A great way to get in your daily fruits and vegetable servings is by drinking them. Juice or Smoothie? That is the question.
Juicing has become popular with not only make it at home versions with an array of gadgets but also with a multitude of products available at the supermarket of your choice. There are even gourmet providers of “super-fresh” or “cold-pressed” juices. You can see a variety of juice blends on the menus of hip, trendy juice bars and bistros. I remember trying a delicious carrot, apple, ginger juice in Jackson, WY last winter. I would probably not go to that trouble at home. I don’t even own a juicer.
My choice would be to make a smoothie. A smoothie allows you to use the whole fruit or vegetable not missing out on the beneficial fiber (bulk) that gets left behind while juicing. Smoothies can be made to order with small individual smoothie makers. If you plan to make a large batch of the same combination a VitaMix works great.
A simple recipe for a delicious and nutritious smoothie can be a frozen banana, 2 cups of fresh greens (spinach for mild version, add kale or chard if like), 1 orange or 1/2 cup orange juice, 1 cup fresh pineapple or mango. Add any other fruits (such as apple, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, clementines, peach) if you don’t have pineapple or mango. This makes 2 servings.
You can also experiment with adding some milk ( or soy milk, almond milk) or greek yogurt or other flavorings. I like to add a small piece of fresh ginger especially with pineapple. Try some cinnamon when you use apples or peaches. Using frozen fruits, especially when they are not in season, is a great alternative to keep the variety in your smoothies.
Keep the serving sizes of smoothies small as the calories can add up very quickly. Enjoy a delicious one today. Share your favorite recipes.
Nutritionally Yours 