5 Steps To The Perfect Smoothie—And 20 Recipes To Get You Started
Recipes by Irene Ngo. Produced by Aimee Nishitoba. Photography by Christie Vuong. Food Pink dragon fruit smoothie. (Styling by Ashley Denton. Prop Styling by Christine Hanlon.)
A breakfast smoothie is an easy and convenient way to pack fruits, vegetables and added nutrients into one easy-to-drink beverage. It takes minutes to make, and the flavour combinations are endless. Start by taking stock of your fridge, freezer and pantry, and then follow our foolproof guide to building your best smoothies ever.
The 5 Elements of a Great Smoothie
Liquid is essential for helping your machine properly—and smoothly—blend ingredients together. You can use almost any neutral or sweet liquid: water, dairy or plant-based milk, juice or even cold tea or coffee. (We used unsweetened plant-based milk when developing our milk-based smoothies; feel free to switch it up!) If your ingredients are very fibrous, dense, or mostly frozen, you may need to add an extra splash of liquid to keep things blending smoothly.
Almost any fruit or vegetable can be used in a smoothie—don’t be afraid to mix and match! Smoothies are a great way to use up produce odds and ends. While fresh works well, using frozen will efficiently chill and thicken your smoothie. Avoid adding seeds and stems, which may impart a bitter flavour, but feel free to leave skins on for a fibre boost.
Adding protein to your smoothie may help you feel satisfied and fuller for longer. It can come in different forms, including creamy options like yogurt, cultured coconut or silken tofu; nut butters and seeds such as hemp hearts or pepitas; and even quick oats. For the latter three, add extra liquid to help with blending. You can also use unflavoured protein powder for a quick hit (see page 35 for two of our favourites).
Texture will vary based on the ingredients you use. Frozen produce is great for thickening your smoothie. If you’re using all frozen produce, you may need to thaw it slightly or add some extra liquid to help with blending. Frozen bananas and avocado will add creaminess; otherwise, adding a soft protein ingredient such as yogurt or silken tofu—or even a few ice cubes—will give your smoothie a rich, luscious texture.
When your smoothie base is finished blending, it’s time to add a final layer of flavour. Seasonality may affect the sweetness of your fruit, so consider using honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, chopped Medjool dates, jam or your preferred sweetener to taste. If you’re avoiding added sugars, pump up the flavour with vanilla extract, ground cinnamon or even a pinch of salt. Other ingredients such as ginger, citrus juice or zest and cocoa powder can also lend an extra hit of flavour without the added sugar.
10 Recipes to Put Your Smoothie Skills on Blast
The formula is foolproof: Add ½ cup liquid, 1 cup vegetables, 1 cup fruit, 1/3 cup protein and a few ice cubes, if desired, to your blender and then process until smooth. (Start from low and then increase the speed if your machine has variable speed.) All recipes yield 1¾ to 2 cups.
Red Beet Smoothie
Double up on nutrients by using the entire beet—greens and all—in this scarlet smoothie. Get this beet smoothie recipe.
Pink Dragonfruit Smoothie
Hemp hearts give this fruit-filled smoothie a creamy touch. Get this dragonfruit smoothie recipe.
Tropical Carrot Smoothie
Pineapple juice and ginger add a zingy hit that cuts through the heavier carrot and mango flavours. Get this carrot smoothie recipe.
Golden Turmeric Smoothie
This frozen play on haldi ka doodh—also known as turmeric milk—incorporates golden beets and mango for extra colour. Get this turmeric smoothie recipe.
Orange Creamsicle Smoothie
Who says you can't have a creamsicle for breakfast? Especially when it contains four servings of fruits and vegetables. Get this creamsicle smoothie recipe.
Green Goddess Smoothie
This avocado, kale, pineapple and mango smoothie proves it’s quite easy—and delicious—being green. Get this green goddess smoothie recipe.
Blueberry-Lemon Smoothie
You may be surprised to learn that chopped cauliflower is what gives this tangy number its creamy texture—but you will definitely be surprised to learn that you can't taste the cruciferous vegetable at all. Get this blueberry smoothie recipe.
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Smoothie
A breakfast smoothie classic—with a hit of extra fruit for fibre. Get this chocolate-peanut butter smoothie recipe.
Vanilla Iced Latte Smoothie
Instant coffee gives this silken smoothie a caffeinated kick. Get this vanilla latte smoothie recipe.
Snickerdoodle Smoothie
A cookie-flavoured breakfast? Why not! Get this snickerdoodle smoothie recipe.
Cocoa, Banana And Tahini Breakfast Smoothie
Not all smoothies must be green. This richly flavoured (and healthy) take gets your day started with a touch of nuttiness, smooth chocolate and creamy banana. Get our Cocoa, Banana And Tahini Breakfast Smoothie recipe.
Tropical Blue Majik Smoothie Bowl
Blue Majik, an extract from the spirulina algae, injects a bright shot of colour into grey winter days. (Usually green, Blue Majik powder gets its azure hue from C-phycocyanin, a protein known for its vibrant blue colour and claim to be rich in antioxidants and amino acids.) Get our tropical blue majik smoothie bowl recipe.
Red Berry Smoothie Bowl
Fibre-filled cacao and heart-healthy walnuts make this berry smoothie feel like dessert. Get this berry smoothie bowl recipe.
Tropical Twist Smoothie Bowl
Top this refreshing mango and pineapple smoothie with sweet coconut and kumquats. Get this tropical smoothie bowl recipe.
Green Goddess Smoothie Bowl
We added fibre-rich raspberries and crunchy muesli to this filling, nutrient-dense green smoothie. Get this green goddess smoothie bowl recipe.
Avocado Smoothie Bowl
A lush breakfast packed with nutrients, this avocado smoothie bowl is whirled up with spinach, yogurt, honey and hemp seeds for a powerful start to the day. Get this avocado smoothie bowl recipe.
Berry Blast Smoothie Bowl
Mangoes and kiwis add extra antioxidants to this berry blend. Get this berry blast smoothie bowl recipe.
Superfood Green Smoothie
Loaded with spinach, mango, frozen banana, chia seeds and matcha powder. Get this superfood smoothie recipe.
Power Beet Smoothie
A beet smoothie for breakfast? You beet-a believe it! Blend them up with frozen banana and raspberries with a bit of Greek yogurt for a tasty start to the day. Get this beet smoothie recipe.
Pumpkin Spice Squash Smoothie
Squash is an amazingly versatile vegetable. With this recipe, add more vegetables to the day in a deliciously creamy, warm spiced smoothie. Get our pumpkin spice squash smoothie recipe.
Try these smart smoothie toppers:
Pepitas: Just 2 tbsp contains 5 g of protein and 5 g of fibre.
Figs: High in vitamin K, fibre and copper.
Goji berries: Great source of vitamins A and C.
Almonds: The nut with the most fibre: 3 g in 2 tbsp
Chia: Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, protein and fibre.
Flax: Nearly 4 g of fibre in 2 tbsp. Ground seeds are easier for your body to absorb.
Hemp hearts: Full of protein, magnesium and healthy fats.
Ready to put your smoothie skills on blast? Here are three of our favourite blenders.
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