Getting our daily 5 servings of fruits and veggies sounds simple enough, but some of us just don’t do it. We’re aware of the benefits of doing so, but the notion of ingesting something we dislike is, well, hard to swallow.
That’s where the almighty smoothie comes in. Blending your fruits and veggies together instantly makes it more palatable – and the best part is, you can toss in things like cocoa powder and peanut butter to sweeten the deal. And as these 3-ingredient smoothie recipes show, you don’t need a long list of ingredients to get started.
Not many of us can say we love our veggies, but for those of you who want to do right by your body, green smoothies are the way to go. They are the perfect way to sneak some greens into your diet without actually crunching on them.
And if you’re afraid of that icky, grassy taste lingering in your mouth, you can sweeten it with a few chunks of mango as shown in this recipe – so if you can ignore the colour reminding you of those pesky greens, you’ll forget that you’re even having veggies at all.
What you’ll need:
Recipe sourced from iFoodReal.
Drinking alcohol excessively can put a dent on any weight loss plans, but if you find yourself missing a good martini, try this pina colada recipe. All you need are some pineapples, bananas, and coconut milk – and with a few quick whizzes in the blender, you’ll have a healthier alternative to the classic pina colada martini.
What you’ll need:
Recipe sourced from Gather For Bread.
Boost may be our go-to for juices and smoothies, but for a more pocket-friendly beverage, you can whip up this cherry coconut smoothie in under 5 minutes. All you need are some cherries, coconut water, and some lime juice, and you’ll have a refreshing beverage that is best served cold – perfect for a hot Singaporean afternoon.
What you’ll need:
Recipe sourced from Taste & Tell.
If you want to have a smoothie for breakfast, try this avocado banana smoothie. The avocado gives this beverage loads of healthy fats, and coupled with the fibre-heavy banana, gives you a creamy drink that will keep your belly filled for hours.
What you’ll need:
Recipe sourced from Omnivore’s Cookbook.
If you find your gut feeling a little bloated, you might want to include more probiotics in your diet. Common probiotics include yogurt, but you can also try out kefir, which is essentially a cultured, fermented beverage that tastes a lot like a yogurt drink.
This strawberry kefir smoothie is great for settling the stomach, and coupled with strawberries and honey, makes for a sweet, delicious drink that you can either have for breakfast or as a snack.
What you’ll need:
Recipe sourced from Jessica Levinson.
With the perpetually hot weather in Singapore, perspiring is almost a constant state whenever we go out. And if you want something other than water to keep yourselves hydrated, give this watermelon basil smoothie a go.
More than being a refreshing drink, the coconut water also helps replenish the electrolytes you lose through your sweat while basil is great for combating exhaustion and bloating, so you can have this after your workout sessions as well.
What you’ll need:
Recipe sourced from Radiant Rachels.
Apart from being potassium and fibre-heavy, bananas are great for making thick, creamy smoothies. Mix it together with some strawberries, which are full of vitamin B9 essential for tissue growth, and you’ll have the perfect mixture of tart and sweet for your breakfast or midday snack.
What you’ll need:
Recipe sourced from Live Eat Learn.
We’re well aware that drinking plenty of water flushes out the toxins, but you can also make detox smoothies for something a tad more powerful. The combination of green apples, ginger, and spinach contains fibre and anti-inflammatory properties that doesn’t just aid your body in the toxin removal process, but also helps ease any uncomfy bloating around the belly.
What you’ll need:
Recipe sourced from Detox DIY.
Apart from being a rich source of antioxidants, matcha helps improve your brain function, protects your organs from diseases, and boosts your memory. Simply chuck in a spoonful of the powder along with your other ingredients, whiz everything together, and enjoy.
What you’ll need:
Recipe sourced from Food Faith Fitness.
We’d typically associate peanut butter with the spread that goes on your morning toast, but the high content of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats as well as protein is great for controlling your hunger. You can add peanut butter into your beverages – as shown in this creamy peanut butter smoothie.
What you’ll need:
Recipe from Blender Balance.
Greek yogurt is a thicker version of your average yogurt with triple the amount of protein. Adding greek yogurt into your smoothies makes for one thicc beverage.
You can follow this mango yogurt smoothie as an example – just be sure that the mangos you’re using are ripe or the drink might turn out more sour than you’d like. Alternatively, you can also add a dash of honey or maple syrup to make it sweeter.
What you’ll need:
Recipe sourced from Gimme Delicious.
Chocolate is something we’d want to avoid eating excessively, but if you can’t resist the temptation, pick up a box of unsweetened cocoa powder instead. It’s rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties as well, and adding the powder into your smoothies will make for one delicious, healthy chocolate fix.
What you’ll need:
Recipe sourced from The Baker’s Almanac.
More than just being a classic tropical fruit, pineapples are a vitamin powerhouse that contains a whole load of vitamin C and manganese, the latter of which helps build strong bones. To make full use of this fruit, you can pair it together with your leafy greens as shown in this pineapple green smoothie recipe.
What you’ll need:
Recipe sourced from Veggies Save The Day.
Oats are a nutritious whole-grain foods that you often see in oatmeal or granola bars, but if you want some variation, you can chuck them into your smoothies as well. Here’s a banana oat smoothie that’s quick and easy to make – perfect for hasty mornings.
What you’ll need:
Recipe sourced from Tasty.
For something reminiscent of the Solero Lime ice-cream, grab a citrus fruit and whiz it together with some milk and orange juice to make this creamsicle smoothie. The combination of citrus and cream is almost exactly like the iconic childhood ice-cream – with the added bonus of being nutritious.
What you’ll need:
Recipe sourced from Carrots ‘N’ Cake.
Protein powder is a gym buff’s go-to for some added bulk, and with flavours like peanut butter and chocolate, it doubles up as a yummy way to add more flavour to drinks or meals. For some smoothie inspiration, check out this chocolate strawberry smoothie – but you can do this with protein powders of any flavour.
What you’ll need:
Recipe sourced from Gettin’ My Healthy On.
Berries like blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are loaded with the good stuff like antioxidants and vitamin C, which is something that we should have in our meals every day. Smoothies like this one work well with any berries you have, so you can grab the cheapest berries on sale the next time you’re out on a grocery run.
What you’ll need:
Recipe sourced from Shoot The Cook.
Smoothies are an easy way to incorporate more nutrients into our diet. As these simple 3-ingredient recipes show, you don’t even need a whole load of fruits and veggies to whip them up, making it an easy meal for your daily dose of nutrition.
And before you begin blending, here’s a tip: freeze your fruits beforehand for a slushy, ice-cold smoothie. If you’re running short on time, you can just add in a few ice cubes into the mixture.
Check out our other articles for more recipes:
Cover image credit (L-R): Gather For Bread, Radiant Rachels, and iFoodReal
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