What is the secret to making a good smoothie?

Yields: 2 serving(s)Prep Time: 5 minsTotal Time: 10 minsCal/Serv: 233When I’m craving an easy, nutrition-packed breakfast (and just can’t be bothered to cook or chop anything), smoothies are what I turn to. Ready in a handful of minutes, they’re the perfect quick breakfast for when you’ve gotta eat (or drink) something and get out the door. What People Are Saying:"so delish! 5 stars! really good for an 'on the go breakfast'" - grace"This is great! Perfect if you love raspberry sorbet. Reminds me of that a little bit!" - KLMHow To Make A SmoothieINGREDIENTS Fruit: I love a mixed berry smoothie, so for this recipe, I went with a combo of strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries, plus banana for creaminess. If a tropical smoothie is more your vibe, try a mixture of pineapple, mango, and banana. The truth is the sky’s the limit. Treat this recipe as a template; it can accommodate just about any combination of fruit you can dream up so long as you aim for about 3 cups fruit in all (not counting the banana). Liquid: Unsweetened almond milk provides a hint of nuttiness that marries well with berry smoothies. For tropical smoothies, I opt for coconut milk, which gives a richer, creamier result. Whole milk or fruit juice also work well if you’re not feeling a plant-based milk. Whatever you choose, use 1 1/4 cups liquid to get the ideal smoothie consistency. Thickener: Protein-packed plain Greek yogurt is my go-to, but peanut butter, almond butter, or regular yogurt are all great options. Traditionally, about 1/2 cup thickener is ideal. If you prefer a thinner smoothie, you can either lessen the amount of thickener or even skip it altogether. If skipping, be sure to compensate by using less liquid. STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONSOur smoothie journey begins by putting fruit into a blender. Any standard-size blender will do; no need to run out and buy something with the horsepower of a Camaro. For even blending, order matters: Start by adding the lighter fruit (in this case, the berries) to give the blades something to grip, then move on to the heavier stuff (the bananas).PHOTO: JUNE XIENext stop: the liquid. Unsweetened almond milk beautifully complements the flavors of the berries, but feel free to swap in your fave milk, plant-based or otherwise, if you like. You could even use fruit juice. For optimal smoothie texture, I like to make sure the liquid is fridge-cold. PHOTO: JUNE XIEAnd now for the thickener. Whole-milk Greek yogurt is excellent at thickening and lends satisfying richness and a welcome tang. PHOTO: JUNE XIERev up your engines and blend! High speed is our friend here. The idea is to arrive at thick and smooth as quickly as possible, since the longer you blender, the more you heat up (and thin out) the smoothie. See that vortex pictured below? That’s what we’re after—it’s a sign our smoothie is blending evenly. If needed, turn off the blender and stir to get the mixture moving. If the mixture is too thick to form a smoothie vortex, add a splash of almond milk (or your liquid of choice) to help it along. PHOTO: JUNE XIEPour the smoothie into glasses and garnish with a berry if you like. Our journey is ended, now drink up! PHOTO: JUNE XIEFull list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.Recipe Tips Frozen is best: Nothing against fresh fruit, but when it comes to smoothies, frozen can’t be beat. It blends up thicker and allows you avoid using ice cubes, which only water things down. If you don't have frozen fruit, freeze fresh fruit for 30 minutes before blending, or add about 1 cup ice and blend until smooth! Portion out fruit ahead of time: The morning rush is not the ideal time to be playing with measuring cups. Instead, freeze fruit in individual portions so all that’s left to do is blend and enjoy. Go crazy with the add-ins: Add some spinach or kale for additional nutrition (it’s our favorite way to get in greens) or flax seeds for omega-3s. Flavors like fresh mint, vanilla extract, cinnamon, or honey will take any smoothie to the next level. Make AheadSmoothies are best consumed fresh; they begin to thaw and separate soon after they're made. But you can get ahead of the game by freezing and portioning your fruit up to 3 months ahead.Advertisement - Continue Reading Below1 banana1 1/4 cups almond milk1 cup frozen blackberries, plus more for serving (optional)1 cup frozen raspberries1 cup frozen strawberries1/2 cup plain Greek yogurtStep 1In a blender, blend banana, milk, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and yogurt until smooth.Step 2Divide smoothie between 2 cups. Top with more blackberries (if using).Made This? We'd love to hear from you! Leave us a comment and rate this recipe down below.

