Smoothies can be both absolutely nutritious and spectacularly delicious. Smoothies are tasty and can be jam-packed with vitamins. They are perfect for breakfast, as a snack, or even as a dessert. All you need is a blender, liquid (milk, yogurt, or juice), ice, and some of your favorite fruit or other food for flavoring.
There is no recipe for the perfect smoothie; it all depends on personal preference. I start with a 1:1 ratio of milk and ice (usually about half a cup). You can add anything else you want: fruit, vegetables, spices (cinnamon or nutmeg), or even supplemental protein powders or fibers. As far as consistency is concerned, my ideal smoothie must be consumed with either the help of a straw or a spoon; it is thick enough to not simply flow out of a cup. The first time I made a smoothie, it was much too watery. I now freeze all of the fruit beforehand (or simply start with frozen fruit), so the warmest ingredient being added is the milk from the refrigerator, and there is minimal melting. If the smoothie is still too thin, more ice can be added. However, the key to a well-blended smoothie is to start blending with pieces that are already small (no larger than a golf ball, so everything will blend completely). Cutting up fruit before freezing it is ideal. Though it may be tempting to try to blend all of the ice and frozen fruit before adding the liquid, this will likely cause the blender to jam up. Add the liquid before you begin blending.
One word of caution for smoothies is to consider how much is actually going into the smoothie. You might start off with the calories from just a banana, some peanut butter, and milk, which is a reasonable amount for a breakfast. However, if you add in another apple, an orange and a few handfuls of berries, you might quickly find yourself slurping down a meal that is higher in caloric content than you ever intended. However, this problem is quickly solved by either saving a portion of the smoothie (by freezing it) for a future snack, or by sharing it with others. As college freshmen, my roommate and I invested in a blender for our suite’s kitchen. We find making smoothies to be a fun, healthy, satisfying snack break during a study session.
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