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.
Layering Ingredients In The Proper Sequence
Adding ingredients into the blender in the right order is key for breaking down those tough, fibrous, leafy, or icy ingredients into a smooth consistency. According to Vitamix, this is the recommended way to layer in each ingredient, depending on the size of your kitchen blender:
- Large containers : First add any wet ingredients , followed by dry goods, leafy greens, fresh fruits/vegetables, then frozen ingredients last.
- Small containers : First add frozen ingredients, fresh fruits/vegetables, leafy greens, dry goods, and wet ingredients last.
Four: Add Ice And Blend
The amount of ice you use depends on how thick you want your smoothie recipe to be. Start with about 1 cup crushed ice for a fairly thick smoothie that is still drinkable with a straw. Omit the ice if using frozen fruit or if you want the smoothie to be thinner and less cold. Cover and blend until nearly smooth. Pour into a cup or thermal to-go drink container and slurp up every last drop.
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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.
Choose A Good Blender
Believe it or not, you can actually make a smoothie without a blender. However, it limits the ingredients you can use to only a few soft ones. And, to make it work well, you have to start with a store-bought smoothie mix.
For a really creative smoothie, a blender is a necessity. A good one, if you plan to use ice. If theres ice, even a top-notch food processor might work better than a so-so blender.
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The Many Health Benefits Of A Fruit
As I mentioned earlier, you need plenty of fruit for this smoothie. The ice cream is there as the icing on the cake.
And even though theres little ice cream involved, its taste gets enhanced by the fruits.
In fact, I use strawberries. First, because theyre delicious. Second, because they add natural sweetness to the smoothie. And third, because they are a fantastic source of health.
Rich in vitamin C, they are your immune systems best friend. Add that theres no fat in them whatsoever, and youll see why theyre the main ingredient.
Additionally, I also use bananas. They are great because they stave off hunger. When you eat bananas, you dont need to stuff yourself with food.
Plus, you get the benefit of healthy carbs. Which bananas have plenty.
Ice cream, while not exactly a health food, contains dairy products. So it is a source of calcium, and that is good for your bones.
See here more about the nutritional content and other benefits of the main ingredients in this delicious fruit-based smoothie:
How To Make An Ice
Brittany Banks is a young woman who likes to experiment with food. She gets bored with always eating the same meals.
Some people don’t have the best blender in the world. Using ice can mess up your blender blades unless you have a blender that is top quality. Using the same ingredients for a smoothie can get boring after awhile. This fruit smoothie is healthy for you and is easy to make. It is packed with berries and the antioxidants in them that are healthy for the body as well as bananas, a great source of potassium. Smoothies are a great way to keep you energized though out the day. Having one in the morning is great, but you can also have one for lunch. They are great to have on a hot day as well.
Fruit can go bad easily in the fridge and quickly. A good way to make your fruit last longer is to prepare it, put it in bags, and place it in the freezer. Frozen fruit will also make your drink more cooler.
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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.
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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The Trick To Blending
Ever hear that empty whir of your blender blades with no movement? Yep, sometimes smoothies can be hard to blend because the icy components can freeze the blender blades. When this happens, you need to add more liquid: but not so much that the smoothie becomes watery! Here are some tricks to blending up the perfect fruit smoothie:
- Use a good blender. Really, your smoothie is only as good as your blender. A weak one just doesnt cut it! Get a high quality blender and if you have the resources, a high speed blender is even more powerful.
- Place the fresh fruit and liquid near the blades. In this smoothie, youll start with the fresh apple and banana, then add the water, then place the frozen items on top. Layering in this fashion prevents the blades from getting stuck initially.
- Use a smoothie tamper. Some blenders come with a smoothie tamper, a long stick you can place through the hole in the top of the blender to help the smoothie blend. Its not necessary but can be helpful.
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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How To Make A Strawberry Smoothie
This is why I love to make smoothies, all you have to do is put all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Thats it. You might have to make minor adjustments to accommodate the thickness of the frozen smoothie.
This is a thick smoothie, so feel free to add more milk or water to make it thinner if necessary. Also because it is so thick, some blenders may have hard time, if this is the case try leaving out the ice and/or adding some liquid. I use a BlendTec Blender, which works great and can handle almost everything I throw at it. For a less expensive option, I highly recommend this KitchenAid Blender.
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.
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Are Smoothies Better With Milk Or Yogurt
While its not considered a liquid, Greek yogurt is the perfect option if youre looking to thicken your smoothie and add protein and probiotics. Containing more protein than milk, this type of yogurt is naturally gluten-free and the probiotics will help your gut stay healthy.
How To Make The Perfect Smoothie With The Consistency You Want
The smoothie thats right isnt necessarily the one thats perfect for your brother. Or your friend. Or the person across the street. Learning how to make the perfect smoothie with frozen fruit, or with any other ingredient, means making the smoothie that you think is perfect.
Still, there are some steps you need to follow no matter how you want your creation to turn out.
