Smoothies

Milk Shake vs. Malt: What’s the Difference?

Last Updated on November 30, 2022 by Simply Healthy Family - Team

What is the difference and which is better? Well, we think it is really a matter of taste.

A malted milkshake is simply a milkshake, with added malted milk powder for flavor. So if you like the slightly burned marshmallow, the caramelly taste of milk, you will enjoy a malted milkshake, as long as your favorite flavors mix well with that malty taste.

We will proceed to tell you all you have ever wanted to know about milkshakes and malted milkshakes. And we guarantee your mouth will be watered by the end of this article. So calm down and stop drooling on the keyboard.

Blend milk, ice cream, and flavors, and you have it. The wonderful milkshake. Probably the closest adult version of mother’s milk: rich, sweet, creamy, and comforting.

A malt, or malted milkshake, is a milkshake with malt powder added. Malt powder is a kind of dried powdered milk.

If you are not sure about the flavor, think malted milk balls, that ubiquitous movie theater candy treat, and you will know if malt is a flavor that appeals to you. In fact, malt is included in many foods, like breakfast cereals, for example.

It has a special flavor that many of us crave. So how does it work in a milkshake?

In The Beginning

It was a happy day in 1885 when the word milkshake was coined. Although, like most things in “Olden Days”, this drink was more likely to put hair on your chest, as it was made with raw eggs and whiskey, and used as a kind of folk medicine for when your system needed a boost (or as a tonic for a hangover).

This medical milkshake soon devolved to a sweet treat, minus the eggs and whiskey (although a spiked milkshake sounds pretty good, actually: but we will get to that later in the article). The devolution of the medicinal milkshake was still associated with good health by the 1900’s.

Remember, that was a different era. People were more likely to be working to keep their weight up than facing obesity.

Milk was considered a healthy food, adding protein and calcium too often nutritionally deprived turn of the century folks. The most popular flavors, then as now, were strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla, which were achieved through the addition of syrups to the shake.

Check this Article: Substitute for Cornstarch

Walgreens

In the 1920’s, the malted milkshake became popularized by a Walgreens employee who added a couple of scoops of ice cream to malted milk. Malted milk was a popular drink, kind of like chocolate milk, but with added malt powder.

With the addition of ice cream, the malted milkshake was born, creating many happy days for teenagers who went to the malt shops to hang out. So lose the malt and you get the milkshake.

How were all the teenagers in those happy days able to integrate these malted milkshakes without the twin scourges of obesity and diabetes that we have nowadays? According to our sources, they danced. A lot!

The malt shop quickly became an alternative to saloons and pubs, as this was the era of prohibition. It is a kind of sweet way to socialize, as compared with a smokey bar.

Maybe it’s time to bring back soda shop socializing! Sounds better than Tinder. But for a real retro taste, try a malt and visualize your ancestors.

Malt & Malted Milk—What Are They, Anyway?

Malt is a sweet powder or syrup made from a grain (barley is traditional), that has been processed. Barley syrup is a natural sweetener usually found in health food stores, but the sugary malt powder you will most likely find in a malted milkshake is pure sugar (just with a more distinctive flavor).

If made into a milk powder, it will have some protein, but don’t fool yourself. This is not health food. Malted milk is malted barley, wheat flour, and whole milk evaporated into a powder.

If you want to try a malted milkshake at home, you can find it near the chocolate milk mix in your supermarket. Think of it as chocolate milk powder’s whey less popular cousin.

It was basically a way to get kids to drink milk, by loading it with sugar and malt flavor. Ahh, the good old days.

Malted milk powder enhances the flavor of the other ingredients in a milkshake, giving you a sweet, rich-tasting malt. Just add one teaspoon per shake. You can add it to any flavor of milkshake to enhance the experience. (Disclaimer: Some extremely complex ice cream flavors may not be super delicious with malt, so use your judgment and keep it simple).

