Making smoothie cubes as ice cube concentrates is the key to making homemade smoothies quickly and easily. And healthy! Make these recipes on the weekend, and store them in ice cube trays. Each of the 6 recipes below makes enough smoothie concentrate for 8 single smoothies.
Making Smoothie Cubes (6 Recipes)
Here is an easy method of making smoothies ahead of time by freezing them as ice cube concentrates. It is the key to making smoothies at home and conveniently. Each of the 6 recipes here makes enough smoothie concentrate for 8 smoothies.
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I never really committed to a smoothie a day until I started this method. It's just so easy.
How Do You Make Smoothies?
Of course there are many ways to make smoothies. I love making them ahead of time and storing away as ice cubes. This method I show you here will provide you with concentrated cubes that you can dissolve and blend with your favorite liquid into a fresh healthy clean smoothie.
Making Smoothies With Smoothie Cubes
You make as many smoothies as you want one day a week, and freeze them into ice cube trays.
The night before you'd want a smoothie for breakfast, just plop 3-4 cubes of choice into a glass, refrigerate overnight to thaw. The next morning, blend up with one-half cup of liquid of choice and any additions if you want the next day. Easy peasy! Grab and go breakfast!
These recipes for smoothie ice cube concentrates or smoothie cubes are also vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Using these cubes, you are in complete control of how healthy you make your smoothies. And healthy smoothies can be filled with nutrition, make me feel great and are an easy way to get nutrition into my family at the break of dawn!
Either make the recipes as is or supplement the smoothie in the morning with additional power ups when you blend.
How to Make Smoothie Cube Concentrates
Make your smoothie concentrate via the recipes I provide. But also feel free to customize.
Each of the 6 recipes below makes enough smoothie concentrate to fill two of the covered ice cube trays I recommend. Each tray holds 1 cup of concentrate in 14 cubes.
Remember to use organic fruits and veggies based on the "Clean Dirty" lists by the EWG.com. For instance, berries, zucchini and apples are all test high in pesticide absorption so should be bought organic or peeled.
Tips on Making Smoothies
If you made all these recipes, you could have enough cubes ready in the freezer to make 48 fast smoothies, whether several at once, or on a single-serve basis!
If you want your final smoothie to be thicker, try adding a zucchini or banana, chia seeds or even a handful of gluten-free rolled oats.
And of course you can add almonds, cashews and quinoa. If you do, please remember to rinse and soak them, preferably overnight, and rinse again before adding to your smoothies.
And remember, you don't have to cook the quinoa. You can even add buckwheat groats. These additions boost the protein and nutrition considerably.
And here are a few other additions that you may have not have thought of that you can add when making your smoothies:
- Pea Protein Powder
- Coconut Butter
- Goji Berries
- Flaxseed Meal
- Camu Camu Powder
- Wheatgrass Powder
- Ceremonial Grade Matcha Tea
Looking for More Detox Recipes?
Another detox recipe you might enjoy is my Ginger shots, no juicer necessary!
And here are some delicious smoothies to try:
Cauliflower Smoothie
Peanut Butter Smoothie
5 Blender Wellness Shots
2-Ingredient Fruit Smoothies
Lemon Smoothie Jackfruit Recipe
Remember, awesome breakfast equals awesome day! Feel free to comment below or share the picture below on social media. Are you on Instagram? Stop by here and see me. Enjoy!
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Making Smoothie Cubes (6 Easy Recipes)
Ingredients
PINK Pitaya Berry Smoothie
- ½ cup strawberries
- 1 cup peeled dark pink pitayas (dragonfruits) or 2 packets frozen found in Whole Foods or ½ cup freeze dried pitaya found here
- ½ cup dairy-free milk
- 1 tsp baobab powder
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
YELLOW Mango Cream Smoothie
- 1 cup mango
- 1 banana
- ½ cup dairy-free milk
- 1 tsp baobab powder
PURPLE Acai Blackberry Smoothie
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1 banana
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp acai powder
BLUE Spirulina Protein Smoothie
- 1 cup dairy-free yogurt
- ½ cup water
- 3 tbsp coconut butter
- 1 tsp blue spirulina
- 2 tbsps maple syrup
ORANGE Carrot Citrus Smoothie
- 1 cup carrots
- 1 medium zucchini, peeled and chopped
- ½ cup coconut water
- ¼ cup orange juice
GREEN Sweet Leafy Smoothie
- 1 cup spinach
- ½ cup chopped apple
- ½ cup white grapes
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp lime juice
Useful Equipment
- Covered Ice Cube Tray I like this brand because each tray holds 1 cup of concentrate and has a cover so the ice cubes do not take on freezer scents and tastes. I typically use two trays per flavor - The ingredient lists above create 2 cups worth of mixture per flavor. But of course you can use any ice tray and adjust the recipe to make as much concentrate as you want.
- High Speed Blender (I use a Blendtec, square pitcher is easy to clean!) OR a..
- Food Processor Here is my favorite.
Instructions
To make the smoothie concentrate ice cubes
- To your blender or processor, add the ingredients for the flavor smoothie you plan to make except the liquid.Blend the mixture roughly and add half the liquid called for in the recipe. If half is enough to create a pourable mixture, then stop blending/processing and move to STEP 2.If the mixture won't blend well without more liquid, add the remaining liquid into the container and blend again. You can even add a bit more of that same liquid if the mixture needs it to blend creamy. Your GOAL: roughly 2 cups of mixture of a creamy, pourable texture.
- Once your smoothie flavor choice mixture is smooth and pourable and is about 2 cups, pour into ice trays -- the ingredient lists above make 2 cups per flavor -- and freeze at least 4 hours.
- Pop bricks out and store in an air-tight container in the freezer to blend up for future smoothies. They seem to last at least a month - I haven't kept them longer
To use these cubes to make your smoothie
- Into your blender put 4-6 bricks, ½ to 1 cup of dairy-free milk or coconut water and blend. Start with ½ cup of the liquid, and add the rest only if needed to create a smooth pourable texture.
- REGARDING liquid choice in the final smoothie:--coconut water will sweeten it, --plain water will make it more mild, and --milk will make it more creamy.If your blender can't blend ice cubes easily, pop this mixture (with only ½ cup liquid) into a glass the night before and keep in the refrigerate to blend up in the morning.
Storage Time
- Smoothie cubes will retain nutritional value frozen for at least one month.
Miranda
These look SO yum!
Do you NEED to blend these again when you have your smoothie for the day or could you just add the liquid and cubes, let sit and then shake after some thawing time? Trying to find ways to not need a blender early in the morning.
Dee Dine
Of course you can just shake it up. I agree, sometimes my ears can't take the blender in the AM. Perhaps refrigerate them in a ball jar the night before and shake up the next day?
Neha
Is this (nutrition) the amount the total for all 6 recipes?
Dee Dine
Thanks for asking Neha, I clarified the issue in my recipe card. The nutrition is for the first recipe only. To find the others, use this calculator.
Neha
Thanks so much! I'm in the process of making these now. I can't wait to try them.
Dee Dine
Great news!
Lynn
I made these this weekend and it's making my week mornings so easy. Thank you, thank you! This is the best meal prep hack I have ever seen!!
Dee Dine
You are So very welcome Lynn! Terrific to think that I help! Dee xx
Ela
Such an amazing idea Dee! You are a clever lady. I need to try this!! 🙂
Dee
Ela!! Thank you!
Janine
Hi Dee, thank you for this wonderful idea. I will check my kitchen and try them out later. Hopefully they works. Enjoy your Sunday. Xoxo Janine
Dee
Thanks Janine, Enjoy! Dee xx.