There’s no doubt why smoothies are a perfect go-to drink for cooling off in the summer. When you’re not waking up to head to Starbucks for an iced coffee, a smoothie is a solid choice for your next best pick-up morning drink. Yes, you can totally take a drive and buy a smoothie off a menu but, it can be a fun process figuring out what fruits and vegetables go well together. You can also test out different recipes to see if popular smoothies actually live up to the hype (that’s right, now is the time to recreate them at your house this summer). Next time you’re going to the grocery store, pick out some fruits and veggies so you can have the best smoothies to make in the summer. Try out some of these recipes in the upcoming hot months!
We know that we’re not always in the mood to have something that sounds or tastes healthy but, you can still make a smoothie that’s on the sweeter side without it being really bad for you! You can’t go wrong with bananas and peanut butter since they are a perfect combination. We know both peanut butter and bananas taste good together on sandwiches or toast, but they taste even better in a smoothie. If you have a peanut allergy or are simply not a fan of peanut butter, try almond or sun butter. These alternatives are also a little bit healthier. These nut butters are packed with protein, which is a great addition to a smoothie. Add banana, blueberries, and milk or liquid of your choice for a silky smoothie.
While some green smoothies you order or find at the store can be packed with added sugars and actually not even end up being that great for you, you can make your own at home (that will still turn out bright green) and you will actually know exactly what you are putting into your smoothie. As we know, spinach is a fantastic source of antioxidants and fiber, so using raw spinach in any smoothie is sure to give you good benefits, as well as give the pretty green color. Kale is another superfood that really is an acquired taste since it is a little rougher than your average greens like lettuce and spinach. If you like the taste of kale or can get past the taste of it when it is blended into a smoothie, using it in your smoothie can give you double the greens. Adding fruit such as pineapple and banana gives you a great mix of fresh fruit, sweetness, and texture when it comes to how your smoothie will blend together in the end. To finish making your green smoothie, you need a liquid base. This means, milk! You can add any milk of your choice, but I’ve found that non-dairy milk, such as almond, cashew, or oat taste better.
If you have time to enjoy a smoothie in your house, without having to put a straw in it and sip it on the go – making a smoothie bowl is a fun way to eat fruit and get creative in the kitchen. Also, they can definitely make for an Instagram worthy food photo. To start, you have to make your base. You don’t necessarily have to put all your fruits, peanut butter, and protein into the base. You can save the berries and fillings for garnishing on top. An easy base for a smoothie bowl could be strawberries, bananas, and whatever milk you like. You could really do any simple combination, and save the extra stuff for the top. Once you have your smoothie base, that’s where the creativity comes in. Some go-to toppings I would recommend are sliced bananas, chia seeds, coconut flakes, cacao nibs, almonds, blueberries, and honey. Depending on what you like or what you think goes well with the type of smoothie base you made, you can really add whatever fruit and sweet toppings you want for a fresh, summer bowl of goodness!
What’s better than sipping on something that reminds you of a tropical vacation? Pineapple and mango are two fruits that can easily bring you some sunshine. During the summer, making tropical smoothies at home is as easy as buying one from a juice bar. There’s nothing like drinking or eating food that reminds you of summer or at least, good weather. So while you may not be able to go on a tropical vacation right now, you can still be reminded of the beauty of it and feel the vacation vibes by drinking a tropical smoothie, laying out in the sun in your yard, taking a swim in your pool and putting on some happy tunes.
Not in the mood for ice cream but want something sweet and cold? Try a chocolate, banana smoothie. This type of smoothie is popular, and is easy to make right at home. All you need is bananas, ice, cocoa powder and a chocolate milk of your choice. It is better to make these smoothies with a dairy free, chocolate milk such as almond or coconut – which actually can add more flavor to the smoothie, while making it not as sweet as it would be with dairy chocolate milk. Blending these ingredients together is a healthier alternative to, to a chocolate milkshake – while still having some fruit that goes in regular smoothies. This can be a good treat to have on a hot summer day, when you’re getting tired of having ice cream and want something else. As the weather continues to warm up, try out a tropical smoothie, a green smoothie, a smoothie bowl, chocolate banana smoothie, or a yummy smoothie filled with peanut butter!
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