Delicious and easy smoothie recipes

There is nothing I like better than a sweet, ice cold smoothie on a hot summer day, or any day for that matter. Smoothies are the most delicious thing in the world if you know how to make them right and the can be very healthy too! So instead of wasting you money at smoothie shops such as Jamba Juice or Smoothie King, why don't you try these easy, cheaper, and more likely, healthier recipes here at home?

All you need for these smoothie recipes are these easy smoothie ingredients:

• low or fat free vanilla yogurt
• milk or orange juice
• ice
• a blender
• an assortment of fruits or berries (you add as little or as many fruits as you like)

For me, adding a banana to these fruit smoothies is crucial, but everyone's different. Smoothies are usually better if you add more types of fruits. Usually I use whatever I have around the house and throw it in the blender, including bananas, strawberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, nectarines, oranges, mangoes, pineapple (usually from a can), plums, blueberries, blackberries, peach, etc. I have found that nectarines, mangoes, or fresh oranges give my smoothies an extra kick.

Here are a few of my favorite fruit smoothie recipes, but even though I listed the amounts, feel free to experiment with different portions. If it is too thick, add more ice and/or a liquid. If it's too thin you can add more yogurt of fruits to your fruit smoothie.

Tropical

• 2 bananas
• a few slices of mango
• 1 skinned kiwi
  
• 1/2 a can of pineapple including the liquid (you can also use fresh pineapple but you will have to add an additional liquid such as milk)
• 2 or 3 large spoonfuls of vanilla yogurt
• ice

Orange Smoothie Recipe

• 1 large banana
• a small or medium orange (peel off skin)
• a few small slices of watermelon (optional)
• a few slices of nectarine
  
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• a few large scoops off vanilla yogurt
• ice

Strawberry banana smoothie

• 2 bananas
• 1 cup strawberries
• a few large scoops of yogurt
• ice
• 1/2 cup milk

Random Fruit Smoothie

• 1 banana
• mango slices
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup strawberries
• 1/2 an orange (without skin)
• nectarine
• a few large scoops of vanilla yogurt
• ice

Berry Smoothie

• 1 banana (optional)
• 1 cup strawberries
• 1/2 cup blackberries
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• a few orange slices
• handful of raspberries (optional)
• ice
• 1/2 cup milk
• a few large spoonfuls of yogurt
  

Also, if you like to try new things, or if you're healthy to the extremes you can also try these Green Smoothies. Personally, I am not a fan, but you might be!

• 1 handful wild greens (e.g. dandelion), 1 small handful mint leaves, 3 cups honeydew melon
• 1/2 head romaine lettuce, 1 small pineapple, 1 large mango, 1-inch fresh ginger
• 1/2 bunch romaine lettuce, 1 cup strawberries, 2 bananas, water
• fresh orange juice, ripe bananas, frozen mangoes, and several large leaves of kale
• 2-3 cups any greens of your choice, 2 cups papaya, 2 oranges, 3 dates
• 1 handful parsley, 3 cups of peeled papaya
• 3-4 stalks celery, 2 ripe persimmons, 1 banana
• 6 peaches, 2 handfuls of spinach leaves, 2 cups water
• One half small seeded watermelon, 10 strawberries, 1 bunch spinach,1 cup water
• 1 bunch of red dandelion greens, 1 orange remove orange part of peel, leave the white as it is high in calcium, 1 mango, 1/2 banana

You can substitute the smoothie ingredients with pretty much any fruit, berry, or greens. If you have any of your own smoothie recipes you'll like to share, post it in the comments below.