There's always time to have breakfast in the morning if that breakfast is a smoothie. In no more than five to ten minutes, a ready-to-pour, ready-to-drink beverage is blended and poured directly into a glass for your sipping pleasure. Here's how it's done.

Freeze Everything

The best morning smoothie is one that takes almost no time at all to put together. Sometimes that means buying already-frozen strawberries, mangoes, pineapple, peaches, or blueberries. Other times, that means taking bananas at peak-ripeness, peeling them, halving them, and putting them in a Ziploc bag in your freezer so you can grab-and-use as necessary. We buy spinach and kale in bulk, freeze them when they are freshest, and throw 'em into the blender when inspiration strikes. To make the whole process foolproof, freeze individual smoothie portions in Ziploc bags or freezer-friendly containers so we can just dump in the blender, add liquid, and go.

Mango, Berry, and Banana Smoothie. Photo: Christina Holmes Christina Holmes

Choose Your Liquid

Ask yourself: Do you want a watery smoothie? Or one that's thicker and more viscous? The answers to those questions will determine your liquid base.

Runnier

First, there's water, if you're keeping it light. Then there's tea: green, black, white, oolong, rooibos, mint, you name it. For a light breakfast smoothie or a virtuous dessert, we're fond of chamomile or chai tea (cooled to room temperature) and blending it with banana and a touch of maple syrup.

Thicker

Our go-to base is a plant-based or dairy milk. Unsweetened almond milk is an ideal base liquid; it pairs well with any add-ons. Dairy, whether you're opting for skim or whole milk, can get very rich very quickly, so be warned. Coconut milk is the most luscious of the liquids. We go for the unsweetened kind and choose our brand based on desired consistency. It already has so much flavor that it can take a ginger-mint smoothie into tropical territory or make a mix spiked with cocoa powder feel decadent.

Measure Without a Measuring Cup

Pour the liquid into the cup you will be drinking out of. This is a small extra step that you will thank yourself for later when you don't have any leftover or wasted smoothie. Fill up that glass, cup, thermos, or jar halfway. Now pour that liquid from the cup into the blender.

Green Peanut Butter Smoothie. Photo: Danny Kim Danny Kim

Base Fruits

Banana and apple (peeled, unless you don't mind not-fully-pulverized apple skins floating around) are superior fruit bases, with banana imparting extra creaminess to the final texture. They are the foundation on which the other flavors can build. On top of those, consider adding mangoes and peaches to tilt tropical, or go for a refreshing mixed berries mix.

Pile the Veggies High

The best thing about morning smoothies is that you can down a salad's worth of veggies without actually having to chew through all the stems and leaves. When the ratios are right (one heaping handful of greens is optimal), you may not even taste them. Be sure that you don't have more greens than fruits or other ingredients, otherwise the flavor and texture may suffer and your blender may struggle.