Smoothies are delicious and a quick way to get nutrients into your diet. Try my easy smoothie formula, plus 35 amazing smoothie recipes.
Having a daily smoothie has become part of my routine and I love it because smoothies are convenient, healthy and super quick to whip up and take with you on the go.
Plus, it’s easy to pack in nutritional elements like fruit, vegetables and protein (from protein powder, Greek yogurt, seeds, nuts, etc.)! Not to mention, they taste awesome. Many of my favorites actually taste like dessert, but I get to eat/drink them for breakfast, lunch or as a post-workout or afternoon snack. Love that!
Basic Formula for a Smoothie
Here’s my basic formula for a delicious smoothie:
Fruit – 1-2 cups of fruit per smoothie.
Any fruit will work, but I recommend using frozen fruit because it gives smoothies a thick, rich texture (similar to a smoothie you can get from a smoothie shop) and makes the smoothie extra cold. My favorite fruits to use in smoothies include frozen bananas, frozen peaches, mango, cherries, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.
A general rule of thumb is that the more fruit you add, the higher the sugar and calorie content – which isn’t a bad thing! Just something to be aware of because the sugar content in smoothies can add up quickly.
Liquid – 1/2 to 1 cup of liquid per smoothie. This can be water, milk, non-dairy milk or fruit juice.
Protein – Adding protein isn’t a requirement, but I like to make my smoothies more filling by adding some sort of protein, usually with Greek yogurt, protein powder or nuts and seeds.
Veggies – Smoothies can be a great way to sneak veggies into your diet. Most of the time they get blended right in and you can’t even taste them. Some veggies I recommend include frozen cauliflower, zucchini, cucumbers and greens like spinach and kale.
Blend
Once you have your ingredients ready, it’s time to blend. Simply add all the ingredients into your blender and blend until smooth. Once blended check the texture to see if you need to adjust. If the smoothie is too thick you can add more liquid and if it’s too thin, add more frozen fruit.
What Type of Blender is Best?
A high-quality blender goes a long way when it comes to making perfectly blended smoothies that have a similar texture to a smoothie you’d get from a smoothie shop. High-powered blenders can process frozen fruit and veggies easily! I’ve found that my Vitamix blender works great for smoothie bowls like this one, but it’s definitely an investment. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, check out the Ninja Foodi smoothie bowl maker.
How to Make a Smoothie
5 from 1 vote
Smoothies are delicious and a quick way to get nutrients into your diet. Try my easy smoothie formula, plus 35 amazing smoothie recipes.
½cupfrozen fruit (like berries, mango, pineapple, etc)
½-1cupmilk (non-dairy or dairy), or other liquid of choice
¼cupplain Greek yogurt or 1 scoop protein powder
optional: handful of greens, chia seeds or flaxseed, nut butter, nuts, etc.
Instructions
Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender, starting with ½ cup milk. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding more milk as needed to get the desired thickness.
Please leave a comment and star rating on this post and share on social media using the hashtag #eatingbirdfood. I love seeing your recipe shares!
What Are The Healthiest Ingredients to Put in a Smoothie?
I recommend a combination of fruits, vegetables, liquid or yogurt and then sometimes I’ll add some protein powder and/or superfoods. Here are some ingredients to consider:
Frozen zucchini – Believe it or not, frozen zucchini makes smoothies super creamy! If you don’t like bananas or want a lower sugar smoothie, try zucchini! You can steam it before cooling and freezing if you want the zucchini to be a little easier to digest.
Frozen cauliflower rice – Frozen riced cauliflower is a great way to add volume and creaminess to smoothies. I often time use it instead of frozen fruit when I’m looking to make a low-sugar smoothie. Try my chocolate cauliflower smoothie.
Oats – Adding oats to your smoothie can help you stay feeling full longer. Plus it adds fiber and protein!
Greens – Experiment with adding different greens to your smoothie! Kale, spinach, chard, arugula… the options are endless. If you’re new to adding greens, start with spinach because it had the mildest flavor. Try my favorite peanut butter green smoothie.
