Golden Glow Turmeric Smoothie
The sound of having turmeric in your smoothie might make some of you cringe, but it is definitely worth trying. For one, pineapple has such a strong flavor in and of itself that the turmerics taste is almost completely masked. Secondly, turmeric is a strong anti-inflammatory that everyone should try adding it to their diet. You might be surprised to find out that it is actually pretty tasty as well!
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.
Super Easy Fruit Smoothie Recipes
Oh yes, fruit combinations are endless in smoothies! And that makes it all the more fun to experiment with new flavors and vibrant colors. Just remember to make the most of whats in season. Stock up on mangos in the summer and persimmons in the winter. Then blend those with year round fruits such as bananas or apples to create easy, tasty, and refreshing options.
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie: This is a classic combo that never fails and can be enjoyed all year round!
- Mango Smoothie: Mangos are blended with bananas and milk for a sweet and creamy summertime recipe.
- Mandarin Breakfast Smoothie: This creamsicle dream is brimming with Vitamin C, and plenty of power ingredients to kickstart your morning!
- Strawberry Acai Smoothie: If youve got frozen acai packs, blend them with strawberries and bananas to create a vitamin-packed smoothie.
- Peach Breakfast Smoothie: Enjoy the best of peach season with a breakfast smoothie full of creamy yogurt, chia seeds, and a few easy spices.
- Almond Orange Smoothie: Oranges, bananas, almond butter, and vanilla beans make for a simple smoothie thats packed with flavor and nutrients. Bonus, it tastes like an Orange Julius!
- Post Workout Green Smoothie: Try this easy combo of spinach, apples, bananas, avocado, and protein powder to complete your workout routine.
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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 calories, 5 g fat, 22 g protein, 47 g carb
How To Make A Smoothie Bowl
Smoothie bowls are a big food trend on Instagramand for good reason. Theyre as beautiful as they are delicious. Who could resist an edible artists canvas?
Heres how to make a smoothie bowl that will earn oodles of likes:
- Blend the easy smoothie recipe as directed above, following the thicker smoothie instructions. Pour into a bowl instead of a glass.
Now that youre well-versed on how to make a smoothie at home, you can BYOB for a new healthy snack or meal replacement any day of the week.
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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.
Use Your Milk Of Choice
I have used and loved all kinds of milk for smoothies, including normal cows milk, raw cows milk, and lots of plant- and nut-based milk like rice, almond, coconut, and cashew. When buying nut milk, make sure the carton is marked unsweetened. You dont really need the added sugar when you are using fruit in your smoothie. I love cashew milk its super creamy and delicious. I most often use almond milk in the carton or a coconut-almond blend in the carton. Use what you can find in your area.
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How To Make A Smoothie
A smoothie is so much more than blended fruit. It’s an art with all of its different elements blending perfectly together. Just in case these 29 smoothies aren’t enough, here is our guide to making the perfect smoothie.
Pick your fruit.
We chose strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and bananas to be our base, but any combo of fruit is great. Make a tropical smoothie of pineapple, mango, and banana or add blueberry and peach to switch it up a bit for a summer twist. Aim for about 3 cups of fruit.
Fresh or frozen fruit?
For smoothies, frozen fruit is best. It blends up thicker than fresh fruit and gives you a really cold smoothie to enjoy after blending. If you don’t have frozen fruit, freeze your fresh fruit for 30 minutes before blending or add about 1 cup of ice and blend until smooth!
Add a thickener.
We use unsweetened Greek yogurt in our smoothie, but peanut butter, almond butter, or vanilla yogurt are all great options. Traditionally about 1/2 cup is ideal. If you prefer thinner smoothies, you can either lessen the amount of thickener or skip it all together.
Choose a liquid.
Almond milk is great for the added nutty flavor, but coconut milk pairs well with a tropical smoothie and gives a richer, creamier flavor. Whole milk or fruit juice also work well. 1 1/4 cup of liquid makes the perfect consistency for our preference. If you skipped the thickener, use less liquid as well.
Throw some add-ins in.
Detox Green Smoothie With Chia Seeds
If you havent tried chia seeds yet, heres a great opportunity. These tiny but mighty seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids that are great for your heart. They also help you stay fuller longer, thanks to its plant protein power. Combined with spinach, unsweetened almond milk, frozen pineapple, and naturally sweet banana, this tasty mixture is the ultimate breakfast treat.
