Smoothies are healthy, light and make great meal replacements. The best part is that smoothies are quick to whip up and can even be carried along with you.
The trouble that a novice smoothie maker faces is that sometimes he or she needs to know how to creatively whip up great smoothies with just a few ingredients that they may have at hand. If making smoothies going to be a daily affair this becomes all the more troublesome. So if you are one of them, you are in luck because you’ll find tons of smoothie combinations that you could try right away. The best part is that these all require only 3 ingredients.
Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Take a frozen banana and add it to a blender with a cup of regular milk or plant-based milk. Once blended into a smooth and creamy mixture, add in a dollop of creamy peanut butter. It would be advisable to use the organic peanut butter varieties to ensure that the smoothie is without excessive sugar.
Banana Kale Smoothie
If you would like more greens in your diet here is a kale and banana smoothie recipe. You can use a medium-sized frozen banana and blend in any milk of your choice (plant-based or regular milk). Once blended well you can add half a cup of kale and blend again. The resulting green creamy smoothie will taste great chilled.
Vanilla Flavoured Banana Smoothie
Add a cup of frozen ripe banana pieces and then add in a cup of milk (regular or any other type). Once blended, add in some vanilla essence or if you have a vanilla flavoring (use organic if you can).
Strawberry and Banana Smoothie
Add half a cup of frozen strawberries and one cup of frozen bananas with any kind of milk to the blender and blend till a smoothing pink creamy texture is obtained.
Vanilla and Date Smoothie
Vanilla flavoring can be added to a cup of milk or yogurt and blended with half a cup of dates. This smoothie is energy-laden and delicious at the same time.
Mango Yogurt Smoothie
Yummy yellow mangoes are sweet as well as taste great when blended with yogurt. As a first step, cut up a medium-sized mango. Make sure the mango is right enough so the smoothie will be sweet. Blend the mangoes in the blender together and sprinkle chia seeds. This thick smoothie is so good that you will want to make it again and again.
Avocado Banana Smoothie
This is especially for weekends. Take any milk such as almond milk, out milk, or soya milk and add to the blender along with frozen bananas and half of a large-sized avocado script. You will get a very thick, creamy, and delicious avocado banana smoothie.
Coconut Yogurt and Peach Smoothie
For this smoothie, it is suggested that you have coconut yogurt or coconut cream. Anyone of these would work. In case you do not have coconut cream then you could use regular yogurt as well or any other vegan yogurt. But coconut cream or yogurt is best to get that distinct tropical taste.
Squeeze the juice out of one fresh orange and add a cup of coconut yogurt to the juice. Add in half a cup of peaches and blend quickly in a blender. Pour out in a glass and drink. Adding in some ice or refrigerating it can really improve the taste.
Oats and Banana Smoothie
This is a typical smoothie that you can use as a go-to recipe anytime because you don’t need any exotic components, just oats, and banana. Take about 3 tablespoons of rolled oats and add to half a cup of vegan milk in the blender. Blend for half a minute and then add in frozen bananas and blend it again about 30 seconds. You get a smooth and creamy oatmeal-banana smoothie which is full of good, healthy calories.
Pineapple and Coconut Milk Smoothie
Take half a cup of frozen pineapples and half a frozen banana. Add them to a blender with a half cup of coconut milk and a quarter cup of water. This is a great smoothie to have when you get tired of the regular tasting smoothies.
Raspberry Banana Smoothie
So here, you take frozen raspberries and bananas and add them to a cup of Greek yogurt. In case you don’t have Greek yogurt, you can also add in milk of any kind. Greek yogurt gives a creamy and thicker smoothie though. Blend thoroughly all the ingredients and drink cold.
Almond Butter and Banana Smoothie
Add one frozen banana to a cup of almond milk (any other milk is ok too). Now add in almond butter (about one and a half tablespoons). You will get thick and rich looking smoothies which also taste heavenly.
Cocoa Banana Smoothie
Add cocoa powder and frozen bananas to half a cup of milk or any vegan milk and blend for a deliciously creamy chocolate smoothie.
Avocado Kale Smoothie
Scoop up half medium-sized avocado then add to a cup of milk of your choice. Add the ingredients to a blender and give them a quick blend. Avocado blends quickly so do not overdo the blending. Now add in half a cup of Kale and blend again till it becomes smooth and creamy.
Papaya Pineapple Smoothie.