Herbs – Basil, mint… the options are endless and will give off an extra boost of vitamins, minerals and flavor!
Avocado – Avocados also make smoothies creamy… like really creamy. And they add great healthy fats! Try my avocado mango smoothie.
Juices – Fresh juice is an easy way to add flavor to your smoothie. You’ll often see orange juice or pineapple juice in smoothies but there are so many options.
Chia seeds – Chia seeds are a super simple way to add fiber and healthy fats to your smoothie. The flavor is fairly neutral so it goes with pretty much any smoothie! Try my orange banana smoothie.
Flaxseed – Boost nutrients and fiber content with some flax seeds. You can either add ground flaxseed to the smoothie or top a smoothie bowl with whole flaxseed.
Hemp seeds – Just like chia and flaxseed, hemp seeds are a great addition to smoothies.
Nut butter – I love adding different nut butter to my smoothies not only for flavor but for added healthy fats. Peanut butter, almond butter… whatever nut you like! Nut butter makes everything better, including smoothies! Try my almond butter smoothie.
Maca – Maca is an adaptogenic root which means it helps balance your body. Studies have shown that it can help with balancing hormones, energy, fertility, mental state and more! I like adding maca to my chocolate cauliflower smoothie. It gives it a malted milkshake flavor!
Spices – Spices like cinnamon and nutmeg are also great add-ins!
Sweeteners – Some smoothies could use a little added sweetness! A little maple syrup, honey, agave or monk fruit work nicely. Check out my guide to natural sweeteners.
Of course, this is just a shortlist of the smoothie add-ins… there are so many different things you can to your smoothies.
Can Smoothies Replace a Meal?
If it’s a well-balanced smoothie with a good amount of protein, fiber and healthy fats you can absolutely use it as a meal replacement. I aim for around 400-500 calories and at least 12-15 grams of protein if I’m having a smoothie as a meal. See my protein shake recipes to get some ideas.
I like to enjoy a smoothie for breakfast or a snack, but it usually isn’t filling or satisfying enough for me for lunch or dinner. This strawberry banana smoothie is a great snack option because it’s less than 200 calories and has 7 grams of protein!
I’ve also found that sometimes a smoothie bowl is more filling for me. I like to top them with things to chew (like fresh fruit, nuts and/or granola) and eat the smoothie with a spoon. The process of eating with a spoon and having something to chew makes my brain register the smoothie as a meal and it feels more satisfying. New to smoothie bowls? Try this healthy smoothie bowl as a starter recipe and then try my acai bowl or dragon fruit smoothie bowl.
Do You Put Ice in Smoothies?
I don’t put ice in my smoothies that often, but you absolutely can! Ice will make your smoothies thicker and extra cold, which is key if you’re not using other frozen ingredients. I personally like to use frozen ingredients (like fruit or veggies) rather than ice but you can absolutely throw a few ice cubes in if you want. Just don’t add too many or it will dilute the flavor of your smoothie.
If you really want to add ice, try making ice cubes using your favorite milk of choice (like oat milk, coconut milk, almond milk or soy milk) to make ice cubes and add them in.
Need some smoothie recipe inspiration? Try one of these popular smoothie recipes:
This refreshing green detox smoothie is packed with hydrating fruit and veggies including fresh mint, apple, lemon, baby spinach and a whole heart of romaine. It's detoxifying and will truly help you glow from the inside out!
This pineapple recovery smoothie is the perfect post-workout drink because it's packed with nutrients known to help decrease inflammation and speed up muscle recovery.
This green protein smoothie is packed with spinach, banana and vanilla protein powder and makes for the perfect healthy breakfast or post-workout snack! Added bonus: it’s vegan and dairy-free!
This tropical green smoothie is loaded with banana, mango, coconut, spinach, protein powder and chia seeds. It’s the perfect healthy smoothie for summer!
This creamy chocolate mint chip smoothie is packed with coconut, cacao, mint and frozen riced cauliflower. It’s vegan, low in sugar and loaded with protein and healthy fats.
