Enjoying a healthy smoothie is possible, especially by making it at home. Being made from vegetables, green smoothies are packed with nutrients and fiber. Don't you find them inviting? Try to change your mind: although the protagonists of this drink are vegetables, they also contain fresh fruit, which enriches the flavor.
Ingrediants
For a portion:
- 1 cup of dark leafy greens, such as kale or spinach
- 1 cup (250 ml) of liquid
- 1 ½ cup of fruit (banana, avocado, strawberries …)
- 1-2 tablespoons of an energizing topping (dried fruit butter, ground flax seeds, oats …)
- Sweetener to taste (honey, agave syrup, alternative sweeteners)
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Choosing the Ingredients
Step 1. Choose dark leafy vegetables
You can use as many as you want and mix them, the important thing is to fill about 1 cup. Consider spinach, kale, kale, romaine lettuce, chard, and dandelion, but you have plenty of other options. Vegetables make up the nutritional basis of the smoothie.
Step 2. Choose a liquid
It is a very important ingredient in making a smoothie. If you don't use it, the drink will be too thick. You can also use a simple glass of water. Alternatively, use almond milk, soy milk, milk, or coconut water. Cow's milk or coffee will work fine too.
The amount of liquid should be equal to that of the vegetables, so measure one cup (250 ml)
Step 3. Choose the fruit
In addition to flavoring and sweetening the smoothie, it makes it even richer in nutrients. You can use and mix all kinds of fruit you want, including bananas, strawberries, blueberries, mangoes, oranges, apples, pineapples and avocados.
- You will need about 1 1/2 cups of fruit.
- You could mix a creamy fruit and one with a strong taste. For example, avocado and banana are creamy, mango is thick and pulpy, while orange, pineapple and strawberries are pungent.
- Frozen fruit is great for making smoothies. In addition to being cheap, you can use it directly, without defrosting it. However, make sure you use equal parts of frozen and fresh fruit, so that the final product isn't too cold or thick.
Step 4. To get more nutrients and proteins, you can also add an energizing topping, such as chia seeds, flax seeds (which you can grind with a coffee grinder), almond butter, hemp seed or açai powder
Season with a pinch of cinnamon or cocoa powder.
- You can also use oats left to soak overnight or fresh ginger.
- Cardamom, nutmeg, and turmeric are great for flavoring your smoothie. Don't forget to add a pinch of salt to bring out the flavors.
Step 5. If you want the smoothie to be slightly sweet, you can use any sweetener you want, such as honey, agave syrup, monk fruit extract sweetener, white sugar, stevia, or some fruit juice
Part 2 of 3: Making the smoothie
Step 1. To get started, pour the liquid into the blender jar, then add the other ingredients
The liquid forms the base of the smoothie, favoring the formation of a homogeneous mixture. Remember that the amount of liquid must equal that of the vegetables, so measure a cup of liquid and a cup of vegetables.
Step 2. Cut the fruit and vegetables into pieces of about 3 cm (or smaller)
This will make them easier to blend.
Step 3. Now, add the fruit and vegetables
Fresh fruit should be placed immediately in the blender jug, while frozen fruit should be incorporated later. The creamy fruit can be added together with the one with a stronger and more pungent taste, it is not necessary to separate it. The vegetables should be placed on top of the fruit, to prevent it from preventing the blender from working properly.
- You can also initially blend the liquid and vegetables only, then add the fruit. Experiment to figure out which method is best for your blender.
- All the other ingredients are placed on the vegetables.
Step 4. Pulse first to start the process
This allows fruit and vegetables to be reduced to a pulp, preventing them from hindering the operation of the blender. After pressing the pulse button several times, you can blend the ingredients as usual.
Step 5. Blend the mixture
At first, set the blender to minimum power. Just like in the previous step, this process also helps to mix the ingredients without them getting stuck on the sides. Once about half a minute has passed, you can adjust the power to maximum until you get a smooth drink.
If you're having trouble getting a smooth smoothie, add more liquid to make up for it
Step 6. Stir in the frozen fruit or ice
If you want the smoothie to be refreshing, add some ice at the end. This is when you should incorporate the frozen fruit. Run the blender on full throttle until you get an almost completely homogeneous blend.
Step 7. The smoothie may be too thick or too thin in texture, so find out how to fix it
If you can't get it into the glass, add more liquid. If you want to thicken it, add more frozen fruit or vegetables. Run the blender again until you get the right consistency.
If you don't find it sweet enough, you can add more sweetener at this time
Part 3 of 3: Try Various Combinations
Step 1. Make a tropical smoothie
Choose your favorite vegetable, then add tropical ingredients. You could mix banana, clementine and coconut water or mango, pineapple and coconut milk. It's a refreshing recipe that helps start the day on the right foot.
Step 2. Refresh the kale with lime and mango
This vegetable is often overlooked, but it's just as nutrient-rich as kale or spinach. Also, being less popular, it is sometimes available at a lower cost. Mix it with mango, green grapes and a couple of spoonfuls (30-60 ml) of lime juice. Blend the ingredients with water or almond / coconut milk to dilute them and obtain a smooth smoothie.
Step 3. Mix a ripe pear and a small piece of fresh ginger - another delicious combination
Ginger makes it possible to obtain a fresh drink with light spicy notes. When it comes to vegetables, opt for curly kale. Sweeten the smoothie with a piece of banana. And the liquid? Try using citrus-based kombucha or ginger tea.
Step 4. Make a grapefruit smoothie
Grapefruit has a pungent taste that helps wake you up in the morning, not to mention it's packed with nutrients. Mix it with spinach, a type of sweet apple and a piece of banana to sweeten the smoothie. Dilute it with water or vegetable milk.
Step 5. Make a berry-based smoothie
Mix blueberries, cherries (remove the pits), strawberries and / or blackberries with an apple or banana to sweeten the smoothie. Try using spinach and coconut or plain water. You can also use a handful of nuts or seeds to get more protein.
