...
What is a 'smoothie'..?' you might ask. Heck . . .if you are looking for info on 'smoothies' I hope you have _some_ idea.

A 'smoothie' is, at the start, a cold blended drink of whole fruit(s), a liquid base (as needed), and simple flavor additives. The best part of a 'smoothie' is that it is easily altered and changed as your tastes might dictate.

Perhaps just as important is the fact that you can control the ingredients that go into your 'smoothie. Using fresh fruit and other fresh, wholesome ingredients allows you to control exactly the taste, purity, and nutrition of the finished drink.


The Best 50 Smoothies is a small (perhaps the size of two decks of playing cards laying side-by-side) book/pamphlet that leads even the rookie 'smoothie' fan down a sweet path.

The entire book a mere 80 pages long, a brief Introduction leads the book:

• 'Helpful Hints'
--- "If a smoothie appears too thick, dilute it by adding additional ice, water or juice."

• 'Great garnishes for smoothies'
--- my favorite..."jelly beans (fun for kids!)"

• 'Common fruits for smoothies'
--- from apples to watermelons, nearly twenty-some are noted, and used in the recipes in this book.

• 'Sweeteners for smoothies'
--- . . .what the heck is 'rice syrup'..?

• 'Creamy bases for smoothies'
--- most are some variant of milk.


The heart of this small book is indeed the 'best smoothie recipes' that follow. Divided into six sections, each has 6 to 15 'smoothie' recipes. A short recipe title is followed by a brief thought about the recipe. The ingredient list follows and the recipe concludes with generic instructions. No illustrations (other than the cover, visible at the Amazon link on this page) are needed. Your mouth will water without that visual stimulation!

Perhaps my favorite 'smoothie' treat from the book might serve as an example:

Chocolate Orange Sparkler
This is a famous combination that can be used like a dessert if served with a light, crispy cookie. Taste and add more frozen yogurt or ice cream if you want it "heavy on the chocolate." Garnish with a twist of orange peel.

1 cup orange juice
1 orange, peeled, sectioned, and seeded
1 cup ginger ale
1 cup chocolate frozen yogurt or ice cream

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.


That it is. That is about as complicated as any recipe in the book gets. 3, 4, 5, 6 common ingredients needing little 'prep' and blend 'em up! If you have ever used a blender (and even if you have not!) you will be able to do this. The recent appearance of 'smoothie machines' makes the recipe prep even simpler, novice or experienced.


A comprehensive Index and a few blank 'Notes' pages close the book. These 'Notes' pages are actually a bit superfluous as each page has ample space to make notes about a particular recipe.


The Bottom Line
The Best 50 Smoothies is a great collection of ideas for everyday and 'exotic' flavor combinations. From 'Breakfast smoothies' to smoothies worthy of being called a dessert, this is a great source for 'ready-to-go' smoothie recipes and serves an inspiration to get you thinking about creating your own taste combinations for your smoothies.



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Certified Lean-n-mean review.


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"Just the facts, ma'am"

Title: The Best 50 Smoothies
Author: Joanna White
Publisher: Bristol Publishing Enterprises
Copyright: 1995
Pages: 80
ISBN #: 1558671145
Ages Recommended: Adult...but let your kids help make them!!


Related websites:

http://www.bhg.com/home/Smoothie-Recipes.html
'Smoothie' recipes from Better Homes and Gardens

http://allrecipes.com/directory/3036.asp
Many, many, many 'smoothie' recipes.

 
 



Recommended: Yes