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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Home Show 2008: Vita-Mix Blender

via Videos related to ‘The Best Smoothie Ever’ by expotv on 8/18/09

	Home Show 2008: Vita-Mix Blender Blend, puree and mince your way to gourmet using the Vita-Mix Blender. This CIA Professional Series gadget comes with variable speeds, a snap-on lid to avoid splatters and a recipe book. Retail $499.	From: expotv Views: 17410 11 ratings
Time: 02:58	More in Howto & Style

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Spend some time researching features before buying a smoothie blender

To get a good quality smoothie, we recommend you invest in a good blender, otherwise you may end up with chunks of fruit or ice and not get a great smoothie. Once you learn how to make smoothies, you may wish to invest in a good smoothie blender and wonder where to start.

Smoothie blenders are constantly being upgraded and new models released. Typically you can save money if you purchase an older model (one that is just barely out of date) rather than the latest and greatest blender model.

If you choose to stay with a low or mid-range blender rather than buying a professional smoothie blender, you can adjust your smoothie recipes a bit in order to get a better smoothie. If you add a bit more liquid to your smoothie and allow your blender to run for a longer time, you may get a smoother texture. Also adding yogurt and using fresh fruit rather than frozen fruit will provide a more creamy smoothie.

We also recommend cutting your fruit/ingredients into smaller chunks in order to give a lower end smoothie blender a head start and using smaller ice cubes.

However, if you recognize the benefits of healthy smoothies to improve your immune system, help you lose weight, help you get your nutritional needs met and be a very convenient and fast way to create a meal replacement – you may decide to invest in a higher end smoothie blender.

Tastes vary and consumer feedback for both VitaMix smoothie blenders and Blendtec blenders are typically very positive and we recommend both brands.

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