Basic Fruit Smoothie Recipe

Fruit smoothies were invented as a healthy alternative to the milkshake. They are very popular because of their taste. Most smoothies are high in fiber, low in fat, and packed with vitamins and antioxidants.

There are hundreds of ways to make a fruit smoothie, with varying tastes and textures. Here are the basics:

• First, chopped fruit (one type of fruit or several) is the smoothie's fruit base. Great fruits to use are bananas, berries (including strawberries and blackberries), pineapples, mangos, and/or kiwi.

• Second, add a thickener. Good choices include low-fat yogurt, low-fat frozen yogurt, a can of frozen juice concentrate, frozen fruit, or a cup of ice. How much of these ingredients you will use depends on how thick you want your smoothie to be.

• Third, you will need a liquid so everything will blend smoothly. You can add skim milk, soy milk, fruit juice or even water. Start with 1/4 cup and then add more if needed.

• An extra option to enhance flavor is to add a sweetener, cinnamon or vanilla extract.

• A good rule of thumb for the ingredient measurements is to make your smoothie with 1 part fruit, 1 part liquid, and 2 parts thick base. For example: for 1 smoothie (a little over 1 cup), you would use 1/4 cup fruit, 1/4 cup liquid, and 1/2 cup thickener.

Directions
Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Tips

A lot of people choose to add nutritional supplements to their smoothies, such as wheat germ, Vitamin C powder or ground flaxseed. Also, if you want extra protein, add dry powdered milk into dairy based smoothies or pasteurized liquid egg substitute into fruit juice based smoothies.

The most common recipe for a fruit smoothie is orange juice, strawberries, and a banana. Calorie-wise, a version of the fruit smoothie that is the lowest in calories uses only water, fruit, and ice cubes. Adding dairy products or soy adds protein, calcium, and a different taste to your smoothie.

Smoothies are great for a quick and easy breakfast or even a snack because they are very filling.

Bibliography:

1. Murray, Jennifer . "Basic Fruit Smoothie Recipe." Healthy Foods Site.12 Apr. 2006 <http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art10957.asp>.

2. "Fruit Smoothies." all-creatures.org: Working for a Peaceable Kingdom for Humans, Animals, and the Environment. 12 Apr. 2006 <http://www.all-creatures.org/recipes/fruitsmoothie.html>.

3. "Innocent drinks little tasty drinks." Innocent drinks. 12 Apr. 2006 <http://www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/drinks/drinks.html>.

4. Pavlina, Erin . "The Fine Art of Making Fruit Smoothies." Veg Family. 1999-2005. 12 Apr. 2006 <http://www.vegfamily.com/vegan-pregnancy/fruit-smoothies.htm>.

Pineapples, bananas and coconuts

Ingredients

1 slice of pineapple
 cup apple juice
 banana
 crushed mango 
3 teaspoons of coconut milk 
 cup of orange juice

Blueberries coconut and pineapples

Ingredients

 cup orange juice
banana
1 slice of pineapple

2 table spoons of blueberries

3 teaspoons of coconut milk

Strawberries and bananas

Ingredients

7 crushed strawberries
crushed banana
cup of apple juice

apple
dash of freshly squeezed orange juice

Oranges, bananas and pineapples

Ingredients

cup orange juice
banana
1 slice of pineapple or cup of pineapple juice

Yogurt, vanilla bean and honey
Ingredients

1 cup of yogurt 
cup apple juice
1 teaspoon of honey
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

- 1 cup of ice and water

Apple lemony ginger smoothie

Ingredients

cup of apple juice
 mashed banana
 freshly squeezed lemon
dash of  orange juice
1 of fresh ginger

Fruit & veggie juice  

19 grapes
crushed banana
cup orange juice
5 sweet baby carrots
mango
dash of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Apple, banana, carrot and orange smoothie

1 apple, large sweet

1 banana, large, ripe

1 carrot, large

1 orange, large

3 dates, pitted

1 teaspoon of flax seed

1 cup ice cubes and water

Cantaloupe banana carrot

Ingredients

 cantaloupe

1 banana

1 carrot

table spoon of flax seed

- 1 cup of ice and water

Berry Refresher

2 bananas

1 cup of raspberries

cup frozen blueberries

10-12 frozen strawberries

1-2 cups cranberry juice

Cantaloupe, banana, blueberries, dates   

 Cantaloupe
 Banana

 cup Blueberries
1 tablespoon Flax Seed, whole (optional)
1-2 Pitted Dates (optional for added sweetness)

cup ice and water

Honeydew, banana, dates

Honeydew Melon
 Banana
1-2 Pitted Dates
1 tbsp. Flax Seed (optional)

cup ice and water

Pineapple, apple and banana

 Pineapple, medium size
 Apple
1 Banana
1 tbsp. Flaxseed (optional)
cups ice and water

