Smoothies can be a great way to start the day or refresh yourself after a hard day at work. They are quick and easy to make. All you need is a powerful blender and a few ingredients. Keep reading to find out how.

• Smoothies are cool blended drinks that have three major ingredients: fruit, liquid and a thickener. They make great choices for people who are trying to lose weight or those who need a quick solution for breakfast. There are thousands of recipe combinations. Finding the right one for you can be a very tasty journey. Before you get started, you will need to understand the basics of how to make a smoothie.

• Liquid is added to your smoothie to make everything blend smoothly. Which liquid you use is up to you. Start with 1/4 cup and add more as necessary. BellaOnline: Basic Fruit Smoothie Recipe If you plan on adding ice in Step 3, expect to add more liquid to keep your blender from freezing.Oodora: Basic Fruit Smoothie Recipe October 26, 2007

• Popular Liquid Choices

• Fruit juice

• Soy milk

• Rice milk

• Milk

• Heavy cream

• Coffee (chilled)

• Vegetable juice

• Water

• Choosing which fresh fruit you are going to use can help decide on what other ingredients to add. The most common choices for smoothies are strawberry and banana.Oodora: Basic Fruit Smoothie Recipe October 26, 2007 Make sure you wash or rinse the fruits and remove any stems before using. If possible, freeze your fruit before using. Freezing your fruit in advance will make your smoothie colder and thicker.Spiffy Smoothies: Smoothie Tips
  1. For bananas, peel and slice before placing in an airtight container.Martha Stewart: Too Many Bananas?
  2. Spread pieces on a plate or baking sheet until they are frozen to keep them from becoming one big lump. Then, move them into a freezer bag or airtight container.Spiffy Smoothies: Smoothie Tips
  3. For more information, check out Mahalo's how to freeze peaches or how to freeze strawberries.

• Finally, you need to add a thickener.BellaOnline: Basic Fruit Smoothie Recipe The thickener will give the smoothie its texture and consistency.Oodora: Basic Fruit Smoothie Recipe October 26, 2007 Some fruit, such as bananas, can double as your thickener especially if they are frozen.Oodora: Basic Fruit Smoothie Recipe October 26, 2007 The more of these ingredients you add, the thicker your smoothie will be.name="About.com tips">About.com: Tips for a Perfect Smoothie

• Popular Thickener Choices

• Yogurt

• Frozen yogurt

• Tofu

• Ice cream

• Frozen juice concentrate

• Sorbet

• Frozen fruit

• Ice

• While Steps 1 through 3 will give you the basic smoothie, many people opt to add additional items either to add nutrition or flavor. Here are a few of the more popular for smoothies.

• Nutritional Supplements

• Protein powderPerfectSmoothie.com: How to Make a Smoothie

• Fiber supplements (powdered)PerfectSmoothie.com: How to Make a Smoothie

• Vitamin supplements (powdered)PerfectSmoothie.com: How to Make a Smoothie

• Wheat germBellaOnline: Basic Fruit Smoothie Recipe

• Ground flaxseedBellaOnline: Basic Fruit Smoothie Recipe

• Soy protein isolate or concentrateBellaOnline: Basic Fruit Smoothie Recipe

• Brewer's yeastname="About.com tips">About.com: Tips for a Perfect Smoothie

• Flavor

• CinnamonBellaOnline: Basic Fruit Smoothie Recipe

• Vanilla extractBellaOnline: Basic Fruit Smoothie Recipe

• HoneyFood Network: Smoothies

• Peanut butterFood Network: Smoothies

• Coconut flakesname="about.com 2">About.com: How to Make a Smoothie

• Nutsname="about.com 2">About.com: How to Make a Smoothie

• Chocolate chipsname="about.com 2">About.com: How to Make a Smoothie

• Cocoa powdername="about.com 2">About.com: How to Make a Smoothie

1. Add ingredients into the blender starting with the liquid.
   1. Although the quantities of your ingredients will vary, a good rule is to add 1 part fruit, 1 part liquid, and 2 parts thick base.BellaOnline: Basic Fruit Smoothie Recipe For example, add 1/2 cup banana, 1/2 cup orange juice and 1 cup frozen yogurt for a 2 cup smoothie.
   2. Don't put too much in your blender or it won't achieve enough circulation.PerfectSmoothie.com: How to Make a Smoothie
2. Don't forget to put the lid on the blender.
3. Start your blender a couple of settings below the highest setting.Oodora: Basic Fruit Smoothie Recipe October 26, 2007
4. Add any additional ingredients once you see a slight whirlpool at the top.Oodora: Basic Fruit Smoothie Recipe October 26, 2007
5. Blend ingredients until the liquid is fully circulating in the blender, usually between 15 to 45 seconds.PerfectSmoothie.com: How to Make a Smoothie
6. Check to make sure all the ingredients are pureed before pouring.About.com: How to Make a Smoothie

• Introduction
• Choose the Right Blender
• Step 1: Add Liquid
• Step 2: Add Fruit
• Step 3: Add Thickener
• Step 4: Add Optional Ingredients
• Directions
• Smoothie Recipes
• References