Smoothies are a quick and healthy way to start the day, but many people do not realise they are making them wrong. It may seem obvious to add a few ice cubes to a smoothie to keep it cool, but Laura, a cook and founder of Joy Food Sunshine, has shared this can lead to a bland and tasteless mess.
Laura said: “You’ll notice I typically do not use ice in my smoothie recipes, because it waters down the flavour and gives smoothies an icy texture – of which I am not a fan.” Ice will not only dilute the taste of a smoothie, but after being blended, the icy shards will leave it with a gritty texture that can be difficult to drink.
It should also be noted that most smoothie recipes will not require ice as it can greatly damage a blender by dulling the blades, and can even break them if any water gets to the motor.
Instead, the key to making a tastier smoothie that will not harm your blender is to always add the liquid first before anything else.
Laura said: “This ensures the other ingredients don’t get stuck under the blades. It also creates a vortex that pulls everything into the blades for a smooth blend.”
You can use coconut water, but to get the creamiest smoothie, it is better to use a milk variety like dairy, almond, rice or oat.
Next, make sure to always use frozen fruits and vegetables rather than fresh produce. This might seem like a contradiction, but frozen fruit breaks down more easily in a blender than ice cubes and is often more nutritious than fresh fruit, as it is picked at peak ripeness.
Frozen fruit and vegetables will chill the smoothie while also improving the flavour and texture. You add anything you like such as bananas, spinach, strawberries, kale, pineapple, mango and carrot tops as they all go well in smoothies.
Laura said: “Using frozen fruit and greens is crucial to making the thickest, creamiest smoothies.”
Then, add a tablespoon of any extras to the top of your blender. If you want a smoother texture, you can also add yoghurt, peanut butter or coconut cream to a smoothie.
Many people also add a protein booster like chia seeds, oats and even cottage cheese or a like to have a natural sweetener like honey, dates or vanilla extract.
When it is time to blend make sure to have the lid on secure and always start of blending on a low speed to protect the blender and stop if jamming. You can always ramp up the blending speed gradually once the ingredients have broken down.
Laura said: “I have my smoothie making down to a science, and I almost always blend my smoothies for 50 seconds exactly.”
Once you are done, you will have a thick, smooth and incredibly delicious smoothie that is easy to drink and has not shortened the life of your blender.
