What Is A Smoothie
A smoothie is a cold, blended drink made up of frozen fruit, liquid such as juice or milk, and other nutritional add-ins such as nut butter, protein powder, and protein powder.
Smoothies are a great way to pack in the nutrition without a lot of effort. There are many varieties of smoothies such as green smoothies, fruit smoothies, smoothies bowls, and more.
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How To Make A Smoothie: The Simple And Perfect Home Recipe
Like smoothies? It’s a delicious drink that’s easy to make and adds fruitand vegetables to your diet! Don’t spend $7 on something you can make at homewith whatever ingredients you have on hand in your kitchen! This is the perfectquick and healthy breakfast option to give you energy all day long. Throweverything together and take it on-the-go. Or put things out for the kids afterschool hours.
This basic perfect smoothie recipe provides a great base for you to addprotein and fiber, as well as whatever flavors you like. We’ve tested thisrecipe and explain the physics of how it works so you’ll get something thatblends perfectly every time.
Five simple steps make the perfect smoothie recipe:
You can throw everything in a cheap blender and get pretty goodresults, but you’ll get the best and most consistent results by following thistemplate. Why? Physics!
Frequently Asked Questions About Blending Smoothies
How do I get a thicker smoothie?
There are a couple of options that work really well. One, use frozen fruit in your smoothie to get a thicker consistency. Two, if you don’t have frozen fruit, try adding ice. I like to add ice to the blender jar last to get the best blend.
How do I get the best blend when making a smoothie?
Put your ingredients in the jar in the correct order. Start with liquid, soft fruit, and leafy greens followed by frozen fruit or more solid ingredients. Add ice last .Then, start your blender on the lowest setting and increase slowly to the highest setting if you don’t have a smoothie-specific setting on your blender. Add more liquid if you are having trouble getting the blend started. If your blender has a tamper then you can also use this to help get the ingredients pushed down into the blades and help that blend along. Not all blenders are the same. Be patient and figure out what works best for your blender.
How can I keep my smoothie routine from getting boring?Can I make smoothies ahead of time?
Yes, you definitely can. Blend and store in a sealed jar or container in the fridge overnight. I prefer freshly blended smoothies as the texture is the best but give your prepared smoothie a shake or stir and enjoy. We also like to prep our frozen smoothie ingredients ahead of time in freezer-safe containers. Then, when in a hurry we can just dump the prepped serving into the blender jar, add liquid, and blend. Can help save time when in a hurry.
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Perfect Smoothie Ratio For Balanced Taste And Health Benefits
If you drink smoothies and want to satisfy your cravings entirely and get loads of antioxidants and vitamins from all the food ingredients, you possibly have to know how to make your perfect smoothie ratio.
Herein, you get to learn the specific steps for smoothie combinations that would allow you to get what you truly deserve, the kind of drink that will keep you healthy and super-active as you go with your day to day tasks.
How To Make A Smoothie Without Bananas:
Bananas are the backbone of my simple smoothie recipes. They add so much creaminess, and natural sweetness while being inexpensive. That being said, I know not everyone likes/eats bananas. If you arent into bananas, you can add some Greek yogurt + sweetener + ice OR a half of an avocado + sweetener + ice. Those two combos will replace a banana nicely in a smoothie and still give you a nice rich and smooth texture.
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What If I Dont Have The Right Ingredients To Make One Of These Smoothies
There is NO right or wrong way to make a smoothie! These recipes are just starter ideas for you to work off of But dont feel like you need to stick with them to make a delicious smoothie. I never measure for smoothies and often throw in what I have on hand. My main tip, however, is if youre using fresh fruit, be sure to throw in a little ice to add that frozen element.
Do I Need A High Powered Blender For Smoothies
For years, I made smoothies using a $20 basic blender that we’d received as a wedding gift. I thought it worked perfectly well for simple smoothie recipes using classic, soft ingredients such as bananas, yogurt, strawberries, mangoes and spinach.
But as I got more interested in using diverse ingredients, I found my old blender lacking. I wanted to use items such as blackberries and pomegranate seeds, and my cheap blender wasn’t able to puree the seeds properly.
In addition, I wanted to use hearty greens such as kale, which can sometimes taste gritty when pureed in a traditional blender.
For that reason, after much deliberation and research, I recently upgraded to a VitaMix 750 professional series blender. Note: I don’t think you need to make this investment unless you plan to make smoothies often, and you’re wanting to go beyond the basics.
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Can I Use Ice In A Smoothie
You can, but I personally prefer to use frozen fruits & vegetables to make the smoothie cold. This is because ice can a) water the smoothie down, and b) create a gritty, slushy texture.
That said, if you don’t have any frozen ingredients on hand, ice will certainly do! Just make sure that your blender is capable of properly pulverizing the ice so that you’re not left with chunks of ice in your finished smoothie.
Adjusting The Blender Speed
Its best to gradually ramp up the speed on the blender. Start with medium speed for about 30 seconds. This gives the blades the chance to gradually break things up without burning out the motor. Use a plastic tamper to help push down all of the ingredients into the fast-moving blades at the bottom of the cup.
Turn the speed to high for 15 to 30 seconds for final processing. This is when I add any extra liquid or ice needed to help with blending. If the smoothie doesnt easily whirl and move, it needs a little more liquid, add small amounts at a time to keep thick but sippable consistency.
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Best Healthy Smoothie Recipes
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
From green smoothie recipes to a basic strawberry smoothie, weve got all the smoothie inspiration you need right here!
Check out 100+ healthy smoothie recipes and learn how to make your own unique healthy smoothies at home with our basic smoothie equation.
Say hello to the most beautiful smoothies on the internet! Smoothies are such a great healthy breakfast idea, snack, or even dinner! In less than 5 minutes you can enjoy multiple servings of fruit, veggies, healthy fats, and more!
