Smoothies are a great drink-- they're sweet and tangy and fresh, rounded and filling. Typically, they're also made with a bunch of sugar and ice, with bananas or yoghurt usually playing the thickener. If you want them to be more healthy, satisfying, and less of a "drink" and more of a "food", here are some great ways to improve smoothies:
Let's start with the ice. Ice ruins most smoothies, making them harsh and watery. So nix it, and use frozen fruit instead. Frozen fruit is sold by the bag in every grocery store, and if you want to use an esoteric flavor that might not come prepared, just get the fruit ready for blending before putting it in the freezer, and then use as much of it as you like!
Now for the sugar. I don't mind using synthetic sweeteners like Splenda or Equal, but if you do, there are many wonderful options. Consider agave nectar, which has a low glycemic index and sweetens gently while blending seamlessly into drinks. Use sweet fruit juices in leiu of adding plain sugar. These also add a wonderful facet of flavor to the smoothie, and the liquid helps it to blend.
Now on to the thickener. Bananas often take away from the flavor of the fruits you are trying to display in the smoothie. They're not such a great option for thickening in my opinion, unless you're working on some kind of a tropical taste. Discounted. If you are vegan or lactose intolerant, yoghurt isn't an option. Plus, it sometimes turns smoothies into a kind of soft serve rather than a low-fat fruit beverage. My suggestion: tofu. I know you're thinking, "Tofu? In a smoothie?" But really, when you think about it, silken tofu is the perfect thickener. It has virtually no taste, and adds protein with very little fat, while thickening your smoothie into creamy perfection. Just try it. Silken tofu is the best option for smoothies, as it is exactly the right texture. You can find it in cakes or in tubes, either is good. Add it in a reasonable amount (depending on how creamy you want your smoothie), and notice the distinguishably fruity and balanced taste of the results.
Here's a general recipe that can be made with any fruit or flavors you like. Simply adjust the amounts for a more fruity or creamy smoothie :
Ingredients
1-1/2 or 2 cups frozen fruit
1/2 to 3/4 cup silken tofu
approx. 4 tspn. agave nectar
a splash of milk or a medium-size scoop of frozen yoghurt (for non-dairy option, try almond or rice milk)
1/4 cup sour fruit juice (lemon or orange juice is good for this)
optional additions:
1/4 tspn vanilla extract
wheatgerm
coconut
a few crushed ice cubes
vitamin and mineral drops/powder
herbal drops
spirulina/Barleygrass/Wheatgrass powder
flax/ sunflower seeds
tahini
blackstrap molasses
lecithin powder
brewer's yeast
Procedure
Put everything in a blender and press ON... It's that simple!
Enjoy!
Let's start with the ice. Ice ruins most smoothies, making them harsh and watery. So nix it, and use frozen fruit instead. Frozen fruit is sold by the bag in every grocery store, and if you want to use an esoteric flavor that might not come prepared, just get the fruit ready for blending before putting it in the freezer, and then use as much of it as you like!
Now for the sugar. I don't mind using synthetic sweeteners like Splenda or Equal, but if you do, there are many wonderful options. Consider agave nectar, which has a low glycemic index and sweetens gently while blending seamlessly into drinks. Use sweet fruit juices in leiu of adding plain sugar. These also add a wonderful facet of flavor to the smoothie, and the liquid helps it to blend.
Now on to the thickener. Bananas often take away from the flavor of the fruits you are trying to display in the smoothie. They're not such a great option for thickening in my opinion, unless you're working on some kind of a tropical taste. Discounted. If you are vegan or lactose intolerant, yoghurt isn't an option. Plus, it sometimes turns smoothies into a kind of soft serve rather than a low-fat fruit beverage. My suggestion: tofu. I know you're thinking, "Tofu? In a smoothie?" But really, when you think about it, silken tofu is the perfect thickener. It has virtually no taste, and adds protein with very little fat, while thickening your smoothie into creamy perfection. Just try it. Silken tofu is the best option for smoothies, as it is exactly the right texture. You can find it in cakes or in tubes, either is good. Add it in a reasonable amount (depending on how creamy you want your smoothie), and notice the distinguishably fruity and balanced taste of the results.
Here's a general recipe that can be made with any fruit or flavors you like. Simply adjust the amounts for a more fruity or creamy smoothie :
Ingredients
1-1/2 or 2 cups frozen fruit
1/2 to 3/4 cup silken tofu
approx. 4 tspn. agave nectar
a splash of milk or a medium-size scoop of frozen yoghurt (for non-dairy option, try almond or rice milk)
1/4 cup sour fruit juice (lemon or orange juice is good for this)
optional additions:
1/4 tspn vanilla extract
wheatgerm
coconut
a few crushed ice cubes
vitamin and mineral drops/powder
herbal drops
spirulina/Barleygrass/Wheatgrass powder
flax/ sunflower seeds
tahini
blackstrap molasses
lecithin powder
brewer's yeast
Procedure
Put everything in a blender and press ON... It's that simple!
Enjoy!
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