Light smoothie recipes. What is a smoothie and what do you eat it with? Wild berries and peach
What foods can be healthier than vegetables and fruits? Only their competent combination. It is for the ease of preparation and benefits for the body that its fans fell in love with this “drink.” And its name is smoothie - lunch in one glass.
Bananas are the main ingredient in many cocktails. They go well not only with milk, but also with cocoa. Excellent taste and benefits can be achieved by mixing bananas with cottage cheese or natural yogurt in a blender. In any case, such a cocktail will appeal not only to adults, but also to children.
Melt honey (1 tablespoon) until liquid consistency. Peel banana (1 pc.) and cut into 5-6 pieces. Put them in a blender. Add liquid honey and pour milk (1 glass). Mix the ingredients until the mass becomes thick and homogeneous.
Banana smoothie with milk and ice cream
Another banana smoothie that your kids will love can be made by blending it with vanilla ice cream and milk in a blender. This cocktail is served in a tall glass with a straw. In this recipe, milk can be replaced with orange juice. It will also turn out very tasty and healthy.
Smoothie with banana, strawberries and milk
A mixture of bananas and strawberries is called a classic. That's probably true. But no matter what you call this cocktail, it always turns out very tasty and appetizing. To prepare it you need to take one banana, strawberries (100 g) and milk (1 glass). And if you add a little vanilla to such a cocktail, it will give it a piquant twist.
Smoothie with banana, kiwi and milk
A banana and kiwi cocktail can be prepared without adding sugar. But for this you need to choose very ripe fruits. Especially kiwi. If you are not satisfied with the stage of ripeness of this fruit, simply add a little honey to the drink.
To prepare a kiwi-banana smoothie, you need to take one banana and one kiwi. Peel them, cut them into small pieces and place in a blender bowl. You also need to pour milk (200 g) there and mix until a homogeneous mass is formed.
Orange and blueberry smoothie cocktails with sugar or honey
An excellent smoothie can be made from orange and blueberries. These products have great benefits. They hold the record for vitamin C content. Therefore, this cocktail is perfect for preventing viral diseases during a flu epidemic.
To prepare such a smoothie, you need to take freshly squeezed orange juice (4 pcs.) and mix them with blueberries (250 g). If the cocktail turns out to be too sour, you can add sugar or honey.
Fruit smoothie on water with avocado, pears and herbs
Smoothies can also be made with water. But, here you need to know one nuance. The drinks discussed in this article should be thick. And if you overdo it with water, all the thickness will go away. And then comes the aesthetics of consuming such a cocktail. Therefore, you should not get carried away with this ingredient. Especially if you plan to use frozen fruits and berries.
Peel the avocado (1 pc.) and remove the pit. Cut the pulp into large pieces. We clean the pears (2 pcs.) from skins and seeds. Cut into slices. Place the ingredients in a blender and add chopped herbs (to taste). Mix the ingredients until pureed. Pour in water (1-2 cups) and stir until smooth.
Cherry smoothie with pear and apple
A great summer cocktail can be made with cherries. It must be said right away that this drink may seem sour. So add a little powdered sugar to it.
Peel the apple (1 pc.) and pear (1 pc.) from skins and seeds. Cut into large pieces. Remove pits from cherries (50 g). Place the ingredients in a blender bowl and add 3-4 ice cubes. Stir, pour the cocktail into a tall glass and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Green smoothie with apple and vegetables
Many nutritionists consider green smoothies a panacea for many ills and recommend consuming them at least once a week. Such cocktails will not only fill the body with the beneficial substances and vitamins it needs, but will also be able to cleanse it of toxins.
Wash lettuce leaves (50 g) and cabbage (100 g). After the water has drained, chop them and put them in a blender. Peel the apple (1 pc.) from the skin and core. Divide into 4 parts. Cut out the core of bell pepper (1 piece) and divide it into several parts. Place the ingredients in a blender and mix. Pour the resulting drink into a glass and sprinkle chopped parsley on top.
Strawberry smoothie with melon and cranberries
The following smoothie recipe is called “Pink Panther” for its pleasant color. To prepare it, you need to peel the melon (500 g) from seeds and skin. Cut the pulp into small cubes. Strawberries (150 g) need to be sorted and washed. Load the above ingredients into a blender and add cranberries (100 g). Stir and serve.
Coconut smoothie with mango, banana and pineapple
Another popular smoothie ingredient is coconut milk. Cocktails prepared on its basis have an original taste. The drink below can be called “Caribbean Dream”.
To prepare it, you need to peel bananas (2 pieces) and cut each into 4 parts. Mango (1 pc.) needs to be cut into two halves and the seed removed from the fruit. Peel the skin of pineapple (1 piece) and cut into small pieces. You need to squeeze the juice out of mango and pineapple. Pour it into a blender. Place banana slices there and pour in coconut milk (200 ml). Beat until smooth and enjoy.
Raspberry smoothie with strawberries, blueberries and apple juice
The benefits of raspberries are endless. And if you mix it with other berries, you can provide support to your immunity for several days in advance.
To prepare this cocktail you need to take strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Berries (total amount 200 g) need to be sorted and washed. Place the berries in a blender (leave a few strawberries or raspberries for decoration). Pour apple juice (150 ml) into the bowl and stir. Crush the ice and put it in glasses. Pour in the prepared smoothie and stir. Decorate with the remaining berries.
Tangerine smoothie with apples, banana and kiwi
A tangerine cocktail is prepared in winter to support the body’s protective functions. But, this citrus fruit can not only strengthen the immune system, but also improve your mood. Scientists have long figured out the nature of the interactions of the phytocompounds of this delicious fruit with the hormonal background of our body.
