Because all of my girls have dealt with dairy intolerances when they were infants and toddlers, I’ve never made yogurt/milk smoothies. Instead, I make pure fruit smoothies — usually with whatever fruit combinations I have on hand. Here’s the Ehman Family Guide to Smoothies:
1. Start with a green. Spinach and kale are our favorites, although kale definitely has a stronger taste to match its extra calcium.
2. Add bananas. I regularly peel and freeze 4-5 bananas in bunches specifically for smoothies because they make a great base in lieu of dairy or milk.
3. Choose another fruit for your smoothie, which will most likely be the dominant flavor. Berries — either individually or mixed — make a great addition. Pineapple is another one of our favorites. If your bananas are frozen, you don’t necessarily need frozen fruit; fresh fruit works just as well.
4. Add some orange juice or a large spoonful of frozen orange juice concentrate. We don’t drink a lot of juice, so I keep frozen OJ concentrate in the freezer just for our smoothies. Because you’re going to add a fair amount of liquid in order to blend all of the fruits/veggies together, you need the OJ to keep it from tasting watered down.
5. Pour a generous amount of water into the blender. It should submerge at least half your fruits/veggies to start, and you may need to add more as you blend.
6. For an extra boost, add a generous tablespoon of freshly ground flax seeds, a heaping tablespoon of coconut oil (more with pineapple for a delicious pina colada flavor), wheat germ, nuts & seeds. We mostly stick with flax seeds and coconut oil, but I’d imagine the options are pretty endless here!
Blend until smooth, adding more water as necessary. Serve thicker smoothies in a bowl with a spoon or add water until it’s thin enough to drink through a straw. Pour extra smoothie into a popsicle mold for a healthy summer treat!
What is your favorite smoothie combination?
