Smoothies are a great way to cool down during the hot summer months (sorry for the cheesy intro). They have the potential to be packed with all different vitamins and nutrients while being tasty and delicious. Don't let your smoothies be bland this summer; here are 6 tips and tricks to help you level up your smoothie game:
(Pre tip: Do not measure anything. Smoothies are for summer you need this math break. Just throw things in a blender I promise it’ll turn out great)
1. Start with a good smoothie base
First you want to start with a nice smoothie base. Bananas are a good source of potassium and vitamin C and they have the perfect consistency for your smoothie. Apparently substituting an avocado for the banana gives the same texture but every time I think I’m going to use an avocado in a smoothie I end up making guacamole with it instead. But if your feeling adventurous or don’t like bananas, throw in a nice avocado. Let me know how it works out.
2. Add some leafy greens
Take advantage of the sweetness of the smoothie and throw in a handful of spinach or kale to your blender (I promise you won't even know it's there). Both leafy greens rank amongst the healthiest foods in the world and are packed with every vitamin A-Z*. Scared to drink a green smoothie? Just add some blueberries to change the color. But I mean if you’d rather eat a cup of raw kale, be my guest.
3. Use frozen fruit
After you have your nice smoothie base and leafy greens, add in some fruit of your choice. To level up your smoothie, use frozen fruit instead of fresh fruit. Using frozen fruit replaces the need to use ice, which makes your smoothie more flavorful. Plus, buying frozen fruit is cheaper than fresh fruit and it lasts longer, so you can have double the smoothies! And according to my 5 minute internet research, there very little nutritional difference between fresh and frozen fruit. You’re welcome.
4. Go Greek!
Next, this is when your natural instinct says “add yogurt! Yogurt is healthy!” Ignore this instinct because you are no average smoothie maker, you’re a next level smoothie maker. Instead of adding regular yogurt, use plain Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt pretty much tastes the same as regular yogurt but it has a ton of protein. Plus using plain yogurt eliminates so much extra sugar that you don’t need. Don’t be like the past me and think that vanilla yogurt is the same as plain yogurt. You’re better than that.
5. Water is boring and you're not boring
We’re almost done! Here, you can add a little water to your smoothie, but to really level up, use coconut water or green tea instead. Using coconut water or green tea has the same effects as using plain regular water, but it adds some extra antioxidants and vitamins. Just add the liquid of your choice until your smoothie is at the consistency that you want. There are really no wrong answers here
6. Add some healthy treats!
THIS IS THE FUN PART! Now that you have your smoothie, you can really add whatever you want. Protein powder, chia seeds, flax seed, wheat germ, turmeric, sunflower seeds, honey, cinnamon the choice is all yours. Here’s a nice chart to help you brain storm:
Now just blend it up and voila! You have a new and improved smoothie full of energy and goodness. Your body and your taste buds will thank you. Now go conquer the world and do fun summer things.
Bonus: If you’re in a California yoga goddess mood or you want to transform your smoothie into a nice breakfast, make your smoothie into a smoothie bowl! Literally just put your smoothie into a bowl. Then add some fresh fruit and granola on top. Are smoothie bowls becoming too mainstream for you?? Pour your smoothie onto a plate to make a smoothie plate!!!!
*I am aware that there is no vitamin F, G, H, I, J, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, or Z
