Remember the movie, Postcards from the Edge? The daughter is just getting out of rehab,(that would be Carrie Fisher) and she walks into her mother’s kitchen (that would be Debbie Reynolds) at breakfast time.
The mom, a movie star, is making a fruit smoothie for breakfast. She puts in all sorts of yummy looking fruit, whizzes it up, then finishes it off with a big gulp of vodka. Meanwhile, lecturing her daughter on the evils of drug addiction.
Ah yes. There are addictions and there are addictions. We know about those, don’t we? Did anybody say sugar addiction? Why not? It belongs here too.
That’s what a lot of fruit smoothies are, whether they add vodka or just sugar-laden ingredients, including sugary fruits like grapes, or orange juice. Addictive sugary shots.
If you’re going to make yourself a smoothie, try not to do more harm than good. Stick to plain yogurt and berries. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries. Then, if the natural sweetness isn’t enough for you, add a little stevia.
But please. Spare me the fake health claims delivered by most smoothies, including those sold at places like Starbucks and WholeFoods. Ask to see the nutritional readout. You’ll be shocked. Often 30 or 40 grams of carbohydrates in one smoothie. Ixnay. Make your own.
I not only made this one for myself this morning for breakfast, I recommended it to my friend, Lori, who has had pneumonia and is weak from her ailment and from the heavy duty antibiotics her doctor prescribed.
After that, I went out and shoveled the snow. I just dreamed about this tropical paradise, see. A little attitude adjustment helps me get through the bitter North East Winter.
Yogurt provides a much-needed probiotic for Lori, and blueberries give her a good jolt of anti-oxidants to help her get well. Feel better, Lori. Let us know when you’re on the mend.
Blueberry Smoothie
1 cup blueberries (substitute any berry you like: raspberry, strawberry, blackberry)
1 cup plain yogurt
1 packet stevia
Half a shaker full of ice
Whiz this up in the blender and drink it down. It will keep you going for hours. Hell, I even went out and shoveled the snow this morning after drinking it. Easy peezy.
OK. So you’ve been good all day. Heck. It’s Friday. You deserve a cocktail once its 5 o’clock. Here’s an old favorite that’s making the rounds of New York City watering holes. And why not? It’s bracing, with just a hint of sweetness to balance out the sour, and you’ll feel better for that too.
Star Daisy Cocktail Recipe
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
1/2 tsp. stevia
1/2 tsp. Grenadine
1 oz. Gin (we like Plymouth)
1 oz. Apple Brandy
Shake well with ice and strain into a martini glass.
