It’s the middle of August and smoothie season is in full swing. There isn’t a better time of the year to enjoy fresh smoothies because some of the best fruits and veggies are in season to add to your nutritious summery drinks.
So what’s the big deal with this smoothie thing, anyway?
You’re right. Who honestly wakes up in the morning excited about walking around with an electric green or even brown-colored drink that’s big enough to drown in? Well…a lot of people, actually.
Now, the smoothies of today are vastly different than they were from years ago. Back then, you would be hard-pressed NOT to find added sugar, concentrated fruit juice or even ice cream near any of these blended drinks. Today, smoothie drinkers are into what is now being called Total Juicing. Total Juicing is basically blending up everything that you would normally put in your juicer. This ensures that the skin and other nutrient-rich parts of the fruit or veggie aren’t mushed and extracted out of the juice. As a result, the drink is even more nutritious.
Blenders are putting things such as kale, Chia, and flax seeds (and even nut butter) into their smoothies to make them as beneficial to their overall calorie intake as possible. The traditional strawberry-banana smoothies are so yesterday, as new combinations such as kale-pomegranate-mixed berry or peach-ginger-pineapple are now taking center stage. Parents, take note: This is a great way to sneak more fiber and antioxidants into your kids’ diets and it can also be a fun DIY activity (with supervision) for them to pick out their own ingredients and have a healthy snack in seconds.
Health and wellness icons that include Dr. Oz have even put out day-to-day menus for people who are looking to do smoothie and juice cleanses that can range anywhere from one to seven days. Companies such as BluePrint have also started to capitalize on the detox craze, as they offer customers ways to customize their individual cleanses, based on their lives and what they are looking to achieve from their cleanse. Blue Print even ships their raw, cold-pressed juices right to your door.
Think you might now want to join the juicing and blending craze? First, you’ll want to pick up a powerful, high-speed blender. Companies such as Vitamix, Ninja and NutriBullet offer what seem to be the fan favorites so far, but any blender will do. The more powerful the blender, the better it will pulverize the skins of the fruits and veggies and the seeds that you put into your drinks. Also, it is probably better to splurge for a pricier blender if you are going to be using it multiple times a day (or even weekly).
The one rule you’ll need to know for making smoothies is that there is no wrong combination. Well, there can be, but for the most part, having an even balance of fruits and vegetables with liquids that may include water, coconut water or yogurt will give you a delicious and nutritious smoothie that will either jump start your day, or help you cool off on one of those hot summer days (or both). So what are you waiting for? Get blending!
If you have a knack for cooking, why not consider training professionally at Dorsey Schools? Their hands-on and comprehensive programs will give you the best preparation for the career you’ve always wanted in the culinary industry.
For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the programs, and other important information, please visit our website at www.dorsey.edu/disclosures.
