Oh, You Smoothie

While there are many drink recipes to make, smoothies are probably one of my favorites. They're usually cold, taste great, and have all sorts of nutrients in them, depending on which fruits, juices, and yogurts (sometimes) you use.

True, there are plenty of bottled smoothies and probably as many pre-packaged smoothie bases you can use, but you'd pretty much have to read the nutritian lables to see what is added to these. They might have extra vitamins, etc. added, but do they also have sugars and other things in them that you don't want?

Meanwhile, if you grab your blender and whip up a batch of smoothies, you'll find that it might be cheaper in the long run, as well as without all the added stuff in them. Check out the Strawberry-Raspberry Smoothie, Purple Haze Smoothie, and all the rest of today's smoothie recipes. Enjoy!

EASTERN SUNRISE SMOOTHIE

It seems that bottled smoothies have hit it big in stores over the past few years. And while many of them are, no doubt, good, and even healthy, there's nothing that quite compares with fresh-made smoothies. The only thing holding one back are one's imagination and the fruits available.

The fruits used in in this smoothie are from the eastern U.S.: orange juice and strawberries from Florida, cranberries from Massachusetts. Top that off with a beautiful pink color. It’s a yummy way to start the morning.

Ingredients

1 C orange juice

1/2 C yogurt

4-6 frozen strawberries

1 T wheat germ

1/2 C frozen cranberries

Directions

Blend juice and berries. Add yogurt and wheat germ and blend about 15 seconds more.

PURPLE HAZE SMOOTHIE

Variation on a theme. You can make smoothies out of almost any fruit and/or juice (or milk). Experiment; use any juice to your liking: apple, cranberry, orange (my favorite), whatever, then add whatever fruits you have around. If none of the fruits are conducive to freezing (berries work best), add a few ice cubes, or better still, frozen juice cubes.

This one is similar to the above smoothie. The blueberries give it a pleasant taste and a beautiful color.

Ingredients

1-1 1/2 orange juice (see note)

1/2 C frozen blueberries

4 frozen strawberries (optional)

1/2 C yogurt

1/2 C frozen cranberries

1 T wheat germ

Directions

Blend orange juice and berries. Add yogurt and wheat germ, blend for 5-15 more seconds.

NOTE: If adding strawberries, add the extra 1/2 C orange juice. Or use 1 C juice and 1/2 C soymilk.

BANANA-BERRY SMOOTHIE

This comes from MyRecipes, and begins, "Frozen mixed berries and dry milk help keep cost and preparation to a minimum for this anytime smoothie. Blend with banana, yogurt, sugar, and orange juice for a citrus accent. Substitute other frozen fruits, like peaches, for fun variety."

Yield: 3 servings; serving size: 1 cup

You can view this online at https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/banana-berry-smoothie-0.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups calcium-fortified orange juice

1 1/4 cups frozen mixed berries (such as Cascadian Farm Harvest Berries)

1 cup sliced ripe banana

1/2 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt

1/3 cup nonfat dry milk

1 tablespoon sugar

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.

Chef's Notes

Sip this power breakfast which boasts more than 300 milligrams of calcium while getting ready for work or on your way there. A scoop of powdered milk boosts the calcium contributed by the yogurt and the calcium-fortified orange juice. Additional nutritional benefits come from potassium-rich banana and antioxidant-rich berries. Frozen berries ensure a thick, creamy consistency, but you can also use fresh ones. Other frozen fruits, such as peaches or mangoes, work well, too.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving: 204 calories; calories from fat 3%; fat 0.6g; saturated fat 0.2g; mono fat 0.1g; poly fat 0.2g; protein 6.6g; carbohydrates 45.6g; fiber 3.3g; cholesterol 2mg; iron 0.6mg; sodium 71mg; calcium 327mg.

CHERRY SMOOTHIE

This comes from Yishane Lee in the July 2012 issue of Runner’s World, page 48. I couldn’t find a link for it…

Ingredients

1 cup pitted cherries

3/4 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons honey

3/4 cup ice

Preparation

Place ingredients in blender and blend. Yum!

STRAWBERRY-RASPBERRY SMOOTHIE

This recipe and the next (Strawberry-Banana Smoothies) were found in an article on Prevention, titled “20 Scrumptious Strawberry Recipes.” Click here to see the article and all twelve recipes.

PREP TIME: 5 min

TOTAL TIME: 10 min + freezing time

SERVINGS: 4

Ingredients

1/2 lb strawberries, trimmed and hulled (about 1 3/4 c)

6 oz raspberries (about 1 C)

3/4 C fresh orange juice

1/2 C 2% plain Greek-style yogurt

2 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp hulled hemp seeds

2 Tbsp ground flaxseed

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

Directions

Line small sheet pan with wax paper or parchment. Arrange berries on pan in even layer. Freeze until completely frozen, about 3 hours. Transfer to I blender with remaining ingredients and puree until smooth.

NUTRITION (per serving) 164 cal, 6 g pro, 26 g carb, 5 g fiber, 18 g sugars, 5 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 12 mg sodium

STRAWBERRY-BANANA SMOOTHIES

SERVINGS: 2

Ingredients

1 C strawberries, halved

1 small sliced banana

1 C ice cubes

1/2 C 1% milk

2 tsp agave nectar or honey

Directions

Blend all ingredients together. Pour into 2 chilled glasses and top each with a strawberry.

NUTRITION (per serving) 124 cal, 3 g pro, 27 g carb, 3 g fiber, 1.5 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 33 mg sodium