Food & Drink

Sip away on smoothies

Creamy, dreamy and loaded with natural goodness, homemade smoothies get a thumbs up from finicky kids and energy-seeking grown-ups alike

By Jeanne Besser
ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION
Thursday, July 13, 2006

Ask my persnickety 11-year-old son, Alex, if he'd like a bowl of fruit or yogurt for a snack, and you'll get his well-honed, icy "yeah, Mom, in your dreams" stare as a response. Yet when I offer him a smoothie, loaded with berries and yogurt, his enthusiastic approval puts me in the running for mother of the year.

And deservedly so. What could be better on a blistering summer day than a frosty, creamy, dreamy drink that has the appeal of the thickest, straw-clogging, brain-freezing milkshake for him, while satisfying my desire to get some nutrients into his growing body.

Luckily, unlike Trix cereal, smoothies are not just for kids. They are the perfect adult on-the-go breakfast or lunch, ideal when you need to nourish while driving or multitasking at your desk.

When it comes to smoothie making, no steadfast rules apply. These shakes can be customized to suit any dietary objectives. Will and Lisa Mount of Atlanta depended on them as part of their pre-wedding, get-in-shape plan after early morning workouts.

"Our personal trainer insisted we fuel our bodies 15 minutes after we finished our sessions," says Will Mount. "We were too drained to eat anything heavy but wanted something healthful that provided energy and protein. What worked best for us was making smoothies. For extra protein, we'd throw in a handful of almonds or protein powder. It was the quickest way to have a nutritious breakfast and get out to work on time."

Yoga instructor Cheryl Crawford of Atlanta uses smoothies to boost her nutrient intake. She throws a cube of frozen wheat grass into her concoctions and adds a dash of goji juice, the latest natural health elixir, made with goji berries from the Himalayas.

Whether you're looking for just a tasty fruity drink to refresh or have a specific dietary goal, making smoothies at home has never been more convenient. While at one time you had to search out ripe produce and prep it before using, supermarket freezer sections now offer most fruits chopped, pitted and ready to go (specialty markets even have frozen pineapple, mangoes and cherries). Using frozen fruit eliminates the need to add ice for slushiness, which can dilute the drink.

For a creamy texture, add plain or vanilla low- or no-fat yogurt, soy milk, kefir or even unsweetened coconut milk. For smoother texture, thin the mixture with juice. Apple is the most innocuous, with orange and pineapple adding more personality. For sweetening, try a tablespoon of honey.

Other add-ins — wheat grass cubes, flaxseed, protein powder, nuts and even granola — give texture and variety. Just remember, let the fruit's flavor take center stage, and to control sugar and calories, stay away from overly sweetened flavored yogurt and juices.

So be cool by staying cool. Sip away, before summer slips away.

SMOOTHIE RECIPES

Use these recipes as a guide to getting started, but have fun customizing your own combinations. There is something for everyone: smoothies in all the colors of the rainbow to mix and match as desired.

These were tested with Stonyfield Farm brand nonfat plain or vanilla yogurt. They make two snack-size servings or 1 meal replacement size drink. If you like your smoothies sweeter, use vanilla yogurt, or add a tablespoon or two of honey to plain yogurt. If you like them more tart, substitute plain yogurt for vanilla. For creamier texture, upgrade to low-fat yogurt, knowing you'll add calories. Use only 100 percent juice; don't use any with added sweeteners. You can substitute fresh fruit for frozen, but make sure it's cold. If possible, put it in the freezer for 20 minutes before using. Keep a few bananas, cut in thirds, in the freezer until you need them.

Tropical Smoothie
2 servings
Hands on: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes

This has the flavors of the tropics but isn't nearly as cloyingly sweet as a piña colada. Try adding 1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut milk for more island flavor.

1 cup frozen mango
1 ripe banana, cut in thirds
1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
1 cup orange or pineapple juice

In a blender, combine mango, banana, pineapple, yogurt and juice, and process until thoroughly blended and smooth.

Per serving: 305 calories (percent of calories from fat, 3), 8 grams protein, 70 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 1 gram fat (trace saturated fat), 2 milligrams cholesterol, 82 milligrams sodium.

Icy Blue Smoothie
2 servings
Hands on: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes

This nondairy smoothie has lots of fruit flavor with just a little ice to give it slushiness. It's inspired by a recipe from Sara Foster's "Fresh Every Day" (Clarkson Potter, $35) cookbook.

