Ready To Learn Some Smoothie Basics?
Smoothies are drinks made with fresh or frozen fruit that is blended with milk, yogurt, or ice cream. They are a tasty way to get your necessary servings of fruits and vegetables in without needing to eat them. Many people, who know the smoothie basics, choose to add veggies to smoothies, especially for kids, as they are easily hidden by the flavors of the fruits used.
If you’re looking for a healthy start to your day, the best ingredients to use are whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and yogurt. As long as you have fiber, healthy fats, and pass on added sugars, smoothies are a great breakfast.
The Basics of Smoothie Making
The two main things that are needed to make a smoothie are fruit and liquid. From there, the possibilities are endless! You can put a ton of different things in your smoothies. Let’s take a look at some of the options.
Liquids
Adding liquid to your smoothie is what takes your mixture from being thick like a sorbet to allowing it to be slurped through a straw. Since this is your smoothie, you can really do whatever liquid you think would compliment the other ingredients you chose to include.
- Milk (dairy and non-dairy)
- Juice
- Coconut water
- Iced tea
- Iced coffee
Fruits and Veggies
As mentioned above, smoothies are the perfect way to get in you and your family’s daily fruit and veg requirements. You’d be surprised by just how many vegetables are easily hidden by your favorite fruits.
- Leafy Greens: Spinach, kale,
- Sweet potato
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Carrots
Kale is a super popular vegetable to add to smoothies, but it’s important to note that kale does have a tendency to make smoothies bitter. A few fruits that combat that bitterness are:
- Pineapple
- Pomegranate
- Berries
You can use whatever fruit you want in your smoothie, from apples and bananas to mangoes and peaches. The possibilities are endless.
Proteins
Smoothies are an easy way to get additional protein in your diet. Whether you are trying to build muscle, gain weight, or are a vegetarian and need supplemental protein, here are a few easy ways to bulk up:
- Protein Powder
- Peanut Butter
- Beans
- Tofu
Add-Ins
The great thing about making food for yourself at home is that you can truly customize them. If you are looking to add fiber to your diet, you can easily do this by adding oats, bran, or Musely.
For moms that are breastfeeding a smoothie is a fantastic supply booster. Use coconut water for your liquid since it is super hydrating, then you can add flax, chia, and oatmeal as an additional boost. Basically, anything you can put in lactation cookies can go into a lactation smoothie as well.
Smoothie Basics Of Blending
Choose Your Blender
The main difference between juicing and making smoothies is that smoothies are the full fruit blended up while juicers remove the pulp from the end product. Smoothies wouldn’t be possible without a blender, so it’s important that you pick the one that is right for you. There are different styles of blenders, all of them do a great job of blending and pureeing. The right one comes down to preference.
Countertop
A countertop blender is a great idea for those that have the counter space for them. These powerful blenders typically consist of a base, pitcher, and lid, although there are bullet-style countertop blenders, as well. The full-sized pitcher is great for mixing up large batches to share with your friends or family, while the bullet style is ideal for making a single serving.
Handheld
A handheld blender, or immersion blender, is a smart choice for those that are limited on space or don’t see themselves using the pitcher aspect of the blender. These gadgets are nice because you put the blender right in your container, whether you are blending up the tomato sauce in your stockpot or you want to blend your smoothie right in your glass.
Blend Until Smooth
No matter what type of blender you’re using, always make sure to blend your smoothie until it’s smooth! If you prefer some chunks, that’s fine but make sure you can get it through your straw.
Serve and Enjoy
Just pour your smoothie into your favorite glass and garnish! You can add an umbrella or fresh fruit to give your drink a more tropical feel to it.
Tips and Tricks for Making the Best Smoothie
You can balance the flavor by using a combination of fruits and veggies
It’s easy to sneak vegetables into your family’s diet with smoothies since the taste of the fruit overpowers the vegetables
Always start with your liquid – this makes the smoothie blend better
For added creaminess and protein, use full-fat greek yogurt
If you want your smoothie to be thicker and colder, use frozen fruit rather than fresh
You can make your smoothie thinner by using more liquid and fresh fruit
The amount of liquid you add impacts how thick or thin your smoothie will be
The thickness is also impacted by which fruits and vegetables you choose
If your smoothie is too thin, blend in a cup of ice to thicken
Smoothie Basics Recipes
Strawberry & Blueberry Smoothie
This smoothie is both healthy and delicious. This would be a great addition to your weekday routine. Blueberries and strawberries are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. If you want a simple, satisfying, and healthy smoothie, this one would be great for you.
Ingredients
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- 1 cup frozen Strawberries & Blueberries
Options
If you want to make this even healthier, you can add chia seeds and spinach before blending.
The Green Classic
If you’re looking for a way to get more veggies into you or your kids, this is a great recipe to try! The banana adds plenty of potassium while the leafy greens add vitamins, minerals, and iron. Add in the milk for some creaminess and honey for a little something sweet and you’ve got a delicious breakfast drink.
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 1 Banana
- 1 cup Leafy Greens
- Dash of Honey
Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie
If you’re on a diet and want that classic peanut butter and banana sandwich taste but without all of the carbs that bread has, then this smoothie would be perfect. Kids and adults alike will love this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons Peanut butter
- 2 Bananas
Those Are The Smoothie Basics
Making your own smoothies for breakfast at home is much easier than many people would think. With a bit of time, a few tools, and your favorite ingredients, you’re on your way to the best smoothie you’ll ever make.
