I am a huge fan of green smoothies for breakfast! I have been making them for over a year now, and although I tend to stick with a few of my favorite recipes, there are hundreds of recipes available online. Check out Nutriliving, Simple Green Smoothies or even Pinterest. You can do a Google Search and be in Smoothie Recipe heaven for hours!
The smoothies are usually made up of some type of greens (spinach, kale, etc.) and fruit. One challenge I have found is that the equipment and ingredients tend to take up a lot of space, and I make them almost daily, so I want everything to be accessible.
Here’s a few Simple Tips for keeping your Smoothie Process Organized
Premixing Wet and/or Dry Ingredients
Since I tend to make a consistent recipe, I premix my frozen kale or spinach with my frozen mixed berries, along with some frozen cranberries. This way it’s already in the correct proportion and I can just keep one bag in the freezer instead of 3. For dry ingredients, I tend to use chia seeds, powdered wheatgrass, and hemp seeds, so I mix those together in the correct proportions too and since it’s recommended to refrigerate hemp seeds, I keep this premix in the fridge.
Establish a Consistent Home for your Juicer, Blender, Jars and Other Ingredients
I repurposed a rectangular wooden basket that has a divider, so I can keep my blender/jars/lids/seals, along with my nut butters and other dry ingredients, in one spot on the counter. It’s easy to stash away if I need extra counter space or want a less-cluttered look.
Try New Recipes
Search online for new smoothie ideas and add the needed ingredient(s) to your shopping list each week. This spring I was focused on trying different fresh greens each week. I especially liked rainbow chard. I would prep them (e.g. wash, chop) when I got home from the grocery store so I could quickly add a handful to my smoothie each morning. With the abundance of summer fruit now, I started trying a new fruit each week, and have also bought some specialty juices like pomegranate and black currant to splash in as well.
Make your Smoothie the Night Before
I like to drink my smoothie as close to blending time as possible but often will need to blend prior because of time or before I leave for the gym so I can take it to work afterwards without having to stop at home. If mornings are usually a big rush for you, blend the smoothie the night before and keep it in the fridge. I haven’t tried freezing my smoothie masterpieces, so I’m not sure if it would expand or create too much pressure in the jar? If you’ve frozen your premade smoothie, please share your experience. (I would love to know.)
Rinse your Jar and/or Lid
As soon as you finish your smoothie rinse your jar and lid, even If you’re out and about. Fresh ingredients don’t like to sit around without getting funky. If that’s not possible, wash them as soon as you get home or before bed so they are clean and ready to go for the next morning.
Do you have favorite tips for staying organized for your Smoothie making or some favorite recipes you’d like to share? Leave them in the comments below. In the meantime, Happy Blending!
Image: Flickr/TimPatterson
