The perfect smoothie (also spelled smoothy) is the one you’ll make and drink. I’ve spent far too much money buying “healthy” smoothie mixes that I tried once and tossed aside because the taste was so horrific. That’s not to say it’s not worthwhile to make a smoothie using healthy ingredients, but start with ones you can work in without much fuss. I recommend ground flax seeds, they’re nearly impossible to detect in any recipe and their health benefits are many. Chia seeds are another add-in that most everyone can enjoy. The third worthy addition is a good protein powder. They’re not all the same so if you’ve tried one in the past and didn’t like it, try with another. Read the labels and find one that has the ingredients and flavorings you need.
Now that you have your “healthy” ingredients, it’s time to put together the rest. All smoothy recipes are basically the same. They start fruits and/or vegetables as a base (though “dessert” smoothies can have yogurt and even frozen yogurt as their base), those healthy add-ins above, a handful of ice, and then a liquid is added and it’s blended until smooth. If you prefer something with a little more body to it, you can add a creamy component as well.
Smoothie Recipes: Healthy Ingredient Options You’ll Love
Base | Healthy Add-ins | Liquid | Creamy |
fresh or frozen fruit | chia seeds | milk | peanut butter |
kale, lettuce, spinach | ground flax seeds | soy or almond milk | almond butter |
avocado | protein powder | fruit juice | sunbutter |
yogurt | hemp protein powder (for vegetarians and vegans) |
coconut milk | |
frozen yogurt | cacoa powder | water | |
macha | |||
coconut oil |
When it comes to choosing fruit for your smoothie think beyond the traditional strawberries and blueberries. Try watermelon, raspberries, peaches, kiwi, honeydew, lemons, lime, grapes, bananas, apricots, and more. They all provide wonderful nutrition and add sweetness naturally and they all can be blended with other fruits and vegetables to change up the taste of your smoothie.
The actual amount of liquid to solids is about 50/50 so fill the blender first with the solid ingredients and then pour just enough of the liquid to cover all the ingredients and blend. Add more liquid if necessary. After a few tries you’ll create your own recipe and that’s the perfect smoothie recipe for you.
Blend It! Choose the Right Blender For Perfect Smoothies
A powerful mixer makes all the difference. I use a Ninja Ultima Blender Plus which allows me to blend right into a serving cup that I can take on the go. It’s the most powerful blender I’ve ever owned and it’s a substantial piece of kitchen equipment worth investing in. It powers through whatever I put in it with no problems and yes, it crushes ice! That’s my gold standard for choosing a blender. If it can’t crush ice it’s not powerful enough for me.
Are you a smoothie drinker? I’d love to hear your favorite ingredients!
This post contains affiliate links – we may receive a fee when you shop through our links. This does not affect your price. Thank you for supporting our efforts.