Smoothies have been around since the 1930′s which makes me a bit late on the bandwagon!  After two weeks of smoothie concoctions and loving my new blender, I think I have come up with 6 favorites and a new way to eat or shall I say slurp breakfast.

  Breakfast has ALWAYS been the way to start my day off right.  I understand how important it is for a healthy body and mind – how else can this be achieved if you’re running on empty?  I fiddled with fresh fruit and frozen fruit and found that I like the frozen fruit better because it was ready to be used…no peeling or chopping required.  The recipes I am about to share can be mixed to your liking.  Or, if you like the ingredients in one and some from another recipe that’s fine, too.  Don’t be afraid to experiment.  You can always cover up a mistake by adding more fruit, milk, juice or honey.

Once I got the hang of it, I found I was adding things like sliced ginger (good for heartburn, nausea, digestion), fresh mint (aids digestion, natural stimulant), yogurt with active cultures (calcium benefits, enhances immune system), silken tofu – non GMO (protein, calcium, iron), flaxseed oil (helps reduce risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, Omega 3 fatty acids, fiber, helps reduce inflammation, reduce hot flashes).  Smoothies can start out with a few ingredients (milk, frozen strawberries, flaxseed oil) or as many as 8…it’s all up to you. These recipes are a generous portion for one. I used a 12 oz. glass and had some leftover.

Green Smoothie
2 handfuls baby spinach
1 apple, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 cup to 1 cup yogurt
5 strawberries
1/2 navel orange, peeled
splash of white grape juice

Oatmeal Smoothie
1/4 cup rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 banana, cut into chunks
1/2 to 3/4 cup milk
1 to 2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or cardamom

Peanut Butter Smoothie
1/2 banana, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons peanut butter (or more to taste)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup frozen cubed mango (optional)
1 tablespoon honey

Avocado Smoothie
1/4 cup mango cubes (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup ripe avocado
1/2 to 3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey

Mixed Berry Smoothie
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1/2 cup white grape juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 banana
1 pkg. non-GMO silken tofu

Papaya Smoothie
1 cup cubed papaya
1 cup frozen sliced peaches
1 pear, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon filtered flaxseed oil
1 teaspoon sliced ginger
8 mint leaves
splash of white grape juice

The Culinary Chase’s Note:  When using frozen fruit remember to add a bit more liquid otherwise it will be too thick to drink. Make sure the yogurt you buy has active cultures for optimum health benefits (Greek yogurt works well).  When loading blender, pack heavier ingredients first.  This will allow for easier blending of the lighter ingredients.  The green smoothie was one of my favorites. Don’t be turned off by its color as the other ingredients mask any spinach flavor.  Enjoy!

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