Smoothies will be tastier and thicker if you add 1 'weird' ingredient to the blender

Perhaps you've seen photos of those impossibly thick and luscious-looking smoothies on social media that ooze over the sides of the cup. You might have even tried those thick smoothies you get at a store or restaurant that's so ice cream-like in texture, so dense in viscosity, it's barely able to scoot its way up the straw.

And if all this talk leaves you with a bit of smoothie envy, you're not alone. Most people will admit that their daily homemade smoothie or smoothie bowl recipe can be a little lacklustre at times, especially in the department of textural allure. Luckily, smoothies are one of the easiest recipes around to "fix". If you find yourself constantly wondering, "How can I make my smoothies thicker and tastier?", the solution may be a "weird" ingredient, according to a trained chef, Micah Siva at Simply Recipes.

Having run out of spinach to put in her smoothies, Micah was on the lookout for another green ingredient.

Opening her freezer, she came across a bag of frozen peas and decided to see if it could work. She exclaimed, "The results blew me away!"

After all, people throw all sorts of ingredients into smoothies, from protein powders and chia seeds to nut butters and greens.

She said: "Adding frozen peas to a smoothie might sound weird, but if you've ever had a green smoothie, you're halfway there already."

To make the chef's "favourite" smoothie, combine frozen peas with a banana, peanut butter. cinnamon and milk.

Ingredients

Half a cup of frozen green peas

One frozen banana

One tablespoon of peanut butter

Half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon

One cup of almond milk

Vegetable-based smoothies are nothing new, as you can add your favourite leafy greens to make the ever-popular green smoothie.

While adding greens to your smoothie can impart a bitter flavour and stringy texture, peas give you the nutrition of greens, but with a "mild flavour and creamy texture".

Micah said: "Like adding banana or avocado, frozen peas make your smoothie thicker and richer.

"Peas are mild in flavour with a subtle sweetness. In fact, you probably won't even notice them once you add your favourite fruits to the blender! Plus, the peas take the place of any ice I'd be throwing in, making me a luscious, creamy, thick smoothie that stays cold."