Ok, so yah, duh this is a smoothie post BUT…
It’s soooooo much more than that.
Like, so, so much more.
It’s a lil tippity-tip that I follow almost 99% of the time…try to always use water & ice as a base for a smoothie.
Ta-da.
Easy, right?
Ehhh, not so much.
Lemme set it up for ya: the other day I’m at this high end juice/smoothie bar & I order a ‘Skinny Bitch’ ( DER! ). It’s this yummy, delicious kale-lemon-spinach-romaine-grapefruit-apple-goodness.
Until it wasn’t.
I ask super sweetly in this annoying, but cute high pitched voice ( naturally, I use it when I want my way ): “what’s the liquid you’re pouring in my Skinny B?”
The fifteen year old behind the counter who’s, BTW clearly stoned out of his mind, says “it’s apple juice” & rolls his eyes & sighs.
So I’m like, “ohhh…err, well, like you mean, cold press apple juice?” ( At this point, I’m visibly shaking & my upper lip is perspiring because I feel like my favorite smoothie bar is quickly losing its integrity ).
He says, “just, uh, like, this brand.”
&.he.holds.up.Tree.Top.Apple.Juice.
GASP.
( Inside my head: “EWWW! OMFG, GMO-sugar-filled fake apple juice?! Sick! ).
I mean, here’s the thing: I’m a total food snob.
Shocker, right?
I’m soooo annoying with my restaurant orders, grocery store ingredient inspections, & constant food questions that ultimately, I just don’t want Tree Top Apple Juice in my AM smoothie.
Call me psycho…
So, anyway back to the point…my tip: use water & ice as the base. Check it:
Why?
Because:
1.) If you’re dealing with a similar juice bar situation, it makes everyone’s life easier.
The guy making the smoothie even appreciates how easy it is to pour water instead of juice in the mixture.
Here’s my order now: “I’ll have the veggie/fruit smoothie with no juice sub water & ice.”
Quick. Easy. Painless.
2.) If you’re at home, it’s easier for YOU. But feel free to use cold pressed juice as the base, if it’s avail. And if you’re anything like me ( a late maniac who’s constantly rushing out the door carrying ten bags ), you’ll love this easy dime:
& honestly? Water & ice make the smoothie taste just as delicious as anything. Plus you’re cutting the calories, sugar, & fake shit out.
Other smoothie extras: coconut oil, avocado, cacao, maca powder, watermelon, & kale/spinach/romaine.
Ok, what’s your favorite smoothie recipe?
Tell, tell, because you guys always have the best tips ; ).
x LE
P.S. using these portion-controlled bowls to measure out smoothie ingreds, is super helpful.
1 cup fresh spinach or other greens, 1 cup of water, ½ cup frozen cherries, ½ cup frozen mixed berries, and half of a banana (also frozen if you want it really cold). It’s so yummy and you get a whole cup of greens in there and the berries/cherries turn it purple instead of green. That way you can trick people or yourself if you have to 😉
Great tip! I always cringe whenever I see a place doing this with juice. I almost always use water as a base in my smoothies (unless I’m feeling a little extra jazzy and do almond milk) but what I’ve been loving recently is frozen banana, spinach, vanilla protein powder, hemp protein powder, maca, and flax. So freaking good!
I use my own cold-juicer.. Try green grapes, pear, cucumber ans lots of fresh mint.
Can’t wait to try this! Sounds yummy!
Dude, Treetop?! It’s basically sugar water, hardly any apples in there at all. That’s so disappointing, I’m sorry your favorite place ended up letting you down. Good thing you asked!
I’m so glad asking questions about food ingredients and origins is becoming more normative. People want to play it off as annoying (and see that first episode of Portlandia) but it’s really just being a responsible consumer…
http://thatumamilife.wordpress.com
I honestly have had a hard time finding any restaurant that serves 100% clean ingredients, it seems people are telling lies everywhere lol!
I am so trying this! I have been trying to find a good smoothie to use water with, so I’m really excited! Thanks!!
http://www.katelately.com
I completely agree with your tip! I barely everrrr use anything else other than ice or water.
One of my favs:
A handful frozen strawberries, a handful frozen blackberries, 3-4 pineapple chunks, 1 tbs chia seeds, 2 cups kale/spinach, 1 cup COLD water (you don’t want your smoothie being lukewarm!)…and ta-da! Yummy and healthy smoothie 🙂
http://prettyandfresh.com/
Totes love this for post-morning workout: 1 banana, 1 tablespoon of PB, 2 heaping handfuls of spinach, two heaping spoons of greek yogurt, 1 cup almond milk. I def crave this one a lot!
Great advice! I started using water and ice in my smoothies because I find that if I put apple juice in them, it overpowers everything else. My favorite combo is strawberry, banana, spinach, and a little honey if I want it a bit sweeter. 🙂
I need a little more “oomph” in my smoothies so I always do a base of greek yogurt and coconut water plus water fruit and greens I have on hand. I like the creaminess that the yogurt gives (helllllllo milkshake-like) and the extra protein keeps me going through my morning.
great idea! here’s a little tip though… it would be really good to get some fat in the smoothie recipe you posted. coconut oil, coconut milk (full-fat), whole milk yogurt, or even some nut butter are all good options. smoothies tend to have a lot of sugar and even though it is all from fruit, it’s still going to affect you. the fat will help stabilize your blood sugar and will keep you feeling full longer!!
