Whether you want to start the day out with a healthy bang, or end it with a nutritious treat, smoothies are a delicious way to add nourishing fruit to your diet. There is nothing quite as soothing as drinking a nice cold fruit smoothie.

Smoothies are convenient and portable for those busy people on the go who don't have time to sit down to a conventional breakfast. and since the fruitis being eating in its natural state it is supply many important vitamins, minerals and protein necessary for healthy nutrition.

Bananas are a great addition to your healthy fruit smoothies. Not only do they add sweetness to the mix, but they are very good for you. Bananas contain potassium, protein and fiber with a calorie count of about 130 for a medium sized one.

Fresh Fruit Smoothie

2 cups fresh strawberries

2 large ripe bananas

1/2 cup cranberry juice

2 tsp. of honey

ice cubes

Combine in a blender and process until the desired consistency. Serves 3 to 4

If you freeze the banana and the strawberries before making your smoothie, you won't need to use ice cubes.

For a variation you can replace the cranberry juice and the honey with 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 cup of milk.

Pineapple Banana Smoothie

2 ripe Bananas

1 cup of pineapple juice

1/2 cup of orange juice

1 cup lemon or orange low-fat yogurt.

Combine, blend and serve. Serves 2 to 3

Banana Blueberry Smoothie

1 medium banana

1 cup of blueberries

1 Tbsp of maple syrup

1 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt

1 cup grape juice

Combine, blend and serve. Serves 2 to 3

Nutty Chocolate Banana Smoothie

1 large banana

1 1/2 cups chocolate milk

1 Tbsp peanut butter

Combine, blend, serve. Serves 2

Mangos, Peaches and Pears

Carrot Orange Mango Smoothie

1 to 1 1/2 cups carrot-orange juice

1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped

1 cup mango, peach, or apricot low-fat yougurt

Combine, blend and serve. Serves 2

Cinnamon Apple or Pear Smoothie

1 ripe banana

2 medium apples or ripe pears

1 cup vanilla low-fat yougurt

1 cup apple juice

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Combine, blend and serve. Serves 2 to 3

Peach Apple Smoothie

1 cup of low-fat peach yogurt

3 ounce of frozen apple juice concentrate

1/4 tsp. almond extract

ice cubes.

Combine, blend and serve. Serves 2 to 3

Some of the above recipes were taken from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook

Dragon-Slayer Shake

4 - 8 ounces of diluted fruit juice (apple, cranberry, orange)

10 - 15 grams of powdered protein (whey, rice, soy, etc)

1/2 tbsp fiber powder

1 ripe banana

2 - 4 grams of vitamin C powder (Emergen-C)

1 tbsp of fatty acids EPA (fish oil)

1 tbsp of flaxseed oil

1 tbsp of wheat germ

This recipe is borrowed from the Vita Mix cook book.

New York White Colada

1/2 cup white grape juice

1/4 cup white seedless grapes

14 cup canned pineapple, with juice

1/2 cup ice cubes

Blend on high for 15 to 20 seconds

Grasshopper

1 Tbsp. creme de menthe syrup

1 cup vanilla ice cream

1 Tbsp. chocolate chips

1 drop green food coloring

1/3 cup low fat milk

Blend all ingredients on high for 10 to 15 seconds

Triple Strawberry Daiquiri

1/4 tsp. rum extract

1 cup frozen strawberries

1/4 cup strawberry yogurt

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

Combine ingredients in blender on high for 10 to 15 seconds

Fuzzy Navel

1/4 cup peaches, with juice

1 orange peeled and sectioned

1/4 cup sugar

14 cup water

1/4 cup ice cubes

Combine and blend on high for 10 to 15 seconds

Three Melon Cocktail

1/2 cup watermelon, seeded

2 inch slice cantaloupe

2 inch slice honey dew

14 cup pineapple juice

Blend on high for 10 to 15 seconds.

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