Smoothies

 It seems, for me at least, life gets busier and busier yet I still want to eat healthy. I have decided to add more smoothies into my diet to help boost my intake of veggies and fruit. I prefer them over juicing fruits and vegetables as you get more fiber in a smoothie. I would not typically eat spinach for breakfast but I really enjoy it in a smoothie!

Depending on what your smoothie ingredients are, you can probably make them in your current blender. The average blender will usually hold enough to make two servings. There are “smoothie” blenders on the market that are narrow at the bottom thus sending a small volume of foods up and then down toward the center of the blender blades rather than up the sides and back down and there are also the bullet type blenders, i.e. Magic and Nutri. When adding liquid to your smoothie try to have the amount come about half way up on the ingredients in the blender. That will help everything “blend” properly and if it is too thick you can always add more liquid or pour the smoothie into a bowl and top it with additional fruits, nuts, oats, etc.

A basic smoothie recipe would include ½ cup fruit – fresh or frozen; ½ cup veggies – fresh or frozen; 1 cup dairy; and any “extras” you want to add as flavor boosters. The advantage of using frozen fruit is you don’t need to add ice. Frozen fruit also helps thicken the smoothie without diluting the flavor. It is easy to have berries, peaches, bananas, etc on hand in the freezer which are all common smoothie ingredients.

It is best to use dairy – milk or yogurt – as the liquid to add some protein to the smoothie. Many people, me included, add protein powder as well. Juice has a lot of sugar in it that is not necessary to add. Some protein and a little fat will fill you up longer, take longer to digest, and slow your sugar consumption. Greek yogurt, unsweetened almond milk, avocado, nuts, and nut butters all are good choices to add protein and a little fat.

Smoothies should be consumed immediately after making rather than making them and refrigerating  for a later time. Some fruits, because of their acid content, can curdle the milk if left too long before drinking. If you have leftovers, you can pour them into popsicle molds, or other containers, and freeze for a treat.

Smoothies may not always satisfy me the same way solid food does but I find they have a place in my diet. I can control the portion size depending on if I use them as a meal replacement or a snack and they encourage me to eat more fruits and veggies!

Marcia Steed

I graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Home Economics Education. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and traveling.

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