Wishing I was somewhere tropical...

... this smoothie almost takes you there. :-)

1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup coconut water
1 heaping cup pineapple chunks, fresh or canned
1 heaping cup frozen mango chunks
1 banana, fresh or frozen
flax seeds, flax oil, or chia seeds, optional

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth. I'm sure this would also be good with some greens added.

What I'm drinking right now.

No photo again (sorry!), but this is delicious if you're in the mood for something dessert-ish but still healthy...

1 cup frozen strawberries
1 banana, frozen into chunks
4 medjool dates
1-1/4 cup vanilla soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1 tablespoon Chia seeds

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth, adding more milk if needed to make it blend.

Today's Smoothie

I forgot to take a photo, but this was a yummy one!

1 cup apple juice
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen blackberries
1/2 cup frozen cherries
1 banana, fresh or frozen
as much kale as you like
2 medjool dates

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Strawberry Watermelon Popsicles

Strawberry Watermelon Popsicles

2 cups chopped watermelon
1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
2-4 tablespoons sugar or other sweetener, optional

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds* and freeze.

* I used these, and had just a bit of liquid left over.

More Parsley Goodness

I had some parsley in the fridge that needed to be eaten, so I wanted to make some good old parsley juice tonight. Sadly, I was missing a few ingredients, so I had to improvise, and this version turned out quite tasty as well - surprisingly mild and smooth.

New Parsley Juice

~1 cup pineapple chunks and juice (I used canned)
1 large banana
~1/2 cup orange juice
one half to a full bunch of parsley leaves
4 ice cubes
a squirt of agave nectar (or dates if you have them; I didn't)

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Still Craving Blackberries

Ever since I drank a couple of Jamba Juice blackberry smoothies on vacation a few weeks ago, I've been fiending for more blackberries. This was quite good, if I do say so myself.

Purple Berry Smoothie

1 cup frozen blackberries
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 banana, chopped into chunks and frozen
1-1/4 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup raspberry sorbet
1 tablespoon flax oil or flax meal, optional

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Note: For a healthier version, omit the sorbet and add a generous handful or two of kale. Also very tasty!

Blackberry Milkshake

Perhaps you've noticed that my smoothie adventures are leaning more towards the fruity and less towards the veggie lately... I blame it on summer. I really indulged the other day and made a milkshake instead of my usual all-fruit (and sometimes veggie) smoothie.

Easy Blackberry Milkshake

1/2 cup vegan vanilla ice cream
1 cup frozen blackberries
1 cup vanilla soymilk or other non-dairy milk

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Fruity Summer Cooler

1/8 large watermelon, chopped
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup red seedless grapes
1 tablespoon agave nectar, optional
a few ice cubes
a bit of water, if needed to blend

Blend and enjoy! Makes kind of a lot...

Strawberry Watermelon Juice

Sorry again for the inexact measurements - I've been a lazy smoothie maker lately.

a couple of handfuls of frozen strawberries
about twice as much watermelon than strawberries (by volume)
a squirt of lemon or lime juice
a squirt of agave nectar
enough water to blend

Blend and enjoy!

Yum!

Delicious Tropical Juice

watermelon chunks, chilled
mango chunks, frozen
papaya nectar, chilled
a bit of agave nectar, optional

Blend and enjoy!

Repetition

Sorry I haven't posted much lately; I've been drinking pretty much the same smoothie over and over lately and here's why - I learned a few months ago that I'm mildly iron deficient. The doctor recommended a supplement, which I attempted to remember to take for a while, but I prefer to get my nutrients from whole foods whenever possible, and I recently read that combining spinach (a good source of iron) with vitamin C helps to increase your body's absorption of the iron. So I've been dedicating myself to drinking lots of shakes with spinach and oranges. Here's a current favorite -

Iron-Rich Green Smoothie
makes one large or two smaller servings

1 cup pineapple juice
2 oranges, peeled
half a bunch of spinach (or more)
2 medjool dates, optional
1 tablespoon chia seeds, optional

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Popsicles

Last night I made fruit popsicles for my son. They didn't set up quickly enough for him to try one last night, but right now he's eating a popsicle for breakfast. And I don't even have to feel guilty because it's all fruit!

Fruity Popsicles

1 cup apple juice
1/2 can pineapple chunks and juice
2 handfulls frozen mango chunks
2 medjool dates

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

This recipe made more than I could fit into my new rocket popsicle molds, so I saved the leftovers and this morning, I added an orange, half a bunch of spinach, and a couple of ice cubes, and I had a delicious green smoothie for breakfast.

Sorry, No Photo...

...I gulped this one down today after my run without even thinking of taking a photo. It was tasty though!