PS: Check out our best Protein Shake Recipes, too!
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.
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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
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 Can I Make My Smoothie Healthier
The smoothie recipes below are plain, but if you want to expand your smoothie horizons, go for it! Toss in chia seeds or protein powder or hemp seeds or flax or whatever else makes your heart happy. If you have a standard set of mix-ins you like, you can even freeze them into booster packsgreat for really quick and easy smoothies!
Use Your Milk Of Choice
I have used and loved all kinds of milk for smoothies, including normal cows milk, raw cows milk, and lots of plant- and nut-based milk like rice, almond, coconut, and cashew. When buying nut milk, make sure the carton is marked unsweetened. You dont really need the added sugar when you are using fruit in your smoothie. I love cashew milk its super creamy and delicious. I most often use almond milk in the carton or a coconut-almond blend in the carton. Use what you can find in your area.
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Smoothie Recipes To Try
Use these recipes or build from them to create your own.
Banana-kale wake-up smoothie
The sweetness of the bananas balances kales slight bitterness in this recipe. Use just a tiny pinch of cloves theyre potent!
Get the banana-kale wake-up smoothie recipe.
Ruby-red raspberry smoothie
Its nutty. Its sweet. And its good for you. Blast off your day with healthy fats, antioxidants and phytonutrients from this creamy creation.
Get the ruby-red raspberry smoothie recipe.
Creamy kiwi-lime smoothie
You would never guess this creamy, high-protein smoothie gets its texture from tofu and cashew butter. Hey, dont knock it till you try it!
Go green smoothie bowl
Ready to trade in the smoothie glass for a bowl and spoon? In this bowl, the leafy green goodness of spinach meets the sweetness of grapes, mango, apple and banana.
Get the go green smoothie bowl recipe.
Cool tropical smoothie
Youll feel like youre on the beach with this zesty blend of mango, coconut, lime and strawberries. This vegan smoothie is high in potassium and features beneficial phytonutrients.
Get the cool tropical smoothie recipe.
Creamy strawberry and greens smoothie
This satisfying smoothie is sweetened with strawberries, creamified with avocado and then exalted to green goddess status with arugula.
Get the creamy strawberry and greens smoothie recipe.
Peach-vanilla yogurt smoothie
Get the peach-vanilla yogurt smoothie recipe.
Berry vanilla banana smoothie
Get the berry vanilla banana smoothie recipe.
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.
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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.
Best Blender For Smoothies
First things first, lets talk about the blender situation. I know there are hundreds of blenders on the market and it can be very daunting to find the right one for you. One thing I have learned with the handful of blenders that Ive owned is that quality matters. Usually, quality and price coincide and its totally true.
Ive found that the more expensive and higher quality blender I have, the more success I have with what I am makingespecially smoothies. The most recent and BEST blender I have ever had is a Vitamix.
We have the Vitamix 5200and it runs you about $430 on Amazon. I do not have a single bad thing to say about this beast. Its super powerful, easy to clean, and it makes making smoothies along with other things a breeze. I can tell you right now that this is the best blender I have ever owned and theres no turning back.
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Even If Your Morning Routine Is More Like A Hectic Morning Rush These Smoothie Recipes Make For A Quick And Easy Breakfast That Can Help You Jumpstart Your Day
Simply Recipes
If your morning routine is more like a hectic morning rush, you may think you don’t have time for a healthy breakfast, but a smoothie is a quick and easy meal that can be made in minutes. It’s an excellent way to power your morning and get a boost from nutrient rich fruits and veggies.
Even if you’re unsure about adding another item to your morning to-do list, there are many effortless strategies for prepping your smoothies in advance. Over the weekend or on an evening when you have some extra time, you can portion your smoothies in single serving freezer bags. On a busy morning, you can simply pull out a smoothie pack of frozen fruits and mix-ins, empty it into your blender with the liquid of your choice, and blend.
If over time your new morning smoothie routine becomes too, well, routine, you can easily change up your smoothie recipe. With just a few tips, its easy to customize your smoothie and create new combinations. Whether you prefer your breakfast bright and fruity or sweet and nutty, theres a healthy, delicious smoothie recipe that will help you jumpstart your morning.
Are You Looking For Even More Smoothies No Worries Weve Got You Covered:
- Clementine Avocado Smoothie. If youve never added avocado to your smoothie before, you are missing out! The flavor is so mild, that you cant taste it, but the texture is dreamy, creamy smooth, and the healthy added fats help keep your fuller longer.
- Cold Buster Smoothie. When youre feeling under the weather and your throat is sore, this smoothie for colds is soothing and nourishing.
- Coffee Smoothie. Get a jolt of caffeine and your breakfast all in one cup! This is packed full of coffee flavor.
- Persimmon Smoothie. Packed full of autumnal flavor, this spiced smoothie is creamy and sweet!
- Spinach and Pear Smoothie. Bright green and fresh in flavor, this smoothie is a perfect light breakfast.
- Sweet Potato Smoothie. Sweet potato in a smoothie? YUP! It tastes like a delicious pie. Youll love it!
- Apple Smoothie. This smoothie is packed full of healthy spinach, but tastes like apple pie!
- Pumpkin Pie Smoothie. This pumpkin smoothie is perfect for the weather is still warm but your heart wants fall to show up.
- Dark Chocolate Raspberry Smoothie. This smoothie is rich and dark, and it tastes decadent enough you could sip on it for dessert!
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie. All the flavors of your favorite sandwich in a tasty smoothie! Pick your favorite jelly to add to this peanut butter smoothie.
- Tart Cherry and Spinach Smoothies. We show serving this cherry smoothie as a light breakfast in a bowl, but you could easily pour it in a glass and sip away!
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