Here is one of my most favorites smoothies of all time, which you probably have not tried before. Use ripe papaya for this. Add half a cup of papaya to the same amount of pineapple chunks to your choice of milk and blend. The result will be a sweet and exotic tasting smoothie.
Oranges and Peaches Smoothie
Add half a cup of peeled oranges and half a peach sliced up in pieces to half a cup of yogurt and blend. A few pieces of peaches can be left in the mix for that added chunky texture.
Spinach Banana Smoothie
This is a great smoothie for weight loss as it contains fewer calories than other smoothies with milk or yogurt. Take a cup of spinach with one frozen banana and add the blender with about a cup of coconut water. You get a mildly creamy smoothie that is light and easily digestible. It is green, healthy, and full of energy.
Coconut Watermelon Smoothie
This is another weightless smoothie that you can easily whip up. For this one, you need coconut water. You can use store-bought or water fresh from a coconut. Add coconut water to the blender and one cup of sliced watermelons along with a pinch of salt on the top. This is an excellent tasting smoothie and adding salt enhances the taste.
Coconut Strawberry Smoothie
Take half a cup of coconut yogurt and add slightly strawberries that are frozen. You can add either almond butter or peanut butter to this mixture for an excellent, satisfying, and appetite-reducing smoothie. The almond butter or peanut butter adds in the fats necessary for satiation.
Carrot Pineapple Smoothie
Add one carrot and one cup of pineapple pieces to a cup of coconut water in the blender and blend till the smoothie consistency is achieved. You can have right away or refrigerate it for some time and have it chilled.
Lemon, Papaya Smoothie
Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice which is freshly squeezed to 1 cup of coconut water and half a cup of ripe papayas. Blend well and have immediately for best taste.
Chocolate Avocado smoothie
Have you tried chocolate and avocado in a smoothie?
Most people think chocolate and avocado do not go well but that’s because they have not tried it yet.
You can have a satiating and filling smoothie by adding 1 cup of sliced avocados to milk or any vegan plant-based milk such as soy milk or almond milk and blend them together as a first step. Next, add 2 tablespoons of sweetened cocoa powder to the mix and blend thoroughly. You get a thick smoothie that looks almost like a milkshake.
Spiced Pumpkin Smoothie
For this, you need a cup of boiled pumpkin pieces along with any type of milk. First blend the pumpkin and the milk together till it becomes a yellowish, creamy looking smoothie. Add in some cinnamon and blend again for that spicy twist. This is great for health as it is full of necessary fats and vitamins.
Blueberry Blast Smoothie
Add a cup of blueberries and a few tablespoons of honey to a cup of yogurt and blend lightly for a healthy and light smoothie. It is also full of antioxidants, vitamins, and good fats.
Grapes and Spinach Smoothie
Take a cup of coconut water and add a cup of grapes, and half a cup of spinach and blend all together. The resulting green smoothie is best enjoyed chilled. Please remember that the grapes need to be sweet for this smoothie to taste well.
Banana Chia Smoothie
Add one frozen banana to one cup of milk and blend with 2 tablespoons of chia seeds. Here we get a lot of potassium and fiber from bananas as well as fats from milk and chia seeds that are necessary for your health.
Orange Coconut Smoothie
Take one glass of coconut milk and add sweet peeled oranges – about a cup. Blend well and then add 2 tablespoons of honey for that sweetness and the extra energy.
Spiced Apple Smoothie
Add about a cup of sliced apples that are filled into any type of milk or yogurt and blend well. Now add half a teaspoon of cinnamon to spice up the smoothie mix. Most people find that the final smoothie tastes like apple pie.
Mango Almond Butter Smoothie
Add in a cup of frozen ripe mangoes to any type of milk or yogurt and then add 1 tablespoon of almond butter. Blend all this together till you get a thick, creamy consistency. The sweeter the mangoes, the better tasting your smoothie will be.
Banana and Almond Butter Smoothie
This is pretty much the same as the mango almond butter smoothie. Add 1 frozen banana into the milk of your choice and add one tablespoon of almond butter to the mix. Since both banana and almond butter are great emulsifiers it comes out thick, smooth and creamy.
Cantaloupe and Honey Smoothie
Add a cup of very ripe cantaloupe slices to one cup of milk and blend well. You can add one or two tablespoons of honey-based on the amount of sweetness you want to the final mixture and have it chilled for the best experience.
