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Vitamin Smoothie in a Blender
Instructions
Begin as always with the preparation of the ingredients. Peel the four small kiwi fruits and trim away the woody stem at the top. Wash the celery stalk thoroughly under running water, then cut it into shorter pieces. Measure out 400 millilitres of apple juice into a jug. If your kiwis are particularly large, halve or quarter them so the blender handles them more easily.
Drop the four prepared kiwis into the blender jug. Spread them evenly across the base so the blades have direct contact with the fruit and can break down the flesh quickly without getting jammed by oversized chunks of fruit on the bottom.
Add the chopped celery pieces on top of the kiwi. Celery contains a lot of fibrous material, so cutting it into shorter pieces beforehand prevents long stringy strands from wrapping around the blade and slowing down the blending process unnecessarily.
Pour the measured apple juice over the kiwi and celery. The juice provides both the liquid base and the natural sweetness that balances out the slight herbaceous note of the celery, so do not be tempted to skimp on the quantity called for in the recipe.
Lock the lid in place and start the blender on the lowest speed setting. Increasing the power gradually rather than starting at maximum prevents splashing and gives the motor time to ease the dense fruit and celery toward the rotating blades efficiently.
Increase the speed to maximum and continue blending for one to three minutes total. The exact time depends on the power of your blender. The vitamin smoothie is ready when its volume has approximately doubled compared to the starting volume, indicating that plenty of air has been incorporated into the drink.
The vitamin smoothie in a blender is ready to serve. Pour it straight into tall chilled glasses, decorate with a thin slice of kiwi on the rim if you wish, and enjoy this healthy vitamin-packed drink immediately while the foam is still light and airy on top!
Tips
- 1
The kiwi seeds add a pleasant crunch but can taste slightly bitter to sensitive palates. If you prefer a perfectly smooth result, scoop the flesh out with a spoon and discard the very centre containing most of the seeds before adding the rest of the fruit to the blender bowl for processing.
- 2
Freshly squeezed apple juice has the brightest taste and far more vitamins than carton varieties from the supermarket shelf. For another quick and creamy blender breakfast, try our strawberry-banana smoothie made with just three simple ingredients and ready in seven minutes.
- 3
Add a small handful of baby spinach or a sprig of fresh mint to deepen the green colour and boost the iron content. Both blend invisibly into the apple-kiwi base and the children at the breakfast table will never even notice the extra portion of leafy vegetables hiding inside their favourite drink.
- 4
Serve the smoothie chilled with a few ice cubes added to the blender for an extra-cold version on hot summer afternoons. For a richer alternative with milk and ice cream, our kiwi and banana smoothie in a blender turns the same green fruit into a proper dessert-style treat.
FAQ
Can I use yellow kiwi instead of green? +
Yes, yellow kiwi gives a milder sweeter flavour and a softer golden colour to the finished smoothie. Use exactly the same quantity by weight as you would for green kiwi, since the texture and water content are very similar between the two varieties. Yellow kiwi tends to be a touch more expensive than green at the supermarket, but the extra sweetness can mean you need less added natural sweetener in the final glass.
Is celery essential to the recipe? +
Celery adds important nutrients and a fresh herbaceous note that genuinely defines this drink. If you find the celery flavour too herbal for your palate, replace it with an equal weight of cucumber, which contributes the same hydration and crunch but with a much milder taste profile in the finished smoothie. Skipping the celery entirely is also possible, though the drink will lose some of its characteristic vitamin punch and fresh garden character.
How long does this smoothie keep? +
Drink the smoothie within twelve hours when stored sealed in a clean jar in the refrigerator at all times. Always shake the bottle well before pouring, since the kiwi seeds and celery fibres will inevitably settle to the bottom over time during storage in the fridge. The colour will darken slightly as the drink stands, but the flavour holds up remarkably well thanks to the natural acidity from both the apple juice and the kiwi fruit.
Can I add protein powder to this drink? +
Yes, a single scoop of unflavoured or vanilla protein powder blends in easily without changing the bright green colour or fresh flavour profile of the smoothie noticeably. Add the powder along with the apple juice so the blender has plenty of liquid to work with from the start. Whey, pea and hemp protein powders all work well, while collagen peptides also dissolve invisibly into the finished glass without changing the taste in any meaningful way.
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