Last week I wrote about no/low-cal ways to dress up your water, providing you with variety when you need hydration the most. But what about when the summer heat is so hot, you don’t even feel like a meal? My husband and I play tennis every morning, and a berry smoothie is perfect before or after a match, or if you need nourishment and energy, but don’t want to eat something heavy. Even Starbucks is getting into the smoothie game, but why drink their inevitably processed concoctions when you can make your own from fresh, unprocessed ingredients? Blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries are all over the farmer’s markets, or, if they’re available, gooseberries, lingonberries, loganberries, or bilberries make unique additions to a smoothie. Berries are also full of vitamins and antioxidants; you can’t beat them for a sweet treat that’s good for you as well. Megan included them in her top ten quick, healthy, sustainable snacks, and the Green Diva mentioned them in her five ways to enjoy berries.
Best of all, they’re quick and forgiving–you can make them with whatever ingredients you have on hand, and tailor your recipe to your own tastes. They can easily be made vegan, too.
There are two schools of thought on how to make a frosty smoothie: some people use frozen berries, others use fresh berries and ice. I’m a fan of the former, as this ensures your smoothie won’t be watered down. You can freeze berries you’ve picked up locally, or you can buy pre-frozen berries (in the winter, I love the berry mix from Trader Joe’s).
For one large smoothie, you need about a cup and a half of frozen berries–I like ‘em thick. Use less if you like a thinner drink. In your blender or food processor, whir the berries, your choice of sweetener (sugar, stevia, or honey: again, whatever you have), and your choice of liquid (milk, soy/rice/hemp milk, fruit juice). I also like to add some form of protein–low-fat yogurt works well, as does protein powder or natural peanut butter. How delicious does a strawberry smoothie with peanut butter sound? It’s like drinking a PB&J.
Many people use bananas in their smoothies, although I’m not a fan, and I’ve also tried adding fresh mint from my garden, which adds an even more refreshing taste.
Berry mixes are quite common for smoothies. What’s your favorite unique blender combination?
Kelli Best-Oliver
A former high school teacher, I'm currently a part-time writer/full-time doctoral student at the University of St. Thomas in the Twin Cities, studying leadership in education from a critical pedagogy perspective along with public policy. On the green side, I'm interested in local food and agriculture (Iowa girl, born and raised), sustainability education, DIY projects, and grassroots activism. I'm slowly turning my South City, St Louis home into an urban farmstead. On the hoping-to-be-greener side, I love reading, yoga, soccer, music, backpacking, knitting, pop culture and trivia, my Tuesday Night Dinner Club, traveling, Guitar Hero, dive bars, and sitting on front porches with my husband and a cold beer. I came to Green Options via a post on Sustainablog,working the St Louis angle to get Jeff to let me in. I have a personal blog chronicling (what else?) life in South St. Louis. Follow me on Twitter!
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Mmmm.. fresh orange or tangerine juice with any mixed berries, frozen pineapple and a hefty dose of frozen mangoes makes such a smooth and creamy treat! I also add a swig of Udo’s EFAs for bonus nutrition. Mangoes are so magic, you could put them with anything really.. I love making a vegan Mango Lassi with orange juice, some plain soy yogurt and a tiny bit of vanilla extract and a drizzle of agave nectar. Yum!
I love to make a raspberry lime rickey style smoothie. I always use a banana for extra creaminess, then a big handful of raspberries and a little bit of lime juice, yogurt too.