Easy Recipes & Tips
8 SIMPLE SMOOTHIE RECIPES
These 8 simple smoothie recipes will get you excited to drink your fruits and veggies again, plus some best tips and tricks for making great smoothies, every time.
Here are 8 healthy smoothie recipes to get you excited to drink your fruits and veggies again. Smoothies are a great affordable snack the whole family will enjoy. There’s no right or wrong way to make one, either, which is the best part!
Here's why you'll love these smoothie recipes:
- They are ultra simple recipes (just 4-6 ingredients per smoothie) so you'll have everything you need to start BUT you can add what you like to make them your own!
- You won't need to go to the health food store to make these, as they have no specialty ingredients.
- The recipes only make a small amount, so you can try them all and see what your favourites are without making too much.
Strawberry Banana
This is a pretty, light pink, sweet, and creamy cold drink that’s perfect all year long. It’s forever one of my classic favourites, and I make sure to stock up on strawberries when they’re in season so I can freeze them for year-round enjoyment. My kids ask for this one all the time, so you can say it’s a household requirement around here!
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- ½ cup unsweetened Greek yogurt
- 1 cup unsweetened milk (nut, soy, anima
Tropical Smoothie
This has a sweet flavour and reminds you of summer, no matter what month it is. My sunshiny Henry loves this one -- it’s summer in a glass. The colour is a lovely cream-orange, and it’s always a hit at our house. Costco sells frozen mango and pineapple cubed and ready to go for a great price.
- ½ frozen banana
- ½ cup pineapple (fresh or frozen)
- ½ cup mango (fresh or frozen)
- ½ an orange, peeled
- ½ cup unsweetened Greek yogurt
- ½ cup ice (not needed if using frozen mango and pineapple)
- 1 cup unsweetened milk (nut, soy, animal)
Very Berry Smoothie
This is made with mixed frozen berries that you can get in the freezer section, including blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. I mean, who doesn’t love berries?! It almost tastes like ice cream, and it hits the spot any time of day. I make it on movie nights and call it a “milkshake.” Meanwhile, my kids have no idea it doesn’t actually include ice cream!
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup mixed frozen berries (fresh or frozen)
- ½ cup unsweetened Greek yogurt
- 1 cup unsweetened milk (nut, soy, animal)
Peanut Butter Smoothie
This one is a whole big glass of peanut buttery goodness that tastes like dessert but is packed with protein. I can’t get over it. It’s probably one of my very favourites because I love, love, love peanut butter.
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- ½ cup unsweetened Greek yogurt
- 1 cup unsweetened milk (nut, soy, animal)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
If you thought the last one felt like dessert, this one’s a whole new level. It’s a treat, minus the guilt, and I love this smoothie because chocolate plus peanut butter is a match made in heaven, if you ask me.
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- ½ cup unsweetened Greek yogurt
- 1 cup unsweetened milk (nut, soy, animal)
- Sweetener to taste (I like to add a little honey to this one to sweeten up the cocoa a bit)
Cherry Pomegranate Detox Smoothie
This one has sour cherries and pomegranates, which are both really cool, nutritious ingredients with all kinds of wholesome antioxidants (and, not to mention, flavour!). Both ingredients help to fight inflammation, and sour cherries are a natural sleep aid. I love having this smoothie after a long weekend of indulgence -- it’s sweet but also nutritious, and helps me get my healthy eating back on track.
- ½ a frozen banana
- ½ cup sour cherries
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds (arils)
- ½ cup ice
- 1 cup unsweetened milk (nut, soy, animal)
Green Goddess Smoothie
This is one of the best and simplest green smoothies out there, with undetectable veggie flavours, plus grapes and kiwis for a punch of green fruits. It’s a beautiful colour, it’s sweet and creamy, and I promise you won’t taste a lick of the spinach. You’ll love this for a healthful kick.
- ½ a frozen banana
- ½ cup green grapes
- 1 kiwi, peeled
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves
- ½ cup ice
- 1 cup unsweetened milk (nut, soy, animal)
Extra Green Smoothie
This one is full of assorted greens and fruits to fill you with vitamins and nutrients, and I make it nearly every day with assorted “mix-ins” that I’ll mention in the questions below. It’s still sweet, but it packs a whole lot of nutrition. I like to get a mixed greens bag at the store that includes baby kale and baby Swiss chard. They’re delish and pretty mild in flavour. This smoothie makes a great breakfast!
- ½ a frozen banana
- ½ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
- ½ an orange, peeled
- 1 to 2 cup baby kale and/or baby swiss chard
- ½ cup ice
- 1 cup unsweetened milk (nut, soy, animal)
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients for one of the smoothies above to the jar of your blender.
- Place the lid on the blender and blend until smooth, about 1 minutes on medium to medium-high speed.
- Enjoy right away.
