Blenders and food processors are a staple in the kitchen for healthy living. You can make delicious smoothies, or soups, which makes meal preparation easier and is an easy way to add fruits and vegetables to your diet. If you find your smoothies to be a little on the lumpy side, then follow these tips.
Preparation is key.
Before we begin blending, it is important to make sure everything is prepared. This means that all ingredients need to be cut into smaller sizes to fit the blender. For example, if you are blending a banana then you should slice up the banana into smaller pieces. This makes it easier for the blender to process the food and finely blend it. Otherwise, it will result in lumps and ruin the texture.
Layer it up!
Once everything is prepared, it’s time to fill the blender. We recommend using layering to fill it up. Firstly, any liquids you are planning to add to your smoothie should be put in the blender first. Then, the soft ingredients should be added, followed by the hard ingredients. This will look aesthetically pleasing from the outside before blending as the ingredients will look organised. However, the reason this method is chosen is that it helps the blades at the bottom to effectively reach and blend all the ingredients.
Pulse and pause, pulse and pause.
If you’re blending but finding the texture is still lumpy or thick for your liking, you can try the pulse and pause technique. This is where you pulse or blend in short bursts rather than continually have on one high speed blending. This helps to prevent food from clumping and forming small lumps. It also lets you control the blending process and remove lumps if needed.
Gradually add more.
Another simple strategy to avoid lumps is gradually adding more through the blending process. This means starting small and building up the ingredients. This is good to prevent overwhelming the blender with a thick mixture. Instead, it gives the blender the opportunity to blend each section of the smoothie individually as you add it.
Tactically use accessories to match the ingredients and textures.
If your blender has specific blade attachments, cups, or modes, then utilise these. Some blenders with have specific whisks for the blending which are better to mix thicker smoothies, whilst smaller attachments may be more appropriate for mixing finely chopped ingredients.
Strain it away.
If you are still finding lumps at the end of the blending process, don’t worry. You can still salvage your smoothie. We recommend using a mesh strainer or filter to separate your smoothie from any thick lumps of food. You can do this by pouring it into a jug with the strainer on top.
Conclusion
You can easily avoid lumps in your smoothie with our simple tips. Feel free to adopt any techniques or try new ones depending on your blender model and the recipe you are trying.
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