[pkatt]

The other day, while in Kmart, I saw a blender for sale cheap and edcided to buy one. I know how to make milkshakes already, but I have no clue how to make smoothies. I've looked online some places, but they don't sound like the ones I'm looking for. I want to be able to make smoothies like those you buy at coffee places or something. The kind with the crushed ice. If anyone has any good recipes or knows where I can find some, I'd be most appreciative.

[RAzaRazor]

You could get a job at Jamba Juice for a week. Then you will know how to make them all!

(Come back and share the info with us. I won't stoop that low for a smoothie...)

[Too Much Coffee Woman]

smoothie = a fruit, a liquid, a thickener and a sweetener (if necessary)

here's my personal fav....

Coffee Banana Smoothee invented by me!

1 banana (fruit)
1 container of Breyer's Coffee Yogurt (thickener)
1 cup of milk (liquid)
1 teaspoon of sugar (sweetener/optional)

serves 2

by the way, to get the "coffee shop" ice texture...freeze the milk, adding actual ice cubes dilutes the flavor in my humble opinion

[tooki]

Basic no-dairy, no-banana fruit smoothie:

- 3-4 cups of fresh or frozen fruit (thaw after measuring)
- 3-4 cups store-bought ice (homemade ice will not work, it leaves chunks)
- juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 whole lime
-up to 1/3 cup sugar, depending on the fruit
-about 1/2 cup water, less if using very juicy fruit like starfruit or orange, more if using creamy fruit like mango or banana

Blend the fruit, water and sugar into a fine puree (it should be like a thick pancake batter), then add the ice and blend just long enough to make it the right consistency -- the ice particles should be the size of coarse salt (it's easy to overblend, and if it does, the microscopic ice particles will make the whole mass solididy). The volume of the ice should be about the same as the volume of the puree.

Replace the water with rum, and use lime instead of lemon, to make frozen daiquiri (use about 5 limes and a cup of sugar, with no other fruit, to make classic frozen daiquiri).

Fills 3 or 4 standard margarita glasses.


My favorite is 2/3 strawberry, 1/3 pineapple, made with raw sugar and lime. If there's a Trader Joe's near you, they have great quality frozen fruit.

tooki the chef

[pkatt]

Originally posted by Too Much Coffee Woman:
<STRONG>smoothie = a fruit, a liquid, a thickener and a sweetener (if necessary)

here's my personal fav....

Coffee Banana Smoothee invented by me!

1 banana (fruit)
1 container of Breyer's Coffee Yogurt (thickener)
1 cup of milk (liquid)
1 teaspoon of sugar (sweetener/optional)

serves 2

by the way, to get the "coffee shop" ice texture...freeze the milk, adding actual ice cubes dilutes the flavor in my humble opinion

</STRONG>

Can you substitute the banana for other fruit? I personally prefer strawberry, although I have only tried 2 other flavors.

[vmpaul]

Originally posted by pkatt:
<STRONG>If anyone has any good recipes or knows where I can find some, I'd be most appreciative.</STRONG>

You know, I had the same thought when I started to get into smoothies a couple of years ago. Thought I had to get a recipe book and all.

I discovered that you really can't go wrong with fruit smoothies. They all taste decent. And if they don't you can always use a little honey if needed.

I've tried a lot of different but you can't beat the simplicity of oj, frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries, and a banana.

Start there and just experiment.

[Laauuren]

Smoothies are great and all, but forget that idea for a minute and get a pen. I am about to give you THE best margarita recipe EV-er.

For one blender-full:
1 small can of limeade
6 shots Cuerve Gold (and yes, it definitely does matter what kind of tequila)
2 shots of triple sec
splash of OJ
half a lime, squeezed
ice

[pkatt]

Originally posted by Laauuren:
<STRONG>Smoothies are great and all, but forget that idea for a minute and get a pen. I am about to give you THE best margarita recipe EV-er.

For one blender-full:
1 small can of limeade
6 shots Cuerve Gold (and yes, it definitely does matter what kind of tequila)
2 shots of triple sec
splash of OJ
half a lime, squeezed
ice</STRONG>

I'm only 14, so I can't legally drink alcohol, and even if I could, I've tried it and it sucks.

I did some looking on the net today and found a recipe that sounds good. I'll try it tomorrow.

[The_Equivocator]

Originally posted by pkatt:
<STRONG>

I'm only 14, so I can't legally drink alcohol, and even if I could, I've tried it and it sucks.</STRONG>

Heh. I thought the same thing when I was 14...

Trust me, chances are it won't last long...

[TonyRado]

Well, I haven't gotten one since last summer but maybe this weekend I'll check out how "Suzzie" makes 'em (Suzzie is the lady in the coffee shop in my building - so I named the place after her). But, I think you are looking for something a little different than what TMCW and I are use to here in NYC. I "think" that Suzzie just puts fruit and frozen vanilla yogurt in her smoothies (you get to pick 2 fruits! ). Anyway, it sounds like you are looking for one of those milk free kind, like a Daquiri (sp?) without the alcohol or something.

FWIW, I like Suzzie's Bananna/Strawberry Smoothies the best, and then every so often I'll throw in a Blueberry/Strawberry for a change of pace. Problem is, those damn things are a solid $5 a pop here. Gah!

