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:
Our Favorite Berry Smoothie
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This Berry Smoothie Recipe is one of my all time favorite easy breakfasts. Fresh berries are blended with milk, yogurt, and chia seeds to create a healthy, on the go meal or snack for any palate.
We love smoothies from strawberry banana to uber healthy green smoothies and even blueberry smoothies! They are the perfect meal prep and an easy way to keep our mornings on track!
How To Make A Smoothie Without A Blender
If you want to make a smoothie without a blender, there are a couple of other options. In a pinch, you can make a smoothie a food processor, but be ready for some more clean up. Your food processor might not be made to lock in liquids, so there could be some leaks. Plus, its got several pieces, including a removable blade, which will need individual cleaning.
For making an individual smoothie, you can use an immersion blendera handheld version of a blender, which can come at a lower price. Simply dip the immersion blender into an unbreakable cup or bowl containing your ingredients and turn it on to mix. A good quality one will break up your ice just as well as a standard blender will. Plus, immersion blenders dont take up much space and tend to be easy to clean.
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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.
Benefits Of These Homemade Foods
The banana is a fruit recommended to eat before practicing sport because it has very little fiber and is easy to digest . Therefore, it will not feel heavy on your stomach when playing sports. The carbohydrates it provides are good for providing energy to your body. In addition, bananas are fruits that contain a high source of potassium and magnesium , providing an ideal functioning of the muscles, so you will avoid cramps and injuries.
The milk of almonds provides energy thanks to their sources of carbohydrates , so it will be very useful to hold a rhythm of intense training. These hydrates are quickly digested and converted into glucose , giving our body a quick source of energy . Between 50 and 60% of calories should come from carbohydrates.
The proteins and minerals that yogurt and almond milk provide you will help a better muscle recovery after training.
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How To Make The Best Blueberry Smoothie
Our basic smoothie recipe calls for four simple ingredients:
Frozen blueberries For the best blueberry smoothie, use frozen blueberries! Frozen berries make the smoothie extra creamy. I especially love the frozen wild blueberries found in the freezer section of most grocery stores.
Can I use fresh blueberries? Yes, of course. Frozen blueberries blend into a creamier smoothie, but fresh berries will still work. You might find that the smoothie thickens as it sits a bit more than usual with fresh berries since they naturally have pectin, which is a thickener. Freezing can reduce the natural jelling effect of pectin, which is why this does not happen as often when the smoothie is made with frozen blueberries.
Banana I use one banana to make one large or two smaller smoothies. For the best tasting smoothie, use a ripe banana. For the creamiest smoothie, use frozen banana slices .
Half an orange When I have oranges in the house, I love adding them to my morning smoothie. It adds extra vitamin C and tropical flavor. If you dont have oranges on hand, dont worry, you can substitute other fruits like mango, pineapple or more berries.
Milk To help the ingredients blend, I like adding some liquid to the blender. For a smoothie without milk, use water. It still tastes amazing. For more creaminess use milk .
To make the smoothie, I add everything into a blender, and then blend until smooth. For an icy cold smoothie, throw in a handful of ice or use frozen fruits.
How To Make A Vegan Berry Smoothie
To make our berry banana smoothie dairy free, we used oat milk and strawberry vegan yogurt. You can use any milk and yogurt you prefer.
I even used to make this recipe with cows milk and dairy yogurt. Do whatever works for you. No judgement here.
To make this smoothie, combine your ingredients in a blender. Process until smooth, adding more liquid if needed.
Also Check: What’s In A Banana Smoothie
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.
Tips To Thicken Your Smoothie
I love my smoothies nice and thick, as I think it makes them more satisfying. This recipe is already fairly thick, but if youd like to thicken your smoothie even more, here are a few tips:
- Blend in a few cubes of ice after you mix your main ingredients until you reach your desired consistency.
- For thickness and added flavor, try blending in an extra handful of frozen fruit.
- You can also try adding in 1 tablespoon of chia seeds. After a few minutes, these little nutrient-rich seeds will soak up some of the excess liquid and thicken the smoothie.
Also Check: Where To Buy Spirulina For Smoothies
Ingredients To Make Mixed Berry Smoothie
- Mixed berries: You can use fresh or frozen mixed berries, but I prefer to use frozen since they give the drink a thick and creamy texture without using ice. The berries add lots of Vitamin C to this smoothie recipe.
- Bananas: Again, you can use fresh or frozen bananas, but its easier on the blender if not all the fruit is frozen.
- Greek Yogurt: It adds creaminess and a good source of protein to the mixed berry smoothie. But you can substitute more milk or a vegan yogurt if you prefer.
- Almond Butter: This is a great option for adding extra fat and fiber to the smoothie. Nut butters can really enrich the nutrition of a smoothie to make them more satiating.
- Milk: You can use any kind of milk that youd like or you can even use water if youd prefer. You just need some liquid to get the blender going.