1/2 cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
1/2 cup frozen peaches
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup crushed ice or ice cubes
Pinch ground cinnamon

In a blender, combine pineapple, peaches, blueberries, honey, orange and apple juices, ice and cinnamon, and process until thoroughly blended and smooth.

Per serving: 215 calories (percent of calories from fat, 3), 2 grams protein, 53 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 1 gram fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, 10 milligrams sodium.

Chocolate-Cherry Smoothie
2 servings
Hands on: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes

Even with smoothies there's a time to indulge, and this "chocolate-covered cherry" version is one of them. Adapted from a recipe I saw in Cook's Country magazine, an offshoot of Cook's Illustrated, it's a dessert treat for when you just need something chocolate but want to stay healthy.

1 cup frozen cherries
1 ripe banana, cut in thirds
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/4 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

In a blender, combine cherries, banana, yogurt, apple juice and chocolate syrup, and process until thoroughly blended and smooth.

Per serving: 272 calories (percent of calories from fat, 2), 7 grams protein, 64 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 1 gram fat (trace saturated fat), 2 milligrams cholesterol, 78 milligrams sodium.

The $100 Smoothie
2 servings
Hands on: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes

When my friend Cheryl, a self-proclaimed health nut, insisted I try her recipe, I went to Whole Foods to get the ingredients. Imagine my sticker shock when the cashier told me the bill was almost $100. I don't care that that $40 bottle of goji juice might make me live forever — I'd rather lose a couple of years and have some spending cash! I've adapted it to be a bit easier on the wallet.

1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen mango
1/2 cup vanilla kefir drink
1 cup orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed
1/8 cup POM pomegranate juice or goji juice
1 cube frozen wheat grass, optional

In a blender, combine pineapple, blueberries, mango, kefir, orange juice, pomegranate juice and wheat grass, and process until thoroughly blended and smooth.

Per serving: 170 calories (percent of calories from fat, 10), 3 grams protein, 38 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 2 grams fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, 14 milligrams sodium.

Pineapple-Raspberry Smoothie
2 servings
Hands on: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes

1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
1 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
1 (6-ounce) can pineapple juice

In a blender, combine pineapple, raspberries, yogurt and pineapple juice, and process until thoroughly blended and smooth.

Per serving: 266 calories (percent of calories from fat, 2), 4 grams protein, 64 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams fiber, 1 gram fat (trace saturated fat), 1 milligram cholesterol, 42 milligrams sodium.

Master Fruit and Berry Smoothie
2 servings
Hands on: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes

This is my fallback recipe. I usually empty several bags of assorted fruit into one big resealable bag and keep it in the freezer, so the combination is a little different every day.

2 cups frozen berries or fruit
1 cup nonfat vanilla or plain yogurt
1 cup apple juice

In a blender, combine fruit, yogurt and apple juice, and process until thoroughly blended and smooth.

Per serving: 176 calories (percent of calories from fat, 2), 7 grams protein, 37 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, trace fat (trace saturated fat), 2 milligrams cholesterol, 94 milligrams sodium.

Berry-Banana Smoothie
2 servings
Hands on: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes

Try this when you're looking for a smoothie with no added juice.

2 cups frozen raspberries or strawberries, slightly thawed
1 ripe banana, cut in thirds
1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt

In a blender, combine raspberries, banana and yogurt, and process until thoroughly blended and smooth.

Per serving: 236 calories (percent of calories from fat, 8), 8 grams protein, 51 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 2 grams fat (trace saturated fat), 6 milligrams cholesterol, 86 milligrams sodium.

Blueberry-Pomegranate-Peach Smoothie
2 servings
Hands on: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes

POM, the pomegranate juice that touts anti-oxidant powers, is now in several blended flavors. The blueberry mix goes great in this smoothie.

1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen peaches
1/2 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup pomegranate-blueberry juice
1/2 cup apple juice

In a blender, combine blueberries, peaches, yogurt and pomegranate-blueberry and apple juices, and process until thoroughly blended and smooth.

Per serving: 192 calories (percent of calories from fat, 2), 4 grams protein, 46 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, trace fat (trace saturated fat), 1 milligram cholesterol, 54 milligrams sodium.