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Six years ago when I was living in New York City, I had very little room for any of my kitchen gadgets except for one or two pots and my treasured high speed blender. I decided that as long as I could make a few batches of soup each week and several smoothies each day, I could easily survive and still eat well. In the process of this smoothie-making craze (and driving my neighbors crazy from all the blending), I learned some helpful tips about how to make the best superfood smoothie in terms of texture and taste.
We’ve all had the experience of being hyped up about a smoothie recipe only to have it fail us miserably, leaving us in a state of confusion and with a soupy mess in our blenders (and possibly on the walls too). Not too appetizing, right? Luckily, there’s an easy solution that doesn’t require anything more than remembering a simple technique that you can use with any blender you have.
The order in which you add ingredients to a blender makes all the difference between your smoothie being a concoction of a mess or a creamy, thick smoothie that satisfies both your appetite and your ego. As long as you follow these eight basic steps, you can get as creative as you want to and say goodbye to all of your blender blunders in the process too!
1. Use Half the Amount of Liquid
Start things off by only using half the amount of liquid called for in a recipe. If you don’t have a recipe, then a safe amount is around 3/4 cup to 1 cup per 16 to 20 ounce smoothie. Some recipes advise adding all the liquid first, while others say to add it last. I find that if you add half the amount of liquid at the beginning and half at the end, it creates a much more evenly blended smoothie than adding it all at one time.
2. Protein Powder
If you’re using protein powder in your superfood smoothie, such as a plant-based brand like Vega or Sunwarrior, it’s best to add it next. These powders help thicken your smoothie and create a creamier blend. By adding them right after the liquid, they’ll blend much more easily than adding them last, where they may end up a bit powdery or chalky.
3. Superfoods
Now it’s time to add your superfoods! Choose from anything such as maca, cacao, coconut butter, plain cocoa powder, chia seeds, acai berries, goji berries, raw almond butter, flax seeds, or even a green superfood powder. Sweeteners such as stevia or vegan honey can also be added here, or any other superfood you enjoy too. Choose recipes such as Superfood Green Smoothie, Blueberry Acai Super Smoothie or Chia, Lucuma and Coconut Smoothie.
4. Leafy Greens
Every superfood smoothie deserves some leafy greens, right? It’s best not to place them right near the blade where they could potentially oxidize during blending, or wait until last, where they may not blend well. By placing them in the middle, they’ll blend perfectly between all of your ingredients, so you’re not left chewing bits of greens in your smoothie later on! For a sweeter blend, choose spinach, romaine, or Swiss chard or for an earthier flavor, go with kale, arugula,a or collards. Use around 2 cups each for a 16 to 20-ounce smoothie.
5. Frozen Fruit
Next, it’s time to add some frozen fruit (or even frozen greens) on top of your fresh greens. This helps keep the greens cool, and it helps them blend better. You can choose any fruit you like here, so get creative! I’m a huge fan of frozen cucumbers, raspberries, and acai packs, but feel free to choose from frozen bananas, berries, cherries, mangoes, or peaches too! Use 1 cup of frozen fruit per 16-ounce to 20-ounce smoothie, or adjust the amount of liquids if you want to use more fruit.
6. Ice
Be sure to add some ice if you like your smoothies especially thick and cold! You can even freeze almond milk or coconut milk in ice cube trays to use instead for a creamier flavor. Adding ice prevents your superfoods and greens from overheating during the blending cycle. Because no one likes a lukewarm smoothie, right? Use five to eight large ice cubes or more if you want it even thicker.
7. Remaining Liquid
And finally, it’s time to pour in your remaining ¾ cup to 1 cup liquid. Whether you choose water, cooled green tea, almond, coconut, hemp or flax milk, adding just enough at the end is the perfect way to ensure the best blend possible.
8. Blend Time
Now you’re ready to blend! Start on a low speed and then progress to high for the best consistency possible. If you have a Vitamix, you’ll want to use the tamper, and if you have a Blendtec, I suggest using the frozen dessert button to create an extra-thick smoothie. No high-tech blender? Don’t worry! This technique works in all types of blenders.
Now you never have to dread making a smoothie again, and you can vary the ingredients however you like, so long as you remember this order. Hopefully, these steps will inspire you to make more smoothies and give you a better blending experience at the same time. Now, get blending already!
Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home
Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental well-being, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer, and has many side effects.
For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend grabbing our favorite plant-based cookbooks and downloading the Food Monster App — with over 20,000 delicious recipes, it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals, and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.
Here are some great resources to get you started:
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