Smoothies to Jump Start Your Day

Short on time for a quick and nutritious breakfast?  Resist the temptation of that bagel or muffin and treat yourself to a breakfast smoothie.  With a blender, some fresh, vitamin-packed ingredients and a few minutes of preparation, you can drink your way to a healthy and delicious morning.

Smoothies have evolved as a smooth, drinkable concoction of fruit and other ingredients.  Many commercially available smoothies are high in sugar and empty calories.  By making your own breakfast smoothie, you can easily customize a basic recipe and be creative with a variety of ingredients and flavors combinations.  The best part is that you control the sweetness, calories and overall nutrition.

In a blender

• Start with a liquid – milk, soy or almond milk, or an unsweetened fruit juice.  For more calcium, add some flavored or unflavored yogurt.
• Add a variety of berries, or chunks of banana and strawberries, peach and mango (frozen, unsweetened fruits are available year round in supermarkets and can be used after they are slightly defrosted).  If you like extra sweetness, a teaspoon of honey or agave is a good choice.
• Add some protein with a scoop of protein powder (available at health food stores and many supermarkets) or a tablespoon of peanut, soy or almond butter, or some tofu.  A tablespoon of chia or flax seeds provides extra fiber and Omega-3 fatty acid.
• If you prefer your smoothies very chilled, add a few ice cubes.  Blend until all ingredients are fully incorporated.  Pour into a tall glass or travel mug.

Smoothies can also be vegetable based.  Some tasty combinations include cooked carrots with orange, pineapple or mango.  Fresh baby spinach leaves can be easily blended into both vegetable and berry based drinks.  It’s a great way to incorporate extra vitamins and a green vegetable into your diet.

Here are three easy recipes to try – just combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. These recipes make one large or two small smoothies.  For best results, serve immediately and enjoy!

Go for the Green

3/4 cup milk (or soy, almond)

1 cup honeydew melon, cut into chunks

1 very ripe kiwi, peeled

1 cup raw baby spinach leaves

1 Tbsp. chia seeds

1 Tbsp. toasted wheat germ

honey to taste (optional)

Several fresh mint leaves (optional)

Strawberry Mango Magic

3/4 cup milk (or soy, almond milk)

3/4 cup strawberries

3/4 cup mango chunks

1 Tbsp. chia seeds

1/4 cup silken tofu

honey to taste (optional)

Just Ginger Peachy

3/4 cup milk (or soy, almond milk)

3/4 cup sliced peaches

3/4 cup mango chunks

1/4 cup plain or peach yogurt

1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated or 1/2 tsp. powdered ginger

1 Tbsp. flax seeds

1 Tbsp. almond butter

1/2 tsp. cardamom

honey to taste

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