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Since I choose to abstain from animal products, my smoothies have no choice but to follow suit.  I am, after all, their ruling master.  Queen of blender-button-smooching.

Some fun things I have been adding to smoothies are:

• Frozen coconut water! Coconut water is a naturally isotonic, which means it helps to replenish electrolytes.  Just pour some into an ice cube tray and stick it in the freezer, and a few hours later you’ll have a perfectly icy smoothie base.
• Soy yogurt! I especially like Nancy’s brand, which is made locally in Eugene, OR.  It’s full of active culture’s, which is good news for your guts.  Pick some fun flavors, or go with the big bulk tub of  exciting and delicious “plain” in order to save some cash.
• Agave nectar! Need some extra sweet?  Berries and bananas just not kickin’ it?  Agave nectar is nature’s answer to your woes.   It’s glycemic index is much lower than most other forms of sugar and it’s tasty too!
• Hemp milk! Thicken things up with a good dose of all kind of vitamins, minerals, omega-6s and omega-3s.  Hemp milk is usually available in chocolate flavor (along with plain and vanilla), which is always good news.
• Cashews! Throw in a handful of cashews first, to make sure they are properly pulverized (this is a SMOOTHie, after all).  They’ll make your smoothie thicker and, more importantly, yummier.
• Flax oil! A lot of the vitamins you’ll be loading yourself full of in your smoothie drinking glory are fat soluble.  Flax oil is full of the ever-elusive Omega-3s.  It also boasts fiber, protein, and antioxidants, making it perhaps the perfect fat to complement your smoothie.  Throw in a tablespoon and you won’t even know it’s there.
• Greens! Spinach! Kale! Wheat grass, if you want to be fancy!  Throw some in!
• Dates! Dates sweeten things up, a lot like agave, but with the added benefit of being full of fiber.  They’re also a natural energy booster, and the best natural source of potassium.  Add one or two whole dates to the mix for a quick pick-me-up.
• Silken tofu! Tofu is a great way to add some protein.  A quarter of a brick of silken tofu works perfectly in a one-serving smoothie.  If it seems to thick, add some hemp milk or coconut water.  Plain old water will do the trick, too.
• Frozen juice! Pomegranate and cranberry are my personal favorites, but any sort will work fine.   Just pour into ice cube trays and wait for it to freeze.  Lemonade also works great for this.  Another option is already-frozen juice concentrates, especially on hot days when there’s no time to wait for the freezer to do its magic.

The possibilities are endless!  Getting creative is half of the fun of smoothies.  Here’s a basic recipe you can elaborate on to your heart’s content.  You’ll need a blender, of course.

Basic Smoothie

4 cubes of ice

A handful of berries, or any other fruit (fresh or frozen, any variety)

1/2 banana

1/2 cup soy yogurt

Blend blend blend.

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