Your Most Basic Malted Milkshake Recipe

Malted Milkshake

Tired of being basic? Just try swapping the vanilla ice cream for your favorite flavor, and getting fancy with syrup flavors. You can even swap out the syrup for spirits, for an extra kick. (Think: Kahlua Coffee Malted Milkshake ([…groan of pleasure. I think I just drooled on the keyboard]).

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Drinks

Servings 2

Ingredients

2 scoops of vanilla ice cream
3 tablespoons of chocolate syrup
1/2 cup of whole milk
1 tablespoon of malted milk powder
Malt candy garnish
Whipped cream garnish
Cherry garnish

Instructions

Mix milk and ice cream and syrup in the blender.
Add malted milk powder.
Blend for a hot second so the powder is thoroughly mixed in, but the milkshake doesn’t lose its consistency.
“Shake it up” by putting some chocolate syrup on the rim of your old fashioned milkshake glasses.
Top with malt candy and whipped cream with a cherry on top. Or lose those if they don’t appeal to you. This is supposed to be fun, after all!

In Conclusion…

If you long for Earth Mother, comfort food, or a sweet treat, milkshakes are actually medicine. Drink up!
Milkshakes are an alcoholic substitute. If you are on the wagon, drink up!

Add a little alcohol for the best of both worlds: comfort food, and liquid courage. Drink up!
If you like whoppers, you will like malted milk powder in your milkshake. So…

Drink up!

You might want to read this: How To Cut A Papaya

12 Tricks to Make Your Smoothie Creamy and Thick All The Time

Last Updated on June 3, 2022 by Simply Healthy Family - Team

A glass of smoothie is packed with a lot of vitamins and minerals. However, the best smoothies are those possessing a creamy and thick ice cream-like consistency.

Smoothies generally make your stomach full for longer periods of time, so you don’t have to worry about craving for snacks or sweets. Anyone here planning to go on a diet? You’ve got to master the arts of making smoothies now!

Truth be told, consuming creamy, thick smoothies has a huge benefit on one’s appetite. Digestion starts with the mouth wherein enzymes from our saliva break down fibers, fats, vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, etc.

Apparently, a glass of smoothie which is already thoroughly mashed and doesn’t contain clumps of food items, goes down our stomach faster than let’s say, solid food, because we don’t have to exert any effort chewing it thereby making us feel fuller.

Before I show you my 12 tricks on how to make a creamy and thick smoothie, let us first explore the benefits of drinking smoothies to further convince you to get on the smoothie diet now.

Benefits Of Drinking Smoothies

A cup of Smoothies and straws

Boosts the immune system
Loaded with antioxidants
Contains fibers which aid in digestion (for fruit and vegetable-based smoothies)
Reduces craving for snacks because you feel fuller for a longer time
Prevents dehydration. If you can’t drink the recommended 6-8 glasses a day, smoothies can be an alternative

Now that you’ve had a little overview on the wholesome benefits of the, let’s proceed to my top tricks on how to make a creamy and thick smoothie.

1. Use Yoghurt!

A bowl of Yoghurt and a bowl of fruits

Yoghurt is a great ingredient commonly used in smoothies. Rather than using milk, yoghurt is the alternative for people who are lactose-intolerant. Yoghurt’s consistency is creamy and thick, especially if the yogurt is frozen, so adding it to smoothies makes a great outcome.

2. Give Frozen Fruits A Try!

A bowl of frozen fruits

If you prefer making smoothies with less ingredients, frozen fruits are the best option and my personal favorite. Bananas, berries, and even frozen kiwis are usually the go-to thickener for smoothies, but any fruit can work. The best part is, frozen fruits has natural sugars and have high fiber content.

3. Frozen Vegetables/Purees

We rarely see people adding frozen vegetables on their morning smoothies. But in fact, vegetables can also be a great thickener to smoothies. You can use carrot, squashes, potatoes — it’s really up to you to make it creamy and thick like this four veggie-packed smoothie recipe

4. Avocado

Slices of Avocadoes

Ripe avocadoes can make any beverage creamy and thick and most importantly, the flavor is easier to hide (unlike bananas and carrots). Just freeze half of an avocado (put a little lime so it doesn’t oxidize) into the quiet blender, along with the other ingredients and you’re good to go.

