Smoothies...... What's Your Secret?

OK, my smoothies are a little weird but super healthy and yummy - I'm actually drinking one right now! I blend together 1 frozen banana (I freeze it in chunks so it's easy to pop in when I'm ready), another cup or so of frozen fruit (usually blueberries or pineapple), about a cup of milk or kefir, and another cup of orange juice. Once that's blended I add the weird part: spinach! I put a handful or two of baby spinach and blend until it's really smooth. With all the other fruit flavor you don't even taste the spinach but you're getting a good dose of greens. You can use any kind of greens, too. I just like spinach because I can get it already washed in those pound containers. This makes about 6 cups worth of smoothie, enough for my husband, myself and my two small children (who love them!). Happy smoothie making!

Coconut milk. Adds just that much more yummyness to any smoothy and is really healthy for you. Just don't add alot because to much of a good thing is bad. I have been wanting to get back to smoothies . . .I think I will go make me one now.

I don't like dairy in smoothies, but part of it seems to be the order you put things into the blender at our house! I think the banana is what gives a good smoothie a smooth texture without adding dairy. Our 'best smoothie' is this, in order:

1 banana

a couple of scoops of fruit or frozen fruit- cherries, strawberries, peaches, mango, raspberries, etc.

pour in some juice or green tea (green tea, peach and pineapple make an AMAZING and refreshing summer smoothie!)

sometimes I add a squirt of honey or a small sprinkle of turbinado sugar if the fruit is a little sour. Not too much though- just a TINY bit is all you need!

Blend- check the consistency. If the fruit is frozen, you may have some chunks of ice. Blend a little more. If it is too thick for you, add a little more juice or tea. If it is too thin, add another half of a banana.

I do one like this.. pure oj (but not too much) frozen blueberries and raspberries and then at times, a bit of GREEN natural powder.. you can find many at your local healthfood store... if you don't like the taste of GREEN .. then leave out. anyway, you can also add some banana, but it makes it too sweet for me.. anyway.. try the berrie smoothie.. it's loaded in fiber and antioxidants and doesn't have a yucky consistency..
best of luck

I buy the yoplait smoothie mix in the frozen diary section and add a scoop of whey protein to it. It does have a little bit of yogurt chunks in the mix to make it smooth however. Each packet makes two.

My favorite is a banana chocolate smoothie, you can also do strawberry chocolate...

Take your fruit, puree it first, add chocolate syrup (fat free!!!) low fat frozen yogurt, and ice... You get one fruit serving, one dairy, and it's yummy (if you add some protein powder it is a full meal!)

I like to use Keifer instead of regular milk(usually use the plain type to avoid extra sugar) Agave Nector is a good natural sweetner if you need it. I agree, bananas help the texture!

I also just saw a recipe on Dr. Oz......1 cup lowfat milk or keifer, 1 ripe avocado, 1 tsp(I think this was the amount) of agave nector! Great source of Omega 3 Fats!

I second the coconut milk suggestion! So yummy!

Yogurt, tofu, and OJ make mine smooth. Good Luck =)

Freeze peeled bananas.. Freeze or purchase frozen (I love Costso frozen fruits) strawberries, mangoes, pineapple.. Whatever your favorite fruits are..

In a blender place half of a frozen banana, 1 cup of frozen other fruit (or mix) and about 1 cup to1 1/2 cup apple juice. cold apple juice to .. Blend till smooth. You can also add yogurt. Perfect every time..

Well, this might not work for you, but we use a fruity yogurt in our smoothies, plus fresh fruit and a little skim organic milk.

I don't know what makes them grainy but I've had some like that before... Normally I just freeze strawberries and bananas and use those with some orange juice. It's never grainy but thats not a lot of variety either :o)
Sometimes I add other frozen berries to it

I love Rachel's idea! I only like spinach with my lettuce, shrimp scampi and stuffed shells. This is would be wonderful for my boys who won't willing eat spinach in these dishes.
We love fruit smoothies. We eat frozen berries and bananas. Freezing everything makes it cold enough without needing ice and it's easily accessible at all times. We do add yogurt and milk, but when we're out of both we've used orange juice, apple juice and pomegranate juice.