Smoothies have become a staple in our food allergy ridden home. Most days we enjoy them at lunch: they are delightfully refreshing on a hot summer day. Lately, as we’ve returned from various holiday parties, it’s been especially nice to feel good about what I’m feeding the kiddos. Just a lil’ extra goodness in the evening to fill their half empty bellies.
Keys to a delicious fruit smoothie:
- main ingredients – base & acidic fruits, liquid, ice, extras
- base and acidic fruits – the main thing to consider is the base. Examples of base fruits: banana, mango, papaya (I’ve even put avocados in before). Almost everything else lies in the acid category. A good balance between the two will give you a smoothie to crave again and again.
- acidic fruits – some of our favorites include: strawberries, blackberries, peaches, blueberries, pineapple, and oranges.
- liquid for dairy allergies/intolerances – try apple or orange juice, goats milk, raw cows milk, or my favorite: almond milk. If you have a hard time with refined sugar, make sure the juice you’re using is purely squeezed, no added sugars. I don’t recommend using soy milk (that’s another post).
- ice – I’m not a chemist, but there is something to the ice factor in smoothies. If you’re using all fresh fruit, add some ice cubes. Or simply use frozen fruit, and forget adding the ice cubes. During the summer and fall, when we had a beautiful box of peaches, we ate them until they began to ripen too quickly. I then sliced them and froze them for future smoothies.
- extras – smoothies really can become a small meal. I love to add oats (make sure they are gluten-free for those with wheat allergies), almond butter, peanut butter, nuts, or nut pulp and fresh fruit on the top.
Christmas morning we enjoyed scrambled eggs, chicken sausage, and the smoothie pictured above. Here is the recipe:
1 1/4 c almond milk
1 c oats (thick, and gluten-free)
2 fresh bananas
5 frozen strawberries
5 frozen peach slices
8 fresh blackberries
1/3 c organic roasted peanut butter or left over nut pulp
Mix almond milk and oats in blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
What are your favorite smoothies and smoothie ingredients?
the daily delights by katrina berg 
My favorite smoothie ingredients are bananas, pineapple, and strawberries!
For anyone with food allergies there is a directory that has allergy free restaurantsthat is free to search.
Many people think the terms food allergy and food intolerance mean the same thing; however, they do not. A food intolerance is an adverse food-induced reaction that does not involve the immune system. Lactose intolerance is one example of a food intolerance. A person with lactose intolerance lacks an enzyme that is needed to digest milk sugar. When the person eats milk products, symptoms such as gas, bloating, and abdominal pain may occur.
Belinda,
Thx for your comment, it’s always good to have a review…:)