trio of fruit smoothies

For the past year or so, I’ve grown to love fruit smoothies.  I don’t go overboard with the ingredients either.  The way I see it, if I have a way to get fruit, juice, and yogurt in my belly before 10am, that’s 100% A-okay.  I have these smoothies pretty regularly for breakfast, and I also love to have them as a post-workout “snack”.

I also love making smoothies because it’s pretty impossible to mess it up.  Pretty much any and all combinations work.  Whatever juice, fruit, or yogurt I have in the house, I can throw it in the blender and (somehow) it always comes out delicious.  Today I’m sharing three (yes, three!) different smoothies.  But again, use these recipes as just a base – feel free to include, or leave out, whatever fruit you’d like!

Pink Smoothie
(Makes 1-2 servings, easily multiplied)

1/2 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup non-fat yogurt (I typically use vanilla, strawberry or blueberry yogurt)
3-4 large strawberries
1 banana
1/2 apple, peeled and seeds removed
5 ice cubes

Add all ingredients to a blender or Vitamix and pulse for 45 seconds, or until smooth.  Refrigerate before serving.  If any separation occurs, mix with a smooth or pulse for 10 seconds.

Yellow Smoothie
(Makes 1-2 servings, easily multiplied)

1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup green grapes
1 cup honeydew chunks
1 cup cantaloupe chunks
5 ice cubes

Add all ingredients to a blender or Vitamix and pulse for 45 seconds, or until smooth.  Refrigerate before serving.  If any separation occurs, mix with a smooth or pulse for 10 seconds.

Green Smoothie
(Makes 1-2 servings, easily multiplied)

1/2 cup coconut water
1 cup green grapes
1 cup pineapple chunks
1 banana
2 cups spinach, lightly packed
5 ice cubes

Add all ingredients to a blender or Vitamix and pulse for 45 seconds, or until smooth.  Refrigerate before serving.  If any separation occurs, mix with a smooth or pulse for 10 seconds.

smoothie on,
Sharon

 

Açaí Bowl with blueberries, strawberries, bananas, honey, chocolate chips, and granola

I never jumped on the açaí bandwagon.  Sure it’s healthy, exotic and has a lot of antioxidants, but so do a lot of other things.  But, about 6 months ago, I had my first açaí bowl and wow, I was hooked.  I couldn’t believe how tasty it was.  And, like other recipes I’ve mentioned before…I thought, they call this breakfast?? Sign me up because to me, this tastes like dessert.  I’ve had a few bowls since, but decided that this was simple enough that I could make it at home.

The only thing I needed to tackle was this açaí berry thing.  After some (okay, alot) of looking and digging, I honed in on what to buy and how to make these bowls.  I found that regular grocery stores had no açaí berry selection (aside from juice), trader joe’s was no help (for once!), and my best bet was whole foods.  The frozen foods section had a few different options – what you want the açaí fruit frozen packs that are supposed to be used in smoothies.  I’ve used the unsweetened packs before, and given the honey and sweet fruits, I personally prefer those.

Açaí Bowl with blueberries, strawberries, bananas, honey, chocolate chips, and granola
(makes 2 bowls)

2 single serving frozen açaí berry pouches, ~7 ounces
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 banana, thinly sliced
5 strawberries, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup granola
2 tbs honey
2 tbs coconut flakes

In a blender, mix together the açaí berry and the coconut milk until a smooth consistency is reached.  Place in freezer for approximately 10 minutes.  Scoop the açaí berry mixture into a bowl.  Place strawberries, blueberries, bananas, chocolate chips and granola into the bowl and drizzle with honey and coconut flakes.

Açaí on,
– Shirley

banana & peach muffins

K is 100% an apple lover.  He eats them every day with peanut butter after dinner like it’s some kind of ritual.  But for the past few months, they haven’t exactly been in season.  In a couple weeks or so, the apple selection will be endless, but for now, peaches have been our replacement.  I’ve never been a huge peach lover.  They have a weird flavor – almost like the peach gods couldn’t decide if they want to be sweet or sour, so they decided to be a little bit of both.

Which is why this recipe has been amazing for the two of us.  First of all, K and I are the type to get up early in the morning and be out the door within 10 minutes.  We do as much prep the night before as possible.  So grabbing a quick snack like this for the road is exactly what we needed.  Plus, the peaches give a new life to the boring old muffin.  They give it so much flavor, but subdued enough that it doesn’t feel like you’re biting into a fresh peach.  Maybe I’m weird, but I think it’s a lovely balance.  Sweet, moist, healthy AND filling?  It hits the spot.

Sharon – 1.  Early morning – 0.

Banana & Peach Muffins
(Makes 10-12 muffins)

1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup vegetable oil
3 bananas, mashed
1 pound peaches, cut to 1/4″ slices, and then each slice cut into 4 equal segments

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line a muffin pan with liners.

Whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.  In another bowl, blend together the maple syrup, oil and mashed bananas.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently fold in peaches. Stir only until combined.

Fill the muffin tins 90% of the way full with batter. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden.  Serve warm.

– food on,
Sharon