Peel tangerines (500 g). Divide into slices and remove the seeds. Peel the apples (3-4 pcs.) and cut them into small slices. Peel a banana (1 piece) and divide it into 4 parts. Peel kiwi (1 pc.) and cut into pieces.
Grind the tangerines separately from the other ingredients. After receiving the puree, put the remaining ingredients into the blender and mix them until smooth. For sweetness, you can add honey (1 tablespoon). And for a more liquid consistency, pour a little water (150 ml) into the bowl. Mix again and serve.
Apple smoothie with kiwi and green tea
To prepare a refreshing apple cocktail, you need to peel and core one fruit. Squeeze the juice out of it. Peel the skins of kiwis (2 pcs.). If the fruit is ripe, then there is no need to cut it into pieces. Place the kiwi pulp in a blender and blend until pureed. Add apple juice and chilled green tea (200 ml). Stir until smooth.
Berry smoothie made from banana, blueberry, lemon, celery on water
You can use almost any berries to make healthy smoothies. For example, blueberries. This berry makes a tasty and healthy cocktail. The version of this drink proposed below will appeal to every child for its pleasant pink-purple hue.
To prepare it, you need to mix bananas (2 pieces), blueberries (3 tablespoons), juice of a third of a lemon, celery (1-2 stalks) and water (1 glass).
Orange, lime and passion fruit smoothie
Fruits were the first ingredients from which smoothies were made. It was only later that vegetables, herbs and other products began to be used in the preparation of these drinks. There are a lot of fruit smoothie recipes. But, if you want to surprise your guests, prepare for them a passion fruit and citrus cocktail.
Peel the orange. Divide into slices and separate the seeds. Peel the lime and divide it into two parts. Divide the passion fruit into two parts and extract the pulp. Grind the ice until crumbly. Squeeze the juice from orange and lime. Beat the passion fruit pulp in a blender. Pour the juice into the bowl and mix everything again until smooth. Pour crushed ice into glasses and fill with the contents of the blender.
Currant smoothie with milk
Black currant is a storehouse of useful substances. But not only children, but also adults do not like its sour skin. In order to minimize the discomfort from eating this berry, you can prepare a delicious cocktail.
Prepare such a smoothie in the traditional way. In a blender, black currant berries, (300 g) milk (100 ml), fermented baked milk (250 ml), honey (80 g) and walnuts (a handful) are mixed until smooth. It is better to grind the last ingredient before loading the remaining products.
Persimmon smoothie with pumpkin and cinnamon
Persimmon smoothie is a very healthy and bright drink. This vitamin dessert can saturate the body with useful substances and fiber. Persimmon contains substances that can remove radionuclides from the body. Everyone should take advantage of such a miracle of nature.
Persimmons need to be washed, dried and cut into small pieces. If there are bones, they need to be removed. Remove the skin from the pumpkin and cut the pulp into cubes. Place the ingredients in a blender container. Add cinnamon and beat at low speed, gradually increasing it.
Orange smoothie with yogurt
You can prepare a fortified refreshing drink from oranges and low-fat yogurt. To do this, peel the oranges (2 pieces) from the skins and seeds. Add yogurt (2 tablespoons), a few ice cubes and a pinch of vanilla to the blender. Stir until smooth and pour into tall glasses.
Pear smoothie with orange, mint and milk
An excellent cocktail can be prepared by mixing pears (2 pcs.), peeled and sliced orange, mint leaves (to taste) and milk (1 glass) in a blender. If you like citrus fruits, you can increase the number of oranges or add the appropriate syrup to the cocktail. The pear can be used either fresh or frozen. If you choose a fresh pear, then you need to add a couple of ice cubes to the blender.
Frozen berry smoothie
Many of us freeze berries for the winter. Such “reserves” allow us to replenish our body’s needs for vitamins during the cold season. You can make delicious cocktails from frozen berries.
To prepare this recipe, you can take any frozen berries (100 g). They need to be thawed before blending with other ingredients. Add banana (1 piece) to them and beat in a blender until smooth. If the drink is too thick, you can add a little mineral water.
Kiwi smoothie with lemon juice, parsley, mint, honey
Kiwi is one of the record holders for vitamin C content. Eating this fruit (berry) can help survive an exacerbation of respiratory infections. But not everyone loves kiwi in its pure form. For such people, smoothies made from this fruit will be useful.
Peel the kiwi, cut into small cubes and place in a blender bowl. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 piece), parsley (7 sprigs), mint (7 leaves), honey (to taste) and water (100 ml). Mix all the ingredients and enjoy the healthy drink.
Mango smoothie with pear and banana
Fresh mango is a sweet fruit with an unusual taste. It is very useful for vision and protecting the genitourinary system from infections. In addition, mango is an excellent immune activator. To prepare a smoothie from this fruit, you need to peel it. Wash the pear, divide into several parts and remove the seeds.
Place mango (1 pc.), pear (1 pc.), banana (1 pc.) and ice cubes cut into pieces into a blender. Pour in coconut milk (1/2 cup) and stir until smooth.
Pineapple smoothie with apricots or peaches and yogurt
A very tasty and healthy drink can be made from pineapple. To do this, it (1 piece) needs to be peeled and cut into small pieces. Then peel the apricots (2 pcs.) and remove the pits. Place the ingredients in a blender and mix at low speed. Add pineapple juice (125 ml) and peach or apricot yogurt (50 g) to the bowl. Mix everything again.
