Smoothies are easy to make and typically very nutritious. But you may wonder how to make smoothies yourself.

Keep reading to learn how to make smoothies, get free smoothie recipes, tips about smoothie blenders and more about making healthy smoothies at home.

Or if you have tips on how to make a smoothie, please feel free to comment and share.

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For those who are just getting started, here are some tips on how to make smoothies at home.

You don’t need an expensive blender – I have tested 12-15 different types of smoothie blenders, including a Blendtec, and although some of the less expensive smoothie blenders and smoothie mixers do not work very well, my
Oster 12-Speed Osterizer Blender with Glass Jar does the trick very nicely. This blender sells between $50-60. It actually beats my $400 Blendtec for smoothies. I prefer the glass jars as they seem to be more sturdy, easy to clean, and the blenders seem to work better.

Smoothie Blenders don't have to be expensiveSmoothie Blenders don't have to be expensive, but you do need to get a good quality smoothie mixer or smoothie blender in order to avoid ice or fruit chunks.

Begin with fruits and / or vegetables that you enjoy. Favorite smoothies are made with strawberries, raspberries, bananas, pears, apples, blueberries, mangoes, and other fruits. You don’t need to make it fancy or include all of the fruits, just the ones you like and mix and match them.

Many people will add protein powder or low-fat yogurt to their smoothies, or even ice cream (but that adds a lot of calories as well as sugar to your smoothie.) Smoothies can help you lose weight, have more energy and are a great meal replacement.

Wash your fruit well, peal bananas, and remove hard skins. You may wish to leave the skin on peaches or pears – there is no problem with doing this, just make sure you wash them well – and remove the seed/pits inside.

Most blenders do better if you cut the fruit up a bit before blending, and if you are using any frozen fruits, make sure to add enough liquid for your smoothie blender to liquify everything well.

Place all of your ingredients in the smoothie blender, add ice and liquid (water, milk, orange juice, apple juice or other liquid) and blend. It’s really not hard learning how to make smoothies at home, and can be quite fun. Just experiment a little. Fruit combinations can be really enjoyable and you can even add a bit of honey, sugar, or other sweetener if your fruit is too tart. Using fresh fruits in season do create better flavored smoothies, but frozen fruits work as well.

Learn how to make smoothies at home and save money.

Here is a strawberry vanilla smoothie I made today (I took a photo with my iPhone to share with you – and added just a little embellishing to make it look great!):

Strawberry Vanilla Smoothie

1 cup fresh strawberries
1 ripe banana
1/2 cup raspberries, blueberries
1 cup orange juice
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
1/4 tsp pure vanilla flavoring
2 cups ice
1 cup water

I put everything in my blender, and let it run. Delicious, refreshing, and very low in calories. I calculated that each serving is between 180-200 calories (depending on the protein powder.) This recipe makes 2-3 servings.

Take some time to learn how to make smoothies at home, and lose weight, feel better, save money and know you are adding nutrients to your diet.

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I have an amazing niece. She’s beautiful and talented – and yet she doesn’t seem aware of all of that – she is much more focused on serving others, including people and making people feel accepted. She is going to go to Thailand this summer to teach English and volunteer to help where needed. But she’s a poor college student and is trying to raise money to cover her travel expenses. I’ve helped all I can at this point, so I’m asking if you might be willing to help too.

Money is tight for all of us – but I’m hoping people would be willing to donate $1 to her cause – and then we can all feel as though we are helping but it’s not a huge sacrifice or struggle for anyone. Anyway, if you feel so inclined, I would really appreciate it – and I know Becca would too. She really is an amazing person and I know will be a great mentor to the kids in Thailand.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give! And then let’s get back to sharing more great smoothie recipes for my next post. (insert sweet grin here).

If you want to LIKE her Facebook page – it’s http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Support-Becca-Volunteering-in-Thailand and spread the word that way – that also would be really appreciated.

Thank you so much! Every dollar will help

Detox smoothies are easy to create and can taste great.

Detox smoothies come in many varieties. If you select the right ingredients you can make many different types. Basically you should begin with high fiber fruits such as apples or pears (with the peel left on but washed well). You could also include berries or bananas. Citrus fruits are also good for detox smoothies as they help clean out the digestive tract. (Make certain to leave the white part of the peel of the fruit as that part contains the most nutrients.)

You also should add some extra fiber such as flaxseed, raw granola, oatmeal, or wheat germ. The added fiber will help your digestive system to be cleansed and gently detox. You may wish to add a small pinch of sea salt to help flush out the organs and aid in eliminations – just make sure to add it to your smoothie AFTER it has been blended – or your smoothie will end up tasting very salty.

Other detox recipes may include avocado, carrots, fresh greens, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, papaya, watermelon, or beets. Many people will add flax seed oil, yogurt, soy milk, green tea, or acidophilus, chlorella powder, bee pollen, liquid chlorophyll, lecithin, Vitamin C or other supplements to their smoothies for added nutrients and health benefits.

Detox smoothies can be a beneficial part of a healthy lifestyle. If you can gently cleanse the body by eating nutritious foods, it is much easier on your body than pursuing strong cleanses which may make you sick while you cleanse.

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Orange Banana Green Smoothie

Orange Banana Green Smoothie

1 ripe banana
1 scoop strawberry flavored protein powder
1 cup orange juice
3 cups spinach (I like organic baby spinach)
1-2 cups ice
1 cup water (best to use filtered water)

Put everything in your smoothie blender and blend until smooth.

Drinking green smoothies is a great way to lose weight and feel better, have more energy and provide your body with essential nutrients.

Play around with making green smoothies. Once you learn about the flavors you like, you can make unlimited variations.

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Spinach is a popular ingredient used in green smoothies.

Vegetarians, vegans, and raw foodists have been making green smoothies for years, but now they are making their way into the main stream population. Why? Well, it starts with the health benefits of green vegetables. Leafy green vegetables contain tons of nutrients and vital minerals for good health. They are also low on the glycemic scale which makes them a very healthy choice for diabetics as well as those trying to lose weight.

Green smoothies are not only healthy, but also a very easy and tasty way to get those added nutrients, chlorophyll and enzymes. Chlorophyll, as well as enzymes, help to fight disease as well as cancer. And enzymes are necessary for proper digestion and metobolizing processes in the body.

Popular green smoothies may include the following:

• Spinach
• Kale
• Celery
• Parsley
• Sprouts
• Cucumbers
• Carrots
• Lemons
• Limes
• Ginger or cinnamon
• Additional fruits (adds flavor, but also natural sugars)

Many people will go on green juice or green smoothie fasts or cleanses – to help their systems become more alkaline or to lose weight. Try out a green smoothie and you’ll see why green smoothies are become more popular as time goes by.

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Banana Smoothies are delicious and very popular.

This healthy banana smoothie is very much like ice cream, but is a great way to cut out calories and extra sugars.

Banana Smoothie
1 cup milk (or soy milk)
2 frozen bananas (using frozen bananas make the texture more creamy)
1 scoop vanilla or chocolate protein powder
Dash of cinnamon
1 cup ice (optional)

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1 apple (you may leave the skin on for more nutrients, but make sure to wash thoroughly)
1 cup peaches (fresh or frozen). You may also substitute mangoes, nectarines or papaya
1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 banana
1 cup orange juice (or water)
2-3 cups fresh spinach
2-3 cups kale
2 cups ice

Blend and enjoy!

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What is your favorite smoothie flavor?

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