Author: Alayna Lopez
Tips and Tricks to Get Creative with Your Smoothie Recipes
Over the summer, some friends and I played pickleball as a fun way to stay active. Despite the intense 105-degree heat, we had a great time. Afterward, craving something cold and refreshing, we returned home and indulged in our homemade smoothie bar.
Homemade smoothies are an incredibly refreshing way to start the day. With so many unique combinations and ingredient options, you can personalize smoothies to anyone’s taste buds or switch things up and try something fun and new. Here are some of my favorite tips to start a collection of ingredients for your own homemade smoothie bar.
The Base
All smoothies start with a liquid base. It may seem like there are only a few good options for a smoothie, but you may be surprised. Water is a great go-to for your base. You can also try milk, oat milk, almond milk, or even goat’s milk if you prefer. Looking for something a bit more tropical? A splash of juice, coconut water, or coconut milk is also a popular choice.
Fruits
With so many delicious choices of fruit, where do you start? You really can’t go wrong. Popular choices are strawberries, bananas, mangos, peaches, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries—but don’t let this stop you from getting creative! Branch out and use fruits like plums, papaya, pineapple, dragon fruit, or passion fruit. When it comes to choosing between frozen and fresh fruits, I would recommend fresh, but both work well in smoothies.
Your homemade smoothie bar won’t be built in a day. I personally didn’t set out to buy 10 different fruits specifically to freeze for smoothies. Instead, every time I bought fruit from the store and saw it was about to go bad, or I wanted to make it last longer, I cut it up and froze it. Don’t be worried about not having a lot of options to start. When freezing your leftover fruit, your smoothie bar will naturally grow!
Pro tip: Have you ever frozen fruit only to find it all stuck together when you try to use it? Get a baking sheet, layer it with parchment paper, and spread your produce over the baking sheet; this will ensure your frozen fruit doesn’t stick together. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for a couple of hours, transfer the produce to a labeled container or freezer bag, and enjoy having your fruit ready to go for your smoothies.
Vegetables
Smoothies are an easy way to sneak extra greens into our diet. The most common choices are leafy greens like spinach and kale, but there are other less common options as well, such as avocados. Adding avocados to your smoothie will give your smoothies a delicious creamy texture.
Protein
When it comes to the protein in your smoothie, I recommend a plant-based protein powder like pea protein. You can also use classic, natural peanut butter or natural almond butter. Plain, live-cultured yogurt or kefir is another tasty option.
Extras
Besides the basic ingredients, add some of these extras for added nutrients, calories, or flavors: chia seeds, flax seed, old-fashioned oats, or spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Finally, add ice as desired to make it cold and refreshing!
Experiment
Now that your smoothie bar is stocked up with ingredient options, start experimenting! You can even open up your Balance of Nature fruit and vegetable supplements and add the powder to your smoothie before or after blending. When adding your Fiber & Spice supplement into smoothies, be sure to blend your smoothie first and then stir in your Fiber & Spice supplement.
Try new combinations, find new favorites, and invite your friends and family over for a smoothie bar event!