Good tip, I definitely try to use water and ice as a base and never juice. My favorite smoothie features a baked sweet potato, spinach, almond butter, cinnamon and almond milk. But that one is pretty heavy. So good though … definitely serves as more of a meal than a snack.
My all time fave green smoothie: 1/2 banana (pre-frozen if possible) + 1 cup of frozen mango + 1 cup of frozen pineapple + a shit ton of fresh green spinach (or frozen) + splash of water + hemp/whey protein = a dream …. keep it thick to mimic ice cream #yesplease
Thanks for the recipe! One of my favorites when I’m craving sweets is…
Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie (healthier way to satisfy your sweet tooth)
Organic raw cacao powder
organic almond milk
organic peanut butter
splash of organic almond extract
dash of cinnamon
1/2 tsp of organic honey
I love this recipe! I use basically the same ingredients, but I also add fresh strawberries and then some trader joe’s unsweetened organic soy milk (it’s dairy free, gluten free and lactose free and doesn’t have any added sugar). And if you’re not into soy, almond milk is also delicious with this recipe!
Seriously! My almost daily smoothie is spinach, mixed frozen berries, half a banana, a few spoonfuls of plain greek yogurt, and water. I don’t even notice that there’s no juice in it because the banana packs so much sweetness! It’s super fast with the frozen berries too, and I can buy bags of them at a time so I never run out. Super easy!! Xo, S
I love this tip!! I’ve been subbing half juice / half water in my smoothies for years, but never thought to drop the juice entirely! Just tried it and you seriously can’t tell the difference. THANKS!!! <3
OH yea, I’d be on fire, too!!! So did you end up purchasing the smoothie?!
heaping handful of spinach or kale, ~1/2 cup trader joes frozen berry medley, 1/2 frozen banana, splash of trader joes fresh squeezed unpasteurized orange juice, 2 tablespoons fate 0% plain greek yogurt. SO YUMMY!
Hilarious!! I must adopt your no shame attitude towards health!! Great tip.
I use water too! Unless I have coconut water or almond milk for a creamier smoothie on hand, water is my fave. I recently made up a concoction with 1 handful spinach, 1 handful kale, 1 kiwi, 1/2 banana, a few mint leaves, a couple mango chunks (peaches, pineapple, or berries would work too), and water or coconut water. SO YUMMMY and green.
Yes! I recently had a similar experience. I’m a food snob too, but sometimes have a hard time voicing my opinion.
Great smoothie recipe and a great tip about the portion control bowls.
I love a smoothie with 1 c. water, 2 tbsp instant coffee, a sprinkle of cinnamon, half a frozen banana, a shake of almond milk, and ice. It’s kind of perfect.
I have a great tip for anyone that needs to make their smoothie the night before to save time. Hello! I have to be at work at 6am, there is no way I am making a smoothie before that.
When I get home from work everyday I throw some chia seeds and almond milk/coconut water/plain water in a glass and store in the fridge. A few hours later you will have a good amount of liquid and some chia pudding at the bottom. Throw that in your blender with your fruit and veggies, and store in a glass container. When I bring it to the work the next day, it actually still has the consistency of a freshly made smoothie thanks to the chia seeds. Enjoy!
YUMMMM! Such a good tip!
I always put a splash of almond milk, but I’ll try the water!
I use organic oat milk instead of water. And then I like to mix frozen organic blueberries and raspberries, a little bit of ginger, one banana and my secret ingredient are dried mulberries. They make it healthier and make my smoothie more tastefull 🙂 love your blog!
Hugs from Sweden
Totally agree on ice and water! A smoothie with all that fruit and goodness, doesn’t need extra sugary juice to add more sweetness. The sweetness is all in the fruit! 🙂 If I want something creamier I will add some kind of milk (skim, rice, coconut) or I’ll add avocado. And currently, I’m obsessed with Chia seeds, when they soak in the liquid, they are like little fun surprises that enter your mouth when you are drinking your smoothie. Amazingness!
I feel like I need a good healthy fat to add in my smoothies to help absorb the nutrients, fill me up, and balance blood sugar levels. My favorite is about a 1/4-1/3 cup of coconut cream (yes, cream!)- YUM! Keeps me full for hours and I’m obsessed with the hint of coconut flavor.
I LOVE smoothies and This one looks amazing!
I wake up to spinach/kale blended with a banana or apple – and water. Best detox meal to wake up to…and after weeks doing it, it totally works as a facelift…no joke, skin looks years younger.
Random, but on your site I keep encountering issues when I inadvertently highlight the text (a habit of mine when I’m reading). The page freezes, and I have to close out (refreshing doesn’t work). Perhaps this is just my computer, but it only happens on your page. Just a heads up!
I’m going to try this recipe with some cinnamon vanilla swirl protein I picked up from icon nutrition. Getting excited just thinking about it now : ) Thanks, Hannah.
Hi! I know I am super late to comment but I highly recommend using some chilled freshly made tea as a smoothie base, it’s delicious.