Healthy? Check. Easy? Check. Portable? Check? Yup: Smoothies are pretty much ideal if you’re looking for a speedy, nutritious breakfast on the go. And then there’s their versatility. Once you spend a little time with your blender, you start to realize that there are just about endless smoothie combinations. These 11 recipes represent a good mix of options and feature not just the standard fruit, milk and yogurt, but also avocado, kale, coconut water, chia seeds and rolled oats.
Most of the recipes rely on frozen fruit, which is widely available in supermarkets, and blends up beautifully. You can use fresh fruit instead — just add four or five ice cubes to get that frothy smoothie texture. Frozen bananas are used in several of the recipes. Sticking whole, unpeeled bananas in the freezer works perfectly fine, but if you take the time to peel and slice the bananas into 1/2-inch pieces before you freeze them, your smoothie prep will be even easier. Greek yogurt is another common ingredient. Feel free to use a low- or fat-free version. Regular yogurt can also be swapped in, but your smoothie may be slightly thinner. The final ingredient for most of these recipes is honey or maple syrup. You may find your smoothie is sweet enough without the additional sugar, so taste first and add the honey or maple syrup gradually.
These recipes each make about 16 ounces, which is one to two servings, depending on whether your smoothie is a snack or a meal.
1. Strawberry cheesecake (pictured above): In a blender, combine 2 cups frozen strawberries, 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup skim milk, 2 tablespoons light cream cheese and the zest of 1 lemon. Blend until combined. Taste the smoothie and sweeten as needed with 1-2 tablespoons honey. Blend until smooth and frothy.
2. Blueberry, banana and chia: In a blender, combine 1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries, 1 frozen banana, 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 3/4 cup skim milk and 2 tablespoons chia seeds. Blend until combined. Taste the smoothie and sweeten as needed with 1-2 tablespoons honey. Blend until smooth and frothy.
3. Ginger peach: In a blender, combine 2 1/2 cups frozen peaches, 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup skim milk and 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger. Blend until combined. Taste the smoothie and sweeten as needed with 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup. Blend until smooth and frothy.
4. Cucumber, avocado and mint: In blender, combine 1 avocado (peeled and pitted), 1/2 large cucumber (peeled, seeded and cut into chunks), 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves, the zest of 1 lime and 4-5 ice cubes. Blend until combined. Taste the smoothie and sweeten as needed with 1-2 tablespoons honey. Blend until smooth and frothy.
5. Banana, almond and cocoa: In a blender, combine 2 frozen bananas, 1 1/4 cups unsweetened plain almond milk, 1/4 cup almond butter and 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder. Blend until combined. Taste the smoothie and sweeten as needed with 1-2 tablespoons honey. Blend until smooth and frothy.
6. Cherry, almond and date: In a blender, combine 2 cups frozen pitted cherries, 1 frozen banana, 1/2 cup unsweetened plain almond milk, 1/4 cup almond butter and 2 dates (pitted and chopped). Blend until smooth and frothy.
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7. Tropical fruit: In a blender, combine 2 cups different frozen tropical fruit (such as mango, pineapple and banana), 3/4 cup light coconut milk and 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt. Blend until combined. Taste the smoothie and sweeten as needed with 1-2 tablespoons honey. Blend until smooth and frothy. Add ¼ cup toasted coconut and pulse briefly to combine.
8. Raspberry, banana and cocoa: In a blender, combine 2 cups frozen raspberries, 1 frozen banana, 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup skim milk and 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder. Blend until combined. Taste the smoothie and sweeten as needed with 1-2 tablespoons honey. Blend until smooth and frothy.
9. Berries and rolled oats: In a blender, combine 2 cups different frozen berries (such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries), 1 1/2 cups skim milk and 1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats. Blend until combined. Taste the smoothie and sweeten as needed with 1-2 tablespoons honey. Blend until smooth and frothy.
10. Pineapple, kale and mint: In a blender, combine 2 cups frozen pineapple, 1 cup packed fresh kale (stems removed), 3/4 cup coconut water and 1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves. Blend until combined. Taste the smoothie and sweeten as needed with 1-2 tablespoons honey. Blend until smooth and frothy.
11. Banana, peanut butter and date: In a blender, combine 2 frozen bananas, 1 cup skim milk, 5 tablespoons peanut butter and 2 dates (pitted and chopped). Blend until smooth and frothy.
