6 Tips and Tricks for Your First Smoothie Blends

Sometimes the best recipes are those you create yourself, and the Vitamix is the perfect tool for experimenting with new taste sensations. Occasionally, culinary adventures go awry, and you make end up with a smoothie that's too thick, too thin or just doesn't taste right.

There’s no reason to throw away a smoothie that somehow went south. Turn around your smoothie experiments with a quick fix, then be sure to make a note of it in your recipe book.

Try these smoothie tips and tricks for quick fixes:

How to Make a Smoothie Thinner:

Add small amounts of water, milk, or juice. Work your machine back up to its highest speed, and process for 10-20 seconds.
Tip: Load the container in the following order: liquids first, then soft fruits or vegetables, greens, and ice on top.

How to Make a Smoothie Thicker:

Use or add frozen fruit (especially bananas), add more ice, or add frozen yogurt. Work your machine back up to its highest speed, and process for 20-30 seconds
Tip: Add a variety of fruits/vegetables or greens in an assortment of textures.

How to Make a Smoothie Less Bitter:

Pineapple and oranges both add lots of fruity sweetness. Banana, in addition to being sweet, seems to neutralize bitter flavors. Strawberries are also good choices for green smoothies. Also try adding a bit of vanilla bean or vanilla extract, agave, cacao, or unsweetened cocoa powder. Flavored protein powders will also mask the taste of bitter greens. After adding these ingredients, work your machine back up to its highest speed, and process for 10-20 seconds.
Tip: Baby greens are generally milder than mature greens. Tastes do change and adapt to new eating habits. Try working up to bitter greens by combining small amounts of them with the spinach in your smoothie. Then gradually adjust the ratio as your taste buds adapt. Chalky taste: Add more fruit and/or other ingredients in the recipe. Work your machine back up to its highest speed, and process for 10-20 seconds. Adding more protein powder can give you too much of a good thing; use amounts recommended on the label.

How to Make a Smoothie Less Sweet:

Add a touch of lemon juice or frozen lemonade concentrate. Work your machine back up to its highest speed, and process for 10-20 seconds.
Tip: Fruits add their own natural sweetness, so use a balance of sweet and citrus fruits and reduce or eliminate other sweeteners like honey or agave.

How to Make a Smoothie Sweeter:

Add honey, agave, maple syrup, Stevia, dates, grapes, or a little sugar. Using watermelon in place of water will sweeten a smoothie. Work your machine back up to its highest speed, and process for 10-20 seconds.
Tip: A little sweetener goes a long way, so add small amounts at a time.

How to Make a Smoothie Creamier:

Avocado is ideal for adding creaminess to smoothies. Its mild flavor disguises its nutritional wallop. After removing its skin and pit, you can add a whole avocado to your smoothie, or save some for the next day. As an alternative, add ice cream, frozen yogurt, or vanilla yogurt for more creaminess. Work your machine back up to its highest speed, and process for 10-20 seconds.
Tip: Smoothies need a good blend of liquid and solid ingredients to achieve just the right texture.