How to Make a Strawberry and Banana Smoothie

How to Make a Strawberry and Banana Smoothie

The finished smoothie - yum

A strawberry and banana smoothie is not only a great breakfast idea but a very tasty snack for anytime of the day.

The ingredients that I use also means it is especially useful as a post workout meal as it contains fast acting carbohydrates with the fruit and protein with the egg whites and yoghurt.

Now don't let the idea of egg whites put you off as there are plenty of other liquid options that you can incorporate. Smoothies are very versatile, I would bet that even the pickiest eater could find one they enjoy.

Smoothies are the ideal fast food, I made this for my breakfast this morning and took the photos in 5 minutes flat.

The Strawberry Lowdown

Strawberries are full of nutritional goodness. They contain high levels of vitamin C and folic acid, and are also rich in B vitamins (B1, B2, B3 & B6). Furthermore, they provide you with a good source of potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulphur and chlorine.

A little known fact about strawberries is that they are a mild diuretic and so can help with bloating, and they are also an excellent cleanser for the whole body making them an ideal detox food.

I used frozen strawberries in my recipe this morning but I have also used fresh fruit when it is in season. Look for ripe, sweet smelling, unblemished strawberries and ensure you wash them well before use. Remember to remove the stalks and the hulls (central part that was attached to the plant) before blending.

To hull your strawberries you can use a strawberry huller or a small knife. If you are using a knife place it in the hard area beneath the leaves and green stalk and gently cut and rotate to remove the cone shaped hull.

The Biz on Bananas

Bananas are a great fruit, when ripe, to aid digestion and for people recovering from a period of illness. They provide you with useful amounts of vitamins B3, E, C, folic acid and biotin. In addition, they contain a rich supply of potassium and a good amount of magnesium, phosphorus, sulphur and chlorine.

Best to choose your bananas a little ripe as they will be sweeter and will blend more easily. You could mash them before adding them to the blender if they are a little under ripe.

All ready to rock

Start with the egg whites

Add the banana

Add the strawberries and yoghurt

Other Liquid Base Options

If liquid egg whites do not appeal to you why not substitute in one of these instead:

• Water
• Milk
• Coconut Water
• Soya Milk
• Almond Milk

Another great idea so as to increase your protein intake is to use a protein shake as the liquid base, either select a banana or strawberry protein powder, or a plain one if you want to avoid added sweeteners and flavourings.

Original article and pictures take http://hubpages.com/food/Strawberry-and-Banana-Smoothie-Recipe site