It's Hot! Make a Smoothie...
You don't need to read this blog to know it's hot out these days, but that said, what can you do about it? Well, you can't change the weather, that's for sure, but you can make it just a wee bit more enjoyable. How? Excellent, summer berry smoothies! Utilizing freshly-frozen berries from one of the best vendors in the Northwest, Columbia Fruit, below are two different smoothie recipes that are sure to not only help cool you down but also serve the holy grail role of being "super tasty and firmly healthy," all at the same time. Enjoy!
Smoothie #1: Berry Orange Dream
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This smoothie is one of my very favorites and a frequent "go to." This concoction reminds of a blend between an orange dreamsicle and berry flavor. You can't go wrong here!
Ingredients: 2 Cups of "Summer Berry Blend" from Columbia Fruit - link here1 1/2 Cups of orange juice (pulp aspect doesn't matter)1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract3/4 Cup of lowfat vanilla yogurt - link here1 tablespoon ground flax seed (optional, but adds nice texture)1 tablespoon honey (optional, but sweetens things a bit more)1/4 cup of protein powder (optional, if you're working out)3/4 Cup of ice cubes Smoothie Instructions: Doesn't get much easier than this. Simply put all of the above items into a covered blender and hit the "smoothie" button if its available. Puree works fine as well. Blend to your desired consistency (test with a spoon or straw). Enjoy!
Smoothie #2: Berry Banana Surprise
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The blend between berries and bananas is a natural and tasty one. Here's a great smoothie recipe that utilizes this perfect marriage. FYI, the results from this recipe are more for one serving (vs. the 1.5 to 2 servings in the first recipe). Enjoy once again!
Ingredients:1 Cup of "Summer Berry Blend" from Columbia Fruit - link here1 Frozen ripe banana1/2 Cup of low-fat vanilla yogurt - link here1/4 Cup of orange juice1 Teaspoon of honey (optional) Smoothie Instructions: Uh, yes, once again, the instruction are beyond simple. Just put everything into your blender and press the "smoothie" button (or puree if that's not an option). Blend to your desired consistency. For more information on the Colubmia Fruit brand mentioned in this blog article, check them out here!Tillamook Cheese's low-fat Vanilla Yogurt also makes the ingredient list in both of the above recipes, check them out here!