Simple Healthy Smoothies On A Budget

Sometimes it can be a challenge to fit in all the nutrition we need in our day, especially if we get busy or have dietary restrictions. That's one of the main reasons we got a nutribullet blender a few years ago.

And yes, when we first got it I added a whole lot of other ingredients along with fruit.  You know all those extras like yogurt, nuts, zucchini and spinach.  But since I also have digestive issues, and diet restrictions it can limit what I use. For example, I can no longer eat raw veggies like spinach, they have to be well cooked. But I still wanted to be able to add that extra nutritional value. So, I decided to to try a little experiment. I added a small amount of spinach to the mix along with all the other ingredients. Once everything was thoroughly blended I pored it all through a fine strainer. And the result? It actually did work. I was able to digest it as long as I also took digestive enzymes (something I would have to do anyway when eating any cooked vegetable) but it was a slow additional step that in the end I really don't do that often.  While these were all tasty I really do lean towards keeping it simple, but it's still good to know that it's an option. 

So, after a few years of using our blender what I often end up doing is just that, keep it simple by using two fruits and water. I usually use water instead of milk or even plain yogurt because I want to limit my exposure to foods that can cause inflammation. Typically lower fat dairy products are better than higher fat ones, but some of us are just more sensitive than others. So, as a result we sometimes find that we need to watch how much we consume each day. If you have extra one day then maybe you find that you need to have less the next. And, with higher than ever grocery prices just using fruit turns out to be a much more affordable option. 

I usually use frozen fruit but I have tried blending one type of frozen fruit with another type of canned fruit and it's turned out very well. Although I do admit I sometimes freeze the canned peaches (since I can never seem to find frozen ones locally) and then use them depending on what combination or consistency I'm looking for. You can of course also easily add things like nuts, protein powder, or any other supplement you choose. That's the nice thing about making these smoothies, you can use what you already have on hand. I often make up a double batch so that I can just keep the extra in the fridge for the next day to save time.

Many grocery stores offer a good selection of single bags of frozen fruit, but there are some great mixes to choose from as well. Just make sure to check the ingredient list to make sure there are no ingredients added that you may have an allergy or intolerance to.  For me, my main concern is always banana's, which sadly can be a challenge as so many combinations do contain them. 

I've been able to find some great inspiration on Pinterest.  Since we all have our own likes, dislikes, and even diet restrictions it's a great place to get some ideas for combinations that you might like.

Here are some of my very simple, quick and budget friendly, go to combinations. My basic rule is any two frozen fruits with enough water for blending. It may not sound all that exciting but it sure tastes good to me.

-Frozen strawberries & blueberries

- Frozen strawberries & frozen mango

- Frozen strawberries & canned peaches or frozen peaches (you'll need less water for the canned peaches)

- Frozen blueberries & canned peaches or frozen peaches

- Frozen, Tropical Fruit Medley, (I get this at Costco, it's a combination of pineapple, mango, dragon fruit, and passion fruit)