Keep Your Kids Healthy

Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is
essential in keeping your child healthy however our lifestyles often
make this a difficult task to accomplish. The answer to this
dilemma is simple -- a smoothie. What would make your child
happier than a cold, sweet, delicious drink. What would make a
parent happier than to have your child eat a really healthy drink that
will provide them with some of the nutrients that they need without a
fight! Smoothies are great
for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack and it is a secret that every mom
should use to their advantage.
You can make smoothies from almost
any ingredients. So pick the fruits that your child likes best and
pull out the blender.
Great Smoothie Recipes
Purple
Mango - 1 cup pineapple juice, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1 cup frozen
blueberries and 1 cup cubed fresh mango
Banananilla – 1 banana, 1/2
cup low fat vanilla yogurt, dash of milk.
Mango Mango – 1 mango (cut and pitted), 1/4 cup orange juice.
Cherry Vanilla - 1 cup of
apple juice, 1/2 cup low fat vanilla yogurt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
and 1 1/2 cups frozen pitted cherries.
Banana Peach – 1 peach (cut and pitted), 1 banana, 1/4 cup
orange juice.
Pineapple Crush
- 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup pineapple juice, 1 cup frozen pineapple
chunks, 1/2 frozen very ripe banana.
Berries Galore – 1/2 cup strawberries, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/4
cup raspberries, ¼ cup of milk.
Strawberry Ice – 1 cup strawberries, 1 cup orange juice, I cup
crushed ice.
Pineapple Colada --1/3
cup crushed pineapple, slightly drained, 1 cup nonfat vanilla frozen
yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
Blueberry
Smoothie --1 pint
fresh blueberries,
1 cup pineapple-orange juice, 1 (8 ounce) container low-fat vanilla
yogurt, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Peach Delight -- 1/2 cup apple
juice, 1/2 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt, 1
cup fresh peaches, sliced, partially
frozen, 1/2 cup raspberries, partially
frozen, 1 1/2 cups ice chips.
Smoothie Tips
Frozen fruit makes a thicker
smoothie. So peel some extra fruit, put in a sealed
plastic bag and freeze for future use.
Be sure to add a straw and a slice of
fruit for decoration.
Add ice cubes if your fruit is not
frozen. Try
substituting with other fruit juices, low fat yogurt, skim or soy milk.
Make extra and turn them into
smoothie popsicles for a snack. Use popsicle molds, ice cube trays
or paper cups.
Send smoothies to school with lunch by putting it in a thermos.
Remember
it is hard to make a bad smoothie so be creative. The best
smoothies are the ones that you make up spur of the moment with the
kids. Be sure
to get the kids to help. They can select ingredients, peel
and cut fruit, man the blender or measure liquids.
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