Fruit Smoothie Crazy Cooking Challenge

The Crazy Cooking Challenge this month is a fruit smoothie. Now that the weather is starting to warm up it's the perfect time to enjoy a refreshing smoothie that tastes good and can also be healthy.

Smoothies are so flexible. They are sweet or savory and healthy, and then there is the tropical frozen drink that includes an alcoholic beverage. All very delicious!

Some helpful tips for making smoothies is to:

• use frozen fruit instead of ice cubes (slice up ripe bananas before freezing)
  
• add liquid -- either milk (dairy or non-dairy), filtered water, or juice
  
• if sweetness is needed use agave nectar
  
• for added nutrition, add either flax seeds, tofu, yogurt, or protein powder
  

My inspiration came from Cheri at Love Cook Eat who shared a Tasty Tropical Smoothie with frozen berries, peaches and honeydew melon along with bananas, and a little added nutrition with flax seeds that was delicious.

After I enjoyed Cheri's tropical smoothie I decided to make another a few days later for my daughter but I didn't have any melon or bananas. So I just used berries for a quick and simple afternoon snack.

Berry Smoothie Snack
(yields approx. 12-14 oz.)

Ingredients

• 1 cup combined strawberries, raspberries, blueberries (whatever you have)
• 1 cup filtered water & 1/2 cup milk (or add juice 1/2 cup at a time until desired consistency)**
• 2 TBLS. agave**
• 1 TBLS. flax seeds

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to blender or Ninja and puree until smooth. If too thick add a little more liquid.
**If using fruit juices be sure to taste for sweetness before adding any sugars.

How simple is that . . . Use any fruit you enjoy if you don't like berries. You can freeze any leftover fresh fruit you have that may be too ripe. When you have enough to make a smoothie you can then add flavored yogurt to the blender for a quick breakfast or lunch.

Nothing goes to waste, you can even use up the last of the fruit juice. It's delicious and you're also saving money.

Mangia!
Winelady Cooks

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