Create a Simple and Healthy Smoothie Station

Plus a build-your-own plant-based smoothie recipe and a tried and true favorite

Whether you eat a plant-based diet or you’re just exploring a healthier lifestyle, smoothies are a great way to introduce more nutrients into your diet.

And once you create a simple and healthy smoothie station, you can easily include smoothies in your morning routine.

You can make them as healthy or treat-like as you prefer, and they’re a great way to start or end your day.

Years back, I started making a green smoothie recipe each morning. I’d often make an easy strawberry smoothie without yogurt or smoothie bowls, in the evening as a sweet treat. It’s such an easy way to get the rainbow into our diet.

Kids and adults love them the same, and it’s a delicious way to boost your health. We tend to crave more of what we eat, so start slow with the greens, and soon you’ll be enjoying Swiss chard and kale, even if it’s hard to imagine it right now.

Getting all our fruits and veggies in every day can be a challenge at times. But when we pack our smoothies with healthy plant-based ingredients, we’re setting ourselves up for a powerful and impactful healthy lifestyle.

Once I realized smoothies were in our family to stay, I knew I wanted to make it easy. Life is busy, so I try and simplify and create shortcuts in the kitchen as much as possible.

I feel like doing more if I don’t have to search and remember where I put something.

Creating a smoothie station for our kitchen is one of the best kitchen shortcuts I’ve done.

One thing I always keep at my smoothie station is homemade nut butter. It blends beautifully into smoothies like my chocolate peanut butter smoothie recipe, chocolate brownie batter smoothie, and this chocolate matcha protein smoothie.

Create your perfect station

Equipment

One of the first things I did was invest in a good blender. With green smoothies, you don’t want to have chunks of greens; it takes away a lot of the appeal.

The best blender I’ve found are Blendtec and Vitamix—both are great options. It makes smoothies so easy. It’s a bit of an investment upfront, but it pays for itself. I’ve had my Vitamix for more than five years, and it’s still as good as new.

Not only is it good for smoothies, but I also use it for cashew-based dressings, almond milk, and almost everything else I can come up with.

Get the most high-quality blender you can; it’s a worthwhile investment — especially if you’re planning on eating more plant-based foods or healthy plant-based smoothies.

Storage

I love using airtight glass containers and mason jars for storing the add-ins. I have a shelf in my pantry dedicated to smoothie-making. I also have a superfood mix premade with a combination of ingredients I use every day.

Variety is good, and I love switching things up. But I know each day I’ll add certain additions. So I make a mix of flax, chia, pumpkin, and hemp seeds, along with bee pollen, amla, and goji berries. I simply measure out a scoop each day.

Easy.

I also have a section in the fridge and freezer dedicated to fruits, vegetables, and greens. I wash, precut, and store everything during meal prep, so it’s ready to go each day.

Liquids

I often use plant-based milk for the liquid: cashew, oat, soy milk, or almond milk. I also use water, juices, and herbal or sun teas for the liquid in smoothies.

Fresh-squeezed orange juice is one of my favorites, especially in green smoothies.

I also make homemade cashew nut milk for smoothies, especially if it’s more treat-like. I do like the convenience of store-bought almond milk, but I prefer knowing exactly what’s going into it.

The more you make smoothies, you’ll learn your favorite complimentary combinations.

Your station

There is no right or wrong way to build a smoothie station. We all have different outcomes and priorities in our kitchen. Some might want every option available, while others will just want the basics.

It doesn’t matter what it looks like; what matters is that it’s functional and works for you and your lifestyle.

Experiment until you find exactly the right fit for you. The most important part of a simple and healthy plant-based kitchen is that it makes you feel to create and inspires you to eat healthy.

It can be as simple or elaborate as you like. Variety matters, as does enjoying what you’re drinking. Eating more plant-based foods doesn’t have to be hard.

Setting up a smoothie station will make your morning and days start the right way, nutritionally and productively.

Here’s a perfect place to begin.

Build Your Own Smoothie Recipe + Additions

📖 Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Build-your-own smoothie

Build your own smoothie with this easy and delicious base smoothie recipe.

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 5 minutes mins

Servings: 3 servings

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Equipment

• High-speed blender

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups liquid of your choice, water, nut or coconut milk, orange juice, tea, coconut water
• 2-½ cups fresh or frozen fruit/vegetables of your choice, Strawberries, blueberries, cucumber, butternut squash
• 1 cup greens if using
• 2 bananas
• 1-2 tablespoons sweetener if using, I don’t use it for green smoothies, maple syrup, date syrup, agave nectar, 1–2 Medjool dates, or 15–20 raisins
• 2 cups ice
• Optional add-ins: ½ teaspoon vanilla, ½ teaspoon almond extract, 1-2 scoops plant-based protein powder. 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

Instructions

 

• Blend all ingredients until smooth, roughly 30 to 60 seconds, depending on your blender.
• Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.05g | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 411mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 994IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg

Cuisine: Universal

Course: Beverages, Drinks, Smoothies

Author: Julie Gaeta

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

Smooth and creamy additions

If you’re looking to add some healthy fats, choose one of these add-ins.

• 1–2 tablespoons peanut butter, almond butter, or nut butter of your choice
• Half of an avocado
• 1 tablespoon tahini (adds a slightly nutty flavor)
• A small handful of almonds, walnuts, cashews, or pecans
• 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
• Sweet potato (cooked)
• ¼ cup silken tofu
• 1–2 teaspoon flaxseed oil

Green plant power additions

• Spinach (a perfect mild green to start)
• Romaine lettuce
• Kale
• Swiss chard
• Bok choy
• Arugula
• Microgreens
• Sprouts

Tried and true tips

• Peel and cut ripe bananas and freeze them, so they’re always ready. Separate into servings for a smoothie or smoothie bowl.
• Do the same with other fruits and vegetables. If something is on the verge of getting too ripe, freeze it in smoothie servings.
• You can use fresh fruit or frozen fruit and vegetables.
• Stock up on seasonal fruits and veggies and freeze them for your smoothies. I love buying cranberries during the end of their season and fresh-picked strawberries too.
• If you make fresh juice, herbal or root tea, freeze in an ice cube tray and add to smoothies.
• You can buy many frozen precut organic add-ins. Kale, spinach, squash, pomegranate seeds, avocado, and more.
• You can store leftover smoothies in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 1–2 days. Shake well or stir before drinking.
• Make sure to start with less sweetener; you can always add more. Some fruits and juices have more natural sweetness.

I hope you're inspired to create your simple and healthy smoothie station — it’s an easy step toward a more holistic, healthy lifestyle.

Chocolate Matcha Oat Smoothie

A delicious, easy, and healthy plant-based smoothie recipe