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Green Tea Blueberry And Banana Smoothie
To prepare this smoothie featuring antioxidant-rich green tea, simply heat 3 Tbsp. of water in a bowl in the microwave until its steaming hot. Then, add 1 green tea bag and allow it to brew for 3 minutes. Remove the tea bag and stir in 2 tsp. honey until it dissolves. Combine 1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries, 1/2 medium banana, and 3/4 cup calcium-fortified light vanilla soy milk into a blender. Add the tea and process all ingredients until smooth.
Nutrition :269 calories, 2.5 g fat, 3.5 g protein, 63 g carbs , 38.5 g sugars
Load Up On The Right Ingredients
For smoothie making at home, theres a wide range of possible ingredients to include. Heres a short list of options, but get creative with what you know your people like.
- liquids, such as milk, coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk, and juice
- sliced or chopped fruit, preferably frozen: berries, bananas, stone fruit, mango, cherries
- spinach or chopped kale
- protein powder or powdered milk
- nut or seed butter
- chia seeds or ground flax seed meal
- sweetener, such as honey or agave nectar
- cinnamon, nutmeg or cocoa powder
- crushed ice if your fruit isnt frozen
Lay out a variety of ingredients on your DIY Smoothie Bar and let each person assemble his own smoothie concoction.
If youd like to make the DIY Smoothie Bar a regular thing at your house, set up a Smoothie Station in your freezer.
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What Are Some Great Smoothie Recipes
Alright, now that youre fully versed on how to make a great smoothie, let me share with you some of our absolute favorite combos! Click on any image to jump over to that specific smoothie recipe.
Classic Simple Smoothies
These smoothies are a great place to start. No weird ingredients that you have to special order, just fresh, real food that you can find at any typical supermarket.
Wild Blueberry Lemon No Banana Smoothie
How To Make An Acai Bowl
Smoothie bowls make a delicious and nutritious breakfast, lunch or snack. Theyre essentially a thicker-consistency smoothie, served in a bowl and topped with vibrantly colored ingredients such as nuts, grains, and fruits. To turn your go-to smoothie into a bowl, sub out all fresh fruits and veggies for frozen ones.
Acai bowls, one of the most popular versions of a smoothie bowl, can sometimes seem inaccessible at home, but the truth is that they start simply with frozen acai purée, which you can find in most supermarkets. Break up two 4-ounce packets of unsweetened frozen acai purée with a meat mallet or by slapping the packets on the counter. Then add the purée to the blender along with 1/4 cup blueberries, half a banana and 1 tablespoon honey. Blend it up, and youre ready to serve! Add the mixture to a cereal bowl and top with slices of the other half of the banana and more blueberries. Finish it off with your favorite textured toppings, like granola, pomegranate seeds and unsweetened coconut flakes. Get our Acai Bowl recipe and more smoothie bowl ideas below.
CC ACAI BREAKFAST BOWL Cooking Channel Unsweetened Frozen Acai Puree, Banana, Blueberries, Honey, Granola, Pomegranate Seeds, Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
The perfect breakfast treat, right at home! Give the original recipe a try, and then get creative with your favorite nuts and toppings.
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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.
Smoothie Recipes To Try
Use these recipes or build from them to create your own.
Banana-kale wake-up smoothie
The sweetness of the bananas balances kales slight bitterness in this recipe. Use just a tiny pinch of cloves theyre potent!
Get the banana-kale wake-up smoothie recipe.
Ruby-red raspberry smoothie
Its nutty. Its sweet. And its good for you. Blast off your day with healthy fats, antioxidants and phytonutrients from this creamy creation.
Get the ruby-red raspberry smoothie recipe.
Creamy kiwi-lime smoothie
You would never guess this creamy, high-protein smoothie gets its texture from tofu and cashew butter. Hey, dont knock it till you try it!
Go green smoothie bowl
Ready to trade in the smoothie glass for a bowl and spoon? In this bowl, the leafy green goodness of spinach meets the sweetness of grapes, mango, apple and banana.
Get the go green smoothie bowl recipe.
Cool tropical smoothie
Youll feel like youre on the beach with this zesty blend of mango, coconut, lime and strawberries. This vegan smoothie is high in potassium and features beneficial phytonutrients.
Get the cool tropical smoothie recipe.
