Healthy, Cheap and Easy Smoothie Recipe

What is a smoothie?

Smoothies are blended ingredients that are usually chilled or frozen. For example, fruit smoothies, are blended combinations of fruits that also contain a variety of vitamins and nutrients. Smoothies can also be made up of vegetables (spinach being a popular choice of ingredient, for example).

What are smoothies made of?

Fruit smoothies can be made from a variety of different ingredients, but most smoothies will be made up of the same core ingredients.

• Fruit juice or liquid (such as soya milk, yoghurt)
• A mixture of frozen or fresh fruit (pineapples and berries are popular choices)
• Bananas are often used as a base ingredient

When to have a smoothie?

Smoothies are a tasty and healthy beverage which can be filling too and can be a great snack or small meal.

Nutrition

You can get a good portion of your recommended daily fruit and vegetables intake through smoothies and there are endless combinations that you can make.

Smoothies don't have to be expensive...

Smoothies don’t have to be expensive either; it is possible to make tasty and satisfying smoothies on a very small budget. It obviously depends on what type of smoothie you decide to make and the ingredients you decide to use. It is worth experimenting and trying different ingredients to see what you like and if you are on a budget, which are the cheapest.

If you want to make a cheap smoothie, I have found that it is possible to make a great tasting smoothie for less than 30 pence (or 50 cents) per person, which I will share below.

Equipment

I used to think that I needed an expensive smoothie making machine to make the best smoothies, but in my experience a hand blender and a plastic measuring jug is all that is needed to make a good smoothie, and actually a lot easier.

I have found that a hand blender is really easy to clean in comparison with most smoothie making machines; you can literally wash a hand blender and measuring jug out under the tap after use. In comparison I have found the more expensive smoothie blenders are often fiddly and difficult to clean.

My hand blender cost £5.00 and my plastic measuring jug was about 50p so it is very cheap to buy the equipment for smoothies!

This is my favourite smoothie and one that I make every day.

1. Pour 300ml of apple juice into the measuring jug

2. Peel a banana and break into pieces and add to the juice in the jug

3. Grab a handful of frozen berries and add to the banana and juice in the jug

4. Keeping the hand blender head underneath the ingredients (to avoid splashing!) liquidize the juice, banana and fruit using a hand blender until fully blended

5. Hey presto! Your smoothie is ready to drink.

Why make your own?

Making your own smoothies gives you control over the price of ingredients as well as the combination and taste of the smoothie.

In comparison with the cost and nutritional value of buying (usually pasteurised and treated) pre-bottled smoothies, making your own smoothies comes out on top.

It is also often expensive to buy smoothies from fresh smoothie bars. Though they are are often very good, you can make your own at the fraction of the price, to suit your own tastes.

Try different combinations. Experiment with the tastes.

Why not give it a try?