[Laauuren]

Well don't tell your mom I gave you the margarita recipe. I'm an awful person. And because I feel incredibly guilty, I found you a whole website of smoothie recipes.
http://www.bestjuicers.com/recipes.html

[pkatt]

Originally posted by Laauuren:
<STRONG>Well don't tell your mom I gave you the margarita recipe. I'm an awful person. And because I feel incredibly guilty, I found you a whole website of smoothie recipes.
http://www.bestjuicers.com/recipes.html</STRONG>

Don't feel bad. I'll just tell her I was looking for a recipe for her (she likes alcohol, so she'll be flattered).

I don't think I'm looking for a no milk one. I want to make them like they do in coffee shops. I want an icy texture.

[TonyRado]

I still don't understand the "icy" part. My smoothies here are more "yogurtey" like. It's a "smooth" Smoothie, not Icey aka Slush Puppy. Anyway, I remembered the recipe. It is 2/3 frozen vanilla yogurt (comes out of the machine like custard); some milk; and then the 2 fruits. Blend Up Nice. IMO, you should only go with about 1/2 frozen yogurt at most.

Now I gotta get one this a.m., Thanks!

[Montanan]

The cool thing about smoothies is that, after you've made a couple of them, you don't really need a recipe. Just remember the basic liquid / thickener / fruit / sweetener rule, start throwing stuff into the blender, and see what happens.

[vmpaul]

Originally posted by TonyRado:
<STRONG>I still don't understand the "icy" part. My smoothies here are more "yogurtey" like. It's a "smooth" Smoothie, not Icey aka Slush Puppy. Anyway, I remembered the recipe. It is 2/3 frozen vanilla yogurt (comes out of the machine like custard); some milk; and then the 2 fruits. Blend Up Nice. IMO, you should only go with about 1/2 frozen yogurt at most.

Now I gotta get one this a.m., Thanks!
</STRONG>

If you have a good blender throw in the ice. Thickens them right up.

[itomato]

Yum:

• 2 Frozen bananananananas
  1 cup Coconut/Pineapple Juice (or more to loosen)
  1 tsp Granulated Lecithin
  1 heaping tbsp "Mega Greens" or some other green food concentrate
  Frozen Strawberries to taste (optional)

There may be another ingredient, but I can't think of it. Apple juice, perhaps..

[OldManMac]

My daily breakfast.

2 heaping tablespoons cottage cheese (lowfat)
1 8oz. lowfat yogurt (whatever flavor)
1.5 cups water
1 kiwi fruit, cored
1 large tablespoon multi grain cereal
1 banana
1 plum, nectarine or peach
1 apple
1 pear
1 tablespoon peanut butter
Occasional tablespoon honey

Turn the dang machine on and stand back! Add ice to fill blender. Pour into 3 large glasses/cups.
Voila; breakfast for 3 days! Also drink orange juice daily and eat 6 almonds for breakfast. Healthy as an ox, and almost as big!

[The Ginger Rat]

Freeze the fruit first, then you don't have to toss in ice.

I like them with either just a little yogurt, or as simply slushed fruit. Really nice on a hot day.

Raspberries are good for intense flavor and color, bananas for texture (although I find their flavor dominates), watermelon for a very fresh taste. I like to whizz a bunch of frozen watermelon, a handful of raspberries, and maybe some vanilla yogurt together. Yum...

[jholmes]

Splash in a little rum and you are making Daiquiris!

Surgeon goes into a bar, orders the house special. Bartender brings him a frozen drink with a stick in it. Surgeon says what the hell is this? Bartender replies,

It's a hickory Daiquiri, Doc.

&gt;rimshot&lt;!Thankyouthankyou I'll be here all week.

[vmpaul]

Originally posted by The Ginger Rat:
<STRONG> I like to whizz a bunch of frozen watermelon, a handful of raspberries, and maybe some vanilla yogurt together. Yum...</STRONG>

Maybe a stupid question but do you seed the watermelon or do you throw the whole thing in?

[TonyRado]

Originally posted by vmpaul:
<STRONG>Maybe a stupid question but do you seed the watermelon or do you throw the whole thing in?</STRONG>

Actually, when Suzzie maked OJ and Apple Juice she puts the whole damn thing in the blender. Of course she has a kick arse blender.

Anyway, here's the update:

Ya'll got me feelin like a smoothie for the past few days. So today after court I went to Elixir (juice bar that was actally in a lot of the news clips after the 11th (they let a lady in just seconds before the dust cloud passed and she was hysterical). So, I figured that I'd check them out. I got a HUGH Smoothie from them (they even gave me the blender's left overs in a little dixie cup). I WAS EFFIN GREAT!!! Here's the ingredients:

Ice cold Apple Cider
1 Bananna
Strawberries
Blue Berries
- then she added a touch more Cider

Blend real well. DAMN, best $ 4.82 smoothie ever!!! Note: No yogurt, and no ice!!! Thanks all.

[The Ginger Rat]

Originally posted by vmpaul:
<STRONG>

Maybe a stupid question but do you seed the watermelon or do you throw the whole thing in?</STRONG>

I buy seedless watermelon; the little white seeds that do occur whizz up very nicely. But if I have regular watermelon I flick out the offenders and use just the pulp.