How To Make The Perfect Frozen Fruit Smoothie Recipe
By | Submitted On July 17, 2010
At my house, we just love frozen fruit smoothies. They are simple to make and are actually good for you. You can make these delicious cool drinks with just about any type of fruit or even combine different types of fruit. Let me explain exactly how to make a frozen fruit smoothie. It is quite simple.
To Make These Amazing Smoothies You Will Need:
We’ll start with the equipment. You will need a blender to make good smoothies. A regular blender will do the job. A small, personal blender like the magic bullet is nice to have because you can customize each smoothie. Of course regular blenders work just as well, plus you can make more servings at a time.
Frozen fruit comes next. Frozen smoothies can be made with all sorts of different fruit and and feel free to mix and match as well. Great fruit to start with is strawberry, peach and banana.
Yogurt makes another great addition to just about any smoothie. They give it a nice tangy flavor and creamy texture. Low or non-fat yogurts are the most figure-friendly, but you can use any type of yogurt as well as any flavor. You can also use Greek yogurt which is thicker and has more protein per serving.
Add more or less liquid until your smoothie gets the consistency you like best. You can also throw in a few ice cubes and blend them into your smoothie
Time to Blend:
If your blender starts working too hard, it’s time to add a little more liquid to make sure everything moves around well.
Be Patient And Diligent While Blending Resting And Storing
Start with a high quality blender. We proudly use Vitamix blenders, so our drinks always come outgreat! Even though fancy smoothie shops use the professional Vitamix andBlendtec models, any decent blender will work . Even a good foodprocessor may handle ice better than a really cheap blender.
Start blending at a low speed. Work up momentum to move the larger chunks offruit to the blades so that they get chopped finely. Gradually increase speedto high. This is especially true when using frozen fruits or nuts the sloweryou go, the more blending power you have at the start.
If you start too fast or speed up too quickly, you risk making an airbubble. That makes for a chunky smoothie you’ll have to dig out with aspatulanot bad if you like something like a thick strawberrybanana smoothie, but that’s not always what you want.
Vitamin Supplements Simply Arent Enough
There is the idea that we can eat as we feel like and then fix up our health with vitamin and mineral supplements. While these probably do no harm in moderation, and Im prone to take Vit. C supplements, I otherwise cant see the need for them.
I understand that if youre unwell you might want the boost they can provide, or that calcium and iron supplements for women are recognised as sometimes necessary. Still, with a very healthy & balanced diet, vitamin supplement should be unnecessary and I wonder how often they are used deliberately to offset a crap diet.
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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.
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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How To Build The Perfect Smoothie
Want to know how to create your perfect healthy veggie and fruit smoothies? It all comes down to the ingredients you use:
The Base
Were talking about the liquid you use as the base of the smoothie:
- Water is low in calories but has no flavor. Youll need stronger-flavored ingredients to make a water-based smoothie delicious.
- Juice has more sugar but adds good flavor, making it ideal for veggie-heavy smoothies.
- Yogurt and milk dont blend too well with most veggies, but youll love them in fruit-based smoothies.
- Coconut milk, coconut water, and almond milk are all good with fruit though youll have to be careful which veggies you mix in.
The Main Flavor
Once you have the base, you have to choose the fruits that will give your smoothie the primary flavor. A few fruits with strong flavor include:
- Berries
Apples, pears, and grapes all have milder flavors.
The Healthy Factor
Of course, to make truly healthy veggie and fruit smoothies, you need to bring the green. That means adding veggies like:
- Celery
- Parsley
- Cucumber
But remember, all of these vegetables have their flavors. Some have a very strong green flavor while others have milder flavors.
Choose the veggies that match with the fruits and liquid you are adding into your smoothie!
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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Spinach Is For Saladsand Smoothies
So, I used to be a firm believer that spinach was to be used in one thing: SALAD. I love me a good spinach salad! Really, I do!
But when I saw people start putting it in their smoothies, I was skeptical. Yes, very skeptical.
Especially when I had a conversation with a Facebook friend about this whole spinach salad/smoothie dilemma and she said, well, its not that bad in a smoothie, really.
Fresh Fruit & Veggies
Of course, you can skip the frozen produce and make a smoothie with that amazing fresh fruit you just picked up at the farmers market. Youll just need to add plenty of ice if you like it chilly, and stick with soft, ripe fruits.
For best results, dont use tougher skinned fruit, like pears and apples unless youre using a powerful blender, suggests Adler.
Some of her favorite fresh ingredients for smoothie are include fresh spinach and ripe avocado. Spinach is detoxifying and vitamin packed, but with an actually sweet taste and no bitternessthis is ideal for those that are nervous about anything green in their smoothies.
And ¼ to ½ of an avocado can turn any smoothie into a decadent meal you can eat with a spoon. The healthy fats found in an avocado will help you stay full for hours.
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Choose Ingredients You Enjoy:
It might seem like a no brainer but when it comes to making a great smoothie, you need to choose ingredients that appeal to you. Don’t feel pressured to use an ingredient just because of its claimed health benefit.
