Strawberry smoothie: 3 delicious and refreshing chef recipes

In hot weather, smoothies are great for cooling and satiating. The ingredients can be quite different: depending on them, the thick drink will become an interesting alternative to a classic breakfast or even an addition to lunch.

brand-chef of the food media platform Food.ru

“Strawberry smoothies are very popular – they are quite easy to prepare. If you want to make such a drink out of season, you can use frozen berries.”

Smoothies are made from foods rich in nutrients and vitamins. Strawberries are good for the immune system because they have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The berry contains vitamins C, E, B9, as well as fiber, folic acid, iron and other trace elements.

Together with strawberries, bananas, mint, pineapples, apples and other fruits are added to the drink. For the basis, cow or vegetable milk, kefir or just drinking water are used.

Classic smoothie with strawberries and basil

Ingredients:

• fresh or frozen strawberries – 200 g;
• banana – 1 pc. ;
• cream of 10 percent fat content – 200 ml;
• green basil – 15 g;
• ice – as desired.

Preparation

1. Wash the strawberries and remove the tails. If using a frozen berry, keep it warm for a while so that the largest crystals have time to defrost.
2. Remove the peel from the banana and cut it into three pieces.
3. Put all the ingredients, except the basil, in the bowl of a blender and chop until smooth.
4. Wash the basil and dry well with paper towels. Add to the rest of the ingredients and whisk on pulse mode to chop the basil, but not to color the smoothie dark green.
5. Pour the smoothie into a glass and serve over ice. You can crush the ice along with the ingredients if desired.

Tips

1. To make the smoothie thick, do not add all the liquid at once, but pour and whisk the mixture gradually. This way you will get the desired consistency.
2. You can decorate the smoothie with a sprig of basil, mint and tarragon or slices of fruit.

Strawberry smoothie variations

You can not limit yourself in the choice of berries and fruits. Experiment with combinations and add your favorite products. The main thing is that the consistency should be homogeneous and smooth.

Strawberry smoothie with avocado

Avocado is also a fruit, but it contains a lot of fat. It will make the texture of the smoothie more creamy and add a nutty aftertaste. To prepare the drink, take only a ripe product. If you add hard flesh of the fruit, the smoothie will be bitter.

Avocado is rich in vitamins and monounsaturated fats that reduce cholesterol and improve the cardiovascular system, and vitamin K and phosphorus in its composition strengthen bones.

Ingredients:

• fresh or frozen strawberries – 120 g;
• avocado – 1 pc;
• lime – 1 pc;
• vegetable milk or water – 100 ml;
• mint – 2-3 sprigs;
• ice – as desired;
• honey – to taste.

Preparation

1. If you use fresh strawberries, wash them and remove the tails. Frozen berries should be kept warm for a while to defrost the largest ice crystals.
2. Slice the avocado, remove the pit and spoon out the pulp.
3. Zest the lime and squeeze all the juice from the pulp.
4. Wash the mint.
5. Put all ingredients in a blender bowl, add milk or water and blend until smooth.
6. Pour the smoothie into a glass, add ice if you want a colder drink and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Tip

If the flavor will lack sweetness, add topinambour syrup. This is necessary to avoid a bland herbal flavor.

Strawberry smoothie with celery and pineapple

If the classic recipes are bored, you can try a variant with celery. It gives the drink a little spice, in addition, it is good for the heart and stomach.

Ingredients:

• fresh or frozen strawberries – 200 g;
• celery stalk – 2 pcs;
• almond or other milk – 100 ml;
• canned pineapple – 100 g;
• frappe ice – 50 g.

Preparation

1. Wash and chop the celery stalks to fit in the blender bowl. If you like a more delicate texture, first cut the tough strands off the stalks with a small thin knife.
2. Wash the fresh strawberries, remove the tails and leaves. Keep the frozen ones warm for a while so that the largest crystals have time to defrost. Transfer the berries to the bowl of a blender.
3. Puree the ingredients with the blender, gradually adding the almond milk so that the mass becomes homogeneous.
4. Serve the smoothie in a glass with ice and a straw.

Tip

You can pre-freeze the almond milk to avoid adding ice, or prepare the plant-based drink yourself. To do this:

1. Soak 200 g of nuts overnight.
2. In the morning, rinse the almonds and transfer them to the bowl of a blender, pour three cups of drinking water.
3. Grind with a blender to a homogeneous mass and strain through a fine sieve.

Homemade plant milk is ready! Add the resulting drink and some almond cake to the smoothie.

Important points on assembling a smoothie

• You can combine any fruits and vegetables according to your taste. The main thing is that the blender has enough power to puree them to a homogeneous texture.
• The consistency of smoothies – delicate, creamy and thick – is obtained by using dense, fleshy fruits: for example, avocado, strawberries or banana. You can also use solidified coconut milk, ice cream, or even cream cheese for density.
• Always keep a balance of sour and sweet. If you use a lot of sour berries, add some “softening” and fatty components. And vice versa: if you use unleavened berries, the juice and zest of citrus fruits or honey will help bring back their flavor.

• To prepare a cool drink at once, you can freeze plant milk in advance and use it instead of ice. You can also add fresh frozen berries or fruit.
• For additional flavors, you can use herbs (basil, mint, tarragon), citrus zest or spices (vanilla, tonka bean, cardamom).

Strawberry smoothies are a true classic among PP drinks. If you get bored with the traditional recipe, feel free to try new ones: it’s enough to add herbs or one fruit to make the flavor of the smoothie acquire interesting notes.