If you are looking for ways to save cash and your waistline, have I got a treat for you! Resist the urge to stop for a Triple Shot Extra Espresso Jitter with Hazelnut Cream and a Bran muffin (trying to eat healthy, you know) by indulging in a sensational summertime smoothie. The possibilities are endless, and BONUS you can make iced coffee while you are at it saving you time, money, and calories!
Homemade or Mother’s Helper?
In my endless quest for shortcuts, I tried a wide variety of premade smoothie kits hoping to shorten the mundane task of blending 57 pounds of fruit and ice. Although some of the products were certified organic such as these little joyous fruit bombs, most of the prepackaged mixes were loaded with sugar. Additionally, once I realized that it was still necessary to buy the key ingredients to make the smoothies, it became more cost effective to make them from scratch.
Carve out Time
Once you decide to become a super smoothie blend master, you will need to set aside a few hours to complete the task. If you make a week’s worth on Sunday, you will be more likely to grab one during the mad dash for the door instead of relying on the dreaded breakroom donut holes. I like to put mine in these nifty reusable freezer cups with lids, but if you are short on space, you can put your smoothies in gallon Ziplock bags. If you go the bag route (super thrifty, I love it!) try to squeeze out as much air as possible to avoid freezer burn.
Standard Shopping List
While the add-ons are endless, there are a few basics you will need for your smoothies. Some recipes require milk while others call for juice and some even use both!
- Ice (20 lb bag good for 7 days’ worth)
- Juice (look for ones with little sugar and benefits such as calcium)
- Milk
- Frozen fruit
Add-On’s
Once you got the basics down, play mad scientist with some of these additions:
- Yogurt
- Protein Powder
- Nuts and Seeds
- Vegetables
- Granola or rolled oats
- Natural sweeteners such as Monk Fruit or Stevia
- Extract
- Spices (I use nutmeg and cinnamon quite often)
- Honey
No Wrong Way
If you are new to the healthy living lifestyle or perhaps you burn boiling water, making edible breakfast items form scratch may seems overwhelming. No worries! It is impossible to make a bad smoothie unless you use rotten milk or soggy fruit, and this just takes common sense to avoid. However, to give you a kickstart in confidence, here are a few of my favorite recipes. Enjoy!
Strawberry and Guava Smoothie
- 1 ½ cup frozen strawberries
- ¾ cup Guava juice or ½ cup Guava puree (buy here)
- 1 frozen banana
- ½ cup frozen blueberries or blackberries for garnish
- 1 ½ cup milk (optional but makes it creamier)
- 1 Tbsp honey or Monk Fruit
- 10 ice cubes
1. Slice the strawberries 2. Add pink guava juice, banana, milk, honey, and ice cubes. 3. Blend all the ingredients together. Add berries for garnish. Pour it in a glass and serve chilled.
Blueberry Blast Smoothie
- 1 ½ cups milk or Almond Milk
- 1 banana
- 1 1/ cups frozen blueberries
- Handful of blueberries for garnish
- ¾ cup plain yogurt (Greek preferred, healthiest)
- 1 tbsp honey
- Up to 10 ice cubes
1. Place all ingredients in blender. 2. Blend ingredients until completely smooth. 3. Pour into glasses and serve, topped with blueberries if desired. Freeze immediately
Orange Julius Smoothie
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 large orange peeled
- 1 banana
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp honey
- 10 ice cubes
1. Add ice, banana, yogurt, orange juice, vanilla, oranges, and honey in a blender 2. Process ingredients until smooth, about 60 to 90 seconds
*As always, if you click one of the links and buy a product I may get a small commission. This does not change the price of the product or my opinions about what I recommend!*