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Drink It Now Or Later
Most people can hardly wait for their smoothies to be done and want to drink them as soon as they come out of the blender. Pour and scrape it out, grab a spoon or a wide straw and enjoy.
If you let it sit, any froth on top will start to settle. But a thinner smoothie might separate as it sits. This is especially true of green smoothies.
A thick smoothie can last about a day in the refrigerator. After that the flavor and texture will fade. A sealed mason jar is the best way to store it. A plastic wrap over the top of your glass is an OK second choice.
Best Blenders For Smoothies
OK, youve got all of your smoothie ingredients prepped and ready to go, now how are you going to blend them up?
The key here is powerful.
You want to use a blender capable of completely mixing up all of the ingredients until they are smooth and creamy.
Here is a list of the best blenders for making fruit smoothies:
- Nutribullet A wonderful personal-sized blender option. Make sure you use the larger cup in order to fit all of the ingredients without going over the max fill line.
- Ninja Blender is also another great option!
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Is It Ok To Blend Frozen Fruit
While theyre delicious and easy to make, people sometimes put fully frozen fruits in the blender. This can result in lumpy smoothies and, in some cases, can cause the sharp blades to crack and break. Leave frozen fruits out in the fridge to thaw or put them in a Ziploc bag and thaw in a bowl of water before blending.
Easy Fruit Smoothie Recipe
I personally love smoothies and cant get enough of them. They are so delicious and I would eat them every day if I could.
This is my basic recipe to create what I call the perfect smoothie. It is such an easy smoothie recipe. You can do all water for your liquid, but I suggest you add some sweetener to it.
This recipe is so versatile and can be customized to what you like. It calls for a cup of frozen fruit and I typically use strawberries or blueberries. However, you could use banana, pineapple, mango or a combination!
This Spinach Pineapple Green Smoothie is another favorite smoothie I absolutely love! Once you start making smoothies, you will be hooked!
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Banana Smoothie Without Ice
This frozen fruit smoothie is an icy blend of apple juice and frozen blueberries, cherries, raspberries and mango. An easy nutrient packed drink . This easy and simple smoothie recipe prepares kid friendly banana smoothie without yogurt and ice cream. The milk and honey compliments the smoothness of. I make smoothies almost daily and have made them both with and without ice. You can add ice for a variety of reasons but they all come down
How To Make It
Unlike baking recipes, for instance, smoothie recipes do not have to use exact measurements. You can adjust according to taste. The only difference in choosing between fresh or frozen fruit is how thick you want it to be. Frozen will make for a more milkshake-thick smoothie, whereas fresh will get thickened up slightly by the ice, but have a more liquidy texture. Or you can combine frozen and fresh fruit.
You can use any kind of soft fruit you want, such as berries, bananas, peeled peaches or nectarines, melons, even grapes, and puree, and know you can always add a bit more fruit or ice to thicken it or a bit more milk to thin it out.
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How To Make Your Smoothies Taste Better
If youre using too many leafy greens, smoothies can end up tasting too bitter.
Sweet fruits like bananas, pineapples, mango can add lots of natural sweetness to your smoothies.
I especially like bananas and mango , they make almost every smoothie taste better.
Strawberries and oranges can also be a great choice for masking bitter flavors.
If youre just starting with smoothies, you can add honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup to make smoothies taste like a dessert.
Once youre more experienced, you can reduce the amount of sugar in your smoothies and add more leafy greens or other veggies.
The less sugar , the more natural ingredients youll use, the healthier your smoothie will be.
Blood Orange Strawberry Smoothie
The sweet-tart taste of the blood orange juice is a fantastic base for a variety of drinks. One of the best ways to enjoy that taste is in the blood orange strawberry smoothie.
This recipe is a great choice for a spring brunch and you’ll love how the two fruits play off each other. The blend is rounded off with smooth yogurt, sweet honey, and a few ice cubes, so it’s as easy as any other smoothie.
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Do You Have To Add Ice
No, ice cubes are not necessary to make a smoothie, as long as youre using frozen fruits. Replace 1:1 ice cubes to frozen fruit is recommended. The ice will create a smooth, thick, chilly texture, or frothy if only a small amount is used. I like to add both ice cubes and frozen fruit together to create the perfect consistency.
What Goes First In A Smoothie Ice Or Fruit
Boost your smoothie game
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What Happens When You Add Yogurt To Milk
To turn milk into yogurt, these bacteria ferment the milk, turning the lactose sugars in the milk into lactic acid. The lactic acid is what causes the milk, as it ferments, to thicken and taste tart. Because the bacteria have partially broken down the milk already, it is thought to make yogurt easier for us to digest.
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- In this Creamy Fruit Smoothie, dry milk adds texture and protein without fat or a lot of calories. Try this easy concoction with your favorite fruit: strawberries, blackberries, bananas, kiwifruit, peaches or cherries, for example. A healthy alternative to the traditional milk shake.
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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.