Notes
- If you have leftover smoothie, place it in a popsicle mould and freeze. Then you or the kids can enjoy them later as a popsicle. This is my favourite way to never waste a smoothie.
- Feel free to add things that you like like a little sweetener if needed and/or "super foods" like a few teaspoons of any of the following: chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax meal, etc.
9 TIPS AND TRICKS FOR MAKING SMOOTHIES
1. THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG WAY TO MAKE A SMOOTHIE.
These are "recipes" in a very loose sense of the world. They'll give you a great place to start, but don't feel like you need to stick with them to make a delicious tasting smoothie. I do very little measuring when I make my daily smoothie and often will just throw in what I have on hand. If you are working with frozen fruit, you probably won't need ice. But if you are using fresh fruit, throw in some ice. A super cold smoothie is best if you ask me. If the smoothie is too thick or not blending well, add more milk.
2. USE YOUR "MILK" OF CHOICE.
I have used and loved all kinds of milk for smoothies, including normal cows' milk, raw cows' milk, and lots of plant- and nut-based milk like rice, almond, coconut, and cashew. When buying nut milk, make sure the carton is marked unsweetened. You don't really need the added sugar when you are using fruit in your smoothie. I love cashew milk - it's super creamy and delicious. I most often use almond milk in the carton or a coconut-almond blend in the carton. Use what you can find in your area.
3. SWEETEN TO TASTE.
I don't add any sweeteners besides fruit to my smoothies, but sometimes my kids want them to be sweeter. I feel like the health benefits of the smoothie allow me to add a little sweetener for the kids without much regret. Sometimes the berries are super sweet and I don't need anything, and other times the berries are tart and we like a little something sweet added. It varies from smoothie to smoothie. You can add honey, real maple syrup, more fruit, some fruit juice, sweetened milk, or sweetened yogurt to your smoothies for added sweetener. Pineapple juice is very sweet and a favourite at our house. I'll buy some pineapple juice and pop it into my ice cube trays and then store those in a baggie in the freezer. If the smoothie needs a little sweetness, I'll throw in a few pineapple juice ice cubes and blend again. Sweeten to your liking and enjoy.
4. STOCK THE FREEZER.
When fruit is in season or on sale, it's a great time to stock your freezer to make smoothies very affordable. I have sliced peaches and sour cherries from my own yard squirreled away in my freezer from this summer. I put all of my extra dark bananas in the freezer (here's how I bulk freeze bananas), and I even freeze spinach and other greens in little bags if they are going to spoil before I eat them fresh. I get most of my berries at Costco for a great price. Having a freezer stocked and ready makes smoothie making quick and simple. You can also prep your smoothie ahead of time by making frozen smoothie packs. These are a huge time saver in the morning! 
5. HOW TO MAKE YOUR SMOOTHIE VEGAN:
There are great vegan yogurts available (I hear the coconut yogurts are the best. You can also use a nut or rice milk, and sweeten with anything but honey. A few simple subs will make your smoothies vegan without much thought.
6. HOW TO MAKE A SMOOTHIE WITHOUT BANANAS:
Bananas are the backbone of my simple smoothie recipes. They add so much creaminess, and natural sweetness while being inexpensive. That being said, I know not everyone likes/eats bananas. If you aren't into bananas, you can add some Greek yogurt + sweetener + ice OR a half of an avocado + sweetener + ice. Those two combos will replace a banana nicely in a smoothie and still give you a nice rich and smooth texture.
7. ADD "EXTRAS" TO YOUR LIKING.
There are so many amazing things that you can add to a smoothie to increase its nutritional bang for your sip, though you don't have to add anything at all. I keep all kinds of "superfoods" around and throw in what sounds good. I'll normally add 2 or 3 "extras" to my smoothie each morning. Different things that I like to add include: hemp seed hearts, flax seeds, chia seeds, spirulina, organic brown rice protein powder, pea protein, and/or cacao nibs. Other people also add things like goji berries, matcha powder, and bee pollen, but I haven't dabbled in those yet.
8. WHAT IF I DON’T LIKE BANANAS?
Bananas are the backbone of my simple smoothie recipes -- to me, they add so much creaminess and natural sweetness for an affordable price. But, if they’re not your thing, you can add some Greek yogurt with a sweetener and ice, OR do half an avocado with a sweetener and ice. Those two combos will replace a banana nicely in a smoothie and still give you a rich, creamy texture.
9. WHAT EXTRA MIX-INS CAN YOU ADD TO SMOOTHIES?
There are so many things you can add to smoothies to increase its nutritional benefit, like hemp seed hearts, flax seeds, chia seeds, spirulina, organic brown rice protein powder, pea protein, or cacao nibs. I’ve also seen people use goji berries, matcha powder, and bee pollen! I’ll often keep a variety on hand and add 2 or 3 mix-ins to my morning smoothie!