SMOOTHIES- not just for health nuts any longer.

Smoothie- noun. A thick beverage of fruit pureed in a blender with additional ingredients.

Limited only by your imagination, smoothies are a wonderful addition to your diet and if you are lacking in supplements you can add them in and most of the time not even know you are getting such awesome health benefits.

Raw food proponents often make “green” smoothies using leafy greens like spinach, kale and lettuce. You can also make a delicious adult beverage with the addition of alcohol.

Very little equipment is needed to make a smoothie - a blender (can use food processor or Magic Bullet), a sharp knife or cutting board for fresh fruit and measuring cups and spoons unless you are like me and just dump stuff. As previously stated, smoothies can contain just about anything your heart desires. Some common ingredients are:

• Fresh or frozen fruit*
  
• Juice Yogurt** (regular or frozen)
  
• Honey
  
• Milk or dairy products
  
• Nut butter
  
• Soy milk
  
• Flax seed
  
• Whey Powder
  
• Protein powder
  
• Tofu
  
• Wheat germ
  
• Green tea
  
• Herbal supplements
  
• Nutritional supplement mixes
  
• Coffee or espresso
  
• Carob
  
• Ice
  

A foolproof formula that we use for the base is plain or vanilla yogurt, frozen fruit (any variety) and a little juice or honey to sweeten if needed. Usually using frozen fruit makes it nice and slushy but you can add an ice cube or two if needed.

Another good one if you are in a hurry and want a tasty breakfast without too much trouble is a carton of low or nonfat yogurt, any flavor, half a banana, splash each of skim milk and orange juice, a spoonful of wheat germ and a couple of ice cubes.

Typing smoothie in any search engine will result in a ton of hits, and there are recipes to suit any palate.

* Freeze whole berries or chunks of fresh fruit when they are at their peak spread out onto a cookie sheet or other flat surface then place into a larger container once frozen and you can easily grab just the right amount.

**Use yogurt with active cultures for optimal health benefits.

Sherry


Posted by Sherry of Loon-atics In The Kitchen

Featured Weekly on Pink Lemonade Online Magazine