Use A Creamy Liquid Base
The type of liquid used in a green smoothie can change the consistency a lot. Liquids like water, green tea, and coconut water tend to blend thinner smoothies . Find out more about green smoothie liquid-bases here. To make a thicker smoothie without the common side effects of dairy milk, try a plant based milk option .
When looking for a natural smoothie thickener, try using one of these liquids:
- Oat milk | try this oat milk smoothie
Topping Fails: Here Are A Few Tips For Success With Smoothie Bowl Toppings
Adding toppings to your smoothie bowl is half the fun. Avoid these common mistakes.
Soggy granola: Add granola last. Also, work to get a thicker smoothie bowl base. That will keep the granola from becoming submerged.
Crunchy chia seeds: Add these first. Let the seeds absorb a bit of the smoothie bowl base.
Sandy flaxseeds: Add them to the smoothie bowl base the blend. Do not sprinkle them on top like you would with chia seeds.
Dry oats: Add them to the blend like you would with flaxseeds. If you want to sprinkle oats on top, add them first like you would with the chia seeds so they absorb a bit of the smoothie bowl base.
Giant pieces of fruit: Slice them! Whole strawberries, for example, make for unpleasant smoothie bowl bites. Slice them!
So these were tips for adding toppings to your smoothie bowl for optimal flavor and consistency. Now, lets discuss how to make your smoothie bowls look as delicious as they should taste.
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How To Make Oatmeal Healthy & Interesting
A glass of juice is a good accompaniment to a hearty breakfast, but if you need a meal on the go, a thick smoothie is the perfect choice. You can make a tasty, substantial smoothie with ingredients you already have in your pantry and refrigerator. Pour the drink into a thermos and sip it on your way to work.
Ugly Bowls: A Few Tips To Make Your Smoothie Bowls Aesthetically Pleasing
What you see has a big impact on what you taste. Here are a few tips for making delicious-looking smoothie bowls.
Use geometric shapes when you top your smoothie bowls. Lines and quadrants work well.
Avoid the tossed salad approach to adding smoothie bowl ingredients. This generally looks less appealing. And, by extension, tastes less appealing.
This smoothie bowl had a promising start with three rows of chia seeds, coconut, and granola. But then we ruined it by sprinkling dried goji berries all over the place.
Be careful with a drizzle. A little drizzle of nut butter can actually enhance the look of your bowl. Too much drizzle makes an ugly mess. Too much or just right? You be the judge of the drizzled peanut butter below.
Less is more when it comes to ingredients. So avoid adding too many toppings. Let it breathe! Try to leave at least a quarter of your smoothie bowl base visible.
Eat bottom-up. Its easy to push toppings down as you eat. Dive in gracefully and take spoonfuls from the bottom-up. That will keep ingredients at the top for longer.
So youre ready to share the smoothie bowl fun. Just keep in mind thats theyre not for rookie eaters.
Read Also: Is There A Keto Smoothie
Which Fruit Should You Add To A Smoothie
Frozen strawberries are also terrific in smoothies, as are peaches and mangoes. Blueberries and raspberries, although they are quite nutritious, tend to be a little gritty in smoothies.
Add about one serving of fruit to the blender. If you prefer to use fresh, unfrozen fruit, add a couple of ice cubes as well.
Super Thick Blueberry Banana Smoothies
This post may contain affiliate links.
Super thick blueberry banana smoothies are a breeze to whip up for a morning on the go. This recipe can be made with or without dairy pick whichever version works best for you!
Winter seems to be hanging on for its dear life here in the Northeast. I cant believe Im still wearing cable-knit sweaters and boots the second week of April! Thankfully, the forecast for next week looks a little more seasonally appropriate
Despite that fact that Ive been greeted by snow on the ground more than once this week, Ive started making the transition from warm breakfasts like sous vide egg bites and cashew butter and jelly oatmeal cups to warm-weather treats like super thick smoothies.
This blueberry banana smoothie is so thick that it reminds me of soft serve ice cream any thicker and you wouldnt be able to get it through a straw. Its great for breakfast or as a healthy after-dinner treat.