To make a good smoothie, use frozen fruit as the base, as it helps maintain the right consistency and keeps the finished product frosty. Get your cold from frozen fruits and other produce rather than ice cubes, which will quickly melt and water down your smoothie. Body is what makes a smoothie a smoothie, ideally it’s drinkable by straw and hefty, which can be achieved by adding in a combo of heartier ingredients. Don’t make it too thick, add enough liquid, such as dairy milk or dairy-free alternatives like coconut water or oat milk. Sweetness is key, so add a drizzle of honey, agave, or maple syrup if needed. Use plenty of add-ins like spices, floral extracts, or protein powder to take your blend to the next level. Remember the ratio: 2 parts frozen fruit, 1 part liquid, 1 part thickener, and sweeteners and extras as desired. Don’t forget to add a pinch of salt to balance and enhance the flavors. If you want to make a green smoothie, use a ratio of 1:1:1:1, equal parts greens, frozen fruit, liquid, and thickener. Finally, use the best blender for the job, such as a Vitamix or a KitchenAid, to make velvety and silky smoothies.

Apart from adding liquids first and ice last, I learned adding just a spoonful of peanut butter can make something basic into something rich and delicious. I think even though I love almond milk I prefer regular dairy.

The secret to making a good smoothie includes using mostly whole fruit, rinsing all fresh produce, and using a protein-rich liquid as a base. Include protein-rich ingredients such as yogurt, nut butter, walnuts, or even tofu, as protein is a nutrient that will make your smoothies satisfying. Incorporate veggies into your smoothies, starting with greens like baby spinach, and use fruit that will act as a natural sweetener, such as apples. Use a high-powdered blender designed to pulverize, and switch up the ingredients in your smoothies to get a wide variety of nutrients and beneficial plant compounds. Be mindful of portions, as smoothies can be super healthy but still have calories. Try using the hidden greens trick and avoid adding lots of fruit juice, unwashed fruits, and added sweetener. Don't skimp on protein, and don't settle for a wimpy blender.

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. 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. Add a thickener such as Greek yogurt, regular yogurt or nut butter to thicken the consistency of your smoothie. Add a few ice cubes to the blender for a thick and frosty smoothie. Add all the ingredients into a food processor or blender, then whizz at high speed until you reach a smooth and thick consistency. Be careful not to over-blend as the texture will start to thin out. Freeze your fruit, if you want to make smoothies regularly, it's a great idea to stash some fruit in the freezer. Try adding different flavours to your basic recipe, add a spoonful of cocoa powder, cinnamon, grated nutmeg or vanilla essence before blending, or give your smoothie some texture with a sprinkle of flaxseeds, toasted chopped nuts or whole oats.

There’s a strategy to making a good smoothie great. Start with a liquid base. This base can be anything: juice, milk, water. You want to make a whirlpool within the blender, so the rapidly swirling liquid can pull in the other ingredients to the bottom of the blender where the blades can chop them. Adding your liquid first also prevents long-term blade damage and can extend the overall life of your blender. Add sweeteners and powders Next, add the sweet stuff. If you want to add any finely ground spices, such as cinnamon, or other powdered ingredients, like a protein powder — this is the time to do it. Then blend in leafy greens and fruit Once you’ve given the mixture a quick stir, add any leafy vegetables you like to the blender. Then, blend well! Finish with frozen ingredients Here’s the real trick to a great smoothie: Add frozen ingredients last. Why? First, their weight pushes the other ingredients down towards the blades. Second, you want your smoothie cold for as long as possible. Make sure to cut frozen fruit and veggies into small pieces to save your blender the extra work. The same goes for ice cubes: smaller is better. But keep in mind — ice cubes are frozen water! If you don’t want to water down your smoothie, stick with frozen fruit to get your smoothie cool without losing out on any flavor.

To make a good smoothie, you can start by freezing your fruit to add a chill factor and avoid diluting flavors with plain water ice. Adding vegetables like cooked carrots, sweet potato, or frozen raw cauliflower can also be a great way to include more produce in your smoothie. Soaking ingredients like raw nuts, seeds, and whole grains can help achieve a creamy texture and unlock the food's full nutrient potential. Prepping and pre-measuring ingredients ahead of time can also save time on busy mornings. Additionally, getting the kids involved in making smoothies can be a fun and creative way to encourage healthy food choices. With endless flavor combinations possible, you can experiment with different ingredients and come up with your own unique blends. By following these tips, you can create smoothies that are not only delicious but also loaded with nutrition.