Smoothie Recipes You Will Cherish

Who doesn’t love a smoothie?  This is one of those articles that will make you crave something in the end.  By something, I mean a smoothie.  We are going to use all kinds of fruits, herbs, and vegetables to make some amazing recipes you’ll use for life.  I’ll also put a link in to show you what kind of machine I use if you are a beginner smoothie maker who wants to get off to a great start.

 WHY SMOOTHIES?

I say why not, but that’s not exactly helpful.  Smoothies are an incredibly healthy snack that can also replace a meal.  They’re easy and quick to make, plus they have the bonus of tasting really, really good!

HEALTH BENEFITS

The health benefits differ depending on what you’re putting in your smoothie.  In a general sense if we are using fruits, herbs and veggies then you will be getting antioxidants, about every vitamin possible, just at different times as we use different recipes, protein, and probiotics.

TYPE OF MACHINE I USE

In the past I have used a regular blender with a single blade you can purchase at any store.  However, since I make a smoothie on average once a day this machine quickly wore out and the plastic cracked. Knowing I would need an upgrade I did a little research and chose this machine.  With the double blade system, it has worked amazing and also chops through my frozen fruits and ice in half the time. I highly recommend it if you are in need of a new one or even want to gift it to a friend who is excited to start their journey in smoothie making.

SMOOTHIE RECIPES

With everything else covered it is now time to start making some taste heightening smoothies.  This first smoothie is my go-to smoothie that’s quick and one where I always have the ingredients on hand.

STRAWBERRY BANANA WITH PEANUT BUTTER POWDER AND TURMERIC

 Ingredients:

1. Bananas, 2
2. Turmeric, 1 Tsp
3. Fresh or Frozen strawberries, 2 to 3 cups
4.  Peanut Butter Powder, 2 Tsp.  For those of you not familiar with peanut butter powder it’s merely three ingredients of peanuts, kosher salt, and coconut palm sugar.  It adds a bit of flavor but also gives a boost of protein to your smoothies.
5. Milk, 3 + cups. I use raw organic from my cow but any kind you prefer will work.

Directions:

• Add your fresh or frozen strawberries with enough milk to cover and blend.  I prefer frozen because I like a thicker smoothie.  If you have fresh and want a thicker consistency but don’t have time to freeze them, add a cup of ice and blend with the milk.
• Once your strawberries are smooth you can add your bananas and a touch more milk if needed and blend again.
• Last, add your turmeric and peanut butter powder being sure to sprinkle them on the top instead of dumping them in globs.
• Blend once again and finished by adding enough milk to make a blender full.

Simple Variations:

Using the same directions above, you can add little variations to your basic smoothie.  Take out a banana if you need the room and add a handful of spinach, or kale.

MANGO AND PEPPERMINT SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

1. Mangos, 2 cups
2. Milk of choice, 3 + cups
3. Fresh sprigs of peppermint, 2
4. Bananas, 2
5. Vanilla, 1 Tsp

Directions:

• Add your fresh or frozen mangos with enough milk to cover and blend.  I prefer frozen because I like a thicker smoothie.  If you have fresh and want a thicker consistency but don’t have time to freeze them, add a cup of ice and blend with the milk.
• Once your mangos are smooth you can add your bananas and a touch more milk if needed and blend again.
• Last, add your vanilla and fresh sprigs of peppermint.
• Blend once again and finished by adding enough milk to make a blender full.

HAWAIIN PUNCH

Ingredients:

1. Pineapples, 1 cup
2. Strawberries, 1 cup
3. Banana, 1
4. Yogurt, 1/2 to 1 cup
5. Mango, 1 cup
6. Milk, 3 + cups
7. Turmeric, 2 Tsp

Directions:

• Add your fresh or frozen fruit with enough milk to cover and blend.  I prefer frozen because I like a thicker smoothie.  If you have fresh and want a thicker consistency but don’t have time to freeze them, add a cup of ice and blend with the milk.
• Once your fruit is smooth you can add your bananas and a touch more milk if needed and blend again.
• Last, add your yogurt and turmeric powder.  Be sure to sprinkle the turmeric and not dump in one big glob.
• Blend once again and finished by adding enough milk to make a blender full.

COCOA AND PEANUT BUTTER BLEND WITH RASPBERRIES

Ingredients:

1. Bananas, 2
2. Milk of choice, 3 + cups
3. Peanut butter powder, 2 Tbl
4. Cocoa powder, 1 Tbl
5. Yogurt, 2 cups
6. Raspberries, 2 cups

Directions:

• Add your fresh or frozen raspberries with enough milk to cover and blend.  I prefer frozen because I like a thicker smoothie.  If you have fresh and want a thicker consistency but don’t have time to freeze them, add a cup of ice and blend with the milk.
• Once your raspberries are smooth you can add your bananas, yogurt, and a touch more milk if needed and blend again.
• Last, add your turmeric, peanut butter powder, and cocoa.  Be sure to sprinkle them on the top instead of dumping them in globs.
• Blend once again and finished by adding enough milk to make a blender full.

BLUEBERRY SPINACH

Ingredients:

1. Blueberries, 3 cups
2. Yogurt, 1 cup
3. Milk of choice, 3 + cups
4. Spinach, a huge hand full or around 3 cups
5. Turmeric (optional), 1 Tsp

Directions:

• Add your fresh or frozen blueberries with enough milk to cover and blend.  I prefer frozen because I like a thicker smoothie.  If you have fresh and want a thicker consistency but don’t have time to freeze them, add a cup of ice and blend with the milk.
• Once your blueberries are smooth you can add your yogurt, and spinach a touch more milk if needed and blend again.
• Last, add your turmeric.  Be sure to sprinkle it on the top instead of dumping it in one big glob.
• Blend once again and finished by adding enough milk to make a blender full.
• The blueberries will sometimes leave pieces of their fruit skin on your teeth, so be sure to rinse out your mouth before giving someone a toothy grin :).

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Now you have five extra smoothie recipes you can add to your list.  I use milk for most of my recipes, but you can substitute that with a juice of choice or use the ice option to thicken.  Also, ginger, cinnamon in small quantities can be added for an extra spice.  For herbs, you can add basil, or your herb of choice but remember in small quantities.  Try a few leaves, blend and taste before adding any more.

I would love to hear from you and what your favorite smoothie recipe is.  Leave the recipe in the comments section below so everyone can enjoy or email me at heather@heatherearles.com.

Cheers – Heather Earles

Turmeric for your Health