Sneaky Smoothies

Now that summer is in full swing, that blender is looking mighty good with all its icy smoothie potential.  My son loves smoothies at home.  Smoothies can be healthy or not depending on what you put in them.  For me, they're an excellent way to sneak nutritious fruit and vegetables into our diet without really noticing, because many veggies are completely unrecognizable in a fruit smoothie.  My favorite starters are frozen strawberries and apple juice, and I get more creative from there.  This morning, I felt green, leafy vegetables were in order, but who wants a salad for breakfast?  Not I.

Sneaky Smoothie

1-1/2 cups frozen strawberries
1 cup apple juice
handful fresh leaf spinach
1/8 cup grenadine (or 2 tsp fructose, or a tablespoon of agave nectar for a healthier alternative, or blackstrap molasses for an iron boost, or just skip the sugar)

Blend on slow speed for about 20-30 seconds, pour into a glass and love it.

So many combinations make delicious smoothies: mangos, papayas, peaches, blueberries.  If you can find it in the frozen fruit or fresh produce area, try putting it in a smoothie.  As the old adage says: "Try it; you'll like it." I've used celery before, too, a natural diuretic, which is great the day after a salty boiled crawfish binge. ;)