Smoothies are very popular, and they’re ideal for getting a good supply of nutrients in one go, especially if you don’t have time to eat a full meal. They’re really easy to make with just a few ingredients and a blender. The main ingredients you’ll need are fruit (or vegetables!) and a liquid of some sort – couldn’t be simpler.
The choice of fruit really is up to you – just about any fruit can be made into a smoothie. Some, like bananas, will give you a thick drink without adding any other thickening agent, but others, like oranges or kiwis, contain a lot of water, and so you might need to include something in the smoothie to help thicken it. This can be more fruit, or an extra such as flax seed or protein powder – both of which will give the nutritional value a good boost too.
The liquid you use depends on the other ingredients you’re using. Milk, or “milks” such as almond, coconut or soya, can all be used, as can yoghurt, which sometimes gives a nice acidity to counteract the sweetness of the fruits. Other liquids to use are fruit juices (although if you have a lot of sweet fruits in your smoothie you might want to avoid adding to the sugar content with this), or even tea – green tea is great in a smoothie, and adds to the antioxidants.
To make your smoothie, just put the prepared fruit (i.e. skins removed, seeds taken out, roughly chopped if they’re large or firm fruits) into the jug, pour over the liquid, add any extras you want, such as seeds, or maybe flavorings like vanilla essence, put on the lid, and blend away – simple, tasty and nutritious.
In all the recipes, quantities are approximate, and depend on your tastes – as well as on the fruits and vegetables you use. Some people prefer a fairly liquid smoothie, others like ones that hurt your jaws trying to suck it up the straw! Feel free to experiment, and to add your own twist to any recipe.
Make a smoothie as close as possible to the time you’re going to drink it – it stops the nutritional content breaking down and prevents the ingredients from separating out.
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