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!
The Best Blender Type And Brand For Making Smoothies
Once you perfect the art of making epic smoothies, you will want to make them a regular part of your diet.
Investing in a good blender that will last you a long time will then be a necessity
While most blenders can easily puree fruits, greens, and the other smoothie ingredients to bring them to uniform thickness, the features that you will look for when purchasing a blender is that of durability and power.
In this effect, the Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Smart Blender fits our bill for a powerful and sturdy blender.
It comes with five program settings for smoothies, hot soups, dips & spreads, frozen desserts, and self-cleaning to allow you to operate per your need.
To complement the brilliant performance of the blender are the sleek looks and touch buttons that further add to the aesthetics of your kitchen counter.
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.
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Two: Add Your Creamy Base
Next up is your base. This is the bulk of your smoothie the ingredients that add substance and creaminess while giving your blend a nutrient-dense boost. Think: banana, avocado, and Greek or coconut yogurt. Basically, your base is the golden ticket to the perfect smoothie, so go ahead and pick one or two
Our favorite bases include:
- Fresh or frozen avocado
- Frozen ripe banana
- Greek or coconut milk yogurt
- Nut or seed butter
Banana Creamy Smoothie Recipe
1)cup of milk, non-dairy milk, or Greek yogurt
2) 1 banana, ripe
3) ½ cup blueberries, frozen
4) 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Breakfast would be the last thing on your mind when you are in a rush to get started on your day. A healthy breakfast is an excellent way to jumpstart your day and ensure you have the fuel you need to tackle anything coming your way. A smoothie is an excellent breakfast option.
When you make it with the best nutrition information, the effect of your smoothies gets magnified. Please make sure you use frozen bananas, making the smoothie thicker. Add only ripe bananas, as it will help in enhancing the taste.
You could use fresh bananas if you forget to plan and dont have frozen fruit. If youre using fresh bananas, you might want to add a few ice cubes to the blender to cool down the smoothie. Smoothies made with frozen fruits are the greatest.
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Smoothie Recipe Serving Sizes
There are lots of Smoothie recipes but it can be confusing if they are written for use with certain size blenders
Typically, smoothie recipes that you see for Vitamix, Blend-tec or other full-size countertop blenders will make 2 servings which equals 32 ounces or 2 pints.
Whereas, a recipe for a Nutribullet, Magic Bullet, Nutri-Ninja, or other similar size personal blender will be make a single serving which is about 12-16 ounces.
A counter-top 2-serving green smoothie recipe would typically have:
- 2 Cups of Liquid Base
- 2 Cups Leafy Greens
- 3 Cups of Fruit
> > You would cut above amounts in half for a personal blender since it makes 50% less. < <
These are just general guidelines and certain recipes will have variations to the portions.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
This recipe turns a fattening dessert treat into a healthier, less guilt-inducing drink. Although its hard to mimic the real thing, unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla almond milk and the frozen banana help form a chocolatey mixture, while the peanut butter adds fat and flavor. For even more of a peanut butter punch, you can also add a scoop of peanut butter powder.
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What Can I Use To Sweeten A Smoothie
With options galore, you can choose between artificial and natural sweeteners.
But since we are planning on making a healthy drink, I am going to list out some of the best natural sweeteners which will up the taste but not the unhealthy calories.
This is natures bounty! Loaded with potassium, fiber, and a host of other minerals, banana is not only a great sweetener but also a good thickening agent.
Another great sweetening agent, it is rich in essential minerals like iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and selenium and brings your smoothie to the required consistency and sweetness.
It is made by boiling and dehydrating the sap from the coconut palm. For this reason, it is called coconut palm sugar.
It has a distinct taste and gives the recipe an earthy sweetness which is unlike any other natural sweetener.
Molasses is a by-product of the sugarcane and beet sugar industry. Molasses is rich in nutrients and minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron and can add a dash of sweetness loaded with nutrition.
Rich in calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium, maple syrup is another great smoothie sweetener.
The list is endless but this should give you a fair number of sweeteners for your next recipe to add that hint of health and sweetness.
How Can I Make A Smoothie Taste Sweeter
Avoid using sugar when making a smoothie. The fruit you add to a smoothie will have plenty of natural sugar already.
If you have made a green smoothie and are struggling to enjoy the taste why not add a pinch of cinnamon or even some maple syrup to make it more palatable? When I made my first green smoothie I struggled with the taste but by adding the juice of half a lemon or lime I soon got used to it and have now grown to love them!
