by Dan |
Last Updated: January 11, 2021 Smoothies are a wonderful addition to any diet. After all, they add fruit and veggies and are easy to drink when you’re on the go.
So, whether you are using low calorie protein powder or simply reducing your caloric intake and adding some fiber to your diet, your blender can do wonders with this amazing and healthy drink. Both children and adults alike love them!
When it comes to smoothies, the physics of blending are basically the same- but the texture and flavor are your decision. You can make the perfect smoothie every time by following these steps:
- Add your liquid ingredients first
- Add your frozen ingredients
- Add your fresh ingredients
- Add your optional ingredients
- Start blending on low
Add Liquid Ingredients First
When you look at most smoothie recipes, you’ll find that at least one liquid is necessary. The rule of thumb in these recipes is this: you need ¼ to 1/3 cup of liquid per 1 cup of your solid ingredients.
You can use water, milk, non-dairy alternatives, cream, or juice. Almond milk is a wonderful choice. Place your liquids in the blender. The spinning blades will force the larger ingredients to the top since they don’t fit in the small places.
If you’re not careful, the larger chunks will be pushed up the sides of the container, which will cause an air bubble. When you have liquid in the bottom of your blender, the current will fit into the smaller spaces, which helps everything move to the blades to mix.
One thing to keep in mind is that vanilla yogurt, flavored, or unflavored yogurts are best- anything else could be too sweet.
Bring Along Your Patience
You must use a decent blender if you expect to get a decent smoothie. You may even be able to use a good food processor- but a cheap blender is simply not going to do the trick for making a smoothie.
Start out with your blender or food processor on low. Then, in order to move the larger chunks into the blades to chop them, you should gradually work up the momentum, gradually increasing the speed to high.
This is especially important if you are using frozen fruits and/or nuts. The slower you go, the more blending power you will start out with.
Keep in mind that if you start out with your blender on a higher speed or you speed it up too quickly, you will end up with the air bubble. This will cause you to have a chunky smoothie that you’ll need to get out of the blender with a spatula.
Of course, that’s not bad if you like a thick smoothie like strawberry banana- but if you plan to add in some other ingredients, this is not a good thing.
Immediately Clean Up Your Mess
As soon as you have poured your smoothie into the glass, make sure to clean your blender with warm water or it can end up drying out and being difficult to clean. While some models are pretty easy to clean, as long as you at least rinse with warm water, you shouldn’t have any problems.
Should You Rest Your Smoothie?
Allowing a smoothie to “rest” causes it to be less frothy and in some cases, can cause it to separate. Most smoothies are best when they’re blended together. However, those that have lots of air whipped into them because they are light and frothy to begin with, will benefit from being allow to sit for a few minutes.
If you’re in a bit of a hurry, you might want to try to chop up the fresh ingredients and measure the others. You should only make your smoothie when you’re ready to consume it.
Good Ingredients for Smoothies
So, now that you know some tips for making your smoothie, what ingredients are best for using in a smoothie? The standard approach to smoothie making begins with an apple or a banana. Of course, you can use whatever you prefer. You can find recipes that start with other ingredients such as spinach and kale, carrots, peanut butter, pineapple, and more. If you want to have complete nutrition in your smoothie, consider adding protein powder, as this will add what you need without altering the flavor.
Making the Perfect Frozen Fruit Smoothie
The perfect frozen fruit smoothie will start with at least one ingredient that is frozen. Sure, you can use ice to give your smoothie a frozen texture, but that is going to water it down. Instead, try using whole frozen fruits. Grapes are wonderful- or you can even use frozen juices such as orange or cranberry.
The amount of ice you use will determine the chunkiness of your smoothie- as long as your blender can handle what you put in. the more ice you put in, the chunkier it will be. Of course, you can adjust the blending time to change this. If you have too much frozen, you’ll end up with more of a sorbet- which is really yummy, but hard to drink.
