What better way to get some fruits and veggies into your diet than a refreshing smoothie? We put together five of our favorite smoothie recipes that are packed with good-for-you ingredients, made in less than 5 minutes, and can be enjoyed any time throughout the day. Did you know that the best-tasting smoothies are made with frozen fruit and water? It’s true! Keep reading to learn how to make a smoothie with frozen fruit and water.
How to make that perfect smoothie
- Choose a water base – Choose filtered water or coconut water, as it will make your smoothie extra refreshing with fewer calories.
- Start with frozen fruits – To keep your smoothie chilled and creamy, it’s best to use frozen fruits. You can use store-bought frozen bags or chop and freeze fresh fruit.
- Consider adding healthy fats – Healthy fats will help absorb all those fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients from your fruits and vegetables! All you need is a dollop of almond butter, a drizzle of coconut oil, a slice of avocado, or a variety of seeds such as chia seeds or flax seeds.
- Superfood & protein add-ins are a plus – Give your smoothie an extra boost with the simplest ingredients. These can range from spices such as cinnamon or turmeric to superfoods like maca powder or goji berries.
Hacks for Smoothie Consistency
I always use frozen fruit to get the perfect smoothie consistency. I typically add fresh bananas and ensure the remaining fruit I’m using is frozen, then add water. This combo usually provides a thick smoothie that you can still drink from a straw.
If you’d like a thicker smoothie, you can use frozen bananas instead of fresh ones. You can freeze them yourself or buy frozen sliced banana chunks from the grocery store.
From there, it’s all about the amount of liquid you use. I typically use about 1/2 cup of water and then 1/2 cup of frozen fruit plus the fresh banana and maybe some Greek yogurt. This provides a drinkable smoothie that is of medium thickness. Adjust the liquid amount accordingly for whatever your preference is on thickness.
Raspberry smoothie
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen raspberries
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to the base of a blender. Blend on high for about a minute or until creamy and smooth.
- Add additional liquid as needed if your blender gets a little jammed.
- Top it up with some fresh raspberries and serve.
Avocado smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup of ice
- ½ Avocado
- 1 scoop keto-friendly vanilla-flavored protein powder
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to the base of a blender. Blend on high for about a minute or until creamy and smooth.
- Add additional liquid as needed if your blender gets a little jammed.
- Serve chilled.
Green smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ avocado, medium ripe
- ½ inch knob ginger
- 1 cup pineapple chunks, frozen
- ½ cup mango chunks, frozen
- 2 cups Spinach, organic
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to the base of a blender. Blend on high for about a minute or until creamy and smooth.
- Add additional liquid as needed if your blender gets a little jammed.
- Serve chilled.
Peanut butter smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 large banana (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup ice
- 1/2 cup water
- 1–2 tbsp peanut butter
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to the base of a blender. Blend on high for about a minute or until creamy and smooth.
- Add additional liquid as needed if your blender gets a little jammed.
- Top it up with some sliced bananas on top and serve chilled.
Carrot smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 banana, frozen
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup carrot juice
- 4 cubes Ice
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to the base of a blender. Blend on high for about a minute or until creamy and smooth.
- Add additional liquid as needed if your blender gets a little jammed.
- Top it up with some sliced bananas on top and serve chilled.
FAQs
How to make a smoothie without a blender
To make a smoothie without a blender, there are a few options. One way is to mash soft fruits in a glass jar with a whisk or spatula until it’s as smooth as possible. Another way is to use a blender shaker bottle and shake together yogurt and water until smooth. You can also use a food processor or immersion blender to blend the ingredients together.
Do you need ice to make a smoothie?
If you want your smoothie to be cold and have a thicker, creamier texture, adding ice is a good idea. However, if you don’t have ice or prefer a thinner smoothie, you can skip it. You can also use frozen fruit instead of ice to achieve a similar effect.
How to thicken a smoothie
To thicken a smoothie, add yogurt or chia seeds.
How long does a smoothie last in the fridge?
Generally, it is best to drink a smoothie as soon as it is made for optimal freshness and nutrient content. If the smoothie contains dairy, it will last up to 1 day in the fridge. Leafy greens, like kale, have chlorophyll that can make a smoothie last longer.
How to make a smoothie sweeter
There are several ways to make a smoothie sweeter. Here are a few suggestions:
- Add sweet fruits: Adding sweet fruits like bananas, mangoes, pineapples, and strawberries can make your smoothie sweeter.
- Use honey or maple syrup: Adding a little bit of honey or maple syrup can sweeten your smoothie without adding any artificial sweeteners.
- Add dates: Dates are naturally sweet and can add a caramel-like flavor to your smoothie.
- Use flavored yogurt: Using flavored yogurt like vanilla or honey can add sweetness to your smoothie and also make it creamier.
- Use sweetened milk or milk alternatives: Using sweetened milk or milk alternatives like almond milk or coconut milk can add sweetness to your smoothie.
Remember to taste your smoothie as you add each ingredient to ensure that it does not get overly sweet.
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