Breakfast Smoothies

I realize I might just be the last person on the face of this earth to try my hand at making smoothies.  If not the last, then probably the second to the last.  I see lots of different blogs that make them and that have them on their menu rotation, my sister makes them, my sister in law makes them, our friends make them--I know they are nothing new.  Yet, I had still never tried it.  I think it's because I thought of them as breakfast thing and the idea of something cold and frosty first thing in the morning did not appeal to me at. all. 

And wouldn't you know it, making smoothies all came about because I am cheap frugal and didn't want these to go to waste. All that effort I put into my first ever round of canning and come to find out I don't really care for canned apricots.  I like them fresh, but canned?  Not so much.  Perhaps I processed them too long (although I don't think I did), but they sure don't hold up as well as a canned peach.  They were pretty mushy.  So there sat about 18 jars of canned apricots and I certainly didn't want them to go to waste.  They were organic after all.  (And in retrospect, maybe that's why the gal at the orchard mentioned that she always froze them or made fruit leather with her apricots....maybe she didn't care for canned ones either. Hmmmm......) 

Anyhow, so I drug out my food processor (I have a blender that is somewhere in the depths of our basement) and attempted my first round of smoothies.  Oh, and boy, are they good!  Peanut was a big fan too.

Breakfast (or any other time) Smoothies

1 1/2 cups ice cubes
1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries (you could use fresh of course, but you may want to add more ice for a more frozen consistency?  I'm not sure....)
1/2 cup canned apricots
2 bananas (peeled of course)
1/3 cup frozen blueberries or blackberries
1/2 cup plain, cream top yogurt
1 Tbsp honey

Since I am using a food processor, I usually add my ice and chop/process that for about a minute, then add my frozen strawberries, and process until those are finely chopped.  Then I add everything else and process until smooth.  If you are using a blender, from what I understand, you can just add it all in there and blend away until smooth.  This makes about three tall glasses~about 30 ounces of smoothie. 

Really, there are no rules when it comes to smoothies.  This is just what has worked for me so far.  I just picked up some frozen organic mangos and peaches on sale and plan to throw those into the rotation.  Plus, as spring and summer get here, I know I will be looking for discounted produce that is a little past it's prime.  Just add lots of fresh/frozen fruit with a little yogurt and ice and some sweetener (if needed) and process/blend away.  Smoothies are pretty much fool proof.

Oh and last but not least...did you make too much?  Pour your leftovers in popsicle molds for a quick and easy snack for the littles.  I got that idea from my sister in law--what a fabulous way to use it all up!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

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