The title of this post is a bit misleading, because I don't actually believe I've found the recipe for the perfect smoothie. I believe that the perfect smoothie is whatever your family loves, while still containing lots of fruit and veggies for optimal nutrition.
My kids love smoothies. We have them most summer mornings for breakfast. The kids devour them, and I find they keep us going for hours, opposed to when we used to eat toast for breakfast.
The benefit of smoothies over fruit juices is that smoothies are the whole fruit blended into a drink, verses fruit juice where the fibre is removed from the drink. They are filling, packed full of vitamins and minerals, and really yummy!
To make the perfect smoothie for your family, pick ingredients that fit your taste and dietary requirements. If your kids hate raspberries, that's probably not the best choice. However, things like spinach and kale are hidden by the other flavours, so give them a go (hiding it from the kids if you need to!).
First, pick your ingredients.
Fruit
We usually use frozen berries (although you can use fresh) in our smoothies. I buy them at the grocery store (I try to purchase Australian berries whenever possible), or purchase them in bulk when in season then clean, slice and freeze for future use. When in season, I sometimes add peaches or apricots.
Try: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, apricots, peaches
Veggies
A great way to up your veggie intake is adding them to your smoothie. They are well hidden by the taste of the other ingredients, but add lots of fibre and vegetably goodness.
Try: Spinach, kale, zucchini (skip on veggies with a very distinct taste, like cucumber, unless you enjoy it)
Frozen Bananas
Whenever bananas go brown in my house, I throw them in the freezer to use later for banana bread or smoothies. Bananas bulk up a smoothie, and when blended add a very creamy texture.
Natural or Greek Yogurt
Yogurt is the most filling ingredient in our smoothie. Did you know that yogurt is considered a complete food, meaning it contains the perfect amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats? The high protein means it's really filling, it contains healthy bacteria for a healthy stomach, and is full of not only healthy fats, but vitamins and minerals. Read this for more information. Just make sure you purchase yogurt that has no added sugar.
Milk (or other liquid)
We prefer full cream milk, but I know some people avoid dairy. Try coconut milk or cream, nut milks such as almond, or coconut water in place of cows' milk.
Nuts or Oats
I love LSA (a blend of ground linseed (flaxseed), sunflower seeds and almonds). It can be purchased in the health food section of the grocery store. I put 1/4 cup into our smoothies for added healthy fat and fibre. If we run out, I add a handful of raw almonds or 1/4 cup oats to up the fibre and to make the smoothie more filling.
Remember, the more fruits and vegetables you add the healthier the smoothie.
Second, place the ingredients in a blender. The higher quality your blender, the smoother your smoothie will be.
Third, serve.
Try a funky glass or mason jar for added fun!
Once you've started making smoothies, experiment with ingredients until you find the blend your family loves.
That's it! Simple, easy, wholesome and yummy!
Enjoy!
Our Favourite Smoothie
Serves 1 adult and 4 kids or 3 adults
printable recipe
3 frozen bananas, defrosted enough to peel, then chopped
1 cup berries of choice
1 cup baby spinach
1/4 cup LSA (ground linseed, sunflower seeds, and almonds)
3/4 cup greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups full cream milk
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth.
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