Smoothie with grapefruit, blueberries and carrot juice
A smoothie with grapefruit and blueberries has a very interesting combination of flavors. Blueberries can be used either fresh or frozen. First you need to squeeze the juice from grapefruit (3 pcs.) and carrots (300 g). Then the resulting juice should be poured into a blender and mixed with blueberries (1/2 cup).
Pineapple and banana smoothie with ginger
Ginger has a beneficial effect on the entire body. If you have problems with the digestive system, then with the help of this spicy root you can significantly improve this problem. Ginger is useful in vitamin drinks.
Peel the banana and pineapple. Cut the fruit into small pieces. Place them in a blender. Pour in almond milk (175 ml), candied ginger (a small piece) and a few drops of almond extract.
Smoothie with cranberries, dates and orange juice
If you want to make an energy drink using your blender, then mix orange juice (175 ml), pitted dates (50 g), cranberries (50 g) and chopped apple.
Smoothie with lemon and tangerine
Lemon is considered one of the healthiest fruits. And although its primacy among the leaders in vitamin C content today is disputed by many products, lemon also has other beneficial qualities. And like many citrus fruits, it can be used to prepare vitamin smoothies.
We clean tangerines (2 pcs.) from skins and seeds. Remove the seeds from the grapes (250 g) and place the ingredients in a blender. Pour in lemon juice (2 tablespoons) and tangerine juice (125 g). Stir and enjoy the pleasant taste.
Smoothie with berries and honey
Honey is added to fruit smoothies for more than just making them sweet. But also to increase useful qualities. Honey has antiviral and antibacterial properties. Therefore, it will be very useful in the cocktail presented below.
Peel the banana and cut into four parts. Place black currants (125 g), pineapple juice (125 ml), raspberries (125 g), blueberries (125 g) and banana pieces into a blender. Add honey (2 tablespoons) and mix.
Blueberry Yogurt Smoothie
Children really like blueberry cocktails. And if these blueberries are also crispy, it will add a special piquancy to this smoothie recipe.
Place frozen blueberries (1/3 cup), chopped peaches (1 cup), chopped nuts (1/4 cup), milk (1/2 cup) and vanilla yogurt (3/4 cup) into a blender bowl. For taste, add sugar, salt and vanilla. Mix everything and serve in transparent cups.
Raspberry and melon smoothie
You can make a very tasty cocktail with a bright, beautiful shade from raspberries. To prepare it, peel the melon (1/4 part) from the skin and seeds. Cut its pulp into small pieces. Place frozen raspberries (50 g), melon pieces, cranberry puree (50 g) and grapefruit juice (175 ml) into a blender. Mix and serve in tall glasses with a straw.
Peach, tofu and condensed milk smoothie
Children really like peaches. Therefore, this cocktail can be served during children's parties, birthday celebrations and other similar events.
Drain the liquid from canned peaches (400 g). Mix the contents of the jar into a blender bowl. There we also put soft tofu cheese (50 g), several frozen peaches (125 g), condensed milk (125 ml) and add a quarter of a cup of almond extract. Mix the ingredients and enjoy the cocktail.
Children's fruit smoothies: recipe with ice cream, cocoa, chocolate
Children love fruit smoothies very much. Especially if you add ice cream, cocoa or chocolate to them. When preparing such children's smoothies, not only the taste of the cocktails is important, but also the benefits they bring.
Smoothie with ice cream
The simplest ice cream cocktail is prepared as follows. Place bananas (2 pcs.), ice cream (half a pack) and milk (1/2 cup) into the blender bowl. After mixing the ingredients until smooth, you get a very tasty drink. To prepare it, you can use either regular vanilla ice cream or ice cream.
Cocoa in the smoothie adds notes of chocolate to this cocktail. You can mix cocoa with various ingredients. A classic is a mixture of cocoa and nuts.
Peel and core pineapple (1 piece). Chop it and put it in a blender. Pour almond milk (175 ml), frozen peach (125 g) and cocoa powder (1 tbsp) into it. You can add a few ice cubes. Mix and serve.
Chocolate smoothie
This chocolate cocktail will appeal to all children without exception. To prepare it, you need to mix chocolate milk (250 ml), cocoa powder (1 tbsp), honey (1 tbsp) and frozen chocolate yogurt (250 g). The last ingredient can be replaced with chocolate ice cream.
Milk smoothies with fruits for breakfast
This fruit and apple smoothie recipe is perfect for breakfast. To prepare it, you need to mix milk (1 glass), banana (1 piece), blueberries (1 glass), honey (1 teaspoon) and muesli (1 tablespoon).
Oatmeal smoothie with fruits
Oatmeal is an essential ingredient in cocktails that are aimed at normalizing the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. The main secret of such drinks is soaking the oatmeal before placing it in the blender. Before cooking, pour boiling water over the oatmeal for a few minutes.
In a blender bowl, mix bananas (1 pc.), kiwi (1 pc.), honey (1 teaspoon), apple (half), kefir (100 ml), ground cinnamon (pinch) and steamed oatmeal (2 tbsp. spoons).
Coffee smoothie with yogurt, banana and cocoa
Caffeine has many beneficial properties. And the most important thing is, of course, increasing efficiency. That is why this cocktail can be prepared when you need to accumulate the body’s resources and finish the work you have started, for which you no longer have the strength.
To prepare a coffee smoothie, you need to blend chilled espresso (250 ml), low-fat yogurt (250 ml), a small banana and cocoa powder (1/2 tablespoon) in a blender. As additional ingredients, you can add a small handful of berries to the cocktail or season with cinnamon.
