Fruit Smoothie

 As I mentioned yesterday, I haven't really been cooking a lot lately.  However, I have been giving my blender a workout by making lots of fruit smoothies.  I can tell when winter has officially ended for me because I get intense cravings for refreshing, light, ice cold fruit treats; having worked at Tropical Smoothie Cafe for nearly a year in high school and college, I know a thing or two about smoothies.
Let me share a couple of tips to get your appetite going:
-Add a mix of both fresh and frozen fruit to the blender.  The fresh fruit will blend more easily, and add a bit more moisture to the blades to make the whole process quicker.
-Try using a fruit juice blend; one of my favorites is strawberry mango orange juice, instead of just orange juice.
-Using liquids (yogurt, juice) will make everything go more smoothly.  If it's blending unevenly, stop the blending, shake the blender a bit, and add a smidge more liquid.
-Don't be afraid to supplement more stuff: protein powder, flaxseed meal, etc. 

Abbi's Fruit Smoothie (makes enough for 2 small smoothies, or 1 giant one)
1 banana, in pieces
1 1/2 c. frozen fruit (strawberries, mangos, pineapple, whatever)
1 kiwi, in pieces (could be oranges, blueberries, whatever)
1 scoop non-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 c. juice
1 Tbsp. flaxseed, protein powder, whatever
Throw everything into the blender and blend.  Put into a cup and sip through a metal straw, which will keep the smoothie chilled and tasty!