Sweeten Summer with Cool, Refreshing Smoothies
Warm summer days call for the perfect frosty refreshment. Try
homemade fruit smoothies -- sweetened naturally with pure honey. Creating
your own creamy concoctions is easy -- simply blend together your favorite
fruits with ice cubes, milk or yogurt and a touch of honey. Honey is
the secret ingredient to enhancing the sweet flavors of the fruits.
Blend up your own delicious smoothies with these easy tips:
* Add variety: Experiment with different combinations of fresh fruits.
Try melons, berries and tropical fruits such as mangoes, bananas and
pineapple.
* Make it thick: Add a few more ice cubes for a creamier mix.
* Keep it cold: Instead of using fresh fruit, use frozen fruit for a
colder and thicker beverage. You can buy frozen fruit or freeze your
own.
* On the go: Make smoothies ahead of time and store in the freezer.
* Prevent sticky situations: Add honey and any additional liquids to
the blender first to prevent it from binding up on the frozen fruit and
getting stuck.
Try these simple smoothie recipes from the National Honey Board. For
more recipes and additional honey tips and information, visit www.honey.com.
Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
1 large kiwi, peeled
1 container (8 ounces) low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup honey
12 to 15 ice cubes
Directions:
In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and process until
smooth. Serve immediately.
Tropical Smoothie
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
1/4 cup honey
2 medium ripe bananas, peeled
1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla (Substitute vanilla yogurt for plain yogurt and vanilla,
if desired.)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
5 ice cubes
Directions:
Combine milk, bananas, yogurt, honey, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg in
blender or food processor; process until thick and creamy. Add ice
cubes, one at a time, and blend until smooth.
Honey Breakfast Drink
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
2 cups milk
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup low-fat dry milk
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 large banana, peeled and sliced
4 to 5 ice cubes
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor and mix well.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
