Simple smoothies – yes, please! Shakes are an easy all-season snack, power breakfast, packed lunch or replacement meal. The good news is there’s no wrong way to make one – the proof is in these 10 easy smoothie recipes. There are, however, a ton of little tricks that help enhance flavor and make blending more enjoyable on the go with your BlendJet 2. Read on for more ideas when it comes to making the best shakes with minimal effort. Our easy blending tricks make shakes delicious without fail.
A shake without a banana is like a night without stars. It helps add consistency and goes with everything thanks to its mild flavor, plus it will keep you fuller longer. Use it as your base for a boost of potassium and optimal nutrition. Bonus: if a banana becomes overripe, you’re less likely to notice in a shake. Blending will help you prolong the life of all kinds of in-season produce (see #2).
Save time by freezing your fresh fruits and preparing your smoothie in advance. This is so handy if you’re headed to work or a class at the gym. You can cut a pre-measured amount of fruit and put it in the freezer to enjoy at a later time. Freezing your milk base is also a great idea that is better than ice, which can water down flavor.
It turns out that frozen fruit gives smoothies a thicker texture than fresh fruit. Frozen banana in particular creates a creamy, smooth, delicious texture and can eliminate the need for ice. Turbo-powered BlendJet 2 is equipped with a food processing mode to crush through frozen and fresh fruits and veggies since they are the secret to the perfect shake.
Want to add a hint of sweetness? Reach for agave, vanilla extract or cinnamon. Grate the skin of an orange to create a delicious, zingy orange zest. You’ll wonder how you ever made smoothies without it.
Nut butter (peanut, almond or sunflower), yogurt, keifer, avocados, cooked quinoa or uncooked oats can thicken the texture of your blended treat, make the overall consistency smooth, and satisfying like a full meal. A hint of nutty butter flavor is complementary to sweet fruit. BlendJet 2 even lets you make your own nut butters from scratch.
Greens can be tough and few people like green chunks that taste too healthy. A small handful of greens is all you need for one shake. Try a little frozen spinach, kale or broccoli.
Chia seeds add texture, but they are better after you blend, as a topping. Not only do they provide an energy boost, they are rich in protein, omega-3s and antioxidants.
Use milk, coconut water or green tea — not regular water —if your smoothie turns out too thick. Watermelon, cucumber and celery contain high amounts of water which help control thickness. You’ll want to use coconut milk in a jug over canned coconut milk if you are working with frozen ingredients, since it can separate when mixed with anything very cold.
Investing in a high-performance cordless blender like BlendJet 2 promises a smooth result every time.
Balancing ingredients is key. The trick to blending stubborn ingredients (think greens and anything stringy, hard, frozen or with the skin on) is to blend in stages rather than cramming every in at the same time. Make sure you are using enough liquid to keep ingredients from getting lodged and leave some room at the top to prevent overflow. Create your liquid base (milk, yogurt) and add the tough stuff one layer at a time (greens, bananas), blending in between. Then add all the other ingredients and blend until creamy and smooth.
Blueberry Chia Smoothie
Total Time: Less than 5 minutes
Servings: 1
INGREDIENTS
1 cup milk of choice
1/2 cup blueberries, frozen
1/2 banana, frozen and sliced
1/4 cup oats
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp maple syrup, or sweetener of choice
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to the BlendJet, and blend for 2-4 cycles.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
Total Time: Less than 5 minutes
Servings: 1
INGREDIENTS
1 cup milk of choice
1 banana, frozen and sliced
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 Tbsp maple syrup, or sweetener of choice
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to the BlendJet, and blend for 1 cycle.
Green Machine Smoothie
Total Time: Less than 5 minutes
Servings: 1
INGREDIENTS
1 cup milk of choice
1/2 banana, frozen and sliced
1/2 cup mango, frozen
1/4 cup spinach, frozen
1/4 cup kale, frozen
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 Tbsp maple syrup, or sweetener of choice
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to the BlendJet, and blend for 2-4 cycles.
Mixed Berry Smoothie
Total Time: Less than 5 minutes
Servings: 1
INGREDIENTS
1 cup milk of choice
1 cup mixed berries, frozen
1/2 banana, frozen and sliced
1 Tbsp maple syrup, or sweetener of choice
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to the BlendJet, and blend for 2 cycles.
Mocha Smoothie
Total Time: Less than 5 minutes
Servings: 1
INGREDIENTS
1 cup chocolate milk of choice
1/2 cup coconut yogurt, or yogurt of choice
1/2 banana, frozen and sliced
2 Tbsp instant coffee
1-2 Tbsp maple syrup, or sweetener of choice
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to the BlendJet, and blend for 1 cycle.
Orange Julius Smoothie
Total Time: Less than 5 minutes
Servings: 1
INGREDIENTS
1 cup orange juice
1/2 banana, frozen and sliced
1/2 cup coconut yogurt, or yogurt of choice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to the BlendJet, and blend for 1 cycle.
Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Total Time: Less than 5 minutes
Servings: 1
INGREDIENTS
1 cup milk of choice
1 banana, frozen and sliced
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup oats
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp maple syrup, or sweetener of choice
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to the BlendJet, and blend for 2-4 cycles.
Strawberry Banana Breakfast Smoothie
Total Time: Less than 5 minutes
Servings: 1
INGREDIENTS
1 cup milk of choice
3/4 cup strawberries, frozen
1/2 banana, frozen and sliced
1/4 cup oats
1 Tbsp maple syrup, or sweetener of choice
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to the BlendJet, and blend for 2-4 cycles.
Sunshine Smoothie
Total Time: Less than 5 minutes
Servings: 1
INGREDIENTS
1 cup orange juice
1/2 banana, frozen and sliced
1/4 cup carrots
1/4 cup mango, frozen
1/4 cup coconut yogurt, or yogurt of choice
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp turmeric
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to the BlendJet, and blend for 2-4 cycles.
Tropical Smoothie
Total Time: Less than 5 minutes
Servings: 1
INGREDIENTS
1 cup coconut milk, or milk of choice
1/4 cup pineapple, frozen
1/4 cup mango, frozen
1/2 banana, frozen and sliced
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to the BlendJet, and blend for 2 cycles.