Making the perfect smoothie requires you to follow three important guidelines: ratios, freezing your fruit and being creative. If you want to start your day off right with a smoothie that is packed with nutrients, vitamins and delicious flavor, you’ll need to know these tips from me – a smoothie junkie.
It’s a Matter of Ratios
I’ve found that the right smoothie is all about ratios. There are a variety of factors that go into making the right smoothie:
- Fruit
- Yogurt
- Milk
- Liquid
- Additives
And, you may add or remove any of these ingredients above to find the right ratio for you. These are the steps that I like to follow when making my smoothie:
- Fill two mugs with liquid.
- Pour the liquid into your blender.
- Fill your mug 3/4s of the way with fruit.
From these calculations, we have a liquid to fruit ratio of 2:3/4 cups. You can also add yogurt, honey, syrup or other additives to further add flavor to your smoothie. Don’t be afraid to add more fruit or other ingredients to taste.
This is just a guideline.
Freeze Your Fruit
Unless you like warm smoothies, I recommend that you freeze your fruit so that you don’t need to add ice to the mix. When you add ice, this will dilute the flavor slightly and can be very hard on your blender.
You also get the added benefit of frozen fruit lasting longer and retaining its flavor and nutrients.
Don’t Be Afraid to Be Creative
Smoothies do not need to be boring. This is possibly the biggest mistake that people make: they fear creativity. You don’t want your smoothie to be bland do you? If you want to know how to make the perfect smoothie, you don’t need to go much farther than being creative.
How can you be creative?
- Add cinnamon to the top of the drink.
- Grate nutmeg and put it in your drink for added flavor.
- Add a little bit of vanilla extract to drink.
- Cocoa powder can add a delicious chocolate flavor to your drink.
These are just some of the toppings that you can add to your drink to give that extra little burst of flavor. If you want to add in more nutrients and give your smoothie an even better flavor, you can choose to add:
- Flaxseeds: Great because they can contain omega fatty acids.
- Nuts: Perfect for anyone needing an extra boost of protein.
- Oats: Heart-healthy and delicious, oats will add to the texture and provide a boost of energy.
All of these ingredients can be added for extra flavor and to keep you satiated longer.
Many people use mixtures that they buy in stores because they are a little more flavorful. But, you can get this very same flavor by adding more ingredients to your smoothie. If you’re trying to make a strawberry smoothie for example, add more strawberries for a deeper taste. And, don’t be afraid to add other ingredients, such as:
- Carrots
- Kale
- Avocado
- Apples
- Kiwis
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
This is just a small sampling of what you can add to your drink. Even adding a little bit of nut butter or protein powder is a great way to be more creative with your smoothie. Dare to be bold and your smoothie will come out great.