This easy cranberry smoothie combines unsweetened cranberry juice with frozen berries, banana and yogurt for a creamy and delicious sippable breakfast or snack!
This cherry mocha smoothie packs frozen cherries, cold brew, and chocolate all into one delicious smoothie. You’ll love the flavor and also get a little energy boost from the coffee.
Combine frozen blueberries with peanut butter and banana for a protein-packed peanut butter and jelly smoothie that tastes just like your favorite PB&J sandwich from childhood!
This blueberry smoothie is packed with antioxidant-rich blueberries, hydrating coconut water, and spinach for a creamy and nutritious breakfast or snack. Vegan and gluten-free.
This creamy clementine smoothie combines clementines with a frozen banana and almond milk for a delicious smoothie that tastes like a creamsicle. Vegan and gluten-free.
Get your chocolate fix with this thick and decadent chocolate cherry smoothie with cocoa powder, frozen cherries, baby greens and almond butter. Vegan and gluten-free.
This chocolate covered strawberry smoothie combines strawberries, banana, dates and cocoa powder for a healthy smoothie that tastes like decadent treat.
This avocado mango smoothie is loaded with avocado, shredded coconut, frozen mango, medjool dates and lime juice. It's thick, creamy and the perfect refreshing smoothie for summer!
Similar to a mango lassi, this simple protein-packed smoothie requires only three ingredients — mango, Greek yogurt and almond milk. Creamy, cool and deliciously refreshing on a hot summer day.
This chocolate peppermint smoothie is creamy, chocolatey and perfect for the holidays. It tastes like dessert, but is protein-packed and loaded with healthy ingredients and makes for a great breakfast or post-workout treat.
This oatmeal smoothie tastes just like a cinnamon oatmeal cookie, but in smoothie form. It's healthy, packed with over 20 grams of protein and makes for a great breakfast or post-workout snack! Vegan + gluten-free.
This golden milk smoothie with fresh turmeric, ginger and mango is the perfect way to refuel after a workout. It’s got the protein and carbs your body needs along with anti-inflammation properties to help your body recover.
This creamy healthy pumpkin pie smoothie requires only six ingredients and tastes like liquid pumpkin pie. It’s vegan, gluten-free and surprisingly healthy!
This pumpkin gingerbread smoothie tastes like your favorite holiday dessert, but is loaded with health-boosting ingredients like fresh ginger, blackstrap molasses, and chia seeds. Vegan and gluten-free.
Looking for a super easy smoothie recipe that will become your kiddos’ (and your!) new favorite summer drink? This banana almond butter smoothie fits the bill.
I need to start drinking a smoothie daily!! The Green Elvis smoothie sounds interesting 🙂
Also, I am having a healthy giveaway on my blog, please check it out at http://mylifebeingrenewed.blogspot.com/
Oh my goodness! This is like the smoothie jackpot! I have been trying to incorporate at least one green smoothie every day to up my greens intake. I am pinning now so I can try all of these!
I love smoothies! But does anyone else get hungry after a smoothie with all that fruit? I do better when I add powder to them, but still crazy hungry in about an hour or so. At least hungrier than if I eat a piece of chicken and fruit. Not sure why. Maybe that’s just me.
Leave a Comment
I need to start drinking a smoothie daily!! The Green Elvis smoothie sounds interesting 🙂
Also, I am having a healthy giveaway on my blog, please check it out at http://mylifebeingrenewed.blogspot.com/
They all look amazing!!! 🙂
So many great recipes! The Green Elvis is always a favorite.
Oh my goodness! This is like the smoothie jackpot! I have been trying to incorporate at least one green smoothie every day to up my greens intake. I am pinning now so I can try all of these!
I love smoothies! But does anyone else get hungry after a smoothie with all that fruit? I do better when I add powder to them, but still crazy hungry in about an hour or so. At least hungrier than if I eat a piece of chicken and fruit. Not sure why. Maybe that’s just me.