Put all of the ingredients into a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Taste the smoothie and add more mixed berries if its too thin or additional milk if it is too thick. You can also add some sweetener if you prefer it to be sweeter. The recipe makes enough for two 12 ounce cups, which is whats pictured.
What better way to level up your health than with a fresh and delicious meal-in-a-glass! Frozen banana, almond butter and almond milk add the perfect amount of creaminess with a zest of nutty flavor to my family-adored triple berry smoothie.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Bananas
Bananas are a great after workout snack due to the high amount of magnesium they contain. They help to build the lean muscle youre trying to accomplish by working out. Bananas also contain plenty of vitamins.
I sometimes like to mix up my strawberry banana smoothie by adding an extra boost of nutrition. A few things I use are protein powder, flax seed, chia seeds, greens, or more berries such as raspberries. No matter how you customize it, youll love this smoothie. I know I sure did!
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Ingredients For This Strawberry Smoothie
Heres what youll need to make this strawberry smoothie! Alex and I were careful to choose healthy ingredients for this smoothie: no overly sugary juices or syrups. Heres what we selected:
- Frozen strawberries: Its easy to find and store frozen berries, and they add a great icy texture to this smoothie. If you want to use fresh berries, use a frozen banana.
- Fresh banana: Our pet peeve is smoothie recipes that call for frozen bananas, because we never keep them on hand! Usually we want a smoothie recipe now. So we customized this one to use a fresh banana.
- Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt gives this recipe a protein boost and helpful probiotics. It also makes for a perfect creamy texture.
- Ice: Heres the most important part ice is essential to a perfect strawberry smoothie! It makes just the right frothy texture. Weve tried it without and it really makes a difference. Do not omit it!
- Milk: You need just the right amount of liquid in a smoothie to get it to blend. Not enough and the blender gets stuck , and too much it tastes milky. You can also use non-dairy .
- Maple syrup: Adding a hint of maple brings out the sweetness in the berries. If you eat a low sugar diet you could omit, but it doesnt quite taste sweet enough with no sweetener.
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.
Recommended Reading: Low Carb Low Sugar Smoothies
How Do You Make A Mixed Berry Smoothie
This mixed berry smoothie is simply frozen berries, banana, vanilla Greek yogurt, liquid of your choice, and sweetener if you desire. I buy bags of mixed frozen berries and always have a few in the freezer for when a smoothie craving strikes. I typically make these smoothies with apple juice as it eliminates the need to add any sweetener later on. Other liquid choices are skim milk, almond milk, coconut milk or even a cranberry juice would be nice. When I do sweeten smoothies, I typically reach for a little honey. Like I said, its really not needed here if youre using juice, but you may want to add some if you go with a less sweet liquid like skim milk.
I have an insanely picky 3 year old, and on days when I cant get her to eat more than 2 bites of anything, these mixed berry smoothies are a lifesaver. Nutrients, protein, fiber and they happen to be her favorite color, bright pink! So while this may be a simple recipe, its definitely worthy of sharing for all of you out there who are trying to get your families to eat healthier. Hope you enjoy!
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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.
Recommended Reading: How To Make A Green Smoothie To Lose Weight
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.
Faqs And Tips For Making The Best Berry Smoothies
Can you use water in a smoothie?
You can easily substitute any of the liquids in this recipe for water, or a different juice/milk. As long as you use the right amount your smoothie will be great.
How do you make a smoothie thicker?
If you want to make this recipe thicker, use less liquid or add in an extra banana .
Do you need ice to make a smoothie?
Since this recipe uses frozen fruit, you dont need any ice cubes. In general, if you want your smoothie to be cold and on the thicker side, I recommend using something frozen, whether thats ice or frozen ingredients.
Read Also: What Do You Put In A Fruit Smoothie
How To Make Any Berry Smoothie At Home
Its hard to top the classic fruity tartness of a mixed berry smoothie! This beautifully pink smoothie is a breeze to make, and its packed full of wonderful flavor and nourishing antioxidants.
This mixed berry smoothie is infinitely adaptable because you get to choose what frozen berries make up your smoothie! Craft your perfect combination of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberriesor take a shortcut and used mixed frozen berries from the frozen fruit section of your supermarket.
Using Fresh Or Frozen Fruit
If youre short on time, grab a bag of frozen mixed berries, or individual varieties to make your own blend. Typically frozen options come with strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries.
If you have ripe fresh berries, use them! However, to achieve a thick and creamy texture, freeze them in a single layer inside a large resealable bag until solidified. I usually do this the day before. If the strawberries are larger than 2-inches in size, halve or quarter them to make it easier to process when frozen.
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Best Blender For Smoothies
Now that you have all of your smoothie ingredients prepped and ready to go, its time to blend them up! But how?
The answer? With power.
The best blenders for smoothies are 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 great individual-sized blender option. The larger cup will need to be used in order to not pass the max fill line once blended.
- Ninja Blender is also another great choice!
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.
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