Ninja Blender

For Christmas I got a Ninja Blender and am loving it so far. I love healthy smoothies and during the summer time they are a regular part of my diet. Now that I have my new blender, despite it being winter time, they are back to being a regular part of my diet and I have been experimenting. Typically I do a green smoothie with spinach, 1/2 a banana, a small handful of whatever fruit I have on hand, a spoonful of ground flax or wheat germ and some vanilla milk (usually soy or almond). I am always satisfied with this but I will admit that it is a more creamy banana drink that is delicious but sometimes I want something fruitier...juicier!

Ninja Blender

My new ninja is great for this and even prides itself on being a "juicer" which in comparison to an actual juicer is a little inaccurate but compared to a typical blender is pretty darn close. For the first time ever (and maybe I am just behind the times) I have been blending whole citrus fruits with other things and it has turned out incredible. I like that I still get all the pulp and some rind (no skin...yuck) plus all the juice of an amazing fruit.

Recently one of my customers gave me a small bag of grapefruit which I normally don't eat because of the tart flavor at the end but I accepted graciously and visions of grapefruit smoothies danced in my head until I finally got my fix this morning. Grapefruits are very healthy for you and if you're not a big grapefruit fan, this could be a way to get one in your diet.

Recipe:
1 large grapefruit, peeled
1 banana (frozen)
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt (it's all I had left)
5 strawberries
1 spoonful ground flax

Combine and blend in high powered blender until smooth.

When I finished blending this and opened the lid the smell was AMAZING. I wish there was a way to bottle that fragrance because I would use it on everything. My first sip was fantastic but I did get a slightly bitter aftertaste. It didn't stop me from drinking the entire batch was was probably about 16oz. You can also see that I didn't add any sweetener and I would guess that a chunky spoonful of honey, brown sugar, or agave would be great in this smoothie. I will definitely be making this smoothie again with the addition of a handful of spinach. I always feel guilty to leave the spinach out. You can't taste it so why not add some veggies too. 

This was great and I'm excited to be back on the smoothie making train. They are such a treat and so simple. I will surely be having one a day and I will keep you posted on any new and great combos I come across.

Danielle