Watermelon Strawberry Smoothies

Recipe: Watermelon Strawberry Smoothie

Source: Canadian Living

http://www.canadianliving.com/food/watermelon_strawberry_smoothie.php

Time: 50 minutes total (include 30 minute watermelon freezing time)

Ease: 2

Taste: 5

Leftover Value: 5

Down the Drain or Keep in the Strainer: Keep it in the Strainer, with substitutions

You might wonder, "A recipe from Canadian Living?  How did that happen?".  Then, you might think that perhaps I picked up a copy of said magazine during my recent trip to Niagara Falls, Canada, but you would be wrong.

Coincidentally, while I was over a friend's house I noticed the recent issue of Canadian Living sitting by itself, screaming out to me, "Read me, read me!".  

I love magazines.

And I love watermelon.

When I saw in the magazine this recipe for watermelon smoothies, I'm pretty sure I heard angels sing. 

I bought an incredibly sweet watermelon.  This made me very happy.  Watermelons can some time be a toss up, especially depending where you choose to purchase yours from.  I wish I could tell you I grabbed mine at my local farmer's market, but sadly, no.  I got it at Bottom Dollar Food.  I used probably only a quarter of the watermelon for the smoothies, so there was lots left over for me to snack on all day long.

The only real step aside from pureeing all the ingredients was to freeze the watermelon cubes for 30 minutes. Next time I think I would freeze them a little longer.

Something pretty cool about the Canadian Living website where this recipe can be found is that if you decide you want more servings of the recipe, you can plug the number of servings into this little calculator that will then change the measurements of each item you need.

It's the little things in life that make me happy.

Of course, I didn't need to use this function, but it's nice to know it is there.

Yogurt.  I have this strange relationship with yogurt.  I don't like it.  The only way I choose to eat it is if it is loaded with an equal fruit to yogurt or cookie to yogurt ratio.

Or if it is in a smoothie.  

Put the watermelon, strawberries, and plain yogurt in a blender.

Add 2 tsp of lime juice.

I felt a little creative so I added about 2 tsp of orange juice as well.

Puree it all together until it is smooth and pink.

This was a nontraditional smoothie.  It was very watery.  Hmm, perhaps that is because it has a lot of watermelon in it.

I only make that comment so that you don't make this thinking you are going to have a thick smoothie.  It's not exactly the type of smoothie you can drink as a meal substitute.  My suggestion, and thought for next time I make this, is to throw the watermelon and strawberries in the freezer overnight (just to make sure they are overly frozen).  Then, add an extra cup or so of yogurt.

I'm sure it will be awesome.

So Smooth Smoothies

Recipe: Healthy Smoothies

Source: The Orange Strainer

Time: 5-10 minutes

Ease: 1

Taste: 6

Leftover Value: 9

Down the Drain or Keep in the Strainer: Keep it in the Strainer!

My soon-to-be SIL*, Mallory, and I made smoothies the other day.

*What is a SIL?  Well, if you ask my other SIL, Samantha, it means "Sister-I'd-Like-Ta..." but that's just a bad inside joke.  In all seriousness, it just stands for Sister-in-Law.  But it's so much more fun to say.

I'm not really a smoothie person myself, but this thing is really beautiful.  And it was super simple and super healthy.  

We started by throwing a bunch of fruit that was nearing (extremely nearing) expiration.  That would be the strawberries on the bottom and the bananas on the next layer.

You can't see it, but those bananas have some pretty brown spots.

I begged Mallory not to put them in there.

But she did.

Then, we threw in a handful of ice and some frozen blueberries.  (We didn't have any fresh blueberries that were nearing expiration).

We pulsed it in the blender for a bit.  This is around the halfway point.  It took a while to get it blended real good.

This is seriously the healthiest I've ever been with a smoothie.  Usually, I at least throw in the fattiest yogurt possible (because it has the most flavor, of course) or, if I'm feeling particularly devilish, some vanilla bean ice cream.

But going healthy never hurts.  Mallory even had the leftovers for breakfast the next day and said that it was pretty fantastic leftover.