How to Create the Perfect Smoothie

Smoothies are a popular breakfast food because they are easy to make and can be eaten on the go. My definition of a perfect smoothie is that it has to taste great (of course!!), but also has to keep me full and provide a variety of nutrients. There’s nothing worse than making a great smoothie loaded with fruits and then come an hour later, be hungry again. I’ve been seeing a lot of comments lately where people are saying that smoothies for breakfast do not fill them up and they are normally hungry shortly after. There could be many reasons for this such as lack of protein or calories. I figured I would address this in a blog post with my top tips on how to create a filling smoothie that also tastes great!

1. Aim for including all macronutrients (Carbohydrates, Fats, Protein)

Carbohydrates

• Fruits (bananas, dates, oranges, apricots, peach, nectarines, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, pineapple, mango, coconut etc.) Fresh or frozen is good.
• Vegetables (carrots, celery)
• Leafy Greens (kale, spinach (great for green smoothie beginners!), swiss chard)
• Oats

Fats

• Nuts (almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds)
• Avocado
• Raw peanut butter/almond butter

Protein

• Spirulina
• Chia Seeds
• Hemp Seeds
• Organic Protein powder (I like Vega, Plant Fusion, Perfect Fit)
• Non fat greek yogurt

2. Superfoods

In my opinion, all fruits and vegetables should be labeled as “superfoods”. The list below is current foods labeled as superfoods because they have a variety of nutrients and many health benefits. These foods are normally expensive, so if you’re on a tight budget I would skip this section. Otherwise they do taste amazing in smoothies!

• Acai berries, goji berries
• Maca, wheatgrass, and chlorella powder  (I like Organic Burst)
• Raw Cacao nibs/powder
• Raw Coco powder

3. Smoothie Sweeteners

I always need something to sweeten my smoothie up! Here are my favorites…

• Honey, pure
• Maple syrup, pure
• Fruit
• Stevia
• Vanilla extract
• Lemon juice

Spices/Herbs (some of my favorites…)

• Cinnamon
• Turmeric
• Mint

4. Combination/Ratio

The combination of ingredients and ratio will really depend on what you like. A couple things to keep in mind…

• You’re always going to need a “liquid” to help with blending. This could be water, almond milk, milk, coconut water, juices from fruits etc. I normally aim for about 1/2 cup of liquid for 1 smoothie serving (about 500mL).
• I always add a handful of ice to keep the smoothie from becoming warm while blending (I use a Vitamix blender and no joke without ice, the smoothie is a little warm. That blender is powerful!)

Some of my favorite smoothie combinations are… More smoothie recipes under the “recipes” tab at the top of this page

• Warming Winter Smoothie
• Green Smoothie for Glowing skin

5. Adding More Calories

If you find you’re hungry shortly after drinking your smoothie try adding more calories.

• Add almond milk to smoothie (instead of water)
• Add dates (1 date contains 70 calories and lots of fibre)
• Add an organic protein powder
• Add plain non-fat greek yogurt
• Add dried oats to smoothie
• Add peanut butter/almond butter

Printable PDF version available here: here

What’s your go-to smoothie? Leave me a comment!
-Brittney

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