Honey Avocado Smoothie
For this, you need half of a medium-sized avocado. Add the avocado to any milk of a choice and add in 2 tablespoons of honey in the blender and blend. The avocado need not be pureed as a few chunks of avocado makes the smoothie even more delicious.
Oasis Smoothie
Add a cup of dates to one cup of milk along with one frozen banana. Blend well for the thick tasty smoothie. For an even better taste, you can try freezing the milk and adding it when slightly thawed. This gives an incredibly tasty and thick smoothie. You need to try it and see for yourself.
Blueberry Tofu Smoothie
Silken tofu is a great ingredient that makes good smoothies. Generally, vegans are more into using tofu in smoothies, but non-vegans can also enjoy tofu in their smoothies. To make blueberry tofu smoothies you need to specifically get silken tofu as that is what will help you get a proper smoothie. Do not attempt this with other types of tofu. Cube the tofu so that you have approximately one cup and then add that along with half a cup of blueberries into a blender. Add 1 cup of almond milk or soy milk. Blend until it becomes smooth and creamy. You will find that the smoothie tastes great and equals other types of smoothies.
Mango Tofu Smoothie
Mangoes are also excellent accompaniments with tofu for smoothies. As with the blueberries just add a cup of mango chunks to the blender along with equal amounts of silken tofu and blend with any plant-based milk. You will get a smooth and tasty smoothie.
Spinach/Kale and Blackberry Smoothie
Here is a smoothie that can be enjoyed by vegans, keto and paleo enthusiasts. Take half a cup of blueberries and add them to a cup of coconut milk in the blender. Once well blended, add in a half a cup of spinach and blend again. You can substitute spinach with kale if you want. This smoothie is delicious and loaded with antioxidants and necessary nutrients.
Tips on Taking your Smoothies from Good to Great:
Tip #1 – It is not the number of ingredients but the combination:
There is no point in dumping a lot of ingredients into smoothies just because they are touted as good for you. You will end up with something that is undrinkable. Reduce the ingredients and focus on the combinations and how each complements the other. For e.g. when you make a smoothie and add dates, milk, and spinach – all the ingredients are good for you. But the other reason is that date is added as a sweetener, the milk as the emulsifier, and the kale as the fiber. So, keeping the aspects of suitable combinations is important.
Tip #2 – Always get fresh ingredients:
You are making smoothies primarily for gaining better health so do not skimp and use fruits and vegetables that have been sitting around for some time. Get fresh ingredients or freeze them as soon as you get them so that when you use them it can be thawed and thereby retains freshness.
I wrote an article about the nutrients of the ingredients when freezing smoothies, for more information click here.
Tip #3 – The taste is in the texture:
A smoothie is appealing because it is smooth and creamy so you need to ensure that you blend the ingredients well. It is also important to have a good blender as it makes a huge difference in the quality of smoothies and even whether you continue with the smoothies habit or not.
Tip #4 – Don’t be afraid of fats:
Smoothies are made creamy by fats and based on your diet choice you may use plant-based sources. This is a great emulsifier and makes the smoothies more satiating. If you are vegan you can choose fats from avocado, flaxseeds, almond butter, peanut butter, etc. If you are non-vegan you could add on cheese, milk, and yogurt.
Tip #5 – Don’t overdo greens:
Greens are good for you but there is no need to add too many as they are fibrous in nature and tend to make the smoothies separate faster (I wrote an in-depth article about this problem and how to to keep smoothie from separating – for more details click here). Add half a cup to one cup of greens and it will make the smoothie healthy enough.
Tip #6 – Reduce water:
Instead of adding water, you can add other liquids or ingredients that contain water such as watermelons, apples, etc. Too much water makes the ingredients settle fast and you will end up getting repulsed by the concoction.
Tip #7 – Add frozen fruits whenever possible:
Frozen fruits as compared to normal fruits make the smoothies cold and increase the creaminess of the smoothie. Most smoothies are best-drunk cold and frozen fruits deliver benefits that are threefold- adding coolness, increasing creaminess, and adding in nutrients.
Tip #8 – Experiment:
The combinations and possibilities of smoothies are endless so keep experimenting as to what you want when it comes to maintaining your healthy habit. Constant experimenting keeps the process thrilling and adds in a variety of nutrients to your diet as well.