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.
Easy Tips On How To Make A Perfect Smoothie Bowl + Bonus Topping Ideas
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Discover 5 easy tips on how to make a perfect smoothie bowl base. 2 bonus tips on the topping ideas and what is more? 5 topping starter ideas.
Smoothie bowls might be the most popular breakfast for Instagram influencers. An influencers Instagram feed cant be complete without a smoothie bowl. This has led to many restaurants specializing in smoothie bowls and offering a wide array of different types and colors of smoothie bowls.
There are many smoothie bowl recipes, but few articles explain how to make any smoothie bowl your heart desires. However, dont fret this guide is here to show you how to make the perfect smoothie bowl filled with all the fruits you want. So lets get started!
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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Tip : Choose Plenty Of Super Foods
Don’t put ingredients in your smoothie that aren’t one of the popularized “Super Foods”. Why? Unless you have a fixation for some particular food, such as a banana, you are wasting precious space in your blender and body with what could be a high powered nutritious superstar with more than ten times the antioxidant power than most other foods. To see which super foods we recommend see our Nutrition Matrix chart.
Tips On How To Make A Thick Smoothie Bowl Base
Use a minimum amount of liquid
Using an excessive amount of liquid will make the consistency of a smoothie bowl watery. Thats why to make a smoothie bowl, many opt for frozen fruit instead of fresh fruits.
Fresh fruits contain a lot of water, which you want to avoid for a thicker consistency.
Freeze the liquid
Suppose theres any specific juice you usually like to add to your regular smoothie. In that case, you can freeze that juice into ice cubes and add them to the blender. Almond milk tastes good when added to a smoothie, but it usually separates when frozen.
If you want to use almond milk, a tip could be to make an extra thick smoothie bowl base and then adding the almond milk. This way, you will balance it out. Adding coconut milk to a smoothie bowl is excellent too!
Use frozen fruit
Using frozen fruits is a great option to get a thicker consistency . A berry smoothie bowl is a classic type of smoothie bowl where frozen fruits such as frozen mixed berries are used.
Its hard to use any fresh fruit for smoothie bowls since fresh fruit means more liquid, something you want to avoid. If youre going to use bananas in your smoothie or make a banana smoothie bowl, it would be best to freeze the fresh bananas overnight.
Add chia seeds or raw oats
Chia seeds are an excellent ingredient for smoothie bowls. Chia seeds add thickness to any smoothie bowl recipe. On top of that, theyre also considered healthy fats, which you want in a smoothie bowl.
Recommended Reading: Healthy Smoothies With Oat Milk
How To Make The Perfect Smoothie
A comprehensive guide on How to Make the Perfect Smoothie! Includes a handy chart so you can easily make customizable smoothies. Plus, tips on getting the best texture and sneaking in wholesome, satiating ingredients for creamy smoothies that act as meal replacements.
Given the heat wave affecting much of the country right now, it should come as no surprise that Im drinking a lot of smoothies! But nailing the perfect smoothie isnt as simple as it sounds. Building the perfect smoothiea smoothie that is icy cold, nourishing, delicious, and satiatingis somewhat of an art form.
But I have some handy tips on How to Make the Perfect Smoothie, which Im sharing in my Youtube video! Im sharing all my favorite smoothie ingredients and how to get creative in the smoothie department so you can build healthy AND satiating smoothies thatll keep you full for hours.
And in this blog post, youll find a useful smoothie chart that will help you build a perfect smoothie every time, along with FOUR creative recipes for satisfying smoothies!
One caveat about this chart: for the Fruit column, I listed it as fresh or frozen, but I always use frozen fruit because it helps the smoothie stay icy cold . Of course, if you dont have frozen fruit, you can use fresh fruit and add some ice cubes to your smoothie.
Add A Few Dashes Of Spices Or Powders
It’s time for you to transform your smoothies from bland to glam. A few shakes of anything from ginger, cinnamon, cocoa powder, or protein powder can really “spice up” your drink by providing a big bang of flavor that really brings the smoothie home. Remember that a little bit goes a long wayyou don’t want the spices to mask the other ingredients, so be careful not to go overboard with the ones you use.
Recommended Reading: What Smoothies Make You Lose Weight
How Do I Make Smoothies If I Dont Like Bananas
Lucky for you, we have an entire post of recipes to make a smoothie without banana. Try those recipes, or tweak any of the recipes below by:
- Subbing in 1/2 cup additional plain Greek yogurt , plus 1 tablespoon additional sweetener and a handful of ice cubes in place of the frozen banana in these recipes.
- Other options: canned pineapple, sweetened yogurt, canned pears. Adding half a ripe avocado can really help make up for the creaminess that bananas usually add, too.
Ditch The Ice And Freeze Some Fruits
Want your green smoothie to be extra chilly? Freeze your favorite fruits like ripe bananas , grapes, pineapple or berries. This is also a great way to not waste ripe fruits . You can also freeze your leafy greens in a freezer-safe bag. Just make sure to add your frozen greens straight to the blender .
Also Check: Low Calorie Low Sugar Smoothies
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.
How To Get Rid Of Smoothie Foam
Sometimes foam results from the skin of fruits, and good peeling reduces the chance of foaminess. However, if your smoothie has more foam than you like, there are things you can do about it.
Try blending it 10-20 seconds longer at the lowest speed. Or stir the foam back in with a long wooden spoon. You can pour it from one container to another, holding back the foam with a spatula. You can strain out the foam with a sieve or cheesecloth.