5. Flavored Ice Cubes

Majority of restaurants use ice cubes to thicken smoothies. Why not use flavored ice cubes rather than tasteless frozen water to up your smoothie game?

You can put milk, chocolate drink or coffee in a ice cube container to boost the flavor and thickness of your smoothie — definitely a must try! I’m sure your kids will love this.

6. Coconut Meat

Slices of Coconut

Another lesser known ingredient that can be used to thicken your smoothie is coconut meat because of its jelly-like consistency and soft texture. Place pieces of coconut milk in the freezer and then mix it in the blender together with the other ingredients when you’re about to make your smoothie.

Remember that coconut has quite a strong flavor and aroma so adding a little amount goes a long way.

7. Cottage Cheese

Cottage Cheese on the chopping board and eggs

If you love putting dairy products in your smoothie but want to cut on the fats, try cottage cheese. It is low in fat and a good protein source too.

Add ½ cup of cottage cheese in a blender to make your smoothie creamy and thick. Check out this protein-packed strawberry smoothie and try it out on your next smoothie session.

8. Flax Seeds

A bowl of Flax Seeds on the table

Flax seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acid and contains essential fibers. For creamier and thicker results, add 2 tablespoons of flax seeds to 2.5 tablespoon water and let the water soften the seeds for 8 minutes before incorporating it to your smoothie.

9. Chia Seeds

Chia seeds can also make your smoothies thick and creamy. You can do three different methods with chia seeds:

+ Chia gel

To make chia gel, just soak ½ cup of chia seeds on 2 cups of water and let it set overnight.

+ Chia pudding

To make chia pudding, add 2 tablespoons of chia seeds on ½ cup of water or milk. You may add sweeteners or any flavors you like then let it set overnight.

+ Tossing chia seeds directly

If you want to put the chia seeds directly, add 2 to 3 tablespoon of chia seeds in the blender.

10. Nuts

kinds of Nut on the chopping board

Nuts become softer when soaked in water overnight and is a great thickener for smoothies. Plus, it contains healthy fats and protein. You can put pecans, almonds, cashews, walnuts, or pistachios in a bowl with water then toss it in your smoothie the following morning.

When nuts are soaked, it’s much easier for the intestines to absorb the nutrients rather as compared to using dry nuts.

11. Jam

A bottle of Jam and a spoon

Jams not only add delightful sweetness to the beverage, but its consistency also makes the smoothie creamy and thick. A tablespoon will do the trick!

Store-bought jams tend to have lots of sweeteners in it. I suggest making your own jam at home so you can control how sweet you want it to be. You can also freeze the jam to keep it longer.

12. Quinoa

A bowl of Quinoa

Quinoa is plant-based food item and also a very versatile kitchen ingredient. Aside from it’s loaded with protein and fiber, it has a creamy texture which will make any smoothie taste superb.

Tip: Add ⅓ to ½ cup cooked quinoa in your blender along with the other ingredients, like this chocolate quinoa smoothie.

Conclusion

Bottles of Smoothie Creamy and fruits on the table

Personally, I only use frozen fruits and vegetables to make my smoothies thick and creamy. You don’t have to add milk or any dairy product to make it thick and you may also opt not to add refined sugar because fruits and vegetables have their own natural sweetness with less fats.

Did you find this article useful? If you can recommend your own way of thickening a smoothie, feel free to comment below. Don’t forget to share this post. Thanks!

8 Mindblowing Healthy Fruit And Vegetable Smoothie Recipes For Weight Loss

Last Updated on June 3, 2022 by Simply Healthy Family - Team

Do you want to lose weight naturally? Then you may need to start drinking some green smoothies now. I solved my weight problems by making healthy fruit and vegetable smoothie recipes for weight loss.

I’ve probably tried all the diet fads in the market, but without seeing any real results. I was close to giving up when a friend introduced me to green smoothies. Together with exercise and healthy living, I’ve seen visible results in as early as two weeks.

