I love smoothies. They are one of my favorite breakfast treats and are a great way to get fruits and vegetables into your body. I make my smoothies different all the time. I usually use whatever fruit we have in the house although strawberries and blueberries are my favorites. Sometimes I add peanutbutter, greek yogurt, or even spinich to my smoothies. There is usually no rhyme or reason to my method.
This morning, after my run, I made a really delicious and SIMPLE smoothie that turned out great. I will definitly revisit this recipe.
Post-run Smoothie
1 Cup Blueberries (fresh)
10-12 Strawberries (fresh)
1/2 Mango
5.5 oz. Coconut Water
1 Tbs. Flax Seeds
1 Tbs. Chia Seeds
Agave Nectar
Ice (Fill to the top of the blender)
Place all of the fruit, seeds, coconut water and ice into a blender. Run the “crush ice” mode until all the ingredients are pureed and smooth and no more ice chunks remain. Taste your smoothie and add Agave Nectar for added sweetness if desired. There are a lot of times that I do not need to add any so please taste it first. If your smoothie is too thick you can add additional coconut water or sparkling water to thin it out. Makes enough for 2 good sized smoothies. (Or make Smoothie Cubes with the other half. See below.
Smoothie Cubes
Richie has tried a smoothie on a few occasions but they are just not his thing. So when I make a smoothie I do one of two things. A) I only make enough smoothie for myself or B) I make a full batch and use the rest for smoothie cubes. What are smoothie cubes? Smoothie cubes are ice cubes made from the left over smoothie. If you have a morning where you are pressed for time all you have to do is throw a few of these cubes and a little water in a blender and you have instant smoothie! No peeling or slicing fruit needed! You can add yogurt, fresh spinich or any other fresh fruits if you desire but they are great as is!
To make smoothie cubes simply pour your leftover smoothie mix into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid. Pop them out and store them in a plastic bag. These store great for a month or two, if they last that long!
Coconut Water
Have you tried coconut water yet? I recently picked up some Coco Libre Organic Coconut Water that was on sale at the Fresh Market.
There are a lot of rumors of health benefits of coconut water, most of which are likely unfounded. It is however high in postassium, minerals, and antioxidants while also fat free and low in carbohydrates. Coconut water is expensive, even when on sale, so it is not something I buy often. I like to add it to my smoothies when I will not be adding yogurt.
Do you have a favorite way to use coconut water or a favorite smoothie recipe? Leave a comment and share a recipe or a link if you like!
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Love the smoothie ice cubes….may have to give that a try for a quick, healthy brekky-on-the-go since I hate getting up early to eat!