What we eat is crucial to our health and, more often than not, it is difficult to get the vitamins and nutrients we need. Eating healthy is hard and cooking requires a good deal of time for busy families, so drinking smoothies is a great habit to develop if you are conscientious about what goes into your body.
A juicer differs from a blender in that you can extract nutrients and juice from the fruit peel and pulp with a juicer, rendering more. Juicers are more costly and require a bit more effort to clean, but the benefits are worth it. Ideally the best juice for you is made from leafy greens and fruits and adding detoxifiers such as ginger, lemon, or turmeric.
Using a blender for a smoothie every day is easier, and you can still obtain most of the health benefits that you would from a juicer. It is all a process. Whichever you choose, fruits and vegetables need to be peeled and chopped, and so you will need to keep fresh ingredients on hand. The combinations of fruits and vegetables is endless, so you can adjust the taste to whatever you desire, adding more or less fruit for added natural sweetness. Have a smooth summer y’all!
RASPBERRY SMOOTHIE WITH FRESH MINT
1 cup fresh raspberries
⅓ cup low-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
Place all ingredients in blender, and process until smooth. Serve immediately. Yield: 1 serving
ORANGE, BANANA AND PINEAPPLE FRAPPE
2⅓ cups cubed banana
¾ cup pineapple juice
½ cup orange sections
½ cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon sweetened, flaked coconut
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
1 (8-ounce) can pineapple juice
Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth. Serve immediately.
Yield: 3 serving
ISLAND SUNRISE SMOOTHIE
2 cups chopped papaya
½ cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon organic honey
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
Pinch salt 1 cup frozen cubed mango
1 cup frozen strawberries
Process ingredients together in blender. Process until smooth.
Yield: 3 servings
CUCUMBER APPLE AND MINT SMOOTHIES
1 cup peeled, seeded, and chopped cucumber
⅓ cup unsweetened apple juice, frozen
¼ cold water
¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
10 ice cubes
Place all ingredients in blender, and process until smooth.
Yield: 2 servings
