Time For Some Post-Holiday Cleansing – Bring On the Mighty Smoothie!
The holidays are over. Christmas, Hanukkah and the New Year have all come and gone. Even though the relatives and the festive air may have dissipated, there are some aspects that stick around for awhile longer, such as the effects of weeks of excessive and rich food. I know that when my body is out of whack, it seems absolutely nothing is the way it should be. Even if “getting healthy” or “losing weight” isn’t one of your resolutions for 2010 (and if it is, you’re in good company), getting your body back into pre-holiday condition (or better) can help you all the way around. Is there anyone that doesn’t feel better about life when they’ve been eating healthily? But I see absolutely no reason why healthy food can’t still taste amazing, and with that in mind, I’ve compiled these recipes and tips for making one of my favorite “healthy” foods: Smoothies.
Sometimes I find it difficult to get in the daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables and smoothies can be a convenient (and delicious) way to squeeze them into my diet. A good, wholesome smoothie is not simply a non-alcoholic version of a daiquiri or margarita (anyone else have a few of those over the holidays?), but uses much better and satisfying ingredients.
I absolutely love smoothies and drink several each week. Of course, having a good blender is essential to making a good smoothie. I invested in a good Bella Cucina drink blender that mixes the fruit right into a plastic cup. I just stick in a straw and go! It was definitely a good buy.
Also, knowing that I’ll need them later, I bag and freeze my favorite seasonal fruits throughout the year. This works especially well with berries, which act like ice cubes when blending and eliminates the need to add any other ice. Even without this foresight, frozen fruit is easily found in the freezer section of any grocery store. In particular, I like the Dole blend of mixed tropical frozen fruit. I try to avoid using canned fruit, though, as they often sit in heavy syrup that never tastes good and has a lot of sugar and preservatives.
There are some crazy smoothie recipes around, but my favorite combinations are made from just plain fruit and fruit juice.
Here’s one that I use all the time:
1 to 1 ½ cups of frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries and fresh or frozen peaches
2/3 cup fruit juice (this can be a fruit cocktail, apple, orange or any other type of fruit juice you like)
¼ – ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Throw all ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth.
Because of how rich and flavorful berries can be, the lighter tone of the peaches and apple juice I like to put in helps to balance it out. Occasionally, I’ll also throw in a fresh banana. Don’t worry if the banana is a little on the green side; adding vanilla to the mixture gets rid of that starchy-taste and helps bring out the mature, ripe flavor. Also, if the smoothie is a little too thick, add more fruit juice to thin out the consistency. If you’re someone with a real sweet-tooth, you can add a bit of sugar or your favorite substitute (I’m a Splenda girl myself, although I’m interested in this new stevia that’s been getting a lot of hype…I’ll have to look into it a little bit more) to almost any smoothie recipe to get it just where you want it.
One of the best parts about smoothies is that they’re so easily modified. If I have a taste for mango, I just throw some in. Or, if I have fruit, like melon, that is ripening in my fruit bowl I can use it up in a smoothie. I try to be adventurous and test new combinations; they don’t always work out quite the way I plan (avocado and cantelope, anyone?), but you never know what strange mishmash you might fall in love with!
If you get tired of the all-fruit feel, try changing the juice base. One recent trick I’ve been using is to substitute the fruit juice with green tea. Green tea is unbelievably good for you and has a wonderful light taste that is a great complement to fruit. Or, if you want something that feels more substantial, try a plain yogurt base; it adds a smoother texture to the smoothie that gives it a different consistency.
I believe that there is no reason why getting my body back on track can’t be delicious. I also see no reason why the Super Bowl has to derail this plan. So, I have a secret goal of sneaking my husband and his buddies healthier options this year, instead of the typical beer and chips. With any luck, they’ll be too wrapped up in the game to notice that these dip recipes are actually light and that they’re being served with a veggie tray instead of those chips that leave grease trails on napkins and jeans. I figure that regardless of who loses the game, I’ll secretly be winning at life if I manage to fill my guests up on yummy food that’s not a calorific nightmare.
What is the best smoothie combination you have ever had? I’d love to try it!
Laura
Find Rodelle in a store near you | Sign up for our online newsletter | Buy online
Tags: detox cleanse, fruit smoothie, healthy, post-holiday, smoothie, vanilla
