When I was planning my wedding back in 2006, I made a bad habit of skipping breakfast. What seemed like an oversight at the time became the cause of a myriad of issues that could have easily been solved by a smoothie on the go. The worst part, was getting sick 3 weeks before my wedding because my nutrient intake was at an all time low. Not cool!

I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but smoothies really are the best way to keep your system fuelled without being bolted down to a table. Getting out of bed 5 minutes earlier to blend your breakfast could be difference between a gaunt complexion and a healthy bridal glow.

Freeze your own berries
Though it might be tempting to buy that 6 kilo bag of mixed berries, I always find it a lot more beneficial (and tasty) to buy berries while they’re fresh, reduced for quick sale and in season. I freeze them in small zip lock bags intended for individual use making them great for other desserts and guilt free treats too!

Peel fleshy fruit before freezing!

This might seem obvious, but only to those who have known the pain of throwing whole fruit into the freezer. Frozen fleshy fruit like mangoes and bananas will add that perfect chill and creamy texture we all love about a great smoothie, without watering down affect that ice tends to have. Peel ripe bananas, break them into quarters and freeze the 4 portions in small zip lock bags. Right now in the land down under, Kensington Pride Mangoes are inexpensive, ripe, and are waiting for you to peel and freeze them for later use! There’s nothing quite like a mango smoothie in July!

The right amount, every time

Eliminate over indulging and waste! Take the cup you intend to fill with smoothie deliciousness, and load it with your ingredients, starting with fruit, frozen ingredients, dry nuts and seeds, and lastly with milk. Pour into your blender, and whizz it up. Pour back out into the same glass, and you’re good to go!

Cut unnecessary calories!

I’ve always been interested in finding cleaner substitutes for essentials like milk. I stopped drinking dairy milk 10 years ago, and I have never looked back! I am not lactose intolerant, so why the change? One cup of full cream dairy milk can hold a whopping 160 calories. Coming from a girl who would rather eat her calories, Almond Breeze Unsweetened Almond Milk is my pick of the bunch, boasting a tiny 40 calories per cup. It’s also perfect for baking, and savoury dishes too!

Keep it simple
My favourite smoothie always involves frozen or fresh bananas, berries, a tablespoon of chia seeds, oats or quinoa flakes, a little honey, and of course some milk. Try not to overload on the fruit – my rule is three types of fruit (banana, mango and blueberries for example), some seeds, quinoa flakes or oats, and almond milk, and I never mix citrus juices into my smoothies, unless they’re totally milk free!

Upgrade the Ice Cubes
If you’re using cold milk and frozen fruit, your smoothie should be chilled and icy enough. When not using frozen fruit, a smoothie might be a little on the watered down side if you add regular ice. So instead of compromising the taste and texture of your smoothies, why not try a little flavour and nutrient boost? Try freezing freshly squeezed juice, vanilla almond milk, or coconut water in ice cube trays and use as a substitute. Frozen juice cubes are especially perfect for dairy and milk free blends. Oh, and always add your ice cubes last!

Slushie VS Smoothie
As mentioned above, an ice based fruit blend with no milky ingredients (including yogurt) is definitely a slushie – perfect with citrusy ingredients and fruit juices. Whenever you blend milk or yogurt with fruit fresh or frozen, then its becomes a smoothie (not so good with citrus fruits). Now I’m not the authority on the matter, but a creamy cold drink is totally different to a water based icy one, So I guess it all depends on what you’re in the mood for!

Yoghurt Yumminess
Adding 2 tablespoons of chilled yoghurt to any smoothie could be the difference between a cold drink, and a delicious brunch on the go. Use organic natural yogurt where possible. Try adding a teaspoon of honey to take some of the tangy edge off. Otherwise, use organic vanilla bean yoghurt if you’d rather not add honey.

There’s no need for added sugar!
There are no excuses. Adding sugar to already naturally sweet fruit smoothies is craziness. Especially when substitutes like honey and agave exist. If you are using fresh, good quality bananas, berries and fleshy fruits like mango, then there really should be no need for sugar anyway. You might be pleasantly surprised by the natural sweetness of your smoothies when pairing Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk with frozen bananas and berries. If you insist on adding extra sweetness like honey to your smoothies, make sure you measure what you’re adding one teaspoon at a time, and never free pour! Remember, it’s always easier to add, but once blended, impossible to take it all back!

Add a pinch of spice and spoon of nuts
I’ve always loved the flavour combination of cinnamon, walnuts and banana. Now I know not everybody is fond of this woody spice, but I think that in a simple, clean banana smoothie, a small pinch of ground cinnamon takes it from a guilt free treat, to sneaky dessert beverage. Why, you ask? Because every banana cake in the history of human events involves cinnamon and walnuts, and sometimes it’s nice to dream. When adding nuts, only add one tablespoon per serve. Remember, smoothies are better when the flavours are balanced – it’s about a little bit of everything.

Here’s a simple recipe to get you started:

Take 2 smoothie cups and fill them with the following:
1 frozen banana per cup
1/4 cup frozen berries per cup
1/4 cup of oats or quinoa flakes per cup
1 teaspoon of chia seeds per cup
Fill to the top with Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

Carefully pour contents of each cup into a blender and whizz for 1 minute until smooth. Pour back into smoothie cups and enjoy!

Viola Marie Doyle is a Sydney based writer, cake decorator, food enthusiast and frequent jet setter. Currently the Editorial Consultant of The Journal Magazine Australia and Editor of Project Sweet Stuff, Viola now relishes the opportunity to explore the little curiosities that she defines as the sweet life. Follow Viola on Instagram @violamariedoyle