Smoothies are great to get nutrition with less effort. The options are endless such as green smoothies, smoothies bowls, fruit smoothies, and so on. Typically, the smoothies are made of milk and fruit juice with nutritional elements such as protein powder and nut butter. In this article, we bring healthy smoothie recipes that you can try. The recipes are rich in flavor and we are sure you will not get bored. Some of them are also kid-friendly.
10-minute Fruit Smoothie
This recipe is so simple that you can just mix fruits and some ingredients like juice, or milk with yogurt. It is great for beginners.
Ingredients
- 1 cup orange juice, almond milk, or water
- 2 cups frozen fruit (any fruit you like)
Optional ingredients
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (nonfat)
- 1/2 tbsp ground seeds such as chia
- 1/4 cup protein powder (you can use soy, whey, or plant-based)
- A handful of kale, spinach, or any green you like.
Instructions
- Prepare your high-speed blender and then add liquid, fruit, and the optional ingredients.
- Blend the ingredients until smooth. You might want to add more liquid, depending on how thick the smoothie you want it to be.
- Serve the smoothie immediately and top it with your favorite toppings.
Meal Replacement Smoothie
If you are targeting weight loss, then this meal replacement smoothie is the best choice. This healthy smoothie recipe for weight loss is high in protein and fiber with a combination of banana, almond, oats, and blueberries. This will keep you satisfied and full for a longer time, making it the best smoothie to replace your meal.
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach or kale
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 banana
- 1 tablespoon almond butter or raw almond
- 2 tablespoon rolled oat
- 1 serving protein powder (optional)
Instructions
- In a high-speed blender, blend almond milk and kale.
- Add the remaining ingredients and continue blending until smooth.
- Enjoy it immediately.
Tips:
- To keep the smoothie cold, use frozen fruits.
- If you avoid dairy milk, the almond milk is one of the best choices.
- The use of homemade protein powder is to keep you full and the main ingredient is the meal replacement.
Banana Smoothie
Are you craving a dessert but you just don’t want to add more weight? Probably this creamy smoothie banana is the answer. It is combined with cashew milk as a protein source. If cashew is not your thing, you can use another plant-based milk such as oat milk. Oat milk works well with the recipe to make a creamy texture. Almond milk is fine but this will give you a thinner smoothie.
Ingredients
- 2 frozen bananas
- 1/2 cup plain cashew yogurt
- 1 cup cashew milk
- 1 serving of homemade protein powder or collagen powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Put the ingredients in a high-speed blender, and then blend them until smooth.
- Pour the smoothie into your favorite tumbler or glass. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Tips:
- If you are a vegan, you can substitute the collagen powder with homemade protein powder.
- To reduce the sweetness of the fruit, you can combine 1/4 avocado with 1 banana.
- You can use any kind of yogurt. If you want to limit your sugar intake, use plain yogurt.
- If you don’t like cashews, swap to oats or almonds.
- To store the bananas so they will not get brown soon, you can peel the bananas and then set them on a baking sheet, and then freeze them for 3 hours. After that, store it in a freezer-safe bag.
Green Smoothie
Green veggies are the best thing. They are healthy for your body. The best part of these greens is you can make them smoothies. Just need 5 minutes to make a perfect green smoothie that will keep you satisfied and full.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup spinach
- 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
- 1/2 cup frozen mango
- 1 serving of homemade protein powder
- 1 banana
Instructions
- Prepare your blender and then add spinach with water there. Blend the spinach until smooth.
- Next, add banana, mango, and pineapple into a blender. If you like your smoothie cold, you can use frozen mangos and pineapple.
- Blend the ingredients until smooth.
- Pour the smoothie into a glass and then serve it immediately.
Tips:
- You can store this smoothie in the fridge but make sure to cover it with a lid. Remember to drink it soon because it doesn’t last long.
- You can substitute bananas with 1/4 avocado combined with 1/2 cup mango and 1/2 cup peaches.
- If you don’t have mango, 1 cup of pineapple is fine.
Beet Smoothie
Beets are very nutritious and healthy. They are the best ingredients to fight inflammation. This smoothie contains beets, greens, and ginger which are good for your body.
