10 Tasty Tips for the perfect Smoothies with Chef 420
We can't deny that raw green juices and fruit smoothies have made a splash in todays health conscious community. Even the most delicious smoothie recipe can lose its appeal if you find that what comes out of the blender is too thick or too thin for you. A smoothie full of chunks that didn’t blend properly is not a favorite. Fortunately, with the right know-how, you can make ultra-smooth smoothies every time! If you see smoothies as breakfast, a energy booster, a hangover cure, 
or a life enhancing necessity. Don't buy those pre-made concoctions, with dubious ingredients, just make your own.
Smoothies are often distinguished into two different categories: green juice smoothies, which mix veggies and fruit; and Fruit smoothies, which are all-fruit and often contain dairy.
Tips&Tricks and some smoothie/juicing typical
mistakes to avoid.
#1. My blender should do the trick? A blender is best for smoothies, but if you are serious about juicing, you will need to have a juicing machine. The best juices are smooth and homogeneous, a consistency achieved only with a juicing machine. I like a juicer that includes the healthy pulp and fiber in the finished product. Make sure to shop around and get the right one for you.
#2. Your juice will only be as good as the fruits and veggies you use. The important thing is that the produce taste good and flavorful, not too ripe or past it's prime, so eat a bite before juicing. If it's bland, bitter or "off", don't use it.
#3. Veggies and fruits are healthy, so sure, it's tempting to load as much produce in there as possible. But beforehand consider, Not only will you be packing in extra calories, also you will over-complicate the flavor, and adding lots different fruits and veggies will make it a ugly, un-appealing brown color. As a general rule I like to choose a variety of textures and ingredients, while keeping flavors complementary. Don't forget- Not all produce is created equal.
#4. If you don't like it on its own, don't put it in a juice, if you don't like kale, trying to cover it with mango won't help. Instead, choose produce you enjoy eating. Baby spinach is good for beginner juicers. Is anything off-limits? Technically no, but I wouldn't add mustard greens. Spicy greens. I think, should be used sparingly. For green smoothies in particular, it’s important to get the balance right with your ingredients. Being too enthusiastic with leafy greens will make it tough to get a well-blended smoothie, but one cup or a handful is usually enough for one serving.
#5. Are you "jonesin" for a Icy-cold smoothie? Sorry Bud. I'm not a fan of adding ice to a smoothie. It will be slushy, watery, and, Icey, not smooth and creamy. Freeze the fruit itself, Mango , Papaya, and Pineapple are staples that you can cut up and freeze for use later, that way your ready for those hot summer days.
#6. A great option for thicker smoothies is to add some nut butter, such as peanut or almond butter. These give a yummy nutty taste and blend well into the average smoothie. They do contain higher levels of oils and sugars, if you use pre-made nut butters, keep aware of sugar overload. If you own a higher-performance blender or food processor you can make your own nut butter. Yogurt is another great way to help thicken and add a creamy texture to smoothies.
Greek yogurt in particular is full of protein and helps to fill you up.
#7. Try adding some quinoa or oatmeal for a thicker smoothie without using frozen fruit. This gives you a boost of fiber and protein, and gives your smoothie a great consistency.
NOTE: You will need to soak most grains beforehand, and quinoa will need to be cooked and cooled before adding to your smoothie.
#8. If you blend on a lower setting to start with and work up, rather than blasting it on a high from the start, will make for a much better smoothie experience. This will help the blender to process the ingredients more efficiently and quickly.
#9. Blend your ingredients in Stages. Using leafy greens or nuts in your smoothie? Their health benefits are great, but you don't want them to ruin your smoothie. The trick is to blend your ingredients in stages. Do the greens first with the liquid base, then nuts, then the rest. there will be less chance of those off-putting chunks!
#10. Is your smoothie too thick? Water is the obvious choice, but you’ll get more nutrients if you use milk, (dairy, soya, coconut or nut milk), or fruit juice. Use ingredients that contain Water. Watermelon and cucumber are great examples of ingredients that contain water naturally, so they’re fantastic for “watering down” your smoothie and still providing more nutrients.
IF YOUR SERIOUS ABOUT YOUR SMOOTHIES
Invest In a Good Blender
There isn't a lot you can do if your blender is weak and leaves chunks behind. This is where a high-performance blender can be a great investment. It will give you a wider speed selection delivering a smoother blending result, and will ultimately last longer than a lower quality machine. High-performance blenders are better able to cope with frozen fruit, nuts, or ice in your smoothies.
Now you know all the basics to making smoothies. Just adding one smoothie to your diet everyday can cause dramatic improvement to your health and energy levels. Now all you have to do is get started. Just remember to portion your ingredients to match the size of the blender you are using. To begin with I recommend using recipes to save you the hassle of figuring out which ingredients taste well together and how much to use. then be creative and make your own concoctions with the benefits you are looking for.