Dairy-free smoothie with grapes, watermelon, melon and fruits
Many fruit smoothies are made without milk. They are based on fruit juices mixed in a blender. You can prepare such a delicious smoothie without milk by mixing grapes (2 cups) without seeds, watermelon (1 cup), melon (1/2 cup) peeled, half a banana, frozen strawberries (1/2 cup), papaya (half a fruit) and a few ice cubes.
Allah. Do not mix ingredients of contrasting colors. For example, a mixture of strawberries and spinach will not make the smoothie very attractive. No one will want to drink the grey-brown-crimson mass. It is better to use products of the same color scheme. Experiment to make the smoothie not only tasty, but also beautiful.
Ksenia.For the perfect taste, smoothies need to be made from 2-3 ingredients. And don’t mix ones you’re not sure of the taste. The strength of this dish is in its simplicity.
Video: Well, very tasty - Fruit and Berry Smoothie!
When in the mid-80s, in the summer, every day in the summer our family made a delicious thick drink from berries and fruits in a mixer, no one would have thought that we were making the favorite dish of American hippie vegetarians - smoothies.
Smoothie (smoothie or smoothy) is a cool dessert made from pieces of fruit and berries crushed in a blender or mixer with the addition of ice, milk, yogurt, juice, honey, eggs, sugar and other ingredients.
It must be said that 25-30 years ago such food was very common in Russia. Every summer something similar was made from fresh fruits and especially berries, milk or ice cream with or without egg whites and sugar. It was all called mousse and was an undiminished success among children and teenagers who were always rushing for fresh air. You can understand why it was called mousse - because of the raw egg white, which at that time was not feared like fire. The mousse could be made drinkable or thick, like melted ice cream, and eaten with a spoon. Children who disappeared for days could be lured home only with the promise of making mousse. Because it's very tasty. But it turns out that all this time we were making smoothies, and mousse is a very thick and sweet French dessert that is almost always made with chocolate. Deception came to the surface with the advent of free access to information. As they say in certain structures: why was it necessary to hide?
And it all started back in the 1930s, when in California the public was offered drinks based on old Brazilian recipes. And in the 1940s, Waring Blender offered his recipes for banana and pineapple smoothies. The recipes were picked up by fashion magazines of the time, the ladies liked it, they pasted the clippings into family cookbooks, and by the 1960s there was a whole generation of Americans who grew up on these wonderful drinks. In that bright decade, many culinary hobbies appeared in Western society, and first of all, the principles of vegetarianism became established. The smoothie came in very handy; they wrote entire books about it and even tried to create something like a diet based on the tasty and healthy drink. It was after the 1960s that smoothies gained the reputation of a “hippie cocktail.”
The composition of almost any smoothie at that time was extremely simple: berries or fruits (most often bananas and something else) and crushed ice. Everything was ground in a mixer-blender and strained into a tall glass goblet. Later, they tried to add milk or cream, ice cream, fruit juices, as well as all possible types of fruits and berries to the main composition. An incredible number of types of smoothies appeared, and the ease of preparation helped absolutely anyone play the role of a cool chef if they wanted to throw a party.
In the 70s, the “king of children’s parties,” smoothies acquired one more ingredient - egg white (so that’s where the mousse was hiding!), but just as quickly “lost weight” and abandoned this valuable element due to the scourge of the 80s - salmonella. But the new decade suggested the use of honey and compotes (boiled berries). Honey, milk and fruit, as it turns out, go well together!
The 1990s suggested making smoothies based on yogurt rather than milk. The fashion for Middle Eastern sweets has made it possible to enrich the drink with oriental sherbets. The 2000s taught Europeans to use real, unsweetened homemade yoghurts and other dairy products. And now we have a truly gigantic number of smoothie options for every taste and for any situation.
Pros and cons of smoothies on the surface. The advantages outweigh: not the most expensive and good-looking fruits and berries are used, those that have already lost their luster and require a markdown, those that cannot be put in a vase for guests, that is, they are cheap. Such fruits are invariably sold at markets at low prices. Smoothies are easy and quick to prepare; the only requirement is a good mixer or blender. There aren't many downsides. When fruits and berries come into contact with mixer blades, they lose vitamins. The same thing happens if you prepare a smoothie for future use. This is where the disadvantages end, except that to prepare any smoothie you need to spend a little time (washing the ingredients) and use your imagination.
How are smoothies different from cocktails and juices? Smoothies are thicker and include several elements. A smoothie is much thicker than any juice, even with pulp, because the entire fruit or berry is used in preparation, and not its liquid part. This is the advantage of smoothies - skins and even seeds are used, which contain many vitamins and microelements - all for the benefit of health! Some cocktails are very similar to smoothies, but unlike cocktails, smoothies are intended to be non-alcoholic drinks. Some cocktails resemble smoothies in appearance, composition and method of preparation. This once again proves that there are no strict boundaries or restrictions in cooking.
To prepare a smoothie, you need the following tools: a mixer-blender with a transparent jug of 1-2 liters, a small vegetable knife for preparing fruits and vegetables, a measuring cup, a pair of glass glasses and large-diameter cocktail straws. The cooking process comes down to mixing the ingredients in a blender jug and pressing the start button. A few seconds - and the smoothie is ready.
All smoothies can be divided into several types:
Refreshing,
. Saturating,
. Dessert (sweet),
. Very cold (with ice)
. Vegetables,
. With milk (cream, yogurt, kefir),
. Egg.
Refreshing smoothies are always made without sugar. A mixture of sweet and sour ingredients is used. For example, you can mix a banana or apple with black currants and add a little ice or juice, say orange.