To help those with a weight problems, here are eight smoothie recipes that you can try at home.

1. Dr. Oz’s Green Smoothie

Bottles of Dr. Oz’s Green Smoothie and a spoon on the chopping board

Dr. Oz shares this favorite green drink to start your morning right. Replace your normal morning beverage with this low-calorie drink and you’re on the right track of your weight loss program. Combined with spinach and apples, you can get a fiber-rich drink to start your day.

The orange, pineapple, lime, and lemon are rich in Vitamin C to strengthen your immune system. Cucumber contains high levels of B vitamins to relieve anxiety and protect against the damaging effects of stress. Celery is a great source of vitamin K to prevent excessive bleeding while carrots and carrot substitutes contain beta-carotene for skin and eye health.

To create this green smoothie, you will need these ingredients:

1 cup spinach
1/4 cup cucumber
3/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup mint, chopped
1/4 head of celery
1 apple
1/4 of each- orange, lime, lemon, and pineapple
2 carrots, peeled

In a quiet blender, mix all ingredients. If you find the mixture too thick for your preference, add water. Pour the finished smoothie in a mason jar or any glass of your choice and serve. Enjoy while still cold.

2. Kale-Banana-Apple Cider Smoothie

A cup of Kale-Banana-Apple Cider Smoothie and fruits on the table

This green smoothie combines kale with banana and apple cider to provide powerful detoxifying benefits. The secret ingredient of this recipe is the apple cider which gives that juicy green apple taste. A dash of cinnamon is also added to bring spice to the whole concoction.

The banana in this recipe works as the base fruit which gives that thick texture to your smoothie. The kale is the leafy green that offers a multitude of nutrients like magnesium, folate, and fiber. Apple cider offers weight loss benefits and relief towards symptoms of diabetes.

To begin this smoothie recipe, prepare these ingredients:

Half a banana
1 cup of kale, without stems
1/2 cup apple cider
1/2 cup water
A dash of cinnamon

Put all ingredients, except for the cinnamon, in a blender and mix until smooth. If the texture is too thick, add water. If the texture is too thin, add banana. When already smooth, add the cinnamon and pour into a glass to serve.

3. Collard Greens-Berries Smoothie

Cups of Collard Greens-Berries Smoothie and fruits

This third smoothie recipe which is adapted from Lean Secrets combines collard greens with berries and wheatgrass to make an effective weight loss drink. Collard greens are ideal for weight loss because they contain very low calories. This dark leafy green can be a great source of vitamins A, C, and B6.

Wheat grass is rich in amino acids and protein. Its grassy taste can be masked with the sweetness of berries. Macca powder gives an energy boost while coconut water can provide the antioxidant power.

Here are the ingredients of this grassy smoothie recipe:

2 cups coconut water
3 cups frozen berries
1 cup collard greens
1 cup wheatgrass
1 tablespoon of macca powder
Stevia

To make this recipe, just mix the ingredients together thoroughly in a blender for about a minute or until it reaches your desired consistency. After that, you can transfer the finished smoothie in a glass and drink in an empty stomach for better nutrient absorption.

4. Spinach-Grapefruit Smoothie

A cup of Spinach-Grapefruit Smoothie and Spinach-Grapefruit on the table

Another refreshing smoothie combination includes spinach, grapefruit, and banana. The grapefruit offers a tart flavor while the banana balances it with its natural sweetness. Aside from their delectable flavors, they’re packed with essential nutrients, like vitamin A, potassium, and vitamin C.

Grapefruits have a negligible number of calories, but they’re rich in vitamins A and C. They also give a little boost to your weight loss diet.

Here are the ingredients that you need to prepare:

1 grapefruit, peeled and deseeded
1 apple, cored and peeled
2 cups spinach
1 frozen banana
Almond milk (if you freeze your almond milk, you can use this in place of ice cubes)
Ice cubes

In a blender, put all the ingredients and mix until it reaches your desired consistency. Remember to add more ice cubes if too thin, which will give you a shake-like consistency. You can also add more banana if you find the mixture too bland for your taste.

