Fruit Smoothies
#1: The Super Smoothie
My kids get off the bus & run in the house excitedly asking for spinach & carrots before saying “Hello!” How is this possible you ask? Okay – perhaps I’m a bit behind the times but I have finally jumped on the smoothie bandwagon. Smoothies are a great opportunity to “hide” plenty of fresh organic (& local if/when possible) produce that your kids may not normally eat! I don’t follow a specific recipe but below are some great options:
In your blender:
STEP ONE – Add liquid (about 8 oz): Milk, Almond Milk, Rice Milk, Coconut water, etc. I even add the water I steam the veggies in – don’t throw it out – put it in a jar in the fridge to cool! I also put Greek yogurt in mine. This is a nice mixture of probiotics (& the fruits & veggies to follow provide the prebiotic food those good bacteria need!)
STEP TWO – Add a healthy fat: a TBSP of flax seed oil or Olive Oil (Olive Oil has a little stronger taste though)
STEP THREE – Add Veggies: The more the better! This is where I grab a handful of organic spinach, organic shredded carrots. You can also add cooked beets and any other easy to blend veggies.
STEP FOUR – Add Fruit: about 1 Cup. My boys love bananas! But I also love peaches, berries, mango, etc. I use frozen fruit to make the smoothie the consistency of a milkshake but they seem to enjoy it either way.
STEP FIVE – Some other ingredients to consider adding: organic baking cocoa (great antioxidants plus now you can offer a chocolate smoothie!), Blackstrap Molasses (great for adding trace minerals – about a tsp). I also add salt. What? – Isn’t that bad? Yes, over use can be and generally the salt you buy is overly processed & robbed of the trace minerals. I use Celtic Sea Salt which has the trace minerals we need. Just a tiny pinch though!
This is good as is, — but I also add a whole food vitamin (plus protein) powder. A good brand can be bought through a holistic healthcare provider. What to look for: whole food ingredients, NOT synthetic vitamins.
Got Fiber? I also add a whole food Fiber Powder. Again, it is made from natural ingredients (like oats) & very helpful if you have a child who has a problem “going.”
Blend. Pour. ENJOY! You will soon have your kids running off the bus excited to get their afternoon smoothie!
#2: Banana Smoothie:
This one is great because of the goodness of bananas, yogurt, cocoa. It’s my boys’ favorite!
1 Banana
1/2 Cup StonyField Farms Ba’Nilla Yogurt
1/2 Cup Rice Milk
Grab the organic Spinach & shredded Carrots (probably 1/2 Cup Spinach & 1/4 Cup Carrots)
1 tsp. Cocoa
Pinch Celtic Sea Salt
1 tbsp. Flax Seed Oil
Whole Food Vitamin Powder
Whole Food Fiber Powder
Blend. ENJOY! Off to after school activities!!!
#3: Fruit & Veggie Smoothie
This is my favorite – there will be small seeds from the raspberries but it tastes so good I can live with that!
1 Cup Almond Milk
Organic Spinach & Carrots
Pinch Celtic Sea Salt
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
Whole Food Vitamin Powder
Whole Food Fiber Powder
1 Cup: frozen Organic Peaches, Raspberries & Blueberries
1 tsp. Cocoa
Blend & ENJOY!
These smoothies come out as a sweet frozen treat. I whip them up when I need to feel like I am splurging! (which now seems to be everyday after I make the boys smoothies!). Sometimes I have it for dinner – especially when it’s too hot to eat. Smoothies seem especially yummy when I drink them from something fun like a Pilsner glass!
