Breakfast Fruit Smoothies: Blender Recipes

If you are on a diet to lose weight or improve your overall health, chances are that you've thought of breakfast fruit smoothies as a meal replacement.

Not all smoothies are created equal, however. To create a healthy fruit smoothie, you'll want to pick the best, freshest ingredients and watch the overall fat and sugar content.

Created the right way, fruit smoothies can be an excellent, filling way to start your day. Much healthier than other "grab and go" options, drinking a fruit smoothie can energize you, fill you up and not add inches to your waistline.

We've collected our favorite recipes for breakfast fruit smoothies. Each of these recipes is less than 400 calories and under 8 grams of fat (lower if you go with non-fat milk and light yogurt as a base). Why not fill up with healthy fruits and protein in a smoothie and feel great about your meal?

Put aside the donuts and bagels and let's go with a healthy breakfast ideas. Instead of suffering a sugar rise and crash, you can help even out your blood sugar with yummy treats like these breakfast fruit smoothies!

At our home, we love fresh fruit smoothies. Even if your favorite fruits are not in season, frozen options are not only available, but also very tasty. In fact, combining fresh and frozen fruits together gives the smoothie a filling, frothy texture.

Basic Smoothie Recipe:

• 1 c. cold milk
• 2 c. flavored yogurt
• 2 c. fresh or frozen fruit (cut into pieces and trimmed of stems and/or cores)
• 1/2 c. ice cubes

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together for 30-60 seconds, and pour into a chilled glass for best results.

Make 1 fruit smoothie, and takes less than 5 minutes.

Sure, you could drink V-8 or a grande latté, but why risk getting hungry in an hour?

If you like, add a scoop of protein powder, flaxseed or wheat germ to give your smoothie extra "staying power."

My kids love fruit and they love smoothies. Here's our favorite recipes for breakfast fruit smoothies. Follow these suggestions, or build on the basic smoothie recipe above with your own ideas for ingredients.

Simply combine the ingredients in a blender and pulse for 30 seconds. You are minutes away from a tasty treat!

Strawberry Banana Smoothie:

• 2 c. frozen or fresh strawberries
• 1 fresh banana, peeled
• 1 c. cold milk
• 2 c. strawberry yogurt
• 1/2 c. ice cubes

Berry Delicious Smoothie:

• 1 c. frozen or fresh strawberries
• 1 c. frozen mixed berries
• 1/2 c. each fresh blackberries and fresh blueberries
• 1 c. cold milk
• 2 c. blueberry yogurt
• 1/2 c. ice cubes

Peach Melba Smoothie:

• 1 c. frozen peaches
• 1/2 c. fresh raspberries
• 1 c. cold milk
• 1 c. peach yogurt
• 1 c. raspberry yogurt
• 1/2 c. ice cubes
  

Orange Tropical Smoothie:

• 1 c. frozen strawberries
• 1 c. canned pineapple chunks
• 1/2 c. frozen orange juice concentrate - slightly thawed
• 1/2 c. light coconut milk
• 2 c. vanilla yogurt

Blueberry Kiwi Delight Smoothie:

• 1 c. frozen blueberries
• 1 c. fresh kiwi, peeled
• 1 c. cold milk
• 2 c. blueberry yogurt
• 1/2 c. ice cubes
  

Many women do not get the recommended amount of calcium each day, and most of us fail to eat the 6-8 servings of fruits and vegetables that experts say we should on a daily basis. With healthy ingredients in these fruit smoothies, you can achieve better nutrition, and even improve your health.

Be sure to select low-fat or non-fat milk alternatives and light yogurt. Shy away from any smoothie recipe that uses ice cream as a base.... yummy, but deadly for the waistline!

Creating fruit smoothies at home is so easy, why pay extra at a juice or coffee bar? Have fun and experiment to create your own smoothie recipes!