Healthy Homemade Smoothies – Quick, Refreshing and Full of Nutrients
Have you ever paid an absolute fortune for a smoothie in a juice bar and then felt disappointed in its taste and realized that it was pretty much just fruity juice? Then this article is for you. Healthy homemade smoothies helped me overcome my disappointment in expensive smoothies and get the energy I need without spending a penny more than necessary.
The best thing about healthy smoothies is that they are easily customizable based on my cravings. Sometimes I feel the need for a tropical smoothie, while others I simply crave a chocolate banana smoothie that is absolutely divine. Moreover, I love that it’s easy to sneak some vegetables into smoothies and get some nutrients from them that would otherwise go unnoticed. Spinach, carrots, zucchini, and even beets can be easily combined with fruits and other ingredients.
Initially, I made a huge mistake by adding too much ice to the smoothies. That resulted in watery and rather bland beverages that did not give me much pleasure at all. From now on, I use frozen fruits as a thickener in almost all smoothies. It provides a creamy and tasty drink without adding unnecessary water and diluting flavors.
These smoothies are thick, refreshing, deliciously flavored, and extremely healthy. I’ll tell you how I prepare them.
Ingredients
Basic Smoothie Formula
- 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk (240 ml / 240 g)
Unsweetened almond milk is used to keep the smoothies creamy without adding sugar.
- 1 ½ cups of frozen fruit (225–250 g)
Frozen fruits provide a thick, frosty texture without using ice.
- 1 cup of vegetables (approximately 60-120 g depending on the vegetable)
Spinach, kale, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, or beets are great.
- ½ frozen ripe banana (60 g) or any other thickener
Frozen bananas are great to naturally sweeten and thicken smoothies.
- 1 tablespoon of booster such as chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, or protein powder (10-15 g)
They add healthy fats, dietary fiber, and other useful components. Optional flavor boosters: vanilla extract, cinnamon, cocoa powder, ginger, lemon juice, or honey
Ingredients for Apple Kiwi Green Smoothie
- 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk (240 ml / 240 g)
- 1 green apple, cut into pieces (180 g)
- 2 kiwis, peeled and cut into pieces (140 g)
- 1 cup of frozen spinach (60 g)
- ½ avocado (75 g)
- ½ frozen ripe banana (60 g)
- ¼-inch slice of fresh ginger (5 g)
- 1 tablespoon of hemp seeds (10 g)
Fresh ginger makes this smoothie taste fresh.
Ingredients for Berries & Beets Smoothie
- 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk (240 ml / 240 g)
- 1 cup of frozen berries (140 g)
- ½ cup of frozen pineapple chunks (80 g)
- ¼ cup of chopped beets (35 g)
- ¼ cup of chopped carrots (30 g)
- ¾ frozen ripe banana (90 g)
- 1 teaspoon of honey (7 g)
- 1 tablespoon of chia seeds (12 g)
Raw beets have an earthy flavor that is balanced out by berries and pineapple.
Ingredients for Tropical Breeze Smoothie
- 1 cup of light coconut milk (240 ml / 240 g)
- ½ cup of frozen mango chunks (80 g)
- ½ cup of frozen pineapple chunks (80 g)
- ½ cup of frozen peaches (75 g)
- ½ cup of chopped carrots (60 g)
- ½ cup of chopped zucchini or cucumber (60 g)
- ½ frozen ripe banana (60 g)
- Juice of ½ lemon (15 ml)
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract (2 ml)
- 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds (10 g)
Light coconut milk makes this drink incredibly silky and flavorful.
Ingredients for Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie
- 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk (240 ml / 240 g)
- 1 cup of frozen watermelon chunks (150 g)
- ½ cup of frozen strawberries (75 g)
- ½ frozen ripe banana (60 g)
- 1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt (15 g)
- Juice of ½ lemon (15 ml)
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract (2 ml)
- 1 tablespoon of hemp seeds (10 g)
Frozen watermelon creates an incredibly creamy base for a refreshing smoothie.
Ingredients for Chocolate Banana Smoothie
- 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk (240 ml / 240 g)
- 2 large frozen bananas (240 g)
- 1 cup of frozen spinach (60 g)
- 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder (10 g)
- 2 teaspoons of honey (14 g)
- 1 tablespoon of chia seeds (12 g)
Unsweetened cocoa powder provides incredible chocolate flavor without making this drink too sweet.
Create a Base
The major improvement in my smoothies occurred when I learned the right blending order. I always add liquid at first since it helps the blades run freely without getting blocked by frozen fruits.
Then, I add the rest of the ingredients in layers, starting with softer ones and ending with frozen fruits and boosters. When the blender turns on, I can literally hear it turning from a loud, chunky blender into a smooth device within 30-60 seconds.
The first time I tried blending without the right order, my blender got blocked, and I had to pull frozen banana chunks out manually. Since then, I always add liquid first, as this is my rule of thumb.
