Basic Smoothie with Variations

This is one of our favorite ways to use kefir, or raw yogurt. It's a kid friendly way to ensure your family consumes probiotic food. This produces a thick smoothie that's suitable for a smoothie bowl, if served right away. It will keep in the fridge for

a day or two. We like to freeze smoothies in mason jars to put in our lunches.

Basic Smoothie

• 2 cups Kefir, or raw yogurt

• 2 cups frozen fruit of choice

• 1/4-1/3 cup Maple Syrup or Honey

Place yogurt, frozen fruit, and sweetener in a blender and blend until smooth.

Variations

Green Smoothie Add kefir or yogurt to blender, then fill with dark leafy greens. Blend until smooth, before adding additional ingredients.

Beet and Berry Add a cooked beets and frozen berries. The amount of beets will depend on your personal taste, start with a little and add more if desired.

Tropical Pumpkin Add 1/3-1/2 cup pumpkin puree, or another cooked winter squash, and a frozen tropical fruit blend.

Very Veggie Add kefir or yogurt to blender, then add lightly steamed and/or raw vegetables. Blend until smooth. Add frozen fruit and sweetener and blend until smooth. Raw vegetables are more fibrous and you will not be able to add as much without affecting the texture of the smoothie.

NOTES

You can use less sweetener, if you like, but this is the amount that my kids tend to prefer, so it's the amount that I usually use. Using sweeter fruit like banana, or pineapple will allow you to use less sweetener.

Sometimes I have a random piece of fruit or two that resists blending. I find it helpful to pulse, stop, pulse, stop several times and then start blending again.