilla yogurt for more creaminess. Work your machine back up to its highest speed, and process for 10-20 seconds.
- Tip: Smoothies need a good blend of liquid and solid ingredients to achieve just the right texture.
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Invest In A Quality Blender
Making a smoothie bowl involves a lot of crushing frozen fruits, crunchy greens, ice, and sometimes even nuts. Thus, you need a sturdy blender that can properly process these into a creamy smoothie. Check out my article about the Best Blender for Smoothies to find out our trusted blenders that can whip you up a silky smoothie in no time!
How Do I Make A Berry Smoothie
For the best results, youll want to add the ingredients to the blender in this order:
Slowly increase the speed of your blender until it is working at full power. When fully blended, taste your smoothie for sweetness, and add honey or maple syrup to taste.
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The Best Blender For Smoothies
You do NOT need a fancy schmancy blender to make a good smoothie! I used something similar to THIS $37 blender for years before finally upgrading to my Vitamix. I believe that the best blender for smoothies is the one that you have.
All of that being said, if you find yourself making a lot of smoothies and using your blender on a regular basis then I definitely recommend an upgrade. I have used THIS Vitamix for the past 6 years and absolutely love it. I anticipate it lasting me for a very long time which makes the investment totally worth it!
Here are my blender recommendations from amazon based on your budget:
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 With Nutribullet Personal Blender
Popular personal blenders such as Nutribullet, Nutri Ninja, Magic Bullet and others have really grown with the popularity of green smoothies in recent years.
The recipes you see for large blenders will usually be for making more than 1 serving. Whereas, the personal blender recipes you will find are portioned to make 1 serving .
NOTE: Nutribullet suggests putting the ingredients in the opposite order than what Vitamix does. For a Nutribullet you would have the hard ingredients closest to the blade and the leafy greens at the top to be blended last.
Example of how to make a green smoothie with a Nutribullet using Tall Cup
Add Greens: 1 cup of Spinach, kale, or similar leafy greenAdd Fruits : Mix any healthy fruits on top of the greens up to the cups fill line so you see about 50% green and 50% fruits.Add -¼ cup of Boost (Healthy Nuts, seeds, or superfood berries like Goji / Acai.Add water to fill line.
The Secret Of Delicious Smoothie In A Blender
When we are talking about smoothies, one cannot deny the importance of a good blenderas an essential part of every kitchen. Also, the secret behind every perfect and delicious smoothie is a great blender. In todays busy world, this kitchen appliance make life super easy and the entire preparation just takes a few seconds.
There is no science behind the making of perfect smoothie and do not require any exact measurements. Here are some simple tips to make any recipe of perfect and delicious smoothie:
- 1 cup chunks of any fresh or frozen fruits .
- Half cup any liquid base such as juice or coconut water and a half cup of yogurt and ice cubes
- A teaspoon of natural sweetener
- Sprinkles nuts and herbs of your choice
- Put all the ingredients together in a blender and whir it up.
- Keep it in the refrigerator to melt all the flavors together .
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Strawberry Banana Smoothie Recipe
This strawberry banana smoothie recipe is made with just three ingredients. You cant go wrong with this simple and delicious smoothie!
This strawberry banana smoothie could not be any simpler.
With easy ingredients and a blender, you can make this at home in just 5 minutes.
Kids and adults alike will love this smoothie recipe!
Strawberry and banana is such a classic favorite flavor combination, just like the favorite peanut butter banana smoothie is.
Ways To Thicken A Smoothie
Frozen fruit or ice is the first way to thicken smoothies. However yogurt, bananas, coconut milk , avocado, tofu, and nut butter can assist in creating a creamy consistency. If using tofu, start off with ¼ to ½ cup cubes of silken tofu. For avocado, use ½ of the fruit first so the taste doesnt become too rich.
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What Do I Need For Your Mixed Berry Smoothie Recipe
In all likelihood, you already have everything you need in your kitchen! Youll need:
- Frozen bananas. The banana will up the fruity flavor, while also adding sweetness and creaminess.
- Frozen berries. You can use whatever frozen berries that make you happystrawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or a mix! If you head to the frozen fruit section at your local grocery store, youll probably spy a few bags of mixed berries. These are my favorite for this smoothie!
- Milk. Any kind of milk will workcows milk, soy milk, coconut milk, unsweetened almond milk. Whatever you have!
- Plain Greek yogurt. Not only does yogurt make the smoothie even creamier, but it also gives it a boost of protein, so you arent hungry again 30 minutes after finishing your drink.
- Honey or maple syrup. You may or may not need this one, depending on how ripe your banana is.