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What Equipment Do I Need To Make A Smoothie
Really you just need a blender, sometimes called a smoothie maker. Which blender you buy will very much depend on how often you want to make smoothies and what you want to blend. They vary considerably in both price and power. Blenders with less powerful motors are still very capable of making smoothies and make great starter models owing to their budget price tag.
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The Perfect Smoothie Awaits
If youve been tossing your ingredients into the blender in no particular order, but are always left feeling like your smoothie is missing something, it honestly could be as simple as tweaking how youre blending all those ingredients up.
So, use this five-step guide to making the perfect smoothie to bring your smoothies to the next level. Trust us, youll wonder how you ever enjoyed your smoothies any other way before!
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How To Build Your Smoothie
Need a little guidance or inspiration? Follow this base recipe to get started! Feel free to customize as desired, and follow the above instructions for a no-fail blend!
Liquid Base
- ½ 1 cup liquid of choice
Creamy Base
- ½ cup Greek or coconut milk yogurt
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup fresh or frozen fruit of choice
Veggies:
- 1 cup veggies of choice
Optional Add-ins:
- ½ 1 tbsp nuts or seeds
- 1-3 tsp superfood powder
- ½ 1 tbsp nut or seed butter
- 1-3 tsp optional sweetener
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. It’s 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
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How To Blend Your Smoothie
Start off just blending your liquid with some of your fruit slowly at first. When the fruit is submerged in the liquid add some more of the ingredients at a time until everything is blended. Depending on your blender you may have to add more liquid or stop and scrape down the sides of the blender after turning it off first. You may have to blend your smoothie from 1 minute to 5 minutes depending on how good your blender is.
A high speed blenderwill make the perfect smooth smoothie every time. Or you can have a look at my resources page for blenders I recommend to suit your budget.
If you want some more smoothie recipes, this smoothie recipe book has got to be my favourite that Ive ever tried If youve never tasted Innocent smoothies, they are a British brand sold in mainstream shops, and now they are sharing all their secrets with you. Ive loved all the recipes Ive tried from this book so far, and its so beautifully laid out, youll be truly inspired into healthiness.
I hope this has helped you to create your own perfect smoothie. What is your favourite smoothie recipe?
I know you may not have time to digest all this right now, so I wanted to give you a handy print out of this blog post so you can stick it on your fridge to help you on your journey to optimal health.
Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie
This thick and creamy banana peanut butter smoothie is made with 5 ingredients in 5 minutes. Flavored with vanilla and cinnamon, it’s a delicious healthy breakfast or afternoon snack! Add greens and protein powder if you’d like to add extra nutrition!
This healthy & easy mango smoothie is made in 5 minutes with 6 ingredients ! Its ultra creamy and you can use fresh or frozen mango and easily make it dairy-free!
This homemade acai bowl recipe is made in 5 minutes with 7 ingredients. Learn how to make an acai bowl that tastes even better than expensive store-bought varieties.
This healthy Tropical Smoothie recipe is easy to make with 6 ingredients in 5 minutes, and its like a beach vacation in a glass! One sip will transport you to some beach, somewhere.
This thick and creamy banana smoothie recipe is made with 6 ingredients in 5 minutes. Flavored with vanilla and cinnamon, it’s a delicious healthy breakfast or afternoon snack! Add greens and protein powder for an extra nutritional boost!
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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, well look at some fruit smoothie recipes that you can try. However, before we dive in, lets look at the steps to make a basic smoothie.
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How To Measure Smoothie Ingredients
I too am guilty of looking at a smoothie recipe and then throwing a bit of everything into the pitcher. I could end up with a 12 ounce breakfast or a 24 ounce drink-me-all-day. Sometimes though, its nice to know exactly how much smoothie Im going to end up making.
Maybe you are counting calories. Perhaps you dont want to end up with leftovers. Maybe you never make enough for your kids to share. No matter your reason, sometimes its just makes life easier to know.
How do I do this without dirtying a pile of measuring cups and spoons? A kitchen scale!
Simply place the pitcher on your scale and hit the tare button to zero it out. Add the ingredients, pressing tare between each one, to measure exactly how much goes into the pitcher. Best of all you do it without dirtying a single measuring utensil.
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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.
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
Matt Armendariz, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
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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More Easy Recipes For Homemade Green Smoothies
If you liked this green smoothie recipe, but arent quite ready to make your own flavor combinations, you can try some of these options.
First, if you want a tasty treat for fall, try this Pumpkin Pie Green Smoothie that my kids love. Or, if youd prefer something more refreshing, you have to try this Peachy Pineapple Green Smoothie. Finally, check out my Pina Colada Green Smoothie for a tasty vacation-inspired treat.
You can also check out some more delicious green smoothie variations using the 60/40 formula below.
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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