Most people use the blender when they want to make a smoothie, but it's not a must. By choosing soft, ripe fruit, you can mash it by hand and mix it easily with the typical ingredients of a smoothie, such as yogurt and peanut butter. Just shake the mixture with ice until it is cold and fluffy to get a smoothie with the perfect consistency. Use this simple method and customize your smoothie to taste.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Choosing the Ingredients
Step 1. Choose some very ripe fruit
You won't be able to break them by hand if they're firm and full of fiber, so make sure they're soft before you buy them. Keep in mind that the more mature they are, the more yielding they are. The following fruits have an ideal texture when fully ripe, you can choose one as the star of your smoothie or combine them as you like:
- Kiwi;
- Mango;
- Banana;
- Pears;
- Strawberries and berries, such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries.
Step 2. You can also use unusual fruits or vegetables, as long as they are soft or mashed
Most vegetables are too fibrous in texture and require the use of a blender, but some are the exception. For example, you can use a soft, ripe avocado or a couple of tablespoons of a vegetable puree, such as pumpkin or carrots.
The vegetable puree will make the smoothie more nutritious and complete, but also thicker and more colorful
Step 3. Use protein ingredients to thicken and enrich the smoothie
Soft, ripe fruit must be the star of your smoothie made without using the blender, but you need additional ingredients to fill you up, make it creamy and to provide the body with the proteins it needs. Add your favorite yogurt, peanut butter or chia seeds to meet your protein needs.
Instead of peanut butter, you can use tahini or sunflower butter so that you get a good dose of protein without going overboard with sugars
Suggestion:
use whole greek yogurt for a really creamy smoothie. You can choose it with fruit or natural, if you want to have more control over the taste of the smoothie.
Step 4. Choose a liquid to dilute the smoothie
You will likely need very little, but it's important to select a nutrient-rich liquid to keep on hand to adjust the smoothie's density. For a creamy smoothie, you can use cow's milk or plant-based milk, such as almond or soy. To make it sweeter, you can use fruit juice.
For example, you can use grape juice, orange juice, apple juice, or pineapple juice
Step 5. Include protein powders to improve the smoothie's taste and protein intake
You can customize the smoothie by incorporating additional powdered ingredients. If you want to use protein powders, read the label and add the recommended amount. If your goal is to make the smoothie tastier, you can add one of the following ingredients:
- Cocoa powder;
- Matcha tea powder;
- Maca powder;
- Spices, such as nutmeg, turmeric, or cinnamon.
Part 2 of 2: Making the smoothie
Step 1. Crush the fruits
Rinse and peel off ripe fruit. Put them in a bowl and mash them with a fork, potato masher or the back of a spoon until you get a puree. Try to make it as homogeneous as possible.
Keep in mind that when mashing the fruits and vegetables by hand, small lumps may remain
Step 2. Incorporate the selected additional ingredients
Add the thickening or powder elements you want to include in the smoothie to the puree. Stir until the powder has dissolved and all the ingredients are perfectly blended.
For example, to make a classic strawberry and banana smoothie, puree the fruit by placing it in a bowl along with a couple of spoonfuls of yogurt. Stir until the ingredients are well blended
Step 3. Shake the smoothie on ice if you want it to have a light, fluffy texture
When the ingredients are well blended, the smoothie is ready to serve, but if you prefer you can chill it with ice. Put a handful of ice cubes in a large glass jar and add the smoothie; screw the lid tight and shake the jar for 30 seconds as if it were a shaker. The smoothie will cool down and become lighter and fluffier.
For a frozen version of the smoothie, add some crushed ice just before serving. Keep in mind that in this way it will have a consistency similar to that of granita
Step 4. Use the selected liquid to adjust the smoothie consistency
When the main ingredients are well blended, taste the smoothie to see if it has the right texture. If you feel the need to dilute it, add 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) of milk or fruit juice until you get the desired density.
Conversely, if the smoothie isn't thick enough, add more yogurt or other chia seeds. The thickening effect of chia seeds starts after a few minutes, so let the smoothie sit before drinking
Step 5. Enjoy the smoothie
Pour it into a glass or ice cream bowl and drink it immediately. Since the ingredients have been blended by hand and not in the blender, it is likely that they will soon begin to separate. If this happens, simply mix the smoothie with a long spoon and drink it using a straw.
