Since the majority of us are safely social-distancing, we have a bit more time on our hands – mostly because we do not need to wake up at 7am for our 8am classes. My dad and I have been experimenting with new juices and smoothies in an effort to get some fruit and vegetables into our bodies. I would sometimes make a smoothie before class just so that I wouldn’t go to school on an empty stomach, but I would rarely wake up early enough to make one. This whole quarantine thing has let me try new flavors out though, and it has been fun. I have definitely had some misses, but don’t worry, I will only be sharing the hits with you guys!
First up we have two things that you would not believe taste so good with each other. For this magical blend, all you need is pineapple, spinach, water, and sugar. My dad made this drink after my sister-in-law requested it at a family dinner we had before social-distancing was a thing. This mix seems kinda gross, I know, but believe me when I tell you that all you will be able to taste is the sweet pineapple. The color will throw you off because it is green due to the spinach, but it’s even more surprising that something green could taste good. Of course, add sugar gradually since we all have different levels of sweetness that we prefer. This is the perfect drink right now since it’s getting warmer and it is very refreshing. Just add some ice cubes and sip on it while you sit out in your yard and take in some sunshine.
I have been trying to add more greens to my diet since I usually do not incorporate them into my meals. My favorite green vegetable to add to anything is spinach because it does not have a strong taste or odor so it will not overpower my drink – and I feel healthy drinking something green. To make my favorite smoothie at the moment, all you need is spinach, a green apple, milk, and a banana. I like to add almonds as well as sweeten it with honey, too. It may seem a little weird, but trust me it tastes amazing. I love bananas and if you do too, then this is the perfect smoothie for you because all you can really taste is the banana. The color will come out green, and as I said, I like to think that I am being healthy while drinking it because of the color. I personally like to make my smoothie with almond or oat milk because anything else will bloat me up; coconut milk might be a fun option too! You can also add some protein powder to this drink if you would like, maybe something with vanilla or chocolate.
Moving away from the green drink, this next smoothie is fun because of its purple/blue color. To make this smoothie, you will need blueberries, a banana, strawberries, almonds, and honey; if you want to add another thing raspberries are also a good option. For this smoothie, I like for my strawberries to be frozen so that it can get a thick consistency and it is also just more cold when you drink it. I tried adding spinach to this mix as well but the color looked weird. It was like a grayish tone, but if you want to be adventurous you can go ahead and add some. This is a safe smoothie, you can never really go wrong with anything that has strawberries or banana in it, but who cares, those two mixed together are delicious. In the past, I have also added some plain or vanilla greek yogurt, but I prefer to keep this one simple.
Last but not least, we have another weird, yet very delicious juice. For this very bright juice, all you need are carrots, oranges/ orange juice, water, and sweetener of your choice. Now hear me out, I know this one sounds pretty gross and if you do not like carrots then this one will not be your cup of tea; but it is a pretty interesting mix. The carrot definitely has a strong presence but the oranges or orange juice, it does not matter which one you choose, helps balance the taste and adds the perfect amount of sweetness. Sometimes I opt the sweetner out of this juice because strangely enough, the carrots add a nice sweetness to it and the oranges/orange juice does too – but feel free to add some! Your final product will be a very bright orange looking juice, but it does not taste as bad as it seems. You can always add anything to bring out different flavors, maybe some pineapple could be an interesting fruit to add. My dad got me to try this by telling me that some of the benefits of adding carrots to juices are glowy skin and they are good for eye health.
I think that juices and smoothies are a great way to give our bodies more fruits and vegetables! They are pretty easy to make and super quick, I like to drink my smoothies as I wait for my classes at Zoom University to start. You can always add and take away from these suggestions I gave you. That is the cool part about these drinks, you can personalize them to your preferences. Enjoy!