Featured Recipe
Celery Apple Shakeup
By Kate
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Green apple swapped with cucumber for freshness. Peanut butter replaced by tahini for richer nuttiness. Almond milk lowered by 50ml, added coconut water for lightness. Tripled celery quantity. Glaçons kept for chill but reduced. Blend until the texture shows no fibrous bits, about 4 to 7 minutes depending on blender power. Serve fast before separation. Works cold or room temp. Nut alternatives or seeds suggested for allergy swap. Smooth, fibrous. Substitutions for liquid and nut butter to keep balance. Tactile and visual cues guide timing more than clocks here.
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Prep:
6 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
6 min
Serves:
2 servings
smoothie
vegan
quick recipe
nutrient
refreshing
Introduction
Green, slightly fibrous. Celery is tricky, tends to string or separate. Use more celery than usual to keep complexity but balance with cooling cucumber. Bananas add smoothness, natural sweet counterpoint. Tahini beats peanut butter here; deeper, less sweet, smoother mouthfeel. Coconut water lightens texture, adds slight sweetness without heaviness. Almond milk base absorbs flavors but keep volume reduced for thickness. Ice crucial, but too many cubes dilute flavor and melt too quick. Watch blending cues; texture and sound change. Blender drone deepens, sauce thickens, ingredients lose chunk. The goal is a creamy yet fresh shake that stays stable for a short window.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Celery fibrousness can sabotage blender performance. Chop well, start at slow pulse to break fibers. Cucumber swaps green apple for less acidity and more hydration. Tahini brings fat and smoothness without overpowering flavor. Coconut water prevents heaviness from too much nut milk and adds mineral notes. Ice should be small, avoid big chunks that interrupt blade flow. If allergic to almond, substitute with oat or rice drink but adjust liquid volume. Tahini can be sunflower seed butter or mild cashew butter for nut-free. Bananas ripe but not overripe, mushy bananas can clog texture and dull colors.
Method
Technique Tips
Order of ingredient addition affects blade movement and blend uniformity. Start with fibrous veggies, soften at low speed then add soft fruit, liquids gradually to avoid splashing and preserve emulsification. Tahini added late to prevent clumping and help form emulsion. Monitor sound and blade torque; a smooth consistent hum means correct viscosity. If blender stalls or rattles hard, pause, stir, pulse slowly. Ice last for chill and thickening. Blend time depends on blender; aim is no visible fibers, even color, creamy texture. Serve immediately to avoid separation. If storing, keep refrigerated and shake/stir before consuming. Never blend frozen ingredients solid — too harsh on machines and dull flavor.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Chop celery small; prevents tough strands. Fibrous parts can stall blades. Pulse low at first. Helps break tough fibers before adding softer fruits.
- 💡 For cucumber, peel to remove wax. Chunk sizes matter. Medium is good; too large can disrupt blend. Sequence affects emulsion; think texture.
- 💡 Use ripe bananas for best sweetness; mushy ones can dull colors. Watch your blend time. Ice last for chill but don’t drown flavor.
- 💡 Always taste at the end. If texture seems off, a quick stir often fixes it. Blend until no strands and consistent color through.
- 💡 Substitutes work fine. Almond milk too thick? Oat or rice drinks are lightweight. Tahini can switch to sunflower seed butter for nut-free.
