Smooth Move

Fruit smoothies are great vehicles for delivering your daily dose of plant-based goodness. These nutrient-packed sips are simple, quick and cheap to make, conveniently portable, and so tasty, they’re incredibly easy drink and sure will put some spring in your step.

Start with the below basic building blocks and then get creative, mixing and matching ingredients to find your own favorite.

1) Think Thick

A creamy, dreamy texture separates a smoothie from a regular ole glass of juice. Achieve this “richness” by using yogurt or different nut butters. Frozen avocados and bananas will give you that “smoothie” feel too. If things get too thick, pour in a splash of milk (almond or dairy both work), coconut water or fruit juice for balance.

2) Be Vibrant

Go for bold flavors and bright colors when choosing the fruits to add to your base. All kinds of berries blend really well. Peaches are just perfect. And you can even add some veggies to the mix. Consider sneaking in some greens like spinach and kale as well as carrots, beets and celery. You can also add fruit juice for an additional layer of flavor and color.

3) Go Free From

Once you’ve blended your base with your fruits (or veggies), you can follow tradition and pour it into a glass. Or try a twist and put it in a bowl. Top with more sliced fruit (maybe varieties that don’t blend as well, like citrus or apples) and add some crunch with nuts, oats or other grains.

 

Super Smoothie Recipes

Blueberry Basil

½ cup plain or vanilla yogurt

1 small banana (a frozen ‘nanner will keep this smoothie super cool!)

1 to 1 ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries

¼ cup milk or cold coconut water (or a small handful of ice)

two fresh basil leaves

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Mix all in a blender and enjoy!

 

Mango-Honey

2 mangos, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons raw honey

¼ cup plain Greek yogurt

¼ cup almond milk

1 small handful of ice

Mix all in a blender and enjoy!

 

Be Sugar Smart
Don’t undo the healthy benefits of a smoothie by loading them up with sugar. Be careful and look at labels when choosing nut butters and yogurts to include. Opt for no-sugar options. And watch out for “sugar-free” varieties. They sometimes contain sugar substitutes like aspartame, which can be worse than actual sugar. If you feel the need to add some extra sweet to your smoothie, go with agave nectar or raw honey.