Friday, May 2, 2014

3 Amazing (Completely Different) Smoothie Recipes


3 Amazing (Completely Different) Smoothie Recipes // Bubby and Bean

For the last couple of months, I have been consuming smoothies like there's no tomorrow.  I've been eating healthier in general, and being much more mindful of finding ways to enjoy whole, nutritious meals everyday.  But it is the smoothie that is the reigning queen of my healthy food regimen.  Robbie calls them 'liquid salads,' which, to a degree, is a somewhat accurate description.  But smoothies can be so much more than just the standard 'one part greens, one part fruit, one part liquid' cocktail.  I've been experimenting with all sorts of ingredient combinations, and have discovered ways to make all types of smoothies, from refreshing to more savory to dessert-inspired.  The three recipes I'm sharing today - each of which is a completely different style and flavor than the next - are my favorites so far.  

3 Amazing (Completely Different) Smoothie Recipes // Bubby and Bean
3 Amazing (Healthy + Delicious) Smoothie Recipes // Bubby and Bean

A few things before you make the best smoothies of your life:

1. If one of these recipes sounds especially good to you and you want to make it right-this-very-second but don't have all of the ingredients, just improvise.  That's how I ended up coming up with each of these - by throwing together things I already had.

2. I use a Nutribullet, but any type of blender with a powerful enough motor to blend greens will work.  No fancy machine is required to make these happen. 

3. You'll notice that quantities of most of the ingredients aren't exact.  Since fruit can be sweeter or more tart depending on its ripeness, etc., I suggest playing around and tasting as you go. 

4. Each of these will yield two 6-8 ounce smoothies, or a big ol' 12-16 ouncer if you're in the mood for more.

5. Because different blenders work differently, please follow the manufacturer's instructions in terms of how to 'layer' your ingredients.  For the Nutribullet, where you turn the cup over to blend, I add greens first, then fruit, then seeds, then liquid.  In a regular old blender, I add frozen ingredients first, then fresh ingredients, the liquid, then seeds.  As for how long to blend, I recommend 30 second to several minutes, depending on the consistency you're going for.  My rule of thumb is to taste as you go.

And now, the recipes.

3 Amazing (Healthy + Delicious) Smoothie Recipes // Bubby and Bean
  • 1-2 handfuls of organic kale
  • 2 handfuls of organic spinach
  • 1/4 cup of frozen organic pineapple
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup of frozen organic mangoes
  • A few chunks of avocado
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons of organic Chia seeds
  • 1/2 cup of coconut water (or plain water)
This smoothie is slightly sweet, but focuses more on greens than fruit. Depending on how much pineapple you add (less pineapple = less sweet), it's also somewhat savory and makes for a good meal.  Instead of blending until liquified, I only blend for 30-60 seconds in order to keep it the consistency of a frozen slushie or soft sorbet.  The avocado makes this one creamy, so feel free to add more if you're in the mood for an especially velvety treat. I finish by topping with organic granola (my favorites are Pumpkin Flax and Coconut Chia by Nature's Valley, although homemade is best!), and I eat it with a spoon.


3 Amazing (Healthy + Delicious) Smoothie Recipes // Bubby and Bean
  • 1 handful of organic kale
  • 1 handful of organic spinach
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup of frozen organic blueberries
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup of frozen organic strawberries
  • 1/4 cup of frozen organic pineapple
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup of frozen organic mangoes
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons of organic Chia seeds
  • 1/2 cup of coconut water (or plain water)
  • Pure maple syrup to taste
I call this one the 'Kitchen Sink' because the first time I made it, I blended pretty much every ingredient I had on hand that could possibly go into a smoothie and still taste good.  And it worked. This is a sweet, refreshing treat that's packed with protein.  If you're vegan, just omit the Greek yogurt.  I like to add a little pure maple syrup to cut down on the tartness of the fruits.  Just blend everything together for a couple of minutes until liquified. 


3 Amazing (Healthy + Delicious) Smoothie Recipes // Bubby and Bean
  • 1 small handful of organic spinach
  • 2 organic bananas, sliced and frozen
  • 2-3 tablespoons of almond butter
  • 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup of almond milk
  • Raw honey to taste
  • Sprinkle of cinnamon to taste
If you're craving a milkshake but want a healthier option, this smoothie will do the trick and then some. I make this one for dessert (and sometimes for breakfast too).  If you don't have almond butter, peanut butter works just fine.  And if you're vegan, just replace the yogurt with more banana, and use pure maple syrup in place of the honey. Robbie loves this one after he gets back from a long run.  It's filling and satisfies your sweet tooth without being overly sugary.  Sometimes, if I'm feeling a little crazy, I like to add a tiny splash of pure vanilla extract to this one (watch out!).  It's also good with a few pieces of frozen mango thrown in, if you happen to have some on hand. I usually blend this one for a couple of minutes, until the consistency is similar to a milkshake.