Saturating smoothies are prepared thick. They can be so thick that a cocktail straw gives way to a dessert spoon. In satiating smoothies, it is permissible to use raw eggs (from trusted manufacturers), carbohydrate fruits (for example, bananas), milk, cream or yogurt. Fantasy can only be interrupted by common sense and a sense of proportion. If juice is added to such smoothies, it is in small quantities, ice is optional.
Dessert smoothies have a sweet taste. In addition to the natural sweetness of the ingredients, you can add a little sugar or honey. Chocolate or cocoa, peanut butter or grated nuts are often added to dessert smoothies. This is the closest thing to French mousse.
Cold smoothies are prepared in the hot summer for leisurely sipping from a straw. It is very important to prepare a cold smoothie that is not too thick - after all, you need to drink it exclusively from a straw and very slowly. Usually they make a base from a couple of types of fruit, for example, from the arch-classic banana and pineapple, add a handful of berries, for example, raspberries and lots and lots of ice. You can add a little milk, just remember about the good temperature inertness of milk and do not drink in large sips so as not to get a cold in your throat!
Vegetable smoothies are in high esteem among raw food vegetarians. This can be a quick lunch or a light dinner. Sweet tastes are inappropriate here and, on the contrary, it would be nice to add some salt, if religion allows. Spanish gazpacho soup is a classic vegetable smoothie. If you don't like gazpacho, try this:
Ingredients:
½ banana
1 peach,
1 mango,
1 large handful of spinach,
½ glass of water.
Preparation:
Remove the pits from the peach and mango, peel the banana, and rinse the spinach. Beat in a blender.
Smoothies with milk are very tasty. They can be made sweet or neutral, hearty or light. Milk is a very beneficial material; you can work wonders with it. Of course, yogurt, matsoni, katyk and other dairy products fit very well into the principle of making smoothies. The main thing to remember is that very acidic ingredients can cause milk to curdle. Use neutral or sweet ingredients.
Ingredients:
1 banana
70 ml strong coffee,
50 g dark chocolate,
1 teaspoon sugar,
½ glass of milk,
cardamom,
nutmeg.
Preparation:
Grate the chocolate, peel and cut the banana. Place in a blender, add the remaining ingredients and blend.
Smoothies with eggs can provide energy for a good half of the day. But the eggs must be very good and thoroughly washed in soapy water. Many people experiment with quail eggs - they are even tastier and healthier. A real man's smoothie!
Ingredients:
2 apples,
1 egg
4 medium carrots,
2 oranges,
½ glass of mineral water.
Preparation:
Core the apples, chop the carrots as finely as possible, and peel the oranges. Combine the ingredients in a blender cup, add the egg and beat. Add mineral water if necessary.
Smoothies are perfect for breakfast! You spend a minimum of time and get a delicious vitamin breakfast. If you are afraid of getting hungry quickly, increase the volume with carbohydrate-rich fruits (for example, bananas). In any case, preparing a glass of smoothie does not take much longer (and often faster) than a cup of coffee and a bun with jam.
Ingredients:
4 oranges,
1 red grapefruit,
3 bananas,
a handful of ice.
Preparation:
Squeeze the juice from citrus fruits, peel and chop the bananas. Place the ingredients in a blender, add ice and blend until smooth. Serve in a tall glass or glass and garnish with orange zest.
Smoothies are ideal for weight loss. Vegetables and fruits contain enough vitamins to provide the body with the necessary elements, while at the same time there are no simple carbohydrates in the form of sugar and animal or transgenic fats - the main enemies of a good figure. Try making an unsweetened smoothie for dinner and you will be surprised how quickly your body gets itself back in order.
Ingredients:
150 ml natural yogurt,
1 mango,
2 tbsp. spoons of oatmeal (Hercules),
ice.
Preparation:
Pour yogurt over the cereal, let it sit for 30-40 minutes or more (you can soak the Hercules directly in a blender cup and leave it in the refrigerator). Add mango and ice. Whisk.
Smoothies are good for everyone, but even with such a wonderful invention, you need to keep your head and use it wisely. If you chop literally all the vegetables and fruits, there will be no work left for your teeth and stomach. Alternate a glass of smoothie with a simple apple or a mug of ripe raspberries and do not forget that smoothies help diversify your diet, and not replace breakfast, lunch and dinner. Experiment for your health!
Contrary to the unspoken stereotype, healthy food is not necessarily tasteless. Moreover, dishes that provide health benefits can be very pleasant in appearance. And even, as surprising as this epithet may sound in relation to food, fashionable! One of these delicacies, which are among the hottest trends, includes smoothies. Almost all cafes and restaurants, not to mention fitness bars, have included this puree drink in their menu. But among its advantages we can name at least one more: the ability to prepare smoothies at home. At home, smoothies are prepared just as quickly and easily as in a restaurant. But the composition, volume and, of course, the price of the treat will depend only on your desire. So, if until now you have only ordered it from the waiter, it’s time to learn how to make smoothies at home. And we will help you with a description of the technology, recipes and useful tips for making smoothies.
What is a smoothie?A smoothie is, essentially, just a thick fruit and/or vegetable drink, or even simpler, juice with pulp. The smoothie came to Europe from the USA, where it was invented and began to be mass-produced in the first third of the twentieth century. You can rightly argue that liquid fruit puree is not a know-how at all, and your great-great-grandmother made it for her children. And no one argues - but since you are interested in the newfangled smoothie, it’s unlikely that your grandparents called fruit puree that way. But the word “smoothie” itself translated from English (from “smooth”) means something soft, homogeneous, digestible. In this sense, a smoothie can be understood as any thick and homogeneous drink. And the first to appreciate its advantage over other forms of food intake were either hippies or surfers on the Californian coast... In general, when smoothies appeared in health food stores in the 1970s, manufacturers admitted that they did not invent, but only supported a promising hobby for young people.
