Independent and original reporting from the Orthodox communities of Long Island

Slice of Life: Smoothies

In Food, Health, Recipes on June 3, 2009 at 8:07 am

By Eileen Goltz
smoothie_FullIssue of June 5, 2009 / 13 Sivan 5769

So what exactly is a smoothie?

A smoothie is the alias given to a delicious fruit drink that’s been created by combining fruit, fruit juice and a milk or yogurt. Not to be confused with a slushie which is basically fruit, fruit juice and ice, a smoothie usually contains a milk or soy (non dairy) for a creamy finishing taste. Smoothies not only taste great, but unless you add a ton of sugar or high calorie ice cream like ingredients, they’re usually packed with vitamins, fiber and antioxidants and are really very good for you.

Health food stores on the West Coast began selling pureed fruit drinks made with locally grown produce in the early 1930s. With the advent of refrigerated trucking and electric blenders in the 1940s, smoothies smoothiebecame increasingly popular across the country. The smoothie craze became globally popular in the 1960s (again, starting on the West Coast) with the whole hippy vegetarianism thing. The addition of frozen yogurt products and honey are a 1990s smoothie addition. Most smoothies made with fresh fruits and juices are great for you, not too high in the calorie category, but beware, smoothies can be divided into several other categories, some of which are much better (healthier) than others. Obviously those made with fresh fruit, juices and low fat dairy products are less caloric than those made with ice cream and liquor.

All you really need to get started is a blender, a food processor or a hand held immersion blender. Next thing, fresh (or fresh frozen) fruit. Canned is OK but fresh is best. Water, juice, ice or yogurt or milk and voila, the flip of a switch and you got yourself a smoothie. For those with sugar or dairy restrictions use sugar free substitutes use a lactose free liquid like soy or rice milk or yogurt.

The best thing about smoothies is that there’s no right or wrong way. You make them to suit your taste, using your favorite seasonal fruits. Packed with all the vitamins and nutrients you get from fresh fruit, they make the perfect drink, day or night and add just the right touch to any meal or as a stand alone snack.

TROPICAL SMOOTHIE (dairy or pareve)
Don’t leave out the coconut cream, it really changes the flavor.

  • 1/2 can pineapple in its own juice, including juice
  • 1 cup of Papaya, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
  • 1 mango, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
  • 1 ripe banana, peeled and broken into chunks
  • 2-3 tablespoons coconut cream (not milk)
  • 2-3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cup plain or soy yogurt
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cup crushed ice

Place all the ingredients EXCEPT the ice into a blender of food processor. Process and when smooth continue blending while pouring in 1 to 1 1/2 cups crushed ice. Process until there aren’t any large chunks of ice. Serves 4 to 6.
You can substitute 1/2 cup of rum for 1/2 cup of ice if you want a smoothie with a kick.

MELON SMOOTHIE (dairy or pareve)

  • 3 cups of watermelon
  • 1 cup cantaloupe
  • 1/2 cup strawberries
  • 1 cup plain or soy yogurt
  • 2 cups of ice

Place everything in the blender and process until smooth. Serves 4.

LEMONADE SMOOTHIE (dairy or pareve)

  • 2 cups of lemonade
  • 2 cups of fresh or frozen strawberries
  • 1 cup of fruit yogurt, strawberry or raspberry flavored
  • 1/2 lime, juiced

Place everything in the blender and process until smooth. Serves 4.
You can add 1/4 cup of vodka to this smoothie to make a nice alternative to wine with dinner.

MOCHA BANANA SMOOTHIE (dairy)

  • 1 banana, frozen
  • 10 oz coffee, cold
  • 1/2 cup of vanilla or coffee yogurt
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar, sugar substitute or honey

Blend all the ingredients except the sugar. Taste the smoothie and add the sugar to make the banana smoothie as sweet as you would like.  Serves 1. This recipe can be doubled or tripled.

CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA SMOOTHIE (dairy or pareve)

  • 1 1/2 banana cut into chunks and frozen
  • 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup or your favorite melted chocolate
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup of yogurt or soy yogurt
  • 1 cup of milk

Combine all ingredients in a blend until bananas and chocolate are really mixed. Serves 1. This recipe can be doubled or tripled.

TRIPLE BERRY SMOOTHIE (dairy or pareve)

  • 1/2 cup strawberries
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 1/2 cup raspberries
  • 1 banana
  • 1/2 cup yogurt or soy yogurt
  • 1 cup milk or rice milk
  • 1/2 cup ice cubes

Place everything in the blender and process until smooth. Serves 2. This recipe can be doubled or tripled.

RED BERRY SOY SMOOTHIE (pareve)

  • 1/2 cup strawberries
  • 1/2 cup raspberries
  • 1/2 cup cherries, pitted
  • 1 banana
  • 1/2 cup soy yogurt
  • 1 cup of soy milk
  • 1/2 cup ice cubes

Blend the soy milk, soy yogurt, banana and ice cube until a slushy liquid forms. Add the berries and cherries and blend till smooth. Serves 2.

THE OVERLOADED DESSERT SMOOTHIE (dairy or pareve)

  • 1/3 cup of chopped pineapple
  • 1/3 cup of sliced strawberries
  • 1/4 of blueberries
  • 1/4 of chopped bananas
  • 2 scoops of lime sherbet or sorbet
  • 5 ice cubes
  • 1/4 cup of orange juice

Place everything in the blender and process until smooth. Serves 2.

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