If you make any of these, let me know what you think!  And if you have any favorites of your own, please share them in the comments.  Thanks to my recent smoothie obsession, I am down with trying out pretty much any combination of ingredients.

Follow Bubby and Bean

Bubby and Bean on Bloglovin

22 comments:

  1. I just made a smoothie last week. I usually just make fruit smoothies. I need to try some with green veges sometime.

    ReplyDelete
  2. These all look sooooo yummy!!! I can't wait to try the almond banana shake one, it looks like a milkshake mmmmmm! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I don't think I've had a smoothie since last summer. I've had it on my to do list for forever to start making them more often because I'm definitely not eating enough fresh vegetables right now and almost no fruit. The blender is a pain to clean but I just need to get over that. Thanks for the recipes!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yum! I've only recently started making smoothies regularly - we have an old school blender that isn't all that much for to wash after using - but once you start, it's very easy to get used to how easy they are to eat (er, drink) on the go. I'm still not quite at the point where I'm ready to do a savoury smoothie. But the kitchen sink sounds divine!
    xox,
    Cee

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm suddenly obsessed with smoothies, too! I haven't ventured into using anything other than basic strawberries and blueberries yet, so these recipes sound amazing. I'm totally trying them this weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love smoothies in summer, no idea why, but I never make them in winter. I've never made them with almond milk, but I think it's something I would love.

    ReplyDelete
  7. These all sound excellent, but my favourite is Green Goddess :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yep...I think I need to get a Nutribullet now. Hands down. Or maybe I can hint real nicely to the family. hehehe sneaky me!
    The Kitchen Sink smoothie is one I could definitely go for right now. Looks soooo good!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I can't seem to ever plan ahead so I always end up throwing whatever I have in, like you said, and they usually turn out pretty good! These look good though, may need to make a smoothie grocery trip!

    ReplyDelete
  10. these smoothie recipes sound so good! you should try making almond and cashew milk sometime. it's really easy and soooo good! Will be a nice addition to your smoothies.

    ReplyDelete
  11. These all look SO good! I've gotta try the Kitchen Sink! The almond butter and bananas sound yummy, too.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love smoothies and am always looking for new recipes. You have a great range of options here with so many possibilities for customization. Thanks for all of the detailed tips!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Yay! I'm a smoothie lover as well. The one thing that I have found at Sprouts is CocoHydro powdered coconut water!!! "1 pouch of CocoHydro makes around a gallon and a half of coconut water at half the price of bottled coconut water... and it's GOOD."

    One tablespoon added to the rest of the ingredients and the water (I use the pineapple favored one) makes me know I'm getting extra goodness/potassium/electrolytes rather than having to buy a ton of bottles of coconut water.

    ReplyDelete
  14. These look so good! And you're right, they are each very different from the next. The unmilkshake one is now on my menu for the weekend. =)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ohh my gosh these look amazing! Also, your photography style is phenomenal! I am definitely bookmarking this article and going to try them all! xx Your blog is great!

    <(') Hoda || JooJoo Azad ~ Free Bird

    ReplyDelete
  16. YUM! The third one is my favorite kind of smoothie to make. Haven't tried it with cinnamon though, that sounds delish. :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Peanut butter, yogurt, cocoa and banana are the bomb!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Yum! will be trying all three of these:) xx

    ReplyDelete
  19. These look delicious!! I was on a smoothie kick for a while too after we got our Vitamix, but stopped using it as much now. I think it's time to get back into it with these recipes!!

    Jen
    witsicle - a life & style blog

    ReplyDelete
  20. i love smoothies! these look delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I LOVE smoothies! hank you for the great recipes which I will add to my book :)
    Do you want to follow each other on Bloglovin?

    Lu ❤ www.balgarka.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  22. I am going to try these! It's interesting to learn that the nutribullet will do the job with greens, I've been thinking of upgrading from my blender but wasn't sure how high I had to go.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for commenting! We love reading your thoughts and we're grateful for your input. (All spam will be deleted.)