All about smoothies
Vitamin drink par excellence, it smoothie is a fruit and vegetable drink, but not a smoothie or milk shake: it is rather a fresh puree with a liquid consistency, prepared with blender (or blender, if you prefer!).
Smoothies have a thicker texture than a smoothie, more liquid than a puree, less fresh than a sorbet.
In short, the smoothie has an unusual and very pleasant texture.
Unlike its big brother, the milk shake generally contains neither milk nor ice. But its formula leaves a lot of freedom in the choice of flavors and ingredients. You can improvise according to your tastes!
What fruits to choose?
There are no limits to the choice. Of course, you can use fresh fruit, but also frozen fruit (it is practical for off-season fruit), or dried fruit (such as dates or blueberries).
See also
Robot, blender or juicer?
A simple blender will do just fine. If you don't have a blender, you can use a classic food processor. Either way, it needs to be solid and potent enough to mix with frozen fruit.
If you want to make some fruit juices, it will be useful to have a juicer. Be well informed before choosing the model: can it centrifuge any type of vegetable? Does it tend to oxidize juices quickly? Is the opening large enough to introduce fruit and vegetables? If you prefer to buy ready-made fruit juices, be careful to choose based on their quality: avoid those to which sugars and preservatives have been added.
The technique ...
There isn't one! You choose the ingredients, put them in the blender and mix! And then you just have to drink them at will.
Depending on the texture you want to give your smoothie, you can add yogurt or ice cream to thicken or, conversely, milk and fruit juices to make it more liquid.
The alternatives
They are numerous… and more or less dietetic!
With vegetables
Of course, you can make vegetable smoothies. Try tomatoes, carrots, salads, avocados, cucumbers… Don't forget the fresh herbs to flavor your smothies: basil, coriander, mint, etc. Finally, try some delicious mixes of fruit and vegetables: orange and carrot, for example.
With milk
Of course, you can use cow's milk, but also vegetable milk (rice, oat, soy) which, with its particular taste, can give an extra touch to your drink. You can also use yogurt, which will thicken your mixture.
With ice
You can also add crushed ice to your smoothies, turning it into a refreshing drink, or choose another delicious, much less dietary option: ice cream or sorbet. One more way to play with flavors.
With sugar
You can add refined sugar, but also use a natural sugar like honey or maple syrup, which will add an aromatic touch to your smoothies. You can also use a sweetener. However, limit yourself to 1 tablespoon of sugar for 2 glasses.
With spices
Cinnamon, lemongrass, ginger, etc. Use in moderation: you risk completely covering the fruit taste.
With some additions
For a real healthy drink, add natural supplements: seaweed, ginseng, pollen ... a little at a time, you will find out which dose is right for you.
And the decoration?
You can sprinkle your smoothies with chopped nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, etc.), add a slice of lemon, etc.