Creamy strawberry and greens smoothie
This satisfying smoothie is sweetened with strawberries, creamified with avocado and then exalted to green goddess status with arugula.
Get the creamy strawberry and greens smoothie recipe.
Peach-vanilla yogurt smoothie
Get the peach-vanilla yogurt smoothie recipe.
Berry vanilla banana smoothie
Get the berry vanilla banana smoothie recipe.
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Yellow Fruit And Turmeric Smoothie
Turmeric is a time-honored superfood with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Powered by curcumin, one of its primary substances, the spice may help boost memory, ease joint pain, lower the risk of certain cancers, and lessen the symptoms of depression. What are you waiting for? Make this smoothie thats bursting with the stuff.
Expert Tips And Tricks
- Skip the bananas. An avocado can be substituted for a banana along with a tablespoon or two of sweetener.
- Go for the goat yogurt. If youre slightly lactose intolerant, goats milk yogurt is a wonderful alternative that tastes very similar to cows milk yogurt.
- Add and adjust. Start by adding a little bit of optional ingredients and then taste after each addition to make sure you still like the flavor!
- Sweeten it last. Youd be surprised how sweet fruit can be! Wait until the end to stir in any additional sweeteners.
- Pay attention to the blade. You want to add your softer ingredients closer to the blade and the harder ingredients further away from the blade for easier blending.
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Is It Healthy To Have A Smoothie For Breakfast
Smoothies can make a healthy breakfast if you have a good balance of ingredients and nutrientsincluding protein, carbs, and healthy fats. Smoothies that heavily rely on veggies over fruit instantly cut down on sugar and increase the fiber content. You also want to avoid adding a lot of fruit juice and sweeteners, like syrups and honey, to limit the sweet stuff. Adding yogurt and protein powder helps make smoothies more filling, so youll stay satisfied longer. Just be sure to choose powders that have little to no added sugar and have zero artificial ingredients.
The liquid bases you use in your smoothie also play a big role. Skip fruit juices, which are packed with sugar and lack protein and fat, and go for low-fat milk or an unsweetened, non-dairy milk alternative, like almond, coconut, or cashew. Some non-dairy milks have less protein than cows milk, but they offer healthy fats to keep you satiated.
Whats The Best Liquid For Making Smoothies
We like to use milk of choice. If youre a fan of coconut milk, use it. Like cows milk? Go for it. A fan of almond milk? Cool. Use whatever milk you like in your smoothiesyou cant go wrong. I just recommend you stick to unsweetened and unflavored versions. That gives you the most control over the smoothie.
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Creamy Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie
Part of the struggle with trying to lose weight and create healthier habits is the struggle of having to give up some of your favorite foods, like chocolate. Say no more. This chocolate mint smoothie is the perfect blend of protein and chocolate to satisfy your cravings for good! Why avoid what you love when you can indulge the healthy way?
Strawberry Banana Smoothie Ingredients:
To make this strawberry banana smoothie recipe, you will need the following ingredients :
- Frozen strawberries: Or you can sub in any other kind of frozen berries that you have on hand.
- Banana: I typically just use fresh bananas. But if you have frozen sliced bananas, you can omit some of the ice in this recipe.
- Milk: Any type of milk will work for this recipe cows milk, almond milk, oat milk, you name it.
- Ice: However much is needed to achieve your desired smoothie consistency.
- Optional add-ins: See ideas below!
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How To Blend The Perfect Smoothie
Depending on the strength of your blender , the order you put your ingredients in the blender could influence the overall texture. Heres how we like to layer ingredients into the blender:
Start the blender off slowly, then gradually increase the speed. Blend for 30 to 60 seconds until the smoothie is as smooth as possible.
Incorporating Other Smoothie Ingredients
As you get more skilled at making smoothies, youll likely want to make ingredient changes or additions based on the items you have on hand, your dietary restrictions and/or your personal preferences. Theres no wrong answer here. But here a few tips and guidelines that will help you as you experiment:
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Tips And Tricks For Your First Smoothie Blends
Sometimes the best recipes are those you create yourself, and the Vitamix is the perfect tool for experimenting with new taste sensations. Occasionally, culinary adventures go awry, and you make end up with a smoothie that’s too thick, too thin or justdoesn’t taste right.
Theres no reason to throw away a smoothie that somehow went south. Turn around your smoothie experiments with a quick fix, then be sure to make a note of it in your recipe book.