How and with what are smoothies made?
To prepare a smoothie, the ingredients need to not only be chopped, but also mixed evenly. A blender and/or chopper is ideal for this purpose. It is a little more difficult to prepare a smoothie with a mixer: to do this, you will have to first chop the components with a knife or other improvised method. After preparing the smoothie, you can pour it into a glass, bottle or any container. You can drink the smoothie over the top or through a cocktail straw if it is not too thick. Some smoothies are easier to eat with a spoon than to drink. But in any case, you need to consume the smoothie as soon as possible after preparation, before the fresh ingredients lose their properties. That is why smoothies have always been and continue to be considered an attribute of a healthy diet, as well as vegan/vegetarian cooking. Although in fact, some types of smoothies are very far from the correct diet: in addition to relatively harmless sugar, starchy vegetables, flavor enhancers and even mayonnaise are sometimes added to smoothies.
Is smoothie healthy? Composition and benefits of smoothies
Like any multi-component dish, the properties of a smoothie are determined primarily by its composition. And in this regard, smoothies are an endless field for culinary imagination. Depending on tastes, needs, geographical location and imagination, smoothies can be prepared from a variety of ingredients: 
- Fruits. The simplest and most obvious raw material for making smoothies. Most often these are soft fruits that easily turn into puree (bananas, peaches, apricots, plums, watermelon, etc.). Smoothies are also often made from juicy, brightly colored fruits (oranges, grapefruits, melons, kiwis, persimmons). As for the common and familiar apples and pears, they are not the best base for smoothies because of their hardness. But they can well be used as additional ingredients for additional benefits, changing the consistency and flavor.
- Berries. Excellent for making smoothies due to their softness and rich chemical composition. A natural source of powerful antioxidants and a storehouse of bright, rich taste. The most popular berries for smoothies are raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, cherries, mulberries, and currants. You can safely make smoothies from or with the addition of gooseberries, lingonberries, viburnum and other berries. The only caveat: berry smoothies should be consumed with caution by people with high stomach acidity.
- Vegetables and greens. Usually not as tasty as fruits and berries, so they are most often used in smoothies as additional, rather than main, ingredients. However, people who are seriously interested in creating a healthy diet often prepare smoothies from pumpkin, cucumber, celery stalks, tomatoes, bell peppers and add dill, parsley, basil, mint and other fresh herbs.
- Drinks and other products. The basis for smoothies can be liquid and solid (soft and/or crumbly) products: tea, juice, milk (cow, goat, soy, coconut), yogurt, kefir, whey, cottage cheese, tofu, ice cream, etc. These components not only affect the taste and benefits, but also make smoothies a more nutritious dish that can replace a snack or even a full meal.
- Flavors and flavoring additives. This category includes all products that are added to smoothies in small quantities. For extra sweetness it can be honey, maple syrup, jam, preserves, syrup or just sugar. Also, if desired, coconut flakes, nuts, seeds, bran, oat and corn flakes, spices, dried and fresh spices, cocoa, vegetable oil, etc. are added to the smoothie.
How to make smoothies at home
The smoothie does not require heat treatment or any special culinary skills at all. If your home has electricity, and you have a blender or chopper at your disposal, then you can assume that preparing a smoothie is just a matter of a few minutes: 
- Take 1 ripe banana, 50 ml of natural yogurt without additives, a large peach, several strawberries (fresh or frozen), 2 tablespoons of instant oatmeal. You can also add a couple of teaspoons of honey, a pinch of cinnamon, vanilla extract (or vanilla sugar) and a sprig of fresh mint to suit your taste.
- Peel the banana and cut into arbitrary pieces, possibly large ones. Remove the pit from the peach and chop the pulp as desired along with the skin. The rest of the ingredients are already ready to use.
- Place chopped banana and peach in a blender bowl, add berries and yogurt. Pour oatmeal, add honey and other flavorings. Close the device tightly and turn on for half a minute. Then, without removing the lid from the blender, shake the bowl to remove any stuck particles from the walls, and turn it on again for a few seconds.
- Pour the contents of the blender into one tall or two small glasses and garnish with mint.
- Smoothies should be drunk immediately after preparation, before the vitamins have time to oxidize in the open air. If you prepare a smoothie in advance in the morning, pour it into a thermos or bottle with a tight-fitting cap as soon as possible.
How to make a smoothie for weight loss
Smoothies are good not only for healthy nutrition, but also for dietary nutrition. With this drink you can satisfy your hunger efficiently, but low in calories. For example, if you make a smoothie from green vegetables and/or low-fat dairy products and, of course, do not add any sweeteners. Here are some successful smoothie recipes for weight loss: 
- Orange juice, fresh or frozen spinach, grated carrots, broccoli, green apple. Orange juice can be diluted with mineral water or replaced with pineapple juice to reduce calories.
- Cucumber, celery (stems and leaves), ground pepper, basil.
- Grated carrots, pumpkin, lime, salt and a mixture of dried herbs.
- Tomato juice, cucumber, bell pepper, green pepper, bunch of dill.
- Ripe soft pear, apricots, spinach, strawberries, pine nuts.
How to make a smoothie without a blender
The lack of special household appliances should not prevent you from making smoothies at home. Moreover, previously, juices with pulp and fruit drinks were prepared without all modern equipment. For example, you can make a smoothie at home like this:
- Grate the solid ingredients.
- Squeeze the soft ingredients through cheesecloth or a sieve.
- Vegetables and fruits can be passed through a meat grinder.
