Smoothies are a quick way to get a lot of nutrients in a small dose! I prefer making smoothies at home by combining plain Kefir (or any plain yogurt) with a variety of fruit, chia seeds and/or flaxseeds. Smoothies can be made to your taste by adding more/less fruit for sweetness, protein powders/non-fat dry milk to help boost protein content, or with the addition of seeds, peanut butter, or avocado to boost healthy fats, protein and calorie content. Full fat milk/yogurts can be used for those wanting to increase calories; non/low-fat milk/yogurt can be used otherwise. I often use smoothies as a “supplement” for patients with varying nutrient needs as it is an easy way to boost nutrition in a convenient drink. By using a variety of ingredients, flavors can easily be adjusted!
Basic Fruit Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup plain kefir or yogurt
1/2 cup fresh fruit
1/2 cup frozen fruit
Ice (optional, may need liquid to help blend)
Add-ins: chia or flax seeds, flax or cod liver oil, avocado, nut butters
Instructions:
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add other ingredients from the add-ins list above, as desired. Make the night before and refrigerate for a quick breakfast the next morning or enjoy immediately.
Other Smoothie Flavor Combinations (in addition to kefir/yogurt and ice):
Peanut Butter-Banana: Use 1 frozen banana and 2 tablespoons peanut butter.
Blackberry-Mango: Use ½ cup frozen blackberries and ½ fresh mango
Strawberry-Banana: Use ½ cup frozen strawberries and one ripe banana.
Cherry-Berry: Use 1/2 cup frozen cherries and 1/2 cup fresh blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries.
Peachy-Ginger: Use 1 cup of fresh/frozen peaches and add a pinch of dried ginger powder or a minced slice of fresh ginger.
Blog post provided by:
Katie Foster, RDN, LD
Nutrition Services
Hannibal Regional