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Six Tips to Expedite Your Smoothie Making Process for Busy Days

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If you don’t have that much time in the mornings, you can take a few steps to prepare in advance. Time is of the essence, and when it comes to eating and nourishing our bodies, we always shortchange ourselves. Well, these tips are going to put our bodies and our health first without asking for hours of our time. Follow these tips to expedite your smoothie-making process: 1. Create a smoothie station in your kitchen: The more visible your smoothie stuff, the more likely you are to grab it and use it. Put all your tools—cutting board, knife, any containers—and your nonrefrigerated foods (like superfoods, dried fruit, nuts, nut butters, and powders) on that station. 2. Plan your week’s recipes ahead of time: Get out your food journal and plan out your smoothie recipes for the next seven days. Pick recipes that have common fruits and vegetables while also rotating some of your greens. Do your shopping for everything on the weekend. 3. Organize your smoothie bags: Get yoursel...
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Selecting the Best Blender for You

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I have broken more than my fair share of blenders. There was that first cheap $17 blender I got at Wal-Mart. The motor died shortly after, smoke and all. Then I upgraded to an Oster blender. The motor also died, but this time with no smoke. Then the nice $200+ Breville blender that did not have the horsepower necessary to blend frozen fruit. It did not make the smoothies as creamy in texture as I would have liked. I gave it away because it wouldn’t break on me. Now, I live and die by my Vitamix. I love the Vitamix, and I am never looking back, except maybe to try the Blendtec, which is the other high-powered blender on the market competing neck-in-neck with the Vitamix. With a $500 to $600 price range, these power blenders are pricey, but they can become your staple kitchen appliance for years, and get used several times per day, not to mention for multiple purposes—I love making soups in addition to smoothies using the Vitamix, and I truly believe I am saving money by having a ...
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Smoothie Tools of the Trade

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The barrier to entry into the world of smoothies is very low. You need so little to equip yourself to make these delicious smoothies that you would be silly not to, and you do not need an expertise in nutrition or medicine to be very good at it. Making healthy smoothies is an art that anybody can learn. In fact, at a minimum, you need a blender, and that is all. You can make do with everything else if you just have a blender. In the next section, I’ll help you select the best blender for your needs and budget. Here’s everything else that can make your smoothie process fun, easy, quick, and streamlined: 1. A sharp knife or a knife set : You are going to be cutting a lot of fruits and vegetables. Dull knives slow down everything, have a higher risk of injury, and are a waste of your precious time. Invest in at least one good, sharp knife. 2. A cutting board: I like the bamboo cutting boards, but you can get whatever you like. Just don’t do the cutting on your counters. Protect ...
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Mixing and Matching Flavors

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Mixing and matching the flavors in your smoothie is a lot of fun, but it takes a little while to get the hang of it. With all recipes, you will have a base fruit as well as a flavor fruit. The base fruit is what you will primarily taste in your smoothie, and the flavor fruit(s) are what you add to give the smoothie the extra flavors and boost the overall nutritional profile of your drink. Flavor fruits are totally optional, but I highly recommend you add them in. They especially enhance the overall taste of a green smoothie and cut down the bitterness and strong flavor of greens. Here are some ideas on what base fruits and flavor fruits combine extremely well together. Remember, this is not the only way to combine fruits by any stretch of imagination. These are simply combinations that I enjoy and have used in some of the recipes here, and it’s just to get you started. You can use these or create your own by mixing and matching flavors and explore to your heart’s content. ...
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The Top Ten Fruits of Choice for Your Healthy Smoothie

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Avocado: One day, I want to own avocado trees. This gorgeous, creamy little delight is a source of excellent fat and vitamins for your body, is extremely filling, and goes very well as a base fruit in your smoothies. It is very low in sugar and adds a great texture to smoothies. The skin and pit are inedible. Oh, and as far as protein goes, avocados have all eighteen essential amino acids to be a complete protein food. Good news if you’re cutting out meat! Apple : An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? This nutritious fruit, which is high in vitamins and minerals, is excellent for you. No need to peel your apples, but don’t eat the seeds or the stem. Never freeze apples; always use fresh ones in smoothies. You can choose any type of apple that you like. Just note that green apples are sour, so if you want the apple to act as a sweetener in your smoothie, use yellow or Fuji apples. Berries (Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Cranberries, Grapes): Tin...
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What about using Green Powders instead of Fresh Greens in Your Smoothie?

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If you don’t have access to greens or vegetables, or if you are in a hurry and won’t be able to grab that handful of fresh spinach, then you can use green powders A green powder is the powdered form of select vegetables, generally the dark leafy vegetables. Because it’s in powder form, most of the fiber has been extracted. Green powders are a form of superfood. Choose a powder that it is mostly organic and processed with protection from UV light and moisture, so that the good stuff—the chlorophyll and nutrients—are preserved as much as possible. Get quality powders that are raw and dehydrated. Store them in cool, dry places in your house to prevent exposure to light and heat, which can cause mold to grow. Avoid brands that have fillers like lecithin, fibers, whole grasses, pectin, rice bran, or flax. Go for pure organic green powder without extra stuff if possible.  All powders vary in taste and texture. They all smell differently too, but don’t worry, you won’t notice th...
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The Top 8 Vegetables of Choice for Your Healthy Smoothie

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Here are the top nine vegetables of choice that I recommend starting with. The list is in no particular order: Cucumber: A vegetable with a very high water content, the cucumber works best in savory recipes. Cucumbers are hydrating, refreshing, and a nice pick-me-up in smoothies. They are also rich in vitamins A, B1, B6, C, and D; folate; calcium; magnesium; and potassium. They add a mild taste to smoothies and help with weight loss and indigestion. Fennel: Fennel is a gorgeous vegetable with a big bulb and large stalks, and it smells heavenly. It is not cheap, so if you can get it now and again, it adds fragrance and a lift to your smoothies. A little goes a long way. It’s crunchy, sweet, and refreshing, and both bulb and stem can be used in smoothies as a decent source of vitamin C. Tomato: This red, lush, sweet, juicy vegetable (or fruit, depending on whom you ask) is great in all foods, including smoothies. Tomatoes are used in all the savory smoothies in this book. ...
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