- Try using a manual juicer and/or citrus press as well.
- Mix the crushed and prepared ingredients with the liquid base and beat with a whisk or fork.
Every day the number of people choosing a healthy lifestyle and healthy food is growing. Everyone is well aware of the dangers of fast food or excessive consumption of sweets. But what should those who cannot imagine their life without desserts do? That's right - replace them with natural and healthy (but no less tasty) smoothies. Smoothie is translated from English as ‘homogeneous’.
The basis of the cocktail is fresh and natural ingredients: berries, fruits and vegetables. Yogurt, milk or juices are used as a base. For sweetness, honey or natural sweeteners are added.
This healthy drink gives a kind of energy boost to the body. Smoothies are a great snack during the day or after exercise, such as yoga. If, an hour after class, you drink a glass of green smoothie, which can include kiwi, spinach, apples or avocado, the benefits for the body will be double, since yoga has a positive effect on the body, and the cocktail will only enhance the result and help remove toxins and normalize metabolism substances. Complete benefits.
How to make smoothies at home
If you decide to treat yourself to a healthy cocktail, then nothing is simpler, because preparing the drink does not require complex actions or great culinary skills. All you have to do is select the ingredients and combine them. And now in more detail.
According to the technology, not only the liquid component of the fruit is used to prepare a smoothie, but also its pulp, as a result of which such a drink can replace a full meal, for example, you can drink a glass of smoothie instead of dinner or as a pleasant snack. Thanks to the pulp, the drink has a high amount of fiber, has a beneficial effect on metabolism and recharges the body with vitamins. Along with all these positive aspects, the drink is low in calories, which makes it an ideal option for those. who watches their figure.
How to make smoothies correctly
Having decided to please your body with a healthy drink, the question arises: how to make a smoothie correctly?
Here are the main rules for preparing a delicious drink:
- The smoothie must be balanced, that is, its composition must harmoniously combine fiber, fats and proteins, which means, in addition to fruits, berries or vegetables, it must include nuts or flax seeds, as well as milk or yogurt;
- To achieve a uniform consistency of the cocktail, use a blender; it will quickly grind the ingredients to the required puree state. Immersion blenders are best for this. This way you will be able to achieve the correct consistency of the yogurt and eliminate the possibility of uncrushed pieces;
- Eliminate sugar. It is not advisable to add sugar to smoothies, because the fruits themselves are already quite sweet. If natural sweetness seems insufficient for you, then flavor your drink with a small amount of dried fruits; bananas are a natural sweetener - adding one fruit will make your cocktail much sweeter;
- Minimum water. To keep your smoothie rich and nutritious, don't dilute it with too much water; Ideally, water can be replaced with milk or juice, but also in a small volume;
- Color balance. No matter how it sounds, you need to know what colors to mix. So, if you decide to add a bunch of spinach to your strawberry smoothie, be prepared to end up with an unflattering swamp-colored slurry; undoubtedly, this combination will be useful, but, for example, children will drink such a drink without enthusiasm. To prevent the greens from appearing in such a shade in the drink, disguise them in dark berries;
- It is optimal to drink a smoothie chilled, so you need to prepare it from ingredients at a suitable temperature - frozen berries, chilled yogurt, but you should be careful, because a drink that is too cold can negatively affect your health, and ice-cold food is digested much worse;
- To make the smoothie more healthy, you can replace cow’s milk with nut milk; this solution makes the smoothie more easily and quickly absorbed by the body;
- Know your limits. Many people like to experiment in the kitchen, but you should always be prepared for any outcome. So, if you want to mix more than five different ingredients in a smoothie, then the likelihood of getting an inharmonious taste increases. You shouldn’t try to add “as much of everything as possible” to the drink. Remember: to get a delicious drink, mix no more than five ingredients.
Now, knowing the main features and secrets of how to make a smoothie correctly, you can safely move on to preparing a vitamin cocktail.
How to make smoothies at home
The entire cooking process consists of just a few simple steps. Just five minutes, and your diet is enriched with a vitamin cocktail.
We have put together a small selection of tips for you with step-by-step descriptions.
The first thing that is important is to decide on the liquid base for the future smoothie. For the diet version, you can use purified water, juice or even tea. If you want to replace a meal with a smoothie, you will need a more nutritious base, such as milk (cow's, coconut or almond), natural yogurt or kefir. For a vitamin cocktail, use your favorite juice as a base.
Let's move on to choosing the remaining ingredients. The main component of a smoothie is fruits, berries or vegetables. Those with a sweet tooth should give preference to fruits such as banana, pear or peach. But you shouldn’t choose watermelon or orange as the main ingredient, as in this case the smoothie will turn out unsaturated.
How long does it take to make a smoothie at home?
Cooking does not take much time and does not require special skills. Wash the selected solid ingredients (fruits, vegetables, berries) and cut into medium-sized pieces. Place everything in a blender bowl and turn on for a few seconds until smooth. Then add liquid ingredients (juice, milk or water) and mix again with a blender. That's all, your healthy drink is ready!
A little trick: to simplify the process of mixing solid ingredients, you can add a little liquid at the very beginning. Knowing how to make smoothies at home, You can please yourself and your loved ones with this drink every day, because it is not only tasty, but also incredibly healthy!
What can you make a smoothie from?
The most interesting and convenient thing is that smoothies give complete freedom to your imagination. There are no restrictions regarding the choice of ingredients, and each recipe can be adjusted depending on desires and preferences. Most often, two or three types of ingredients are combined in a smoothie.
Fruits, berries, vegetables, herbs, cereals, yogurt, juice - all this is great for culinary experiments.
