Summertime is smoothie-time. Let's face it, a nice blend of icy fruits is super appealing for a meal so much more so than it was in mid snowstorm January. I'm a fan of homemade smoothies, bc you know exactly what you put into it, and it can be tweaked for just what you need.

Jasmine's Smoothie Tips:

*Use frozen strawberries, peaches, blueberries etc., the texture will be more refreshing and you don't need to add ice
*Add almond milk to make blendable, less carbs and higher protein, healthy fats!!
*Add fresh raw kale, stem and all (a leafy green veggie is important for your antioxidants, also the kale adds fiber) don't worry you won't taste it
*Its important to have a source of protein, best bet is to buy protein powder. I buy soy and whey then mix a tablespoon of both. One is quickly absorbed and the other is more slowly processed to keep you satiated longer
*Sometimes if I don't feel like protein, I'll add some peanut butter instead. Super yummy with bananas and chocolate (protein powder or frozen yogurt)
*Speaking of bananas, when they start to get too brown to eat, you stick them in the freezer until you need them in your smoothie
*Make a smoothie for desert w fruit, ice and frozen yogurt
*Greek yogurt can also be a good smoothie base, high protein and great flavor

BIG HINT:::
Make a smoothie an opportunity to add supplements and extras you don't want to taste. A scoop of coconut oil for energy, some psyllium husk for fiber, if you take a liquid vitamin of any kind you can even throw that in. It's like your opportunity for the meal that takes care of a lot of ingredients you need to ingest in the day, but still tastes good!!