How to Make a Smoothie

When we’re craving an easy, nutrition-packed breakfast (and just can’t be bothered to cook or chop anything), smoothies are what we turn to. Ready in a handful of minutes, they’re the perfect quick breakfast when you’ve gotta eat and get out the door. We’ve got plenty of smoothie recipes (we’re looking at you spinach smoothie and blueberry smoothie), but if you’re looking to perfect the art of the smoothie, this is the guide for you. Before we dive into this triple-berry recipe, read on to discover all of our top tips on how to make the perfect smoothie, no matter your fruit of choice:

Pick your fruit.
We chose strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and bananas to be our base in this recipe, but any combo of fruit is great. Make a tropical smoothie of pineapple, mango, and banana or add blueberry and peach to switch it up a bit for a summer twist. Whatever your dream combination, aim for about 3 cups of fruit in total. 

Fresh or frozen fruit?
For smoothies, frozen fruit is best. It blends up thicker than fresh fruit and gives you a really cold smoothie to enjoy after blending. If you don't have frozen fruit, freeze your fresh fruit for 30 minutes before blending or add about 1 cup of ice and blend until smooth! 

Add a thickener.
We use unsweetened Greek yogurt in our smoothie, but peanut butter, almond butter, or vanilla yogurt are all great options. Traditionally about 1/2 cup is ideal. If you prefer thinner smoothies, you can either lessen the amount of thickener or skip it all together.

Choose a liquid. 
Almond milk is great for the added nutty flavor, but coconut milk pairs well with a tropical smoothie and gives a richer, creamier flavor. Whole milk or fruit juice also work well if you’re not feeling plant-based milk. Whatever your choice, 1 1/4 cup of liquid makes the perfect smoothie consistency in our book. Tip: If you skipped the thickener, use less liquid as well. 

Go crazy with the add-ins.
Add some spinach or kale for additional nutrition (it’s our favorite way to get in greens) or flax seeds for omega-3s. Flavors like fresh mint, vanilla extract, cinnamon, or honey will take any smoothie to the next level. 

If you've made this smoothie, we'd love to hear from you! Leave us a comment and rate this recipe down below.