Student’s Corner

Sustainable Summer Smoothies

With summer in full swing, cooking can sometimes be unbearable. Especially with no AC. Trust me, I know. But even if you are blessed with a home that has air conditioning, who doesn’t love a nice cold, healthy (yes, I said healthy) treat.

Smoothies are my go to snack. They are quick, easy, and super fun to make. All you have to do is throw a bunch of ingredients in a blender, poor your beautiful creation into a mason jar, and drink. My favorite things about making smoothies is that you can literally put anything in a smoothie. Like all those vegetables I hate. Specifically spinach. Or kale. Or chard. It sounds gross, right? Unless you love your greens, in which case I apologize.

Every smoothie I make has a few simple ingredients: plain yogurt, a green leafy vegetable, a splash of 100% fruit juice, and fruit. The fruit completely hides the taste of the greens and the fruit juice gives it just a splash of sweetness. If you really want a sweet smoothie, though, I would recommend using vanilla or some other flavor of yogurt. Just make sure to look at how much sugar is in the yogurt you are purchasing. I mean, these are supposed to be healthy smoothies, right?

Here are a few of my favorite recipes:

1. Mixed Berry

1 Cup Frozen Mixed Berries

1 Cup Spinach, Chard, Kale Mix

1 Cup Yogurt

½ Cup of Orange Juice

2. Strawberry Kiwi

1 Cup Strawberries

2 Kiwis

1 Cup Yogurt

½ Cup Cranberry Juice

3. Strawberry

1 Cup Frozen Strawberries

½ Cup Frozen Raspberries

1 Cup Spinach, Chard, Kale Mix

½ Cup Carrots

1 Cup yogurt

1 Cup Pomegranate Juice

4. Blueberry

1 Cup Frozen Blueberries

1 Cup Spinach, Chard, Kale Mix

1 Cup Yogurt

¼ Cup Chia Seeds

5. Raspberry Blackberry

½ Cup Frozen Raspberries

½ Frozen Blackberries

1 Cup Yogurt

½ Cup Carrots

½ Cup Spinach, Chard, Kale Mix

Top off with ½ cup oats or granola

While these are just a few recipes I have thrown together, there are a MILLION more out there! One of my favorite websites to find healthy smoothies can be found here. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Add healthy foods that you otherwise wouldn’t eat. The simpler your ingredients are, the healthier your smoothie will be.

Written by Alyssa Lemire, Class of 2017