Aug 31- Apple Almond + Iron booster

Ingredients-

3 tbsp ground pumpkin seeds

3 tbsp greek yogurt

1.5 cups almond milk

1 cup applesauce

10 mL liquid iron & Vit B

Method-

Grind pumpkin seeds in coffee grinder or food processor before adding.

Mix all ingredients together in blender, minus the liquid vitamins. Add them once your smoothie is poured out, and stir in with straw or spoon to make sure all goes into your body, and is not left behind on the jug or mixing container.

Aug 30- Carrot Ginger + Energy Booster

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Bolthouse Farms Carrot juice (or your own of course!)

1 tsp freshly ground ginger (more or less to personal taste- this was quite 'gingery')

2 tbsp golden sultana raisins, soaked overnight

1 cups watermelon

4 tbsp coconut yogurt

10mL Liquid Iron & Vit B

Method:

Blend all ingredients together except the liquid vitamin- this should be stirred in after your smoothie is poured into the glass to make sure none of it stays in the mixing container.

5 to 10 Quotient:

1 veg

2 fruit

Aug 29- Three Berry Cream

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen raspberries

1 cup frozen strawberries

1/2 ripe avocado

2 tbsp dried blueberries, soaked overnight

2 tbsp greek yogurt

1 cup almond milk

juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp agave syrup

Method:

Blend all ingredients, pour and serve.

5 to 10 Quotient:

3 fruit servings

Aug 28- Pomegranate Avocado

Ingredients:

1 cup Pom pomegranate juice

3 tbsp coconut yogurt

1/2 ripe avocado

1 cup fresh watermelon

Method:

Blend all ingredients together, pour & serve.

Aug 27- Watermelon Beet

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh watermelon

1 small beet, raw (peeled and grated)

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

1 tbsp hemp hearts

1/2 cup ice cubes

Method:

In order for my hand blender to make it through the beet, I peeled and grated it first. Then I put everything in my quart-sized container and blended until the ice was ground up with the rest of the ingredients.

5 to 10 quotient:

2 fruit (double watermelon portion)

1 veg

Aug 26 Watermelon Mint

Ingredients:

1/2 can pinepapple

2 cups fresh watermelon

1 fresh nectarine

5 large mint leaves, coarsely chopped (adjust to taste- this was quite minty)

Method:

Blend all ingredients together until there are no fruit chunks. Watch for mint leaves which have not been ground small enough to pass through a straw.

Aug 25- Berry Blitz with a Protein Booster

Ingredients:

1/2 avocado

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup frozen strawberries

2 tbsp hemp hearts (protein booster)

1 1/2 cups almond milk

Method-

Add all ingredients together and blend. Add a little water if it gets too thick with the hemp hearts and avocado-both tend to thicken the mixture.

5 to 10 quotient:

3 fruits

ChowHound Link

A link I found with some great ideas to try for future- ChowHound on Smoothies.

Aug 24 Avocado/Pineapple/Vanilla

Ingredients:

1/2 can pineapple chunks, with juice

1/2 ripe avocado

freshly grated lemon zest, to taste

1/2 cup Bolthouse Farms Vanilla Chai Latte

Method:

Blend pineapple, lemon zest and avocado together.

Add chai, spritz to mix.

Pour and serve.

5 to 10 Quotient:

2 fruits (yes technically, an avocado is a fruit not a vegetable!)

tip- frozen fruit

When fruit is on sale or in season, buy a little extra. Freeze it in containers, plastic zipper bags, or if you have one, a vaccuum sealer. Fruit freezes well and even though it changes when frozen, is quite suitable for use in a smoothie. Using frozen fruit even keeps the smoothie colder longer.

I bought a watermelon and 4 lbs of blueberries this week, and froze 1 lb of each. Last week it was raspberries.

about

I am always trying to eat healthier, make more wholesome decisions, and get those 5 to 10 a day, especially raw, or with as little processing as possible.

I started making smoothies a few years ago, and always seem to get away from them, but then I remember how much I love the cold, refreshing and energizing experience of having one.

For the past several days, I have been making and photographing my smoothies and a friend suggested I create a blog about them.

This is a blog dedicated to my commitment to a daily smoothie, and you will see how my ideas and ingredients evolve as I get more experience and do more research. Feel free to comment with any ideas or links you think might help me out on my journey of discovery of the whipped up drink!

Aug 23 2011- Watermelon Banana Carrot

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh watermelon

1 ripe banana

1 orange, peeled and cut into pieces

1/2 cup carrot juice

Method:

Put all fruit in a quart-sized container for hand blender, or into blender jug.

Blend until liquid- the watermelon really thins this one into a juice-like consistency.

Add the carrot juice at the end and blitz to mix in.

Pour and enjoy.

5 to 10 quotient:

3 fruits

1 veg