Smoothies are a great breakfast (or snack) option any time of the year, but especially in the summer when everyone’s home in the morning and you just want something cool and refreshing—and nutritious—to start off your day. The fact that it takes just minutes to throw together is a nice bonus, too.
For those of us who regularly enjoy smoothies though, it’s easy to get into a rut and make the same smoothies over and over again. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but if you’re like me, you’re ready for new ideas. So tell us:
What are your favorite smoothie tips or recipes?
I’ll start us off. I love adding a tablespoon or so of almond butter to my smoothies to add a nice and rich nutty flavor. When I need a boost of sweetness, I throw in one or two dates. And any bruised or nearly-overripe fruit gets washed, cut up, and thrown into the freezer for my smoothie stash.
How about you? Any tips or tricks for smoothie-making? Secret ingredients? Or if you have favorite recipes, shout them out below and let’s expand our smoothie repertoire!
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kim on 6.14.2014
boysenberries with banana and alittle vanilla ice cream
Carla on 6.12.2014
We have adapted a version of Ree’s Purple Resolution Smoothie – just adjusting some of the ingredients here and there and then we freeze it in individual 1/2 pint jelly jars. We try to take them out of the freezer about 45 minutes before we want to eat them and they are then perfect to eat for a refreshing dessert or a healthy snack on a hot afternoon.
Scott W on 6.12.2014
I add a tablespoon or two of PB2 to my smoothies for a great peanut butter taste. The PB2 has less fat and is much easier to blend in the smoothie.
C. L. ( Cheryl ) "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser on 6.12.2014
My favorite smoothies are with any kind of citrus fruit. Then add a bit of almond or vanilla extract and plain yogurt as the base, add fruit and blend away! My least favorite are vegetable based smoothies!!! I prefer my veggies baked as a side dish. CLW
sheila on 6.12.2014
I love ginger in my smoothies. A smoothie I make often is with frozen mango, ginger, vanilla low fat greek yogurt, spinach, and honey, splash of milk, maybe lime if I have it!
Sara on 6.11.2014
Maple Syrup! The real stuff! A teaspoon or two makes a huge difference, especially when you have a smoothie packed full of veggies. Also, any time I add kale, I always squeeze in at least half a lemon. Ginger is also a favorite ingredient. Ginger+ green apples+ spinach is super yummy! Pre-baked sweet potatoes also add a nutritional boost, and creaminess to a smoothie. And lots of people are saying dates, but don’t forget prunes. I do find it helps to soak them in some warm (really hot) water (a quarter of a cup) before adding them to my smoothie. They tend to break up easier. I also dump the water into the mix.
NancyE on 6.11.2014
I created this crazy morning smoothie that has become one of my favs because it gives you energy and sticks with you until lunch. The flavor it mild but, beware, this is no fruit smoothie and it is not sweet. The measurements are approximate.
Morning Green Smoothie
1.5 C Water
handful Kale
handful Spinach
1 TBSP Flax meal or seeds
1 heaping TBSP raw slivered almonds
1 scoop Pea Protein Powder
2 squirts Monk Fruit sweetener or Stevia
Allyn on 6.11.2014
We love using dates and avocado. Makes it naturally sweet and smooth and decadent. (http://girlnamedallyn.wordpress.com/2014/06/09/meal-plan-june-8-june-14/)
Shawna C on 6.11.2014
My husband always uses vanilla yogurt in his smoothies, but I sneak 2% cottage cheese into the ones I make for him and he hasn’t noticed a difference yet. It adds the creaminess but with more protien and less sugar.
We always use at least a bit of banana in our smoothies, but our fruits and liquids vary. He usually adds baby spinach and carrot; I usually add a scoop of hemp protein.
If I want to make a healthier version of a chocolate banana shake I add banana, milk, ice, a spoonful of nutella or some cocoa powder, cottage cheese, hemp protein, and a dash of cinnamon.
NancyE on 6.11.2014
Celery make smoothies remarkable creamy! Try it.
Ellen W on 6.11.2014
I often add a tablespoon of wheat germ – gives it a nice nutty flavor and a bit of texture.
Beth P on 6.11.2014
My daughter and I share a Nutri-Bullet so Sunday evening is our time to get together and make our smoothies for the week. We freeze fresh pineapple, mangoes, grapes, all kinds of fruits to have on hand. We both find banana to be a little over-powering, but she likes to add apple chunks to her. Our base is always fresh spinach, plain greek yogurt, splash of vanilla, ground flax seed, chia seed, sesame seed, or hemp seed, unsweet, natural coconut and walnuts. Then we throw in all kinds of fresh frozen fruit that has been allowed to thaw a little bit. Add a splash of almond milk to make the smoothie more pourable if you want. We freeze them in 1 cup containers. I like mine slushy, like ice cream. She sets hers out the night before in the fridge so she can drink it on the way to the gym before work. We have noticed a big difference in our energy level and in our skin tone. I was holding water one day, so I made my normal smoothie and added celery and cucumber. It tasted fabulous, plus if worked as a natural diuretic and pulled the excess water off of me. Give it a try! You will most likely enjoy the smoothies you create. My daughter’s 2 year old loves helping us make them and he loves to drink them too.
Lori S on 6.11.2014
Green Mocha – my new favorite! Oats, flax seed meal, spinach or kale, milk, ice cubes, frozen banana, coffee (dry instant or grounds if you like a bit of texture), and dark cocoa powder. I grind the oats, flax, and coffee grounds first in the blender to a flour-like consistency before adding the other ingredients. Looks awful but tastes great!
Sara K. on 6.11.2014
Whenever I have bananas that are a little too ripe, I break them into chunks and freeze. These go into all of my smoothies. I have also started freezing avocados (1/4 of one in each bag). They add creaminess and fiber to the smoothie with no noticeable taste. Most mornings I also add oats and/or spinach. Trying to cram as many nutritional goodies as I can into it!
Patricia @ ButterYum on 6.11.2014
I usually add a touch of pure vanilla extract to my fruit smoothies – gives them that little something extra. Delish.