Nutritious and Delicious Smoothies for a Sippable Snack, Meal, or Dessert Drink

Whether it’s a snack, dessert drink, or a meal replacement, sip and savor smoothies to complement your life and benefit your health. At home or on the go, a smoothie is an ideal nutrient-rich beverage that can help sustain your blood sugar throughout the day, maximize a workout, and become part of your daily routine. Sip and savor your smoothie to empower your life and embrace your health.

BOUNTIFUL EFFECTS OF SMOOTHIES FOR HEALTH & BEAUTY:

Increased fiber intake
Increased consumption of fruits and veggies
Keeping hydrated
Boosting immune system and metabolism
Enhanced cognition
Increased focus and concentration
Managing food cravings for weight loss and management
Improved digestion
Detoxifying body
Amping up antioxidant intake
Imparting beauty benefits to skin, hair, and nails

Before you head out on another trip for groceries, research health benefits of ingredients on this list to determine what’s most important for your health. But, when you’re in the mood for a smoothie and don’t have the right ingredients on hand, it’s important to be flexible and work with what you have. Learn to be creative in the art of substituting ingredients.

When developing your own recipes, start out with a small amount—just enough for one small serving—and if it passes your taste test, write your recipe down for future reference. If it’s a “no go” and barely palatable, don’t stress, because you can always adapt it or add to it.

An amazing diversity of nutrients, fresh fruits and veggies and other healthy ingredients can be packed into a simple smoothie. Figure out what you like and don’t like, and based on how it tastes, decide if it needs one or more of the following ingredients for flavor, texture, and temperature:

FRUITS: banana, peach, pear, grapes, apricots, nectarines, and pomegranate

Berrylicious: blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, goji berries, and acai berries
Citrus: orange, clementine, grapefruit, lime, and lemon
Melons: cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon
Tropical fruits: mango, pineapple, coconut, guava, passionfruit, and papaya

VEGGIES: Greens, such as spinach, kale, and swiss chard

LIQUIDS: water, teas, kombucha milk, fruit juices, such as apple, cranberry, grape, lemonade, orange, and plant-based nut milks (e.g., coconut, almond, cashew, hemp)

THICKENERS: yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, coconut flakes, rolled oats, tofu, lentils, and nut butters, such as peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, and pecan butter

SPICES & POWERFUL POWDERS: turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, matcha, maca root, spirulina, moringa, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, protein powder, carob (for chocolate lovers), and cayenne pepper (for lovers of the spicy)

HERBS: peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm, parsley, basil, and thyme

FLAVOR EXTRACTS: vanilla and almond

SWEETENERS: stevia, honey, maple syrup, blue agave, and pitted dates

DESSERTIFY your sweet smoothies by adding sorbet, gelato, sherbet, frozen yogurt or ice cream, and top with whipped cream (optional)

CREATIVE RECIPES FOR CUSTOM BLENDING YOUR SMOOTHIE SIPPABLES:

RISE ‘N’ SUNSHINE

1 glass orange juice or 2 peeled oranges, ½ cup coconut or nut-milk, 1½ Tablespoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon ginger powder or grated ginger, and a handful of ice

STRAWBERRY PEANUT BUTTER MOCHA

Handful of strawberries, 1½ Tablespoon peanut butter, ½-¾ cup coffee or 2-3 shots espresso, 3-4 Tablespoons milk of choice, and 2 Tablespoons carob or cocoa powder

GORGEOUS GREEN GODDESS

Handful each of kale and spinach, 1½ cup green tea, 1 stalk celery, 3 slices cucumber, ½ avocado, ¾ teaspoon matcha powder, 1 teaspoon spirulina, and1 teaspoon moringa powder

BERRYLICIOUS BRAIN BOOST

2 cups of berries of choice and 1 cup thickener of choice

TASTE OF THE TROPICS

4-5 mango slices, 1 banana, 3-4 pineapple slices, ½ cup coconut milk, and 2 Tablespoons coconut flakes

MINTALICIOUS MEDLEY MIXTURE

Handful fresh mint (peppermint/spearmint leaves), 1 cup mint/green tea, handful spinach, and 1 banana

Depending on your specific health goals, simply sipping a smoothie with organic and natural ingredients can boost your overall health and make you feel like a superhuman!

Happy blending!

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Susan B. B. Schabacker

Forsyth Magazines writer since 2018. Susan Schabacker was blessed to be adopted as a baby and made her journey from South Korea to Massachusetts where she arrived safely into her adoptive mother’s loving arms. She later moved to New Mexico and, after a few years, moved to Winston-Salem, NC, to study classical ballet at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts from the eighth grade through high school. Susan has lived in the Piedmont Triad area for nearly 20 years and had the opportunity to travel to Budapest, Hungary; London, UK; and Beijing, China, where she studied abroad through Elon University. In Stockholm, Sweden, she had a marketing internship at Hachette-Filipacchi, publisher of Elle and other magazines. She graduated with a B.A. in Corporate Communications and a minor in Dance from Elon University. Susan loves writing and is pleased to have written for Winston-Salem Journal’s "Teen Page," Triad Living, KernersvilleMagazine, and of course, Forsyth Mags. She is a co-author of a children’s book, Huckleberry Robin, based on a three-generation true family story. Susan is grateful for her faith, family, and friends and is happy and excited to be part of the Forsyth Mags team. She spreads the word about Forsyth magazines and enjoys reading and sharing them with her family and friends every month.

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