For cocktails, it is preferable to use only ripe fruits, because hard and crunchy ones, such as apples or pears, will not be able to fully impart their taste. But, for example, ripe and slightly soft bananas will be as sweet as possible and will give your drink the desired sweetness. Fruits, in addition to taste, will fill the smoothie with an “explosive” amount of vitamins and fiber.
What can you make vegetable smoothies from?
Cucumber, avocado, greens, and spinach are usually added to such cocktails. It is worth noting that spinach is rich in oxalates, due to which calcium is not absorbed, therefore, you should not add dairy ingredients to smoothies with spinach as a liquid base.
Ice cubes are often chosen as the final ingredient in a cocktail. This option is suitable if there is a need to make the smoothie less thick; if such a goal is not pursued, then it is better to replace it with pieces of frozen fruit, because when the ice begins to melt, it will change the structure of the smoothie, making it too watery. But pieces of fruit will not harm, but will also cool the drink.
Dairy ingredients are a source of protein, they also make the drink nutritious and help satisfy hunger for a long time. To increase the protein percentage, you can add nut butter or protein powder.
To prepare a chocolate cocktail, a small amount of natural cocoa or carob is added to the composition. Adding toppings, exotic fruits, and coffee will help diversify your smoothie. Try new combinations, experiment and enjoy healthy drinks. But you shouldn’t prepare smoothies in reserve, because only freshly prepared smoothies are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Drinks prepared in advance lose their beneficial qualities when exposed to air.
If you're looking for a snack, a source of post-workout nutrition, or just a light, nutritious breakfast option, smoothies are perfect for you. 10 simple and healthy smoothie recipes will help you nourish yourself and fill your body with vitamins and fiber.
Banana-ginger smoothie
For two servings you need:- 1 banana
- 200 ml natural yoghurt (no additives)
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp. grated ginger
Place all ingredients in a blender bowl and beat everything well until smooth.
157 kcal; 1 g fat, 38 g carbohydrates and 5 g protein.
Berry smoothie - a simple recipe
A simple recipe with bright berry flavors, an excellent replacement for milkshakes and ice cream. For 1 serving you need:
- 1/2 cup berries (you can use frozen ones, such as cherries or blueberries)
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt (low fat)
- 1/2 cup orange or any favorite juice
Mix berries, yogurt and juice in a blender until smooth.
Energy value (1 serving): 185 kcal; 2 g fat, 35 g carbohydrates and 8 g protein.
Refreshing orange smoothie
A great refreshing drink that will cool you down on a hot day. For 1 serving you will need: - 1/2 orange (peeled)
- 100 ml. drinking yogurt
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- a couple of ice cubes
- 1/4 tsp. vanillin
Place all ingredients in a blender bowl. Beat everything until smooth.
Energy value (1 serving): 160 kcal; 1 g fat, 36 g carbohydrates and 3 g protein.
Smoothie with green tea, berries and banana
Green tea with its antioxidant properties is a godsend. For 2 servings you will need:
- 1/2 cup green tea (must be brewed in advance and cooled)
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 cup berries (frozen or fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries or cherries are great)
- 1 banana
- 1 glass of milk
Stir honey into tea. Combine berries, banana and milk in a blender bowl. Add the tea to a blender and blend until smooth.
Energy value (1 serving): 269 kcal; 2.5 g fat, 63 g carbohydrates and 3.5 g protein.
Green smoothie with apple and celery
For 1 serving you need: - 1 glass of water
- 1/3 cup canned or fresh pineapple
- 1 stick of celery (cut into small pieces)
- 1/2 apple (without peel, cut into cubes)
- honey for sweetness
Mix all ingredients using a blender.
Smoothie “Tutti-Frutti”
This is one of the most delicious smoothie recipes and will be a good start to the day for the whole family. For 2 servings you need to prepare:
- 1/2 cup any berries of your choice
- 1/2 cup canned pineapple
- 1/2 cup natural yogurt
- half a ripe banana;
- half a glass of orange juice
To make smoothies, it is best to use an immersion blender with a bowl. Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk for 2-3 minutes until smooth.
Energy value (1 serving): 140 kcal; 2.5 g fat, 29 g carbohydrates and 3.5 g protein.
Smoothie with avocado and strawberries
For two servings of drink you need: - half an avocado (cut into cubes)
- 1/2 cup strawberries
- 4 tbsp natural yogurt
- 200 ml. milk
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey (for sweetness)
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. If the smoothie turns out a bit thick, you can add a little milk.
Energy value (1 serving): 197 kcal; 11 g fat, 15 g carbohydrates and 9 g protein.
“Very” berry smoothie
For 2 servings of berry smoothie you will need:
- 1 cup fresh/frozen raspberries
- 1 cup fresh/frozen cherries (necessarily pitted)
- you can add another handful of blueberries or currants
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1 tsp grated ginger (you can do without it)
Beat all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into glasses and enjoy!
Energy value (1 serving): 112 kcal; 1 g fat, 26 g carbohydrates and 1 g protein.
Banana and oatmeal smoothie - a simple recipe
- 1/4 cup rolled oats or rolled oats
- 1/2 cup low-fat yogurt
- 1 banana, chopped
- 1/2 cup skim milk
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
In a blender, combine cereal, yogurt, banana, skim milk, honey and cinnamon; beat until smooth.
Berry smoothie recipe with oatmeal
For 2 glasses of drink you will need:
- 1 cup pitted strawberries or cherries
- 1/2 vanilla yogurt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup oatmeal
- vanilla and cinnamon to taste
Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat with a blender for 1 minute.