Other smoothies Ive been loving lately include this pineapple-ginger smoothie and my all-time favorite gingerbread smoothie.
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Buying Guide For The Best Blender For Thick Smoothies
Buying a blender for thick smoothies can be quite difficult. This is quite unexpected. However, the existence of several benders for thick smoothies in the market makes it difficult to actually buy the right blender.
Although buying the right blender might be difficult for lots of people, it is even worse for people that have never tried buying a blender for thick smoothies.
There is a lot you will need to know so you do not end up with the wrong blender. While knowledge of some of the best blenders for thick smoothies will go a long way in helping you make the right choice, there is more. There are some factors you must consider when looking to buy a blender for thick smoothies. Some of these factors are
Attachments
The blending experience with a very good blender is supposed to be relatively simple. Nonetheless, it can always be made simpler. The presence of certain attachments can go a long way in making your blending experience smoother.
Some attachments that can come in handy in helping you achieve more with less work when blending are tampers and cups.
When making a thick smoothie, you will have to put a limit on how much water you use. While this is great for making smoothies, it will make your blender do some extra work. Also, the presence of tampers can help your blender reach all the foods that you are converting to a smoothie.
Ease of Maintenance
Look out for a Pouring Spout
You Should Consider Power
How To Thicken A Smoothie Without Using Bananas
Weve just heaped a pile of praise on bananas and how awesome they are at creating a creamy texture. But what if you dont have any handy, or worse, are allergic to them? Not a problem! Thankfully, there are several excellent substitutions for you to consider.
The reason bananas are so commonly found in smoothie recipes is because of the creaminess that they add to the blend. That same added volume can be found in sources of dairy. Yogurt is a healthy alternative that provides a wonderful silky texture. For extra thickness, use Greek yoghurt.
However, if youd rather avoid animal milk products, youre in luck. In the next section we cover non-dairy alternatives to banana that will thicken up that smoothie.
Spin the Food Tip
Want to take your smoothie game to the next level? Freeze your yogurt in ice cube trays ahead of time. That planning ahead will result in smoothies that have the creamiest texture you could ask for.
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Use Frozen Fruit Or Freeze Fruit Overnight
I always have a stash of bananas in the freezer because theyre perfect in smoothies! Mango, pineapple, strawberries, and blueberries are also great in the freezer. Plus, frozen fruit tends to be cheaper, and you can find fruit that might not be in season! Budget-friendly and delicious? Thats a win-win.
Dont Add Too Much Liquid
Source: Raspberry and Blue Spirulina Smoothie
If you normally use three cups of liquid, I suggest only using two cups instead, but dont add them all at one time. I like to add half my liquid first and the last half at the end. So if you were using almond milk, you would add one cup to your blender, then the rest of the ingredients, and then add another cup at the very end. This creates a creamier, thicker smoothie instead of a liquid, watery mess.
Recommended Reading: How To Make A Smoothie With Just Fruit
Fresh Fruits And Vegetables
Fresh fruits and vegetables are good to an extent. Bananas are the first choice of many people, but unlike frozen bananas, where the flavor is easy to hide, fresh bananas make smoothies taste like banana.Which is great if you like bananas, but not so wonderful if you dont.Instead, try avocado, which gives you extra fats and a nutrition boost. In chocolate-flavored smoothies, avocados create a richer flavor.You can also use purees of fresh fruits and vegetables: applesauce or pureed pumpkin , sweet potato, butternut squash, and carrot.These sweet veggies are rich in healthy properties, and can give your smoothie the boost youre looking for.Choose ingredients with a low water content to make the most of these ingredients.
The Acai Smoothie Bowl Recipe Template
Acai bowls, fully explained here, are easy to make. The only challenge is that you need acai berry puree.
Where do you get acai berries?
Well, since acai berries are mostly harvested in Brazil, Trinidad and other nations of northern South America, and dont travel well, you need to get acai berry puree packets.
Thats right. Unless youre living in those swampy, remote floodplains, you need to get frozen acai puree packets. Fortunately, acai berry puree packets are easy to find in your grocers freezer.
