Smoothie-Making 101: Tips for Great Smoothies

Tips for Great Smoothies

• A one-to-one ratio. For each one cup of frozen fruit, plan for one cup of liquid. 
• Freeze fruit ahead of time. I like to have a freezer stocked with frozen fruit. Be sure to peel and chop the fruit before bagging it and laying it flat in the freezer. Some surefire staples are bananas, strawberries, mango and blueberries. 
• Keep it simple. If you limit the number of ingredients, your fruits will have a chance to shine, but the more you add, the more you invite disaster. 
• A decent blender. Do not buy a plastic pitcher blender that is marketed for smoothies. They tend to be weak and crack easily. You want a glass pitcher blender with a strong motor (try "industrial blenders" on Craigslist or 1950s blenders at Goodwill or the equivalent). Ninjas are great - but break the bank! (If you have an unlimited budget, by all means- go for it.)