Smoothies are a great way to get your daily fruit (and veggies!) in. Making them at home can be a fun activity to do as a family, as well as often being cheaper than buying a pre-made fruity drink, and you have complete control of what is in it!
Smoothies differ from juices because they still contain the natural fibre present in the fruit, which is extracted during the juicing process. Fibre is an essential nutrient, which helps us feel fuller, and aids digestion. A diet high in fibre is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and certain cancers.
So, what should you include in your smoothie?
Firstly, think about what you want to get out of it. Are you wanting a quick fruity snack to ward off hunger pangs between meals? Are you looking for an easy and nutritious breakfast drink? Or a smoothie that is essentially a dessert milkshake?
Fruit (and veg!)
Fruit is the key component that separates smoothies from shakes. Ripe bananas are a superb choice, rich in potassium and naturally sweet. Berries are high in antioxidants, as well as being very delicious! If you are wanting to make your smoothie a vitamin power house, adding dark green leafy veg like spinach or kale is a great way to do it! Tropical fruit like mango and pineapples are great for immune health, and add a juicy flavour.
Whichever fruit you decide to use, experiment with frozen fruit to keep costs down, and ensure the fruit is ripe and ready to eat to avoid bitter or sour flavours! Some frozen fruits can change the texture of your drink, for example using frozen sliced bananas can make for a creamier beverage!
Liquids
Unless you want a thick textured drink, adding additional liquids is a good idea. If you want your smoothie to be a lower calorie snack, you can just add a little water to aid in the blending process. Pre-made juices can also be a flavourful addition to your smoothie. I prefer to use a non-organic plant milk, like oat or soya, as these are usually fortified with additional vitamins and minerals – check the packaging to make sure this is correct before purchasing.
Additional Extras
If you’re looking to make a breakfast smoothie, consider adding oats. 25-50g is a good amount depending on the size of drink you’re making.
Seeds can be a great nutritional addition to your beverage, but ensure you’re using milled seeds as these are easier to both blend and digest. Flaxseed (also known as linseed) and chia seeds are available at most supermarkets and contain high levels of fibre and omega-3 fatty acids. 1-2tsp is a good starting point too add to your blender.
Nuts are another nutrient powerhouse to add to your drink. They are a good source of fibre, vitamins B and E, and minerals like iron, zinc, potassium, and magnesium. Either add a few chopped nuts, or 1-3tsp of a whole nut butter.
If you have a favourite protein powder, adding a scoop to your smoothie would make for a great pre- or post-workout snack.
My Top 3 Simple Smoothies
The Dessert
My favourite smoothie is really just a healthier chocolate milkshake. This banana, chocolate, and peanut butter flavoured beverage is a delicious treat, and if you use slightly less milk you can freeze into ice lolly moulds for a frozen delight.
Ingredients
2 ripe bananas
1 tbsp 100% peanut butter
1 tbsp cocoa powder
300ml oat milk
Recipe
Add all ingredients to blender and blend for 1-2 mins until completely liquid.
TIP
Slice and freeze the banana ahead of time to make this a thicker milkshake-like smoothie.
The Tropical Treat
This is a very simple 2-ingredient smoothie requiring no fresh ingredients! This drink reminded me of the mango cold beverages you can get during the summertime from many of the coffee shop chains. This one is also banana-free, which is essential if, like me, you live with a banana-hater!
Ingredients
250g tinned peaches (just the fruit)
150g frozen mango chunks
Recipe
Add all ingredients to blender and blend for 1-2 mins until completely liquid.
TIP
This worked well with no additional liquids in a high speed blender, but if the appliance you are using is not high-speed you will need to take short breaks while blending to avoid overheating. Alternatively, you could add the juice from the tinned peaches.
The Classic Berry and Banana
A berry and banana smoothie is such a traditional drink. Perfect for the summertime, it’s fresh and sweet, with plenty of vitamins and minerals to boost your immunity.
Ingredients
1 banana
125g frozen berries
125ml oat milk
Recipe
Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend for 1-2 mins until completely liquid.
TIP
This recipe is just the bare bones, so you can easily add any of the additions if you want to make this a breakfast smoothie, or add a handful of dark green leafy veg to boost the nutritional content.