Everyone knows how to make a fruit smoothie, right? But do you know how to make the perfect fruit smoothie?

Here’s are my 5 tips for perfect smoothies:

1. Add the liquids first. This will help blend all the ingredients evenly. Milk, soy milk, almond milk, coconut water, juice, tea and even kombucha or kefir are great base liquids.

2. Fat is your friend. As much as we want to save calories, using nonfat yogurt is NOT the way to go. It leaves the smoothie tasting like you’ve tried to pulverize sand and it’ll be grainy. Use low-fat yogurt instead.

3. Use frozen fruit. Frozen fruit thickens and adds flavor without diluting your smoothie. In the off-season, frozen fruit usually has more flavor than what you’ll find in the market. In season, put your fruit in the freezer for a few hours before popping it into the blender. Always pulse the blender a few times because the fruit can refreeze!

4. For a creamier (and healthier) smoothie, add ripe avocados or bananas. Those darker bananas will be sweeter so don’t worry about a few freckles! Honey, chia and flax seeds are also great thickeners.

5. Add the ice last. If you still want some icy-coldness, make this the last thing you put in the blender. Ice will thicken the smoothie without adding any additional calories.

Oh… and here’s one more important tip: always use the Hamilton Beach® Wave~Action Blender® for the creamiest smoothie!

My good friends at Hamilton Beach® sent me one of these good-looking babies to try out and, I’ve got to tell you, this blender is my go-to for smoothies. The Wave~Action blades continuously force the ingredients from the bottom to the top in a wave, so everything blends perfectly.

If you’ve got a big family, you’ll love the big 48-ounce glass jar (which is dishwasher-safe, by the way). The spout on the dispensing lid makes pouring super easy, with minimal drips. It also comes with a stir-spoon for thicker foods and mixtures.

Here’s the delicious Raspberries and Cream Smoothie I whipped up in the Wave~Action Blender!

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These days you’re lucky if the ice cream truck passes through your neighborhood. 

Really lucky. When I was younger, we would chase the “ice cream man” down the street so we could find a little relief from the scorching West Texas sun. I can still taste that deliciously cold coconut ice pop and feel it slowly dripping down my hand.

Pure magic.

Sadly, there are no trucks in our neighborhood. But I can still recreate a little bit of the fun with these Coconut Raspberry Ice Pops. I added fruit because it really makes the cold treats POP! Major bonus: these are gluten-free, lactose-free and vegan! I submitted this recipe to the Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck. Check it out!

For this recipe, I used Nopro’s Ice Pop Maker that makes 10 3-ounce ice pops. If you don’t have an ice pop mold, go old-school and pour them into a paper cup or an ice cube tray.

What memories. What magic.

If you like ice cream (and who doesn’t?) you’ll probably enjoy these posts:

Easy Ice Cream Peach Pie 

Mini-Chocolate Doughnut Ice Cream Sandwiches

Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwiches

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