How to Make an Invigorating and Tasty Smoothie

Use fresh fruit for a healthy smoothie.

Smoothies are a fast snack or meal, quickly blended for any time of day. Make an invigorating and tasty smoothie using fresh fruit, lemon and mint. Lemon is packed full of vitamin C and according to the "Handbook of Herbs and Spices," mint is a natural stimulant. Mint helps wake you up without the side effects of other stimulants such as coffee, which may lead to insomnia and irregular heartbeats, according to WebMD.

Things You'll Need

• 1/2 lemon, peeled
• Blender
• 1 cup chopped honeydew melon
• 1 chopped pear
• 1 to 2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tsp. agave nectar
• Glass

Instructions

1. Place the peeled lemon into your blender. Lemons are high in antioxidants and have a tart taste.

2. Add the honeydew melon and chopped pear. Use fruits that are in season. For example, in the summer use fresh berries. Fresh whole fruits offer vitamins and fiber to your smoothie. Fruits also make your smoothie tasty.

3. Add the freshly chopped mint. Mint's natural stimulant properties make this smoothie invigorating and it complements the tartness of the lemon.

4. Pour in yogurt, which will give your smoothie calcium. Add the agave nectar to sweeten the smoothie. Agave nectar is a raw sweetener from the same plant used to make tequila.

5. Blend the ingredients in the blender for two minutes or until smooth. Pour into your glass and serve immediately.

Tips & Warnings

• To make a green smoothie, substitute 2 cups of spinach for the yogurt and add 1/2 cup of water.

• Add ground flaxseed for additional protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

• A hand blender also works well for this recipe.

• Adult supervision is needed when making smoothies in a blender.

References

• "Handbook of Herbs and Spices, Volume 2"; K. V. Peter, 2004
• Incredible Smoothies; Lemon Smoothie Recipes and Nutrition; Davy Russell
• WebMD: Coffee Side Effects and Safety

Resources

• Smoothie Web: Recipes for Smoothies