Better Smoothies

I've posted before about how I find fruit smoothies to be a brilliant breakfast innovation.  Smoothies make it a snap to slurp up a good part of the daily dose of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and the accompanying nutrients and vitamins.  They are also fast and easy to make, eat, and clean up after.  It helps start my day on the right foot.

For years we would just make our smoothies with a mixture of different frozen fruits and non-dairy milk. Last year we started adding a dollop of peanut butter.  And from there, I guess we realized how easy it would be to bump it up a few more notches nutritionally while still maintaining the illusion of having a breakfast milkshake.  Now we add ground flax seed or ground hemp seeds, spirulina, leafy greens, chia seeds, and peanut butter--by themselves or in combination with each other.  On special occasions I'll add a few drops of vanilla which really does make it taste like a milkshake.  A little goes a long way though.  Too much makes the smoothie sickeningly sweet.  Speaking of sweet:  I've also added a small dab of honey when I've found my mixture of nuts and greens has diminished the sweetness more than I'd prefer.

My friends, David and Michelle, recently got a Vitamix.  I have had a few pangs of want for one, I must say, since I saw it in action.  It can turn fruit into a smoothie without added liquid.  It can liquefy fruit!  I think that is impressive.  It can also make dry chickpeas into chickpea flour in a matter of minutes.  That was loud, but equally impressive. They're crazy expensive though so maybe someday....

Edited in 2022 to add:  We got a Vitamix back in 2015 and it is an amazing kitchen tool.  Worth every penny!