Some foods cause inflammation such as preserved meats, sausage, processed meats, red meat, gluten and white starches, dairy, refined sugar, and so on. If you are susceptible to inflammation, these foods should be avoided. So, what can you do? Eating food that fights inflammation will be a good start.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup beets, chopped
- 1/2 cup kale
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup frozen mixed berries
- 1/2 orange, peeled
- 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
- 1 tablespoon ginger root
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Blend orange, beet, and kale until smooth.
- Add the remaining ingredients and blend them until smooth.
- Serve it immediately.
Tips
- If you don’t have beets, you can swap them for carrots. They are good also for inflammation.
- You can also choose pineapple over mango.
- If you want the smoothie to be less bitter, baby kale or spinach is a good choice.
- To make the smoothie cold, use frozen fruits.
Strawberry Acai Smoothie Bowl
If you want a healthy breakfast, this healthy smoothie bowl recipe is full of flavor, carbs, and protein. Different from regular smoothies, it is made thicker so it is easier to spoon. Besides, adding toppings to a smoothie bowl is easier.
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen mixed berries
- 1 frozen banana, sliced
- 2-3 tablespoons light coconut milk or almond milk
- 1 scoop protein powder (optional)
Toppings
- 1 tablespoon shredded coconut (unsweetened)
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- Granola
- Fruits
Instructions
- Prepare your blender and then add banana and berries into it. Then blend the ingredients until small bits remain.
- Add almond milk or coconut milk along with protein powder. Blend them at a low speed while scraping down the sides. Mix until smooth.
- Scoop the smoothie into a bowl and then top it with your favorite toppings such as hemp seeds, chia seeds, shredded coconut, granola, nuts, seed butter, or anything you like.
- It tastes best when it is consumed fresh.
Matcha Smoothie
This healthy smoothie recipe is loaded with vitamins, antioxidants, protein, calcium, and potassium. You just need 5 minutes to make this delicious smoothie bowl. It is incredibly easy. You will stay energized because of the caffeine in the matcha.
Ingredients
- 6 pitted dates (you can use 1/4 cup honey)
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 1/4 cup matcha powder
- 2 frozen bananas
Instructions
- First, blend almond butter and the dates until smooth. Then add almond milk and matcha powder.
- Next, add the frozen bananas and continue blending until smooth.
- Pour the smoothie into the bowl and top it with your favorite toppings.
Tips
- For a delicious and cold smoothie, use frozen bananas. It will create an ice cream-like texture. To store the bananas, you can peel and slice them, then store them in the bags. Freeze the bananas and use them as you need.
- If the dates are stuck at the sides of the blender, use a spatula to mix them into the mixture.
- Be creative when it is to topping. You can have fun with your favorite fruits or toppings.
FAQs
Can I drink smoothies every day?
Drinking smoothies is the simplest and quickest way to start your day. It is safe to drink smoothies every day and it even becomes a convenient meal replacement for some people. As long as you pay attention to the ingredients, drinking smoothies can be a convenient meal replacement. This should not be too few calories or not too many calories.
What should you not mix in the smoothie?
Even though you can mix anything in the smoothie, there are some rules to follow to keep the smoothie stay nutritious and healthy. Avoid adding canned fruit, chocolate-hazelnut spread, sugary fruit juice, sweeteners, alcohol, and ice cream. Some of these ingredients will add more calories which will ruin your diet.
Are smoothies high in sugar?
Some smoothies are high in sugar. Excessive sugar intake can put you in suffering certain diseases. Therefore, you need to pay attention to the ingredients you add. For example, you can find some substitutions such as avocado to reduce the sweetness.
Which one is better, yogurt or milk in a smoothie?
Unsweetened milk is perfect for a smoothie. You can use regular cow’s milk if you like. If you avoid dairy, you can use a non-dairy alternative. Yogurt is also great for smoothies. It adds creaminess and a tangy bite. Opt for plain yogurt or Greek yogurt.
How many smoothies can I eat in a day?
Smoothies can be healthy and nutritious, but they should not be consumed more than one portion a day.
Check also our tips about healthy salad here.