Robot Heart Recipes

Blueberry-Lemon Smoothie
Serves 1-2

This smoothie was born out of a need to use up ingredients that had been camping out in my fridge longer than need be—but it worked out well. Of course, the classic combo of blueberry and lemon is always sure to please. This recipe makes a fairly thick smoothie. If you like things on the thinner side, I advise adding a bit of your favorite milk or even water.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup fresh blueberries

6-ounces unsweetened lemon flavored Greek yogurt

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest

1 tablespoon wheat germ

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 cup ice

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: Place all ingredients into a blender. Pulse until smooth and well combined. Serve immediately.

Source: A Robot Heart Recipes Original.

Strawberry-Peach Smoothie
Serves 1

I’m currently under doctor’s orders to get more potassium into my diet. I’m allergic to bananas, so he offered up strawberries as an alternative. (Who knew)? They have about half the potassium of bananas, but half is better than nothing, right? Like a good little patient, I whipped myself up this yummy smoothie for breakfast earlier in the week.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup frozen unsweetened organic strawberries

1/2 cup frozen unsweetened organic peaches

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon wheat germ

1/2 cup strawberry juice blend (I used Odwalla Strawberry C Monster)

1/4 cup cold water

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth and serve immediately.

Source: A Robot Heart Recipes Original.

“Get Your Orange” Flax Smoothie
Serves 2

I’ve been a little liquid meal crazy as of late—soups and smoothies galore! This one has a nice combo of flavors with a bit of sweetness from the peaches and a little kick from the ginger. A nice way to get going in the morn’!

INGREDIENTS

2 cups frozen peach slices

1 cup carrot juice

1 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: Combine peaches, carrot juice, orange juice, flaxseed and ginger in blender; blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

Source: Eating Well, January/February 2012. View the recipe on EatingWell.com.

Blueberry-Cucumber Smoothie
Serves 4

I came across this recipe on the Vegetarian Times website and the ingredient combo intrigued me so much that I felt the need to try it right away. This mix makes a tasty smoothie that satisfying and filling, but also oddly refreshing thanks to the inclusion of the cucumber.

INGREDIENTS

2 large garden cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks (2 cups)

1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt

1 cup frozen blueberries

1–2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: Place all ingredients in blender, and blend until smooth.

Source: Vegetarian Times, September 2011. View the recipe on VegetarianTimes.com.

Orange-Berry Smoothie
Serves 2

Made with just the ingredients listed, this smoothie turned out way too thick for my liking. I added the juice of one large orange to thin it out a bit. I also tossed in 1 tablespoon of hemp seeds for added protein and omega-3. You can’t really beat the classic combo of citrus and berries!

INGREDIENTS

2 navel oranges, peel and pith removed, cut into chunks

1 cup frozen blueberries

1 cup frozen raspberries

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth.

Source: Whole Living, January/February 2012. View the recipe on WholeLiving.com.

Carrot, Mango, and Herb Smoothie
Serves 2

Man, the vibrant and fresh mix of fruit, veg, and herbs (I used a combo of mint and basil) in this smoothie is delish! You instantly feel a little more spring in your step and know that you just did your body a favor. I like to make the full two serving recipe for myself and refrigerate the second serving for the next day. It is a bit more juice and less smoothie by then, but that is fine by me.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups frozen mango chunks

1 cup fresh carrot juice

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup fresh herbs, such as mint, tarragon, or basil

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth.

Source: Whole Living, January/February 2012. View the recipe on WholeLiving.com.

Strawberry-Orange Yogurt Smoothie
Serves 1

Since I did not use any frozen elements in this concoction, I struggled with naming it, unable to decide if calling it a “smoothie” was appropriate. I typically think of smoothies as having a frozen, thicker texture. However, the alternative descriptive verbiage I am up with involved calling the mixture a “yogurt drink,” which really did not sit well with me since it brought to mind the drinkable yogurts one might find in a grocery store that scare the bejesus out of me. If this ditty is too “drink” and not enough “smoothie” for you, simply toss a couple of ice cubes in the blender, or use frozen berries instead of fresh. The sweetness is also up for grabs on this one. Personally, I enjoy allowing the tartness of the yogurt to shine through. If you fancy things on the sweeter side, you might like to add a bit more sweeter. Conversely, if you are using lovely, sweet, summer farm fresh berries—you might be able to omit honey or agave altogether.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cup fresh organic strawberries, washed and hulled

3/4 cup (6-ounce container) non-fat plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon milled flaxseed

1/2 tablespoon honey or agave

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Serve immediately, or chill prior to serving.

Source: A Robot Heart Recipes Original.

Power Protein Smoothie
Serves 2

I usually make smoothies with organic frozen berries, but since I happened to have fresh blueberries and raspberries on hand I used them in this puppy. I might never be able to go back—magnificent! The fresh berries made the smoothie taste so alive! I also really enjoyed the little kick of fresh ginger in this recipe. If you have super ripe berries, or are using sweeter berries like strawberries, you might want to start with a smaller amount of honey and then to a taste test to see if you feel the need to add more. (I used 1 tablespoon for a 1/2 recipe and it turned out just about right with my blueberry/raspberry combo—any more and it would have been too sweet). Certainly a great way to get the ol’ motor revving in the morning! Easy to veganize by subbing agave for honey.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups mixed berries, (fresh or frozen)

1 cup silken tofu

1/4 cup pomegranate juice

2 to 3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

1 teaspoon finely grated peeled ginger

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: In a blender, combine berries, tofu, pomegranate juice, 2 tablespoons honey, flaxseed, and ginger. Blend until smooth 15 to 20 seconds. Adjust the sweetness if necessary.

Source: Body + Soul, May 2008. View the recipe on WholeLiving.com.

Good Stuff Smoothie
Serves 1

This smoothie is called “Good Stuff” because of all the goodness that is packed into it—protein, fiber, antioxidants, essential aminos, vitamin C, vitamin E, and omega-3. Whew! That’s a lot of good for you stuff, and it’s tasty too. Really any mix of berries will work, though some pack less benefits than others. If you are a banana eater, you’d likely enjoy tossing one of those suckers in, though I imagine you might need to add a bit more juice too.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup silken tofu

1 cup frozen, no-sugar added, organic blueberries

1 cup frozen, no-sugar added, organic raspberries

1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (juice of one large orange)

1 tablespoon milled flaxseed

1 tablespoon hemp seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: Place all ingredients into a blender. Cover and pulse until smooth and pourable. Add a bit more juice or a splash of water to reach appropriate consistency, if needed. Drink immediately.

Source: A Robot Heart Recipes Original.

Avocado-Pear Smoothie
Serves 2

Okay, so admittedly I’ve been going a little smoothie crazy since I started this food detox. My apologies if all the smoothie posts are driving you nuts, but many moons ago I used to make smoothies all the time, and my love has really been rekindled. I also just switched to a powdered multivitamin and a morning smoothie provides the perfect vehicle for getting my vities in! When I came across this concoction, I thought that it sounded like such an interesting combo that I couldn’t wait to try it. Holy cow bells, it is DELICIOUS! By far my favorite smoothie yet! Yum, yum, YUM!!! (Note: To create a vegan version, I think it would work well to swap out the yogurt for silken tofu and the honey for agave).

INGREDIENTS

1/2 ripe avocado, peeled and pit removed

1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1/2 cup pear juice

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup ice

INSTRUCTIONS

Step One: Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.

Source: Whole Living, January/February 2011. View the recipe on WholeLiving.com.