Traditional Strawberry Smoothie
Cut your strawberries into pieces. While the recipe calls for 10, you may need fewer or more, depending on their size. And depending on your smoothie craving! The following are useful tips: It'll be easiest on your blender if you cut off the tops and then cut them in half. Make sure you're using a clean knife and cutting board! Make sure you wash your fruit! (Use baking soda and water) Frozen strawberries give the smoothie a thicker consistency without watering it down.
Pop them into a blender. A Magic Bullet or food processor will work, too.
Put the milk into the blender. 2% will make for a creamy, thicker smoothie, but non-fat, soy, and almond work, too. If you don't have milk, yogurt works as well.
Add ice. For a thicker, colder smoothie, throw the ice in the blender with everything else. However, if you'd like your smoothie to be more concentrated (at least initially), you can just put the ice into the smoothie when it's finished. Decisions, decisions.
Blend until liquefied. Depending on the strength of your blender and the size of your ice cubes, this should take anywhere from about 15 seconds to a minute. It may need a stir to get the last chunks of ice smoothie-ready, so break out your spoon if need be. Did someone say taste test? You can also add frozen strawberries instead of ice to maintain flavor!
Put the sugar in, blending a few seconds more. If the strawberries are sweet enough, you may not need the extra zing. Or if you'd like something more natural, honey is a great alternative. It's a good idea to try it out and see. If you add too much, you can always add more strawberries or milk!
Pour the smoothie in a glass. Cut a strawberry in half, then slice half of it so you can put it on the edge of the glass for a garnish. Grab a straw, your cocktail umbrella, and you're set. A chilled glass is even better -- it keeps the smoothie from becoming runny too quickly. Keep one in the freezer for the next time a smoothie craving strikes without warning.
Enjoy! The recipe above makes one strawberry smoothie. Watch out -- smoothies have been known to bring boys and girls to the yard, too. Hope you have extra ingredients on hand for when you're expected to share!
Non-Dairy Strawberry Smoothie
Halve 10 or so strawberries. 10 is a good number for a single serving, but more is always welcome. You could always double the batch for later! Grab your cutting board and knife and see where the moment takes you.
Add the strawberries and water or juice to your blender. Water will do the job and highlight the sweet strawberry-ness of your drink, but juice will get it more pizzazz -- apple, pineapple, mango, heck, even grape or cranberry. It'll drive down the strawberry flavor, but it'll give your smoothie or more complicated, sharp twist.
Pour in the honey or spoon in the sugar. Honey is mother nature's sugar, but the white stuff will do the trick, too. However, both are optional! If your strawberries are sweet enough, your smoothie may not need it. You can always blend everything else up and then see if your smoothie needs sugar. An excuse for a preemptive spoonful, really.
Add the ice cubes. The smaller they are, the easier it'll be on your blender, but they'll eventually get decimated all the same. If you're wary of adding too much ice, try adding half now to be blended and then adding 1 or 2 whole to your drink at the end to keep it chilly. You can also add frozen strawberries instead of ice to maintain flavor! Another good alternative is a chilled glass -- that way the glass acts as the ice and your smoothie stays a thicker, more filling consistency.
Blend on low and gradually move to high. The ice gets pummeled on the low setting, but it all smoothie-fies on high. You'll know it's done when everything is a red fruity liquid. Grab a spoon -- how's it taste? Then you may want to blend it on high for another 30 seconds to aerate. This will give it a bit of volume, too (read: more bang for your smoothie buck).
Enjoy! Garnish with a wedge of fruit -- maybe lemon, lime, pineapple, or more strawberry? A straw and an umbrella, too! Ah, fruity goodness. Have fun making and drinking!
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