Honeydew Melon Batido (Smoothie)

When visiting Costa Rica, one of my favorite lunchtimes treats are batidos, essentially fruit smoothies either blended with milk or with water. Most casual restaurants will have a variety of about 5 or more batidos, made to order. They are usually about a quarter of the price of a "Jamba" here in the U.S.- and much, much better!

Here is my recipe for a Honeydew Batido, inspired by the delicious ones I have had in Costa Rica:

Fill a blender about 3/4 full with chunks of ripe organic honeydew melon. Add about 8 ice cubes, a heaping tablespoon of local honey, and about 1/2 cup of organic plain yogurt. Blend and serve!

PERFECT SMOOTHIE FOR KIDS AND PARENTS!!!

I am constantly searching for better ways to incorporate all the nutrition my son needs into his diet.  I recently came upon this recipe from Dr. Sears website, and let me tell you - it is AMAZING!  The encopresis my son has suffered after a couple of years of chronic constipation, is getting better and better - I believe, in part to this smoothie as well as the ayurvedic approach we take to his diet.  Our doctor prescribed the "mineral oil" solution to his problem - but in my heart I could not bear giving him upwards to 8 tablespoons a day of mineral oil.  Mineral oil is petroleum based - I might as well have bathed him in the Gulf!

Here is the Sears recipe for a smoothie that Dr. Sears gives his own children:

• 3 cups milk or soy beverage
• 11/2 cups plain nonfat yogurt
• 1-2 servings Juice Plus+® Complete or similar multinutrient supplement
• one frozen banana
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup each of your favorite fruit, frozen (e.g., organic strawberries, papaya, mango)
• 2 tbsp. flax oil or 1/2 cup flaxseed meal
• 4 ounces tofu
• 2 tbsp. peanut butter (optional)

Here is our version of his smoothie.  I basically have cut Dr. Sears recipe in half - it makes a smoothie for me and one for my son:

• 1 1/2 cups organic 1% milk
• 3/4 cups organic low-fat vanilla yogurt
• 2 servings of Amazing Grass Kidz Superfood supplement - berry flavored
• 3/4 cup frozen organic blueberries
• 1/2 cup frozen organic mangoes
• 3 tbsp. flax oil
• 3 oz. organic soft tofu
• 1 tbsp. psyllium husks

"Combine all the ingredients and blend until smooth. Serve immediately after blending while the mixture still has a bubbly milkshake-like consistency.

We formulated this recipe based on the principle of "synergy." The nutrients consumed together enhance each other's benefits, so the whole nutritional effect is greater than the sum of its parts. I have prescribed this recipe for several hundred school-children and their parents, and we drink it ourselves four to five mornings a week. It's a powerful performance booster for working parents and school-children.

Because fiber steadies the absorption of carbohydrates and therefore contributes to a steadier blood sugar, we suggest using rich sources of fiber, such as flaxseed meal (i.e. ground flax seeds, containing both the oil and fiber), although flax oil has a more palatable consistency than flaxseed meal. For additional fiber, if you don't mind a grainier texture, add 1 tbsp. or more of oat bran."

The smoothie is yummy!  My son will normally drink the whole thing.  And, I love it, too!  I must say, it has been a great way to start my day - I have only the smoothie and I don't get hungry before lunchtime - an added bonus, in that I have been trying to lose weight!  (And I have!  Yeah!!!)

Strawberry Yogurt (and Date) Smoothie

My son loves smoothies. And, for me, they are a great way to "sneak" things into his diet. Now, I know I could never get him to eat a date. I am sure he would say that they look like "cockroaches" - and they kinda do. But, dates are a wonderful source of fiber. So, here is my "sneaky" way to work them into his diet.  

Strawberry Yogurt (and Date) Smoothie

Ingredients:

2 cups of fresh or frozen strawberries

6 pitted dates 

1 cup vanilla non-fat or low-fat yogurt

1 cup of water

1/2 tablespoon of agave nectar or honey

Before you go to bed, place the dates in a cup of water on the counter. Let them soak overnight. In the morning, drain the water. Put all ingredients in the blender. Blend well. Makes 2 smoothies.