Overall, acai smoothie bowls are quite similar to mixed berry smoothie bowls. Heres how you do it:
INGREDIENTS
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
Acai smoothie bowls are best with a little bit of frozen banana. Without it, its a bit more like an Icee than a creamy smoothie bowl.
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Thick Smoothie Bowl Tips
How to Make a Smoothie Bowl Thick: The trick to keeping smoothie bowls super thick is to not use very much liquid, and to use frozen fruit. This method is like making nice cream, the vegan frozen fruit ice cream trend.
Can I substitute the coconut milk? You can use any milk youd like in these bowls. Coconut milk lends a sweet tropical flavor and makes them extra creamy. Go ahead and use heavy whipping cream, almond milk, or even some yogurt in place of it.
How to Make a Smoothie Bowl without a Blender: These smoothie bowls use a food processor instead of a blender. The frozen fruit breaks down into a very thick, smooth consistency similar to soft serve ice cream.
How to Make Yogurt Smoothie Bowls: Instead of the coconut milk, add 1/4-1/2 cup of your favorite yogurt. I recommend using something unflavored and unsweetened, like a full fat Greek yogurt. The fruit has all the sweetness you need here!
Try one of these other Smoothie Bowl Recipes:
Be Patient & Use A Tamper
Making a super thick smoothie might take you longer than youd expect, and certainly longer than if making a thin smoothie. Plan on blending a super thick smoothie for 3 minutes at least. Use your tamper to help move ingredients around.
Stop, turn off the blender, and use a spatula to stir the smoothie when it wont turn. Add more liquid if you need it but in very small increments.
Read Also: What Goes In A Banana Smoothie
Perfect Smoothie Step #: Blend
Whiz everything in the blender on high until its completely blended. If your smoothie is too thick, you may be using too much frozen fruit or too many ice cubes. Thin it by adding a bit of water or even a splash of green tea or coffee. Coffee goes particularly well in smoothies made with banana, nut butter, and/or cocoa powder. Green tea is a great match for a strawberry or peaches. Both tea and coffee add beneficial antioxidants, not to mention caffeine, which has its own benefits.
If your smoothie isnt sweet enough for your taste, you can add a bit of honey or maple syrup, but keep in mind that even natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup count as added sugars and should be kept to a minimum. You could also use a sugar-free sweetener like stevia.
The Watery Smoothie Bowl Mistake: Use Plenty Of Frozen Ingredients
Are you smoothie bowl toppings sinking to the bottom?
Well, your smoothie bowl base needs to be thick. Thick enough to support your toppings.
In fact, you want the base of your smoothie bowl to be a bit thicker than a smoothie youd drink from a straw.
How do you do this?
Two important steps:
How much frozen ingredients should you use? The general rule is three parts frozen, two parts liquid.
But keep in mind the following: You can always add more liquid mid-blend.
You cannot, however, add frozen ingredients mid-blend. The uneven start times will result in chunks of ice or frozen fruit.
So start with lots of frozen ingredients. Because a chunky, lumpy, stalled smoothie bowl base is easy to fix.
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More Tips For Making Smoothie Bowls
And finally, dont forget. If your smoothie bowl is a fail, it doesnt mean youre a failure. Tomorrow is a new day a fine one to blend again. ?
The More Is More Mistake: Stick To A Flavor Profile To Avoid Funky
It may happen when you go to a big wonderful salad bar: You grab all the things you like.
Well, heres the problem: The things you like dont necessarily belong together.
You may like peanut butter. And you may like pesto sauce.
But should they be paired together? No way.
Same goes for smoothie bowls. Remember that less is more.
And, if youre not following a recipe, try to build a smoothie bowl by flavor profile. The recipes below are good because they have just a few ingredients.
Now even if you stick to a flavor profile, your smoothie bowl base may not be as creamy as you hope. Heres how to fix that.
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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.
Easy Ways To Make Healthy Thick Shakes And Smoothies
Now you know how to make your first shake or smoothie. Below is the list of potential ingredients you can include.
The best way is to find some basic ingredients you like and then try adding something new until you get the flavor that suits you the best.
I have broken the ingredients into different sections to make it easier for you.
Also Check: How To Make A Strawberry And Banana Smoothie