If you can’t stand almond milk, choose a milk you like. If you hate kale, try another green instead. And if you’ve never liked blueberries, don’t make a blueberry smoothie. Simple!
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.
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!
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Choosing The Right Ingredients
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 With Ice Cream
A smoothie with ice cream? Uh, yes please. Once you scoop ice cream into your blender, its technically considered a milkshake, but go ahead and make that switch for an occasional indulgent treat. Ice cream, of course, makes for an exceptionally creamy, sweet, and decadent smoothie experience.
Love the idea but dont want to do dairy? Try a non-dairy ice cream, such as that varieties made of coconut milk.
I love ½ cup coconut milk ice cream blended with 1/4 to 1/2 cup almond, coconut or whole milk, says Adler. Then, its optional to add 1 to 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder or 1 handful cocoa nibs to make it chocolaty, a teaspoon of peanut butter, or fresh mintor all of the above.
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Banana Almond Protein Smoothie
Creamy almond butter offers healthy fats, while coconut water helps restore electrolytes after a tough workout. Greek yogurt and a scoop of whey keep the protein content high.
In a blender, add 1/2 cup coconut water, 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 3 Tbsp. almond butter, 1 scoop whey protein powder, 1 Tbsp. hemp seeds, 1 frozen banana, 1 cup ice. Process until smooth, serves 2.
Nutrition : 329 calories, 17 g fat, 21 g protein, 26 g carbs , 15 g sugars
Tip : Use Frozen Ingredients
In our early smoothie making days we spent more than 30 dollars per week on fruit and vegetables spread out over two trips now we spend under 18 dollars per week and go to the store only twice a month. The cheapest and most nutritious way to make a smoothie BY FAR is to use frozen ingredients whenever possible. For the skinny on why frozen fruit is both cheaper and better see our Fresh vs Frozen shakedown.
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What Do I Use To Sweeten A Smoothie
All of these smoothies here use frozen fruit as a base, which adds a nice baseline of sweetness that you can build on if your tastebuds would like. My recommendation is to blend up your smoothie without any added sweetener, then taste. Add in honey or maple syrup to taste. Many times, I dont need to add anything! Another great natural option for sweetening: pitted Medjool dates. Throw in one or two of those bad boys and let the blender do its thing. Youd be amazed at how sweet your smoothie will be!
Ii: Fruits & Vegetables
When adding fruits and vegetables just remember these two dichotomies are at play:1. The more frozen fruits/vegetables you use, the less ice you will need.2. Likewise, the more juices the fruits/vegetables have, the less liquid you will need to add.
Bananas are a popular choice as they help to thicken the smoothie and provide a neutral taste that goes well with most everything.Feel free to experiment with your own favorite fruits and vegetables combined with those of our Nutrition Matrix. You will soon realize which ones contribute to the taste and texture of the smoothie in ways that you like.
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Milk And Honey Smoothie
Make use of the celery in your produce drawer with this blended juice, which combines it with almond milk, cucumber, and grapes for a sip-worthy snack.
In a blender, combine 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk, 1 medium Kirby cucumber , 1 cup seedless green grapes, 2 medium stalks celery , and 1 Tbsp honey. Blend until the mixture is smooth, serves 2.
Nutrition : 124 calories, 2 g fat , 2 g protein, 26 g carbs , 21 g sugars
How To Make A Smoothie Less Bitter:
- Pineapple and oranges both add lots of fruity sweetness. Banana, in addition to being sweet, seems to neutralize bitter flavors. Strawberries are also good choices for green smoothies. Also try adding a bit of vanilla bean or vanilla extract, agave, cacao, or unsweetened cocoa powder. Flavored protein powders will also mask the taste of bitter greens. After adding these ingredients, work your machine back up to its highest speed, and process for 10-20 seconds.
- Tip: Baby greens are generally milder than mature greens. Tastes do change and adapt to new eating habits. Try working up to bitter greens by combining small amounts of them with the spinach in your smoothie. Then gradually adjust the ratio as your taste buds adapt. Chalky taste: Add more fruit and/or other ingredients in the recipe. Work your machine back up to its highest speed, and process for 10-20 seconds. Adding more protein powder can give you too much of a good thing use amounts recommended on the label.
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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.
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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The Huge Benefit Of Fruit Smoothies
Ive always had a habit of bolting my food I typically inhale my meals and move on.
Eating is functional and I rarely take time to really enjoy it. By bolting my food I never chew it enough and half the goodness in the food is lost before it can be digested.
Blending up fruits and drinking it saves my body a heap of effort in breaking the food down and extracting the goodness. Theres no need to chew and liquid smoothies are incredibly easy for the body to get at what is there.
I believe, based on research Ive read and my own experience, that there is no other food group better for you than fruits, vegetables, and nuts etc. Anything our body needs is found in them and theres little need to supplement our diets if were eating them in good quantities.
I have a sweet tooth so I lean more heavily towards fruits, and they require much less work to prepare compared to vegetables. Some vegetables are great, but typically they need to be boiled, fried, or otherwise. For taste and ease alone, fruits rock my world!