summertime super healthy smoothies

(ARA) - Now that the warm weather is here, it is time to get serious about losing those extra pounds and more importantly, commit to a heart healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Eating several servings of fruits and vegetables every day will help you achieve your goals of losing weight and getting healthy.

Robert Spencer, a New York-based personal trainer, notes that eating three to five pieces of fruit every day is a critical complement to a nutritionally balanced, low calorie and low fat diet. Fruits are packed with nutrients and antioxidants and contain a large number of naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, and plant phytochemicals beneficial for health. Fruit is also cholesterol free.

It’s easy to work five pieces of fruit into a daily diet. Here are some tips:

• Add fruit to breakfast cereal

• Make smoothies blended with fresh gourmet frozen fruit

• Add blueberries to hot oatmeal and top with granola

• Eat a small piece of fruit 30 minutes before/after a light workout

• Substitute fruit as a snack food option instead of potato chips, cookies, and other high-fat foods

• Snack on strawberries with low-calorie whipped cream

And here are Super Smoothie Recipes to help you reach your goals!

THE MIXED FRUIT SMOOTHIE (SERVES TWO)

1 cup raspberries
2/3 cup strawberries or mangoes, sliced
3 ounces organic, all-natural juice (grape, mango,strawberry, or apricot - chilled)
2 ounces fat-free yogurt (vanilla or plain)
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon low-calorie granola

Preparation
Combine the raspberries, strawberries or mangos, fruit juice, yogurt, honey, and granola in the blender. Cover and blend until silky and smooth. Pour into chilled glasses and sprinkle with slivered almonds. This is a perfect and healthy breakfast or an after-work or school treat.

SUPER SOY SHAKE (SERVES TWO)

1 cup of blueberries
1/2 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation
Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

THE SLIM SHAKE (SERVES TWO)

1 cup mango
1 cup raspberries
1/2 cup plain vanilla low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup soy protein powder
Your favorite granola or multigrain cereal (optional)

Preparation
Mix the first four ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Serve immediately in a small bowl.

For more information on these and other fruit recipes visit www.europesbest.com.