In my last post, I said that smoothies were healthy. Well, that’s great, but then I wondered what else could be added to them to make them healthier. Brainstorming, I came up with some ideas like adding more fruit juice or real fruit. Using low fat yogurt or skim milk instead of ice cream would also be a great idea to lower the calories. Reading online about smoothies, I discovered that vitamins and other nutrients can be added to give you energy and supplement your body.
There are a ton of different types of smoothies with specific benefits or uses. People are so creative! While reading, I discovered some healthy non-dairy and low fat alternatives and tips to improve your homemade smoothies. There are many recipes for low carb smoothies which are great for those of us who can’t give up real dairy products like milk and yogurt. That’s definitely me! There are also some good non-dairy recipes that use soy milk and tofu. Another great way to improve smoothies is to add protein to them. For those of you who weight lift or work out a lot, adding protein powder is the way to drink something that actually tastes good (unless you really like those protein shakes….yuck!), and it is healthier for you.
Seriously, I love smoothies. I actually bought a smoothie maker that I could take to college with me. Awesome! If you are really into smoothies or you just want to try them out, I definitely recommend buying one. I got mine at Wal-Mart, and it is completely amazing. It is kind of a pain to clean, but it’s definitely worth it. Trying to crush ice in a blender really isn’t the best, and yes, I’m talking from personal experience. I had to tell my parents that I burned up our blender. Not fun!
In all of my smoothie making experiences and by getting tips from other people, I’ve discovered a few things that make homemade smoothies even better. If you freeze the fruit before you add it into the mixture, the smoothie is a lot thicker, and I think that that just makes it taste better. One really easy way to freeze the fruit is to cut it up in 1in. pieces or so, put it on a cookies sheet, and stick it in the freezer. This makes a great cold snack when you are making the smoothie too!
Tip number two is when the recipe calls for ice, try to crush it before you put it in the mixer. This just makes it easier on the mixer to chop the ice. It will definitely save some wear and tear on the motor.
The third thing that is important is the order that the ingredients are added in. First, try to add the cold liquids, then the frozen fruit and yogurt or ice cream, and finally, the ice. I haven’t figured out why, but this order of ingredients seems to blend faster and easier.
And tada! You now have an amazing smoothie! So check out these sweet recipes and tips. Send me some too if you have other ideas. I’m always interested in making a better smoothie!
There are a ton of different types of smoothies with specific benefits or uses. People are so creative! While reading, I discovered some healthy non-dairy and low fat alternatives and tips to improve your homemade smoothies. There are many recipes for low carb smoothies which are great for those of us who can’t give up real dairy products like milk and yogurt. That’s definitely me! There are also some good non-dairy recipes that use soy milk and tofu. Another great way to improve smoothies is to add protein to them. For those of you who weight lift or work out a lot, adding protein powder is the way to drink something that actually tastes good (unless you really like those protein shakes….yuck!), and it is healthier for you.
Seriously, I love smoothies. I actually bought a smoothie maker that I could take to college with me. Awesome! If you are really into smoothies or you just want to try them out, I definitely recommend buying one. I got mine at Wal-Mart, and it is completely amazing. It is kind of a pain to clean, but it’s definitely worth it. Trying to crush ice in a blender really isn’t the best, and yes, I’m talking from personal experience. I had to tell my parents that I burned up our blender. Not fun!
In all of my smoothie making experiences and by getting tips from other people, I’ve discovered a few things that make homemade smoothies even better. If you freeze the fruit before you add it into the mixture, the smoothie is a lot thicker, and I think that that just makes it taste better. One really easy way to freeze the fruit is to cut it up in 1in. pieces or so, put it on a cookies sheet, and stick it in the freezer. This makes a great cold snack when you are making the smoothie too!
Tip number two is when the recipe calls for ice, try to crush it before you put it in the mixer. This just makes it easier on the mixer to chop the ice. It will definitely save some wear and tear on the motor.
The third thing that is important is the order that the ingredients are added in. First, try to add the cold liquids, then the frozen fruit and yogurt or ice cream, and finally, the ice. I haven’t figured out why, but this order of ingredients seems to blend faster and easier.
And tada! You now have an amazing smoothie! So check out these sweet recipes and tips. Send me some too if you have other ideas. I’m always interested in making a better smoothie!
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