By Mark van Tol

Smoothies and summer go hand in hand and are a refreshing relief from the long, hot days that mark the season. Making a smoothie is simple, and they are a great way to improve your diet by ensuring you get your daily intake of fruit.

To get started, the first thing you need is a blender. With so many models to choose from an important feature to look for is the amount of watts a blender has. The more watts, the stronger the motor and easier it is to blend thicker substances or crush ice, which is great for smoothies.

A common complaint among blender users is that thicker blends tend to stick to the sides of the jar. (more…)

Most parents have discovered that if a particular food item is very healthy and great for us, our children quickly learn to dislike it. The challenge then becomes, “How can I get my kids to eat more healthy stuff?”

Smoothies can be the answer. Most children love these drinks. And for the real die-hard kids, we can add just a bit of “bad” food that they will surely come over to the good side! If you have never made a smoothie, it is easy. Just prepare the food as if you were going to eat it raw, put in a blender, and blend away. (more…)

It is amazing how great and clean fruit smoothies can make you feel. They cleanse the body and give you natural energy. Here are some of the best fruit smoothies you will ever have.

Yes these fruit smoothie recipes really are that good. Try them out and you will see for yourself.

Orange Yogurt Smoothie (more…)

I have been making smoothies out of fruit for a while already. I now want to try some smoothies that include vegetables, especially dark green ones. My first included spinach, a banana, water, and some miscellaneous pieces from a bag of frozen fruit that I bought at the local grocery store. The banana and fruit “held back” some of the spinach taste, and I considered it “so-so”. I am trusting that it was, however, quite nutritious. (more…)