Hi all! I hope you are blessed with wonderful family members like I am. Recently I was in Chicago visiting my sister and her family. My niece Nicole was there too and she made me a smoothie that I swear was the best smoothie I’ve ever had. I asked her to share her recipe with me and she said that she remembered me making smoothies for her, her sister Alison, and my daughters Jacqueline and Danielle when they were little and that was her inspiration for this recipe.

Smoothies have always been a favorite of mine for a quick morning meal on the go or a healthy snack during the day. They are high in protein from the dairy, and contain numerous vitamins from the various fruits used. Also, they can be customized to each persons specifications. If strawberries are your favorite but you don’t care for bananas, it’s easy to change it up for different tastes. Additionally if you can’t do dairy, as my daughter Danielle now can’t, almond or coconut milk can be substituted. And don’t buy those already made smoothies from the grocery store, smoothies are so easy and quick to make at home, and you can control the ingredients utilized. If you buy an already made smoothie you get what you get, so to speak.

Its an honor to be Nikki’s inspiration and I’m now honored to share her recipe with you, including pictures of her preparing it. Thanks so much Nikki!

Fage yogurt is the base for Nikki’s smoothie!

Strawberries n Cream Smoothie by Nicole Rose Bogdan

I usually buy 0% Fage greek yogurt (not 2% as pictured). Use between 1/2-1 cup of yogurt.

All smoothie ingredients assembled and ready to go!

Next, add 1 cup of strawberries and 1/2 of a banana. Tip: Slice up a ripe banana and freeze it the night before- frozen bananas give smoothies the best texture.

Blending away! I have a Vita Mix blender too which I love!

Add a dash of milk to get the blender going and add in some honey to taste- 1 tablespoon is perfect. Finally, throw in a handful of ice. Blend until smooth. (Valerie’s note: good girl Nikki, you used honey instead of sugar. Honey has antibiotic and anti-viral properties and is a healthier sweetener choice.)

Finished product gorgeously presented by my niece!

Calories- 204 per 12 oz and a whopping 14 grams of protein. That’s a lot of bang for your nutritional buck! Happy (almost) 4th of July! Stay safe and live with vitality! VV

The smoothie maker drinking her creation!