Smooth Operator

Growing up we used to drink a lot of "yogurt shakes" in the summer time. On a hot summer day it was refreshing to suck down a blended concoction of ice, oj, and yogurt. With the evolution of healthy eating and fitness, the smoothie has become very fashionable to consume. I am a big fan of the smoothie, but have a real hard time stomaching the six plus dollar cost of most smoothies that are sold at the local smoothie bar. Anyone who has a blender can produce a high quality smoothie that is cheaper than those sold over the counter and probably with less calories. Many smoothie makers add powders and fillers that may boost your energy, but also boost your caloric intake higher than you want to go without realizing it. You can easily make yourself a healthy delicious smoothie in your own kitchen by keeping some fresh frozen fruit in your freezer. Fresh fruit has a tendency to go bad on you before you know it so why not toss it into the frozen coffin that is your freezer where it takes months for things to go bad? I have found that when your bananas go bad if you peel them and place them in a freezer bag you can increase their longevity and reduce the mess of trying to peal the brown beasts once they are frozen. Another great thing that I have discovered about smoothies is that it is a great way to get your kids to eat fruits and veggies without them even realizing they are eating them. If you splash a little V8 in a sweet smoothie most kids will not be able to distinguish the taste and will gladly gulp down the fruits and veggies. I like to use a 50/50 ratio with V8 and regular juice like grape. I think that grape provides a great natural sweetness that is not always there with say an orange juice.

As the weather heats up, cool things down in the kitchen. Sure an awesome blender like a Vitamix may be costly, but when you factor in the amount you are not paying to Jamba Juice it is actually a savings!! Grab some fruit and get blending. Get crazy and discover what lies beyond the store bought smoothie realm.