Sunshine Smoothie
With the weather warming up, a great way to stay cool and hydrated is to blend up a delicious and healthy smoothie. You can add any combination of fruit, vegetables, juice, milk, or yogurt you’d like, and the Saratoga Farmers’ Market is a great place to get some of your ingredients!
This recipe for the Sunshine Smoothie features products available at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, including milk from the Battenkill Valley Creamery and yogurt from the Argyle Cheese Farmer (Saturday markets only).
The Battenkill Valley Creamery offers whole, reduced fat (2%) and fat-free milk, plus their infamous chocolate milk. You’ll also find half and half, heavy cream, and their un-homogenized cream-top whole milk. A few years ago they also started making ice cream, and are up to 16 different flavors! The Argyle Cheese Farmer also features several delectable products including regular and Greek yogurt, many types of cheese and quark cheese spread.
Smoothies often contain whole fruits and vegetables, which are full of vitamins and minerals. To increase the amount of calcium, vitamin D, and protein in your smoothie make it with milk and yogurt. Smoothies make a great meal replacement or snack.
The best part about smoothies is that they’re easy to make with a blender. This recipe is from The National Dairy Council, and was provided by Jackie Newgent, RD and award-winning author of “The All-Natural Diabetes Cookbook.
Sunshine Smoothie
4-5 ice cubes
1 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice (juice from about 3 oranges)
2/3 cup fat-free milk*
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt*
2 teaspoons honey*
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup fruit of your choice (optional)
Add ice to blender; cover and crush. Add the orange juice, milk, yogurt, honey and vanilla to blender, cover and puree until smooth. Pour into tall chilled glasses. Recipe makes two servings.
If you want to bulk up your smoothie, try adding a half cup of strawberries or other fresh berries, spinach or kale! You can freeze any leftover smoothie into popsicle molds for a frozen treat anytime!
Nutrition per serving: 150 calories; Nutritional Facts 1.5g fat (0.5g sat fat); 5gm cholesterol; 80mg sodium; 7g protein; 27g carbohydrate.
Nutrition bonus: Calcium 25% daily value.
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This article was written by Rachel Moskal, a dietetic intern from Sage Colleges working with Cornell Cooperative Extension.
For more information about food and nutrition, contact Diane Whitten at Cornell Cooperative Extension, dwhitten@cornell.edu, 885-8995. Watch for her recipe column each Wednesday in The Saratogian.
