Smoothies R Us

Here are the base recipes for the smoothies I mention in my food diaries ...

As a general note, I've found the recipes work better when a significant proportion of the fruit is frozen ... better texture and flavour.  Also, it means the prep time is far less, and it's easier/cheaper to keep a variety of fruits available.

Just drop the ingredients in the blender, in the order listed, pulse a few times, then blend to the required consistency (for those who don't use blenders often, if you don't pulse first, you run the risk of getting large pieces of fruit caught in the blades, and either having a lumpy/poorly mixed smoothie, or as I once did with a cheap blender, unwittingly burning the motor out).


Bananaberry

Initially based on a Weightwatchers recipe, I vary the berry part of the recipe to use up whatever I have ... I've used raspberries to top up when I've been low on the strawberries, and also used a forest fruit mix which contains blackberries, raspberries, black and red currants and dark cherries (though be aware, this give a very seedy/bitty mix, and it's not really a consistency that can be strained if you don't like things like that).  So far, all have been tasty ... in fact, I prefer the tanginess the different berries bring over the straight strawberry mix.

Basic proportions ...
half cup blueberries
1 cup apple juice
half teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup other berries
1 cup banana

(Note 19Jun2014 - I've now discovered that using just frozen blueberries, frozen raspberries and a fresh banana, along with the juice, gives a smoothie the consistency of a mcdonalds milkshake - that is, you can eat it with a spoon  *yum*)


Mango-Peach

Another Weightwatchers recipe, this time I've not played with it much.  I use frozen mango, and tinned peaches (in juice, not syrup), purely because it's what I have, and haven't yet used the ice, and it tastes fine.

1 cup mango
1 cup peach
half cup orange juice
2 teaspoons honey
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup ice (softened)

(Note 20Jun2014 - Rather than waste the juice from the peaches, I used it in the smoothie, topping up to the right measurement with OJ ... came out very nicely, as sometimes just OJ can make it a bit tart)


Banana-Honey

This recipe came from a general Google search, and was found here ...  it brings up a nicely flavoured, mid-thickness, milkshake, that I picked more as a way to get the kids blending and drinking with me as anything else.

1 banana
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup milk
(ice optional)


Oreo Smoothie

I have one child who isn't fruit-friendly, hence this recipe as a treat.  It's nice, but I'm not sure yet if it quite works taste wise ... I'd prefer something a bit creamier, but that may just be the yogurt I'm using, as I don't have any Greek style at the moment, just regular 'vanilla', or that bananas don't hang around this house long enough to freeze them *chuckles*  I'm also contemplating adding some chocolate milkshake powder, as aforementioned child says he can still taste the bananas *facepalms*

1 banana (chopped and frozen)
quarter cup yogurt
half cup milk
blend these, then add 2 Oreo biscuits and pulse until crumbled.


I have another recipe that uses frozen chocolate yogurt, which sounds nice, if only I can find it here in the UK without piles of added bits and pieces (think B&Js).