Power Peach Smoothie

My kids love smoothies, especially my oldest son Max. I like sneaking different healthy ingredients into these breakfast shakes, to see how much more fiber or nutrition I can pack in before they notice something different.

Enter quick oats. Yes, oatmeal in a smoothie is so, so good!

We had a few packets of no sugar added plain instant oatmeal in the pantry and a bowl full of overripe peaches in the fruit bowl.

Could I make a smoothie that stuck in my boys' bellies a bit longer than usual? Yes! And so can you.

The great thing about the oatmeal is that it adds a milkshake-like consistency to these breakfast drinks. This is a big plus for Max (and me, too!) We don't like an icy smoothie.

We've tried these with nectarines as well as strawberries, and they were just as yummy.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Power Peach Smoothie
This recipe serves 2 adults and 2 children.

1 1/2 frozen bananas (peeled before freezing)
1 1/2 cups almond milk
3 packets sugar free instant oatmeal (or 1 scant cup quick oats)
6 ripe peaches, pealed and chopped
1 single serving cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
1 or 2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
*Note: Be sure to adjust the amounts of any of the above ingredients to suit your own tastes.

Place bananas, almond milk and oatmeal into blender container. Let sit for about 5 minutes to soften up the oatmeal.

Add peaches, yogurt, vanilla, honey or maple syrup and 1/4 water. Blend until smooth. If smoothie is too think, add another 1/4 water. Blend again and pour into glasses.

After you serve this to your kiddos a few times, try letting them in on the "secret" ingredient. My oldest didn't care about the oatmeal, saying all the smoothie needed was a little more sugar.

Superfruit Smoothie

I just shoveled. The tip of my nose is still burning from the cold and my ears are tingly. The smell of damp mittens is lingering in the air. An errant bit of snow is melting in my sock.

Yet I want a smoothie. An ice cold, refreshing smoothie.

On a recent trip to the mall (to pick up some new contacts for the husband and get free samples at See's Candy), I swung by Panera for a Superfruit Smoothie. According to the nice lady behind the counter, it contained Greek yogurt and berries. I slurped that Superfruit Smoothie down like it was my job. It was dang good!

But since I don't get to the mall every day, I had to figure out how to make one at home. Just for cold, snowy days like this. So I can sit on my couch in my plaid PJ pants and striped socks and really enjoy it.

Superfuit Smoothie
Serves one very thirsty gal

6 ounces blueberry Greek yogurt (about 3/4 cup)
8 frozen strawberries (about 1 cup)
5 ice cubes
Splash of juice (I used about 1/8 cup of cranberry apple juice.)

Toss all of the ingredients in the blender and blend until very well combined. If you're having a hard time getting your blender going, you might need to add a bit more juice.

Strawberry Peach Smoothie

I had a serious crazy pregnant lady moment the other day. Like "is she for real?" crazy.

It started with a hankering for a smoothie. I'd been thinking about it all afternoon: an icy cold, sweet, refreshing smoothie.

As I was starting to make dinner (chicken and the aforementioned smoothie, not exactly well-balanced, but somehow exactly what I wanted), I realized I had a problem:

I didn't have a straw.

Yes, that's right. I needed to drink my smoothie with a straw. NEEDED to. So, I texted the husband, "Can you bring me a straw when you come home from work. I need one for my smoothie." (I text in complete sentences and use punctuation. Further proof that I'm super lame.)

20 minutes later, and I hadn't heard back from the husband. That meant he was stuck at work. I had chicken on the grill, so I couldn't leave to go to the store and buy a straw. (Although I was very tempted to.) How, exactly, was I supposed to drink my smoothie without a straw? My anxiety levels were creeping higher by the minute.

So I went back to my trusty phone. Completely shamelessly, I texted my friends Ryan and Niki who happen to live up the street. "Can I borrow a straw? I need one for my smoothie."

And then Ryan saved the day. He brought me over a solid plastic straw from one of those pretty plastic cups that include their own straws. It was red. It made my day. Thanks, Ryan! I owe you a smoothie.

Strawberry Peach Smoothie
Serves: 2

5 ice cubes
1/3 cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup sliced frozen peaches
1 tablespoon honey

Combine ingredients in a blender. Blend everything together until smooth. You may need to stop and stir a few times to get the ice unstuck from the blades. Serve with a straw.

Berry Smoothie

It's the end of January. It's cold. It gets dark early. It's really cold.

I could sure use a little taste of summer.

Berry Smoothie
Serves: 1

10 frozen strawberries
15 blackberries
6 ounces Greek yogurt (I used honey flavored yogurt.)
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon honey, or more/less to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender.

Let 'er rip until everything is combined. If you're having trouble blending the smoothie, try adding a bit more liquid.

It'll Be Our Little Secret by Lady of the House

Don't worry, this isn't an attempt at abstract art. These are shots of my blender crammed full of fruit, yogurt, juice and one secret ingredient just before I hit the switch. I've been making smoothies a lot lately. As a Mom I worry about feeding my little one a rainbow of colors each day, and I see no other treat that's as nutritious, portable or downright yummy. Step aside V8 Splash!

I find if I incorporate my daughter in the preparation of meals, she seems to dig in, or in this case, drink up, with a bit more gusto. Cooking becomes a lesson in counting and colors as we select frozen peaches from the bag, and she plops them into the blender. Yes, we sit on the kitchen floor, and yes, it takes triple the amount of time it would if I had done it myself, but it's so worth it.

Here's what you need...

1 banana

3 big spoonfuls of vanilla yogurt (I buy the full fat variety. Oh yes.)

1 generous splash of orange juice (and perhaps more if your blender starts to struggle)

5 frozen strawberries

5 frozen sliced peaches

about 1/4 cup frozen blueberries

and for the SECRET ingredient: frozen spinach!! You'll never taste it, and it's so good for you.

Blend, pour, sip. Now, if only Thanksgiving dinner was this easy...

xoxo

{ Lady of the House }