How to Make a Smoothie: The Ultimate Guide
Smoothies just might be the world’s most perfect food, in my opinion (although, admittedly, I’m slightly biased). Aside from being easy to make and drink (not to mention delicious), a smoothie is a fantastic way to pack in a lot — I mean, a lot — of nutrition without all that much effort. A banana, some almonds, chia seeds, protein powder, coconut water and a handful or two of kale is a serious powerhouse breakfast, but it’s still totally manageable first thing in the morning.
Also? Smoothies are almost endlessly variable. Even picky palates can find lots of smoothies they love, and with just a bit of research and creativity, there’s no reason a daily smoothie habit should ever become boring. Ever.
To make sure it doesn’t get tedious, we’ve got nine tips for making your smoothies tasty, nutritious and fresh!
The Ultimate Guide How to Make a Smoothie
1. Know the basic recipe. While you can make a smoothie using just frozen fruit and water, that’s not exactly a substitution for a meal (although it could be a totally tasty snack). At the very least, you’ll probably want some of each of the following in every mealtime smoothie (as is suggested by No Meat Athlete):
- Soft fruit or dairy (like fresh bananas, avocado or plain Greek yogurt)
- Frozen fruit
- Protein powder
- Binder (like nut butter, rolled oats or chia seeds)
- Greens or other superfoods (like spirulina or cacao)
- Liquid
- Optional: fresh fruits and veggies, all-natural sweetener, oil
Once you have a good understanding of the basic smoothie recipe, you can really play around with quantities and flavors to find what you like best.
2. Don’t get stuck on sweet. I know, I know. It’s second nature to gravitate toward the sweet flavors, and it’s totally normal to find you like those best. But, I can’t encourage you enough to branch out from your comfort zone. If you normally add honey to your smoothie, try eliminating it when you’re making something that’s already fruity. If you’ve already done that, play around with how many greens you can shove in there before it starts to taste too, well, green. (Although, be warned — as you get more used to that green flavor, you might find you prefer your smoothies a little more … let’s say “healthy-tasting.”)
Play around with different vegetables — cucumbers and carrots tend to work really well in a wide variety of smoothies without adding too much sweetness, and you might be surprised at what a zucchini or red bell pepper adds. Even cooked (and cooled) sweet potato or pumpkin can make for a filling, healthy and delicious change of pace.