Half of my diet is meat/protein. The other half is fruits and veggies. For someone who used to actually have to count to see if I got in my minimal five servings of fruits and veggies a day, being dairy and gluten free makes that easy… fruits and veggies are present at almost every meal. With such a hot summer upon us, smoothies have become my go-to snack. With my Cuisinart blender, I can whip up a delicious and nutritious snack in no time (no packaging or preservatives needed)… and can come up with endless varieties!
Method:
In the winter, I use frozen fruit and fruit juice… fill the blender cup with fruit and pour juice until three quarters full. (Added bonus- no need for ice because the fruit is already frozen.) In the summer, I use fresh fruit, juice, and ice… fill the blender cup with fruit, 3-4 ice cubes, and pour juice until half full. (Added bonus- summer fruits are amazingly tasty and fresh.) I like my smoothies more on the juice side instead of on the suck-so-hard-you’re-cheeks-hurt side.
Madness:
In the winter, I stick to frozen strawberries, raspberries, and cranberry juice. But in the summer, I am all about crazy combinations. Here are some of my favorites:
Watermelon, strawberry, lime juice (I use Limeade juice)
Strawberry, pineapple, lemon juice (fresh or lemonade)
Cranberry, watermelon, orange juice
Cantaloupe, honey, lime juice
Strawberry, pomegranate, lime juice
Cranberry, ginger, apple juice (my recent personal favorite)
Other ideas still in the works in my kitchen include enhancing flavor with mint and other herbs, using soymilk and flaxseed for added nutritional benefits, adding rum for a grown up summer eve cocktail, and even sneaking a few veggies in there as well.
Happy Allergy Free Eating… and Healthy Living!
Balanced Fork, Healthy Life 