If there is anything more refreshing or delicious than a fruit smoothie, we cannot tell you. While you could grab a smoothie at the local smoothie store to get the next best concoction, you will probably be better off making your own smoothies at your home.
How else can you be certain that your blend of fruit, veg, and yogurt is truly what you want it to be?
While you have probably perfected the smoothie recipe process, there is probably room for improvement around your technique.
However, we are here now to enlighten you on what we have learned and share it with you y’all.
Read on to learn more about how to layer a smoothie and the right smoothie ratios!
There Is A Right Way To Layer Your Smoothie
As it turns out, there is a right way to layer smoothies!
Usually, we just toss in the ingredients, press to start, and then find out we need to stop our appliance a few times just to stir it around to make sure it is all properly mixed together.
You may also find that you are constantly needing to run more than one cycle on the blender.
If you have to run more than one cycle on your blender, then you are sure to end up with some chunks still frozen, and some other very runny components.
This is most certainly not a fun thing to have to deal with.
If this is you, then you need a fix for this problem, and trust us, it is not the blender.
You just need to shake up how you make your smoothies, you need to add your ingredients in a different order, that is all.
Ninja blenders have spoken about all the ways we are making our smoothies wrong and have given us a 101 on just how you need to be blending to get more out of your blender! It is that simple.
Say goodbye to jammed blades, and stop-start blending!
We have the answers…
Here is how!
#1. Liquid At The Base
The liquid acts as the base for your smoothie.
Whatever liquid you are working with, you always add the liquid first. Ninja blenders will tell you that the liquid needs to be added to the base first as it allows the blender to work its magic properly. The spinning blades make a vortex, sucking harder ingredients into it like a little tornado.
Liquids make this process more effective.
#2. Fine Powders
If you are using protein powder or powdered peanut butter or the sorts, you can add these ingredients straight away, after the liquid.
This will ensure that the powder is fully mixed in with the finished product and there are no clumpy, gross chunks of powder floating about.
#3. Fruit & Veggies
If you plan on having a green smoothie, this is the part where you add in your leafy greens such as spinach or kale.
If you want to use greens like this, add on a bit more blending time so that the blades can properly break down the fibers in the raw veg.
You could also add fresh fruit as well as leafy greens. Put soft ones in first, such as bananas, peaches, or berries.
Harder fruits go in second, this allows the weight of the fruits to push on your other ingredients, enhancing a smooth blend.
#4. Anything Creamy!
Now for the creamy goodness, add in nut butter, yogurt, and silken tofu if you are using them. Remember, greek yogurt is the best for smoothies and makes your smoothie so thick and delicious, as well as nutritious.
#5. The Hard Stuff: Ice, Frozen Fruit, Nuts, Etc
The final thing to put in your blender needs to be frozen goods, this means ice and frozen fruit. These can be quite tough, so if you can try to crush it up a bit extra before.
Also, ensure that your blender can handle these as not all blenders can!
If you want to add any nuts or seeds, you should also add them in at this point too!
Why Is The Order Of The Layers So Important?
Okay, so, why does any of this matter?
Well, you want to put the foods most like liquids on the bottom and finish it up with the most solid foods on the very top. Creamy and soft ingredients will get sandwiched in-between. The liquid below, creamy at the top!
The science behind this is that the blender blades need to be spinning at full whack by the time the heavy and hard ingredients get introduced. This will also help to avoid cavitation which can happen if your ingredients get too cold, which would make an air pocket form around the blade which would stop it from actually blending.
You can stop cavitation from happening by ensuring there is space between cold and hard ingredients and the liquids at the base.
How Do You Layer A Smoothie Bowl?
A smoothie bowl is layered pretty much the same as a regular smoothie. Layer your ingredients as you would a normal smoothie, although, you can expect the ingredients to be somewhat different as smoothie bowls are traditionally thick and creamy.
More so than your traditional smoothie, at least!
Another addition to smoothie bowls is that you often add toppings to the top of the smoothie for an additional crunch factor.
You can add seeds, nuts, oats, fruit, and so on to give it a special something extra.
A great topping can be shredded coconut, berries, sliced banana, strawberries, and maybe some nuts. Pine nuts are great for this.
Overview:
See, it really is that simple, your smoothies do not need to be so difficult to make, and chunks in the smoothies can easily be avoided by just putting the ingredients in a different order! So simple, right?!
So, there you have it. Give it a go, and tell us what you think!