Pineapple banana and dates 

 Pineapple
 Banana
1-2 Pitted Dates
1 tbsp. Flaxseed, whole (optional)

1 cup of ice  and water

Pineapple, banana, coconut  

1 Pineapple
2-3 Bananas
 cup Coconut (flakes, unsweetened)
6 Pitted Dates (optional for added sweetness)
4 tbsp. Flax Seed, frozen (optional)
1/2 - 1 cups ice and water

Plantain, apple, banana, carrot and orange 

 Apple, sweet
 Carrot, large
 Navel Orange
 Banana, ripe
 Plantain, very ripe
1 tbsp. Flax Seed (optional)
- 1 cup of ice and water

Plantain, pineapple, orange  

 cup Pineapple
1 Plantain, very ripe
 Navel Orange
1 tbsp. Flaxseed, (optional)
 to 1 cup Ice and water

Pear, apple banana 

 Pear
 Apple, large, sweet
1 Banana
1 Orange
1 tbsp. Flax Seed (optional)
- 1 cup of ice and water

Pineapple, strawberry, banana  

cup pineapple chunks
6-7 Strawberries, fresh
1 Banana, ripe
1 tbsp. Flaxseed (optional)
cup of ice and water

Kiwi, apple, banana, orange  

1 Kiwi Fruit
Apple, large, sweet
1 Banana
Orange
1 tbsp. Flax Seed (optional)
cup of ice and water

Cantaloupe, carrot, banana, apple, orange  

 Cantaloupe, small, ripe
 Banana, medium
 Carrot, large
 Apple, large
 Orange
1 tbsp. Flaxseed  (optional)
-1 cups ice and water

Cantaloupe, apple carrot and kiwi 

 Cantaloupe, ripe
 Carrot, large
1 Kiwi Fruit
 Apple
2 Dates, pitted (optional)
1 tbsp Flax Seeds (optional)
- 1 cups ice and cold water

Cranberries, Kiwi, Apple, Banana, Dates and Orange

 cup Cranberries (frozen)

 Kiwi Fruit
 Apple, large, sweet
1 Banana
 Navel Orange
1-2 Dates, pitted
1 tbsp. Flax Seed (optional)
- 1 cup of ice and water

Bananas and Dates

cup of 100%  cranberry juice
 Apple, large, sweet
1 Banana
 Navel Orange
1-2 Dates, pitted
1 tbsp. Flax Seed (optional)
- 1 cup of ice and water if needed

Apple, Orange, Banana and Dates  

 Apple
 Navel Orange
 Banana
1-2 Pitted Dates
1 tbsp. Flaxseed (optional)

- 1 cup of ice and water

Apple, Banana, Orange and Strawberries

 Apple, sweet
 Navel Orange
1 Banana
7 Strawberries
1 tbsp. Flax Seed (optional)
12 oz. Ice

- 1 cup of ice and water if needed

Apple, Banana, Carrot, Pomegranate , Dates and Orange

Apple, large, sweet
1 Banana, medium, ripe
1 Carrot, large
cup 100% pomegranate juice
Orange, large
1-2 Dates, pitted
1 tbsp. Flax Seed (optional)
-1 cup Ice Cubes and water if needed

Apple Banana and Carrot Smoothie

1 Apple
1 Banana
1 Carrot
1 tablespoon Flax Seeds (optional)
1 cup of Ice Cubes
Cold Water as needed  

Banana-Berry Fruit Smoothie

1/2 pear, cored
1/4 cup frozen blueberries or frozen mixed berries
1/2 banana, frozen
1 1/4 cup water
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. skim milk powder
1 tbsp. Flax Seed (optional)

-1 cup of ice and water

High-C Smoothie 

2 bananas

1 orange

2 kiwis

10-12 frozen strawberries

cup of frozen blueberries

1-2 cups of orange juice

- 1 cup of ice

Melon Ball Smoothie  

2 bananas

cantaloupe

honeydew

1 cup frozen melons

1 cup apple juice

- 1 cup of ice

Peaches and Cream Smoothie

2 bananas

1 cup of frozen peaches

1 cup apple juice

- 1 cup of ice

Exotic Smoothie

2 bananas

1 mango

2 kiwis

a papaya

10-12 frozen strawberries

1-2 cups cranberry juice