Use seasonal fruit to make great summer smoothies at home

There’s no more refreshing way to get in your daily servings of fruit than a frosty smoothie on a hot summer day, and with so many delicious fruits in season right now, the flavor possibilities are endless. Fruit smoothies are not only impressive and healthy, but incredibly simple to make as a breakfast replacement or afternoon treat.

A smoothie has three basic parts: fruit; liquid (milk, soy milk or fruit juice); and thickener (yogurt, ice cream, sherbet, frozen fruit concentrate or ice). A good rule of thumb is to use one part fruit, one part liquid, and two parts thick base. For example, for one smoothie (a little more than one cup), you would use one-fourth cup fruit, one-fourth cup liquid and one-half cup thickener.

You can reduce the fat content of the drink by adjusting the kind of milk (one percent, two percent) or yogurt (non-fat, low-fat etc) you use. Substitute soy milk or add peanut butter for high protein smoothies. Sweeten it up with honey or natural sugar substitutes such as stevia or agave.

But the best part of smoothies is being creative and experimenting with different flavors until you find a combination you love.

Some great fruit combos include: strawberry and banana; pineapple and mango; apricot and raspberry; peach and pear; blueberry and banana; and kiwi combined with strawberry. For a mixed berry smoothie, try mixing strawberries with raspberries and blackberries. A tangy citrus combination is orange blended with grapefruit and banana.

Basic smoothie recipe (serves one):

• One-fourth to one-half cup fruit

• One-fourth cup fruit juice (flavor that complements fruit choice)

• One-half cup yogurt or ice cream

• Several ice cubes

Fun extras:

• Coconut

• Fruit sherbet

• Dash of cinnamon

• Maple syrup

• Vanilla extract

• Fresh lime juice

• Mint leaves

• Granola

• Chopped pecans (to top)

Nutritional supplements:

• Wheat germ

• Vitamin C powder

• Whey protein powder

• Soy protein

Tips:

Blend smoothie to desired consistency, adjusting with either more ice or liquid. Fruits such as bananas are natural thickeners, also if you freeze them, you can have a cold frosty smoothie without having to use ice cubes. Freezing fruit is a good technique to preserve fruit that is becoming overripe.

A surprising smoothie addition is Fallbrook’s signature fruit: the avocado. Avocados, which are high in magnesium, provide a creamy texture to the drink as well as additional health benefits. Good fruits to combine with avocados include: coconut milk; strawberries; banana; apple, pear; and oranges.

Basic Avocado Smoothie (serves two):

• One ripe avocado, halved and pitted

• One cup milk

• One-half cup vanilla yogurt

• Three tbsp honey

• Eight ice cubes

Green Envy Avocado Smoothie:

• Two bananas

• Two cups orange juice

• One cup strawberries

• One cup orange or strawberry sherbet

• One avocado, peeled and pitted

• One cup ice

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