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Fruit Smoothies

Hi there and welcome to the 8th week of Mangia Mondays, a weekly blog hop I co-host with chef extraordinaire Kristin of Delightfully Dowling!

Its been so fun to share recipes, talk food and check out lots of great recipes – I never cease to be amazed at all the hidden talent out there! If you haven’t participated and would like to, see below on how to link up a food related post! So let’s get down to it….what I want to know is………

do you smoothie??
 (Yes I just made up a new verb!)

A few weeks ago this munchkin —
— was home sick with a sore throat and together we whipped up a fruit smoothie for her, something we do quite frequently in my house for a quick breakfast on the go. It’s a great way to use up fruit that’s a bit over-ripe and is about to go to waste, and better than that, it’s a fabulous way to sneak in a snack or meal packed with nutrition! (And in this house of sweet-tooths, we need all the help we can get!)
There are millions of recipes for smoothies out there. This is a basic version that my kids and I change up every time we make smoothies, depending on what’s in the house.
Basically, the ingredients for 2 servings are:
1 banana
2 cups berries, cantaloupe, watermelon or any other fruit you want to try.
1/2 cup yogurt  (I use Stonyfield’s strawberry)
1/4 cup orange juice or milk to adjust consistency.
We like our smoothies to be thin enough to drink through a straw. Frozen berries are great to have on hand and give the smoothie a thicker, shake-like consistency.
My kids are big into the texture of the smoothie. While apple skins are high in fiber, they add a texture to a smoothie that my kids don’t like. Same with flaxseed, which is a popular smoothie ingredient for adults, and even too many berries provide a chunkier texture, so play with it.
My blender bit the dust, so I’ve been making smoothies in the Cuisinart and it works juuuuust fine.
You all know most Americans don’t have enough fruits and vegetables in their diet, and that eating them raw provides the most nutritional punch. Did you know that if you increase your daily intake of fruits and vegetables you lower your risk of cancer, heart disease and a myriad of other illnesses?
And while fruits do contain natural sugars, they also pack tons of nutritional value:
Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamins C, A and B6 as well as lycopene, which reduces your risk of heart disease.
Apricots are high in vitamin C, lycopene, beta carotene, potassium and fiber.
Cantaloupe is said to contain the highest amount of digestive enzymes of any fruit (meaning it helps to clean out the internal plumbing, ifyouknowwhatimean.)
Strawberries are also packed with vitamin C, as well as apples, pears and bananas. Those last three are also packed with fiber and potassium.
I can use all the help I can get to balance the intake of lingering Easter candy, cookies and brownies, bread and wine that make their way into my diet! And if my kids have one shake a day I’m a happy mama!
Okay now it’s your turn – what have you been whipping up lately?
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You can add the Mangia Mondays blog hop to your own blog if you would like, simply clicking the link at the bottom that says “What is a blog hop? Get the code here…” and pasting the html into the bottom of your own post.

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Comments

  3. Kristin says

    oh, how i love smoothies! 😀 i really want one right now… i've never added melon before, though! great idea!!!

    Reply

  4. Madeline says

    Hi Lisa! Here's my favorite – Milk, frozen bana, cocoa powder, peanut butter, vanilla. SO good! It tastes like a banana split. The frozen bananas take away the need for ice and it makes it really thick and lovely. Just be sure to peel the babana before freezing. I didn't the first time I froze some. Wasn't pretty.

    Another one I like – a container of Danon Light & Fit pineapple/coconut yogurt, small can of pineapples with juice, dash coconut extract, ice. It tastes like a pina colada – but healthy!!

    Reply

  5. Courtney {a thoughtful place} says

    Lisa, you have me drooling. That looks amazing. I wish I could magically make one appear right now! happy monday

    Reply

  9. Tracy says

    yum! smoothies are big in my home too. I often toss in a small scoop of (uncooked) oatmeal for an extra boost. My middle daughter is a distance runner for high school track and I am perpetually trying to keep her fueled. Sometimes I buy vanilla whey protein powder for an extra kick of nutrition. Use one scoop of that and add 1 C milk, 5 ice cubes, a banana and 1 C of frozen mixed berries(whatever I have on hand). Did you know a big sprinkle of cinnamon is a great addition too? Antioxidants!

    Reply

  10. Amelia@SavoryandSweet says

    We love smoothies at our house too! My boys just think their getting a special treat and I love knowing I'm sneaking in extra vitamins and antioxidants!
    I love seeing all the great recipes. Have a great weekend. 🙂

    Reply