Are you one of those people who prefer their meals blended in a glass with ice? Then smoothies are the ultimate drink this season.
With the city sizzling, a shot of ice cold blended goodies goes a long way in keeping you refreshed. So dig out your blender from its dark spot in the closet and follow our top tips to blend like the professionals.
Store frozen fruit: In cold drinks, frozen trumps fresh. Keep frozen strawberries, blueberries and bananas in your freezer at all times. Frozen fruit will keep your smoothies icy and will taste good no matter what's in season. Surprisingly, frozen fruit almost always tastes better than fresh fruit when added to a frosty beverage.
Crush your own ice: When a recipe absolutely needs ice, crush the ice yourself before throwing it in the blender. Taking a few minutes to pre-crush is better than finding huge ice cubes floating around in your smoothie.
Add dairy: Adding a little bit of dairy to your smoothie will make it taste rich and finished. You don't have to load it up with ice cream (although, ice cream will make it taste amazing). Try throwing in a cup of non-fat yoghurt or add a little milk.
Don't forget the bananas: Second only to dairy is the banana. While most fruits used in smoothies are rather acidic (think: orange juice, raspberries, etc.), bananas even out the taste. They add richness and balance.
Order matters: Don't throw all of your ingredients into the blender at the same time. Adding them in order will give your smoothie the ideal texture and will let everything blend just right. First, crush and add your ice. Second, add any whole fruit. Third, put in the frozen fruit concentrates. Fourth, pour in the fruit juices. Finally, add the dairy. Blend for a few seconds between each step.
Serve in a fancy glass: Presentation isn't everything… but it can give your smoothie some style. If you're serving smoothies at a party (or just want to treat yourself) pouring them into fancy glasses is a lot more fun.
– Source: BBCfood.com and drinkalternatives.com