Recommended Reading: Tasty Smoothie Recipes For Weight Loss
Start With Frozen Fruit Chunks
Fruit is the base of a smoothie. As you select the main fruit flavors, remember that a delicious smoothie doesn’t have to be complicated go with anywhere from one type of fruit to a few. Berries, pears, citrus, peaches, kiwi, figs, and bananas are just the start. By using frozen fruit, you’re able to skip adding ice, which will water down the flavor. To ensure you always have frozen fruit handy for your smoothies, either buy it at the grocery store or or freeze your leftover fruit in chunks for the best textured smoothies. Best of all, this means you’ll never throw away a bruised banana again.
Cereal And Donuts And Bagels Oh My
I used to be a serious cereal eater. I ate cereal for breakfast almost every morning, and sometimes I would eat cereal again for dinner. The only time I didnt eat cereal was when my office was providing breakfast, which meant donuts and bagels!!
As I got older, I tried to stay away from some of my favorites, like Fruity Pebbles or Frosted Flakes, and choose a more sensible cereal, like Special K or multi-grain Cheerios. But, no matter which cereal I tried , I would be hungry again about 2 hours later.
This became a problem at work because I would get so hungry, but couldnt get a second in to grab a mid-morning snack. By the time I got a lunch-break, I would scarf down pretty much anything and everything I could. Binge eating at its finestalmost every work-day.
This repeated trend was very bad for my diet and is what I think contributed in large part to my weight gain when I started working full-time.
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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.
How To Make A Smoothie Bowl
If you like to eat your smoothie with a spoon instead of a straw, put it in a bowl and keep it thick.
The key to any smoothie bowl is a little amount of water, and either avocado or a clean protein powder in there to thicken it up, says Adler. Ice is great, but keep the water or liquid to ¼ cup at most! You’ll need a powerful blender to make this happen.
Many people add whole berries or cut fruit on top of their smoothie bowls and then sprinkle them with chia seeds or chopped nuts. Adler recommends her recipe for a Green Smoothie Bowl, a hearty smoothie that can stand-in as a meal.
Read Also: Muscle Milk Smoothie Yogurt Protein Shake
Orange Strawberry Squash Smoothie
This two-serving sipper is a delicious way to help you reach your daily fruit and veggie requirements. Like many smoothies, you could blend it into a drink or a smoothie bowl. If you want to make more of a meal out of it, add protein-rich enhancers, like protein powder or Greek yogurt.
This smoothie bowl packs 27 g of protein to power you through a long morning. Plus, wild blueberries are packed with antioxidants and fiber.
If a non-dairy smoothie is more your style, this one, with plant-based protein powder, makes a delicious and filling meal.
Cottage cheese provides the protein in this layered drink. Its made parfait-style so the smoothie and cottage cheese are kept separateperfect for days when you want to dig in with a spoon.
Are Smoothies Healthy For You
Before we dive into the quest of how to make a fruit smoothie, lets dive into the why. Our philosophy here at Wholefully is that smoothies can be an incredibly nourishing part of your diet. Just like with our juicing recipes, we say its always better to eat whole fruits and veggies where possible. But its not always possible! Smoothies do make it easy to pack in all the nutrients of your favorite produce into one drinkable cupwhich is great when youre on the go or short on time.
And lets be honest, smoothies are just freaking delicious! We are big believers that you also need to nourish your soul with your food, and if drinking a perfectly tangy and sweet smoothie brings a smile to your face, then thats healthy as healthy can be.
Read Also: Smoothie After Workout For Weight Loss
Think About Adding A Vegetable
Unless you’re crazy for green vegetables, using just a small handful is the best option when it comes to adding these good-for-you ingredients to smoothie. Greens like kale can add a very assertive flavor, but baby spinach and romaine lettuce easily disappear into the other flavors in the smoothie.
Pro Tip: Color gives a smoothie street appeal, know that greens can drastically change the look of your smoothie.
The Right Smoothie Ratios
Start your smoothie with two mugfuls of a liquid base. This can be milk, or a dairy-free alternative such as soya or almond milk, natural or flavoured yogurt, fruit juice, or for a tropical flavoured smoothie, low-fat coconut milk or coconut water. Its important to add the liquid to your blender before adding the fruit, as this will prevent the blade from getting damaged.
Next, add about three quarters of a mug of your chosen fruit. Banana is a great base flavour for any smoothie, and will give you a lovely creamy texture. Other fruits that work well are berries, mango, peaches, plums, nectarines, grated apple or pear, and melon. You may have to add more fruit or liquid, depending on the type of fruit you choose. Play around until you have a texture you like. Add a squeeze of honey, maple syrup or agave syrup if your smoothie needs it, and finally add a few ice cubes to the blender for a thick and frosty smoothie.
Smoothie combination ideas
Read Also: How To Make A Green Smoothie To Lose Weight
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!
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!
Also Check: How To Make Dragon Fruit Smoothie
Strike The Right Ratio:
Striking the right ratio is important when making a smoothie that you’ll actually enjoy drinking. I suggest this ratio as you’re starting out:
- 1 cup milk
- A handful of greens / vegetables
- 1 tablespoon of smoothie boosters
As you start to experiment, you can work to increase the amount of vegetables and decrease the amount of fruit to suit your tastes. Do this process gradually to allow your tastebuds to adjust.
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!
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