How to make a meal replacement smoothie without a blender?

Can you make a filling smoothie without a blender?

Yes. Hand methods suit soft ingredients, so build the meal around them: mashed banana or avocado, soaked oats, yogurt, nut butter and protein powder.

Three no-blender methods

• Overnight oats smoothie: stir rolled oats, milk, yogurt and chia seeds in a jar and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, stir in mashed banana or berries.
• Shaker bottle: add the liquid first, then protein powder or mashed fruit, and shake for 30 to 60 seconds.
• Bowl and fork: mash banana or avocado, then whisk in nut butter and milk a little at a time.

Ingredients that work by hand

• Ripe banana, mango, berries, avocado, ripe peach.
• Yogurt, silken tofu, soy milk or milk.
• Nut butter instead of whole nuts.
• Rolled oats, chia and ground flax (let them soak and thicken).

What to avoid

Fresh spinach and kale do not break down by hand and leave stringy bits. Skip frozen fruit unless fully thawed, and skip whole apples, unripe pears and citrus pieces.

Tips

• Add liquid first, then powder, to avoid clumps.
• Add the liquid gradually and mix between additions.
• Let it rest for a minute; chia and powders thicken.
• Use chilled liquid rather than ice if you are shaking it.

Keeping it a real meal

Tufts University advises using whole fruit, skipping added sweeteners and keeping portions sensible. If you plan to replace meals regularly, or have diabetes or kidney disease, speak with a health professional. This is general guidance.

Keep oat mixtures in the refrigerator, which the FDA says should be at 40 degrees F or below.