Low fat smoothies – refreshing and fun beverages!

1. Frozen Berry Smoothie

1 cup of low fat yogurt
1/2 cup of skim milk
1/2 cup of frozen berries or any other
fresh fruit that has been frozen.

Method
Place all of the above ingredients into a blender until smooth and pour into a glass.

2. Creamy Melon Smoothie

2-3 scoops of low fat vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup skim milk
Some chopped honeydew melon

Method
Place all of the above ingredients into a blender until smooth and pour into a glass.

3. Apricot Honey Smoothie

. 1 – 13 or 14 ounce can apricot halves, drained
. 1 – 12 ounce can apricot nectar
. 1 tablespoon honey
. 8 ounces low fat plain yogurt
. 2 medium bananas
. 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Chill in freezer for 5 minutes and serve.

4. Lime Sherbet Cooler

. 1 cup skim milk
. 1 cup lime sherbet
. 1/4 cup limeade concentrate, frozen

Place milk, sherbet and limeade concentrate in blender container. Cover; blend until smooth.

Pour into frosted glasses; garnish with lime slices, if desired.

5. Apple Pie Shake

. 2 cups vanilla fat free frozen yogurt
. 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
. 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice (can substitute cinnamon) . 1 cup skim milk

In blender, combine yogurt applesauce, apple pie spice. Add milk and blend just until mixed.

Serve in chilled glasses.

6. Cranberry Sparklers

. 2 1/2 cups fresh grapefruit juice
. 3 1/2 cups chilled cranberry juice
. 2 1/2 cups chilled sparkling water or soda water
. 1 lime cut in small wedges

Stir juices together in large pitcher. Just before serving, stir in sparkling water.

Serve over ice with lime wedges

7. Vanilla Orange Shake

. 1/2 cup fat-free frozen vanilla yogurt
. 1/2 cup ice cubes
. 1/2 cup orange juice
. 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients and blend in blender on high until smooth.

Note: May substitute pineapple juice for orange juice.

8. Crushed Mint Lemonade

. 6 large lemons, scrubbed, thinly sliced
. 2 cups loosely packed mint leaves, thick stems trimmed away
. 1 1/4 cups sugar
. 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
. 2 cups water
. ice cubes

Using a potato masher, mash sliced lemon slices, mint, 1 cup of the sugar, and 1/2 cup lemon juice in a bowl until juice, about 5 minutes. Strain lemon mixture through coarse sieve set over another large bow, pressing masher on the solids in sieve to extract some pulp and as much liquid as possible. Mix 2 cups water and remaining 1/4 cup sugar into lemon liquid and pulp in bowl. Fill pitcher with ice and pour lemonade over ice. Let stand 5 minutes to chill. Fill tall glasses with ice and add lemonade.

9. Tropical Smoothie

. 1 ripe medium banana, sliced
. 1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
. 1 – 8 ounce can crushed pineapple in juice, chilled
. 1 1/2 cups vanilla low fat frozen yogurt
. 1 cup skim milk

In a blender container, combine banana, undrained pineapple and orange juice concentrate. Cover and blend until almost smooth. Add low fat frozen yogurt and fat free skim or 1% lowfat milk. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses.

Garnish with a sprinkle of toasted coconut if desired.

Recipe Numbers 3-9 source: Low Fat Lifestyle.com