Serious Spinach Smoothie
makes one large or two smaller servings

1 ripe pear, quartered and cored
2 hand fulls frozen mango chunks
2 hand fulls frozen blueberries
4 dates, pitted
lots of spinach - I used an entire bunch, minus the stems
just enough orange juice to make it blend

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Day of Smoothies

I overate yesterday big-time (homemade vegan cinnamon rolls in the morning, plus vegan cheese tasting and dinner out in the evening - lots of fun, but ugh!) I decided I needed to detox a bit today, so I had a green smoothie for each meal with a smaller-than-usual portion of solid food. I know, I probably should have stuck with just the smoothies, but what can I say - I have a healthy appetite. :-)

Breakfast -

Minty Green Smoothie
makes one large or two smaller servings

This smoothie had a fairly thin consistency; if you prefer a thicker smoothie, reduce the amount of non-dairy milk and/or use frozen bananas instead of fresh.

1 cup non-dairy milk (I used vanilla rice milk)
1 large ripe banana
1/2 can pineapple chunks, drained
4 dates
5 small mint leaves (use fewer if your leaves are large)
3 ice cubes
as much kale as you can handle

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Lunch -

Blueberry Green Smoothie
makes one large or two smaller servings

1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used vanilla rice milk)
1 large ripe banana
1 cup frozen blueberries
4 dates
4 ice cubes
as much kale as you can handle
handful of alfalfa sprouts, optional

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Dinner -

Mild & Fruity Green Smoothie
makes one large or two smaller servings

1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 ripe pear
1/4 cantaloupe
4 ice cubes
as much kale as you like

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Applesauce

Yesterday I used my blender for something a little different - applesauce! It was quick and easy. I didn't follow a recipe, but it turned out just fine.

Applesauce
makes a lot

12 large apples (I used Fujis)
1/4 cup sugar, optional
1 tablespoon cinnamon, optional

Quarter and core the apples, then cut each quarter in half. Leave the peels on for extra fiber! Put the apple chunks in a large soup pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, stirring if necessary to make sure the apples all get some underwater time (mine kept floating to the surface). Drain the cooked apples in a colander, allow to cool slightly, then place in blender with sugar (if using) and cinnamon, and process until desired consistency is achieved.

Parsley Juice

Well, in case any of the ten or so people who read this blog were intrigued by my use of parsley in yesterday's smoothie, here's another parsley concoction. This makes a very thin smoothie - more like a juice really. If you prefer a thicker drink, omit some or all of the juice and/or milk.

Parsley Juice
makes two large servings

1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup vanilla rice milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1 large or 2 small bananas
2 oranges, peeled and quartered
4 dates
1 bunch parsley (I used flat-leaf)
4 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Surprisingly Tasty

Ever since I learned that people put parsley in smoothies, I've been intrigued and a little afraid. I knew I'd have to try it one day, but it was hard for me to imagine that it would taste good. Well, today I finally brought myself to look that bunch of parsley in the fridge squarely in the eye and take up the challenge. And I'm glad to report that the resulting smoothie is really quite good!

Parsley's-Not-So-Gross-After-All Smoothie

1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used vanilla almond milk)
2 handfulls frozen strawberries
1 large or 2 small bananas
3 dates, pitted
1/2 - 1 bunch parsley (I used flat-leaf)
1/4 cup walnuts, optional

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Don't Judge a Book by its Cover

Granted, this smoothie looks a bit like a science project gone terribly awry, but trust me, it's tasty!

Sludgy Green Smoothie
makes two medium-large smoothies

1 cup orange juice
1 orange
handful or two of frozen strawberries
handful or two of frozen mango chunks
2 ice cubes
2 handfuls of greens (I used kale)

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

Apple, Banana and Sweet Potato Smoothie

This one is straight from the Vita-Mix website. It's one of my favorites.

In addition to the USDA recommendation of three cups of dark green leafy vegetables per week that I mentioned earlier, they also recommend a minimum of two servings of orange vegetables per week. This smoothie is a delicious way to get some of those tasty orange veggies. Enjoy!

Yield: 4 cups (960 mL)

1 (114 g) medium sweet potato, cooked, unpeeled and cooled

1/2 cup (120 mL) non-dairy milk

1 (120 g) small banana

1/2 (70 g) golden delicious apple, cut in half

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon honey or other sweetener, to taste

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups (480 mL) ice cubes

Place all ingredients in Vita-Mix container in order listed. Secure 2-part lid. Select VARIABLE, speed #1. Turn on machine and quickly increase speed to #10; then to HIGH. Run for 1 minute or until smooth. Serve immediately.

Sooo Purple

I can't say anything too articulate about the flavor of this smoothie... after fighting off my preschool-aged son's cold germs for months, my body finally gave in and I'm all stuffed up - can't taste much at all. But the color was nice!

makes one large or two small servings

1 cup frozen cherries
1/2 can pineapple and juice
1 apple
large handful of spinach

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.