Pro Tip: If a smoothie is too thick to blend, add a few splashes of almond milk gradually instead of adding much at once.
Prepare Apple Kiwi Green Smoothie
This smoothie has an incredibly refreshing taste and clean flavor. A green apple brings crisp sweetness, while kiwi adds tanginess.
To make this smoothie, add almond milk, apples, kiwis, spinach, avocado, frozen banana, ginger, and hemp seeds to the blender. Blend the ingredients until completely homogeneous. The color is pale green and smooth due to the addition of avocado.
While blending, fresh ginger gives off a sharp citric scent that fills up the entire smoothie.
Pro Tip: It is a good idea to freeze banana slices on parchment paper first before putting them in a freezer bag. This ensures even blending.
Blend Berries & Beets Smoothie
The first time I made this smoothie, I was really surprised at the results since I was sure the earthy taste of beets would overwhelm everything else. On the contrary, berries manage to bring out the taste of beets and turn it into a delicious ruby color.
To make the smoothie, blend almond milk, frozen berries, pineapple, beets, carrots, banana, honey, and chia seeds until homogeneous.
Chia seeds start adding texture after about 2 minutes. The texture becomes creamy and pudding-like if left to stand.
The smell is fresh, sweet, and with slight earthiness.
Pro Tip: Chopping beets into small pieces is essential to avoid grittiness.
Blend Tropical Breeze Smoothie
Whenever the weather gets hot, I crave this drink. It’s fresh, fruity, and very refreshing.
Blend light coconut milk, mango, pineapple, peaches, carrots, zucchini or cucumber, banana, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and flax seeds.
The tropical fruit creates this amazing sweet scent, reminding me of summertime, beach holidays, and fresh salt. Lemon juice prevents smoothies from getting too heavy.
The zucchini is barely noticeable.
Pro Tip: Let frozen fruits defrost for 3-5 minutes if your blender struggles with frozen ingredients.
Prepare Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie
This is an incredibly hydrating and refreshing smoothie. The watermelon gives off juice while the Greek yogurt gives smoothies a pleasant creaminess.
Blend almond milk, frozen watermelon, strawberries, banana, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and hemp seeds until smooth.
The color is a soft pink, and the aroma is fresh and sweet. Fresh watermelon creates an amazingly fresh watermelon scent.
The first time I made this smoothie, I used fresh watermelon instead of frozen. Though it tasted nice, it lacked richness.
Blend Chocolate Banana Smoothie
This smoothie is perfect when I crave chocolate but don’t want an unhealthy treat. This beverage tastes like a chocolate milkshake.
Blend almond milk, frozen bananas, spinach, cocoa powder, honey, and chia seeds until homogeneous.
Initially, it looks like there is too much spinach in it, but once it’s blended, the drink takes on a chocolate color and hardly leaves any trace of spinach.
The smell is chocolatey from the moment you open the blender and start pouring ingredients inside.
Pro Tip: The smoother you freeze the bananas, the richer smoothies you’ll have.
Mistakes to Avoid
Using Too Much Ice
Ice is a poor substitute for fruits. Using fruits helps obtain a thick and flavored smoothie without watering it down.
Incorrect Ingredient Blending Order
Blending frozen fruits initially can result in a blockage. Add liquid first.
Using Unripe Bananas
Unripe bananas add a starch taste to smoothies that you may not like. Make sure bananas are very ripe before freezing them.
Lacking Proper Balance
If the number of vegetables exceeds the number of fruits significantly, the drink will acquire a grassy and earthy taste. I use banana and pineapple as sweeteners in these cases.
Overstuffing the Blender
If the blender is stuffed to capacity, smoothies will lack even texture. Do not overload the blender and blend several times if needed.
Ways to Improve It
Add Protein
If you want smoothies to be filling, you can add a scoop of vanilla protein powder or almond butter. They fit perfectly for a chocolate banana drink.
Replace Greens
Spinach has a mild flavor, but you may want to replace it with kale. Remove kale stems beforehand so that the texture remains smooth.
Make It Vegan
Most of these smoothies are vegan, but not the strawberry watermelon smoothie. Replace the Greek yogurt with vegan alternatives.
How to Store and Serve
Smoothies taste best fresh when served chilled and creamy. If you need to prepare smoothies in advance, put fruits and vegetables into separate freezer bags and blend as needed.
Homemade smoothies can be stored in airtight mason jars in a fridge for 24 hours. Shake the drink before consumption since ingredients tend to separate fast.
In case you want to store smoothies for longer than 24 hours, put them into airtight containers or ice cube trays. I love to blend smoothie cubes with almond milk to get a quick smoothie in less than a minute.
Serve smoothies immediately to maintain their quality. I prefer using straws or spoons when eating chocolate banana smoothies.
I hope these recipes encourage you to start experimenting with different smoothie blends. There is a high probability that chocolate banana smoothies will soon become your favorite ones.
