Smoothies?! Where to begin? What to add? How do you make them taste good, and not just good for you? Then, there’s the color that many healthy smoothies have that can be unappetizing for some. I often get requests for how to get started making healthy smoothies, so I thought I’d share some ideas with you.
For me, it all started with a bit of experimenting with some basic ingredients and branching out from there. When my kids were younger and still lived at home, I always wanted to feed them great nutrition that also tasted good. I would usually have some salad greens of some sort in my fridge and some fruit, usually both fresh and frozen. We would regularly have veggies at dinner, but I wanted to incorporate more veggies throughout their, and my, day.
We know how important it is to get plenty of vegetables and fruit in our diet. A smoothie is a great way to get at least two or three more servings in.
Oh, those first attempts were quite interesting! The texture and taste took some getting used to, but eventually my kids actually started to like them.
First, a good blender is important. I have made smoothies that were still grainy from the veggies, and even though I still drank them, it was a little strange having to chew my smoothie before I swallowed it. (I’ve read that you should “chew’ your smoothies anyway, but that’s to get the gastric juices flowing and not because your smoothie is full of chunks…believe me, texture is important as to the palatability of a smoothie.) Sometimes, depending on the type of greens you use, you just have to run the blender longer, but a more powerful blender breaks the fibers up more efficiently and makes for a smoother smoothie, which is much easier to drink. I bought a Vitamix years ago and love it, but there are many brands available for you to explore.
Here’s a basic recipe that I began with:
–A handful of greens … some of examples are spinach, spring salad mix,
romaine, chopped kale
–A frozen half of banana, or a handful of frozen berries ….I like to use a
berry mix of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries
–A few cubes of ice
–Enough liquid to cover the ingredients. I usually just use water, sometimes green
tea, maybe a splash of POM juice. I try not to add too much fruit juice (if
any) because I don’t want the added sugars. Usually the frozen fruit adds
enough sweetness. Add more liquid if it seems too thick or the blender sounds
like it’s working too hard. Keep blending until you have a smooth consistency.
So that’s it! That’s the very bare bones of a quality smoothie. I have since learned some tips along the way both in regards to taste and added nutrition, which I will share in my next blog. For now, have some fun playing with this basic recipe. Feel free to experiment with your own creativity. When you try one, let me know how it goes. If you have questions, please comment below so that I can address them in my next article.
Drink to your health!
Irene