5. Spinach-Peach-Mango Smoothie

Cups of Spinach-Peach-Mango Smoothie and fruits

This green smoothie combines spinach with a variety of sweet fruits, like bananas, peaches, and mango. If you’re not a fan of spinach, then this smoothie is a great way to consume this leafy green as its taste is masked well with the fruits. But you can’t mask the outstanding nutrients of spinach.

Spinach has anti-inflammatory benefits as well as anti-cancer properties. It is also an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and E. Meanwhile, peaches contain bioactive properties that have demonstrated qualities in fighting obesity.

For this recipe, you need a blender and these ingredients:

1 frozen banana
1/4 cup peaches
1/4 cup frozen mango
A handful of spinach
Water

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour the finished smoothie in a glass or mason jar. Enjoy while still cold.

6. Romaine Lettuce-Apple Green Smoothie

A cup of Romaine Lettuce-Apple Green Smoothie and fruits

Clinical nutritionist Kimberly Snyder recommends this wonderful smoothie recipe for energy boost, weight loss, and glowing skin. Romaine lettuce is an excellent source of vitamins A, K, and iron. In fact, you’ll get more vitamin A from a head of romaine lettuce than a large carrot.

The apple and pear in this recipe provide a weight loss benefit as they satisfy your hunger for a small number of calories. According to a 2003 study, regular intake of pears and apples may contribute to weight loss. To thicken the consistency of this smoothie, I added one frozen banana.

Eager to start this recipe? Here are ingredients you will need:

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
3/4 pound spinach
3 celery stalks
1 apple, cored and diced
1 pear, cored and diced
1 frozen banana
Half a lemon, juiced

In a blender, add water and romaine lettuce. Blend until roughly mixed, then add the rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth and serve in a mason jar or tall glass. Drink this preferably in the morning to get the best results.

7. Spinach-Banana Smoothie

Cups of Spinach-Banana Smoothie and fruits

This seventh smoothie recipe is simple to do because all you’ll need are four ingredients; coconut milk, yogurt, banana, and spinach. Together, they form a low-calorie drink which can boost your energy and make your skin glow. Drinking this smoothie every day will curb your cravings for sweet snacks, hence, lose pounds along the way.

As you already know, spinach is high in vitamins K, A, and C. Bananas support weight loss by making you feel full for a long time, hence less calories. To skip the use of ice cubes, you can use a frozen banana in the smoothie. If you don’t know how to freeze a banana for smoothies, watch this video.

Here are the ingredients that you’ll need:

1 cup organic coconut milk
6 ounces nonfat Greek yogurt (frozen yogurt adds extra texture!)
1 frozen banana
2 cups spinach, chopped

In a blender, put all ingredients and blend well. Add a bit of water if you find the consistency too thick for your preference. Serve in a mason jar or glass of your choice.

8. Spinach-Apple-Ginger Smoothie

A cup of Spinach-Apple-Ginger Smoothie and fruits

Spinach and apple make a great smoothie combo. This combo is made extra spicy with the addition of ginger. Instead of water, you can use coconut water to boost more nutrients. Cucumber gives that refreshing taste into the mix with fewer calories to boot.

According to Dr. Axe cucumber helps you lose weight by quenching your thirst and curb your desire to eat due to dehydration. Ginger also gives that same appetite suppressant effect. More than the weight loss benefits offered by these ingredients, they also clear your skin from wrinkles and other blemishes.

Aside from a blender and a mason jar, here are the ingredients that you’ll need:

1 cup spinach, chopped
1 apple, cored and diced
1 cucumber
2 cups coconut water
A thumb-sized ginger
A handful of parsley

Add all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Serve in a mason jar and drink during breakfast for best results.

Final Thought

Have you enjoyed following these healthy fruit and vegetable smoothie recipes for weight loss? This list was important to me because it made help lose weight effectively. Plus, drinking these smoothies improved my overall health.

If you’ve tried any of these recipes above or have another smoothie recipe to suggest, post them in the comments section below. Don’t hesitate to share this article if you have found this helpful and informative.