Well, it’s that time again.  In my house, the change of seasons means at least one of us comes down with a cold.  I’ve been battling my very own cold for the past couple of days with Emergen-Cs, multivitamins, and saline solution, and my little two year old is having a tough go at it too.  Our little one could win an Oscar with this performance - to put it lightly - about her runny nose and sore throat, so I’ve got to get her better quick!  The only thing she’ll eat/drink today?  Mama’s homemade smoothie – packed with a powerful punch!

Would you like some Gatorade? Nope. Water? A little. Applesauce? No ma’am. Ding! Light goes off. Smoothie time.  I quickly opened the fridge finding only a little fruit left from over the weekend – pineapple and a couple of strawberries. Uh oh.  Quick! Check the freezer!  I just remembered that before we left for vacation a couple of weeks back, I washed, cut up, and froze the fruit that was going to go bad.  Voila! Bananas, strawberries, and peaches. I also have a 5lb bag of frozen blueberries purchased at our local food co-op* that cost me less than $10. Score one for the team!  I hurried to put the fruit in the blender, mixed with a little Kefir probiotic (type of yogurt drink great for the immune system), and a splash of apple juice.  Baby girl’s gotta get on the mend quick, and she has taken the utmost delight in my deliciously sweet smoothie – even if nothing else for the whole day.

Smoothies can be mixed up in no time flat, and I occasionally make them for my husband and myself for breakfast.  If you’re going to drink your breakfast though, it’s important to give the smoothie substance, so I like to add a protein powder – just a tablespoon or two will do.  There are all types of protein powders on the market, whey having the highest protein content. Recently, I discovered hemp protein on sale at our local health food store, and I like to use it for not only the protein content (16 grams per serving) but the high levels of fiber and fat too.  Other plant sources do not boast as high of levels of fiber and fat.  If I’m going to have it in place of an eggs and bacon kind of morning, I like that it’s got more substance in it to fill me up and keep me full.

It’s easy to add green veggies to smoothies as well.  Don’t let the green color be a turn off!  Looks can be deceiving.  These delightful smoothies taste nothing as they appear, and my family (including my meat and potatoes eatin’ husband) loves them!  Just add a couple of handfuls of spinach to a fruit smoothie, and only the taste of the fruit comes out. Pow! You’ve already gotten a serving or two of veggies in for the day and didn’t even taste them! Easy peasy! So go ahead.  Give a green smoothie a go.  You’ll be glad you did. In the meantime, fix a fun fruit smoothie for the kids to give them that boost of Vitamin C that we all need from time to time to fight off the germs of the season!

**A local food co-op is a local run business for and by the people it serves.  Local farmers and other foodies get together and form a temporary grocer serving fresh, local food to those who dare enter!

Fruit Smoothie for the Kiddos (makes 2 servings):

½ C Blueberries –fresh or frozen
½ banana – fresh or frozen
¼ C orange juice (any juice they love will work)
½ C strawberries, cut in half
2 Tbs. yogurt (Greek yogurt works too)
Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.  If using fresh fruit, add ice.  Frozen fruit acts as ice.  Kefir yogurt drink is a healthy choice with added probiotics.  It can be used in place of or conjunction with regular yogurt.  Any fruit will work. Use whatever you have on hand!