Quickie Post: POM Wonderful-Banana Smoothie

After all of the organization that I've been doing around here for the past few days, I'm beat. I thought that maybe I'd take tonight off from blogging about my kitchen endeavors, but this POM Wonderful-Banana smoothie I made for breakfast this morning was just too good (and easy!)not to share. If you think you don't have time for breakfast, check this out.

It's just three ingredients (strike that, 4...I tossed in a couple of ice cubes), no chopping, juicing, or peeling (unless you use fresh bananas) involved and a few seconds of blending. I poured 3-4 ounces of POM Wonderful into my measuring cup. I happened to win this pomegranate juice a while back in a giveaway sponsored by Mary at Deep South Dish, but you can find it at your local grocery. Pomegranate juice is a powerful antioxidant. Check out the POM Wonderful site if you're interested in just how good POM juice can be for you. Next I added in about 3/4 cup of Dannon Light and Fit vanilla yogurt. It's fat-free and sugar-free, and it's a good source of calcium and vitamin D. It tastes pretty darn good too. Finally, I tossed in half of a banana. For smoothies, I peel my bananas, cut them in half, and freeze them ahead of time. This way they don't go bad while waiting to be made into smoothies and they add to that frothy, cold, smoothie texture when blended with the other ingredients. Bananas consist mainly of sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose) and fiber, which makes them ideal for an immediate and slightly prolonged source of energy. I know that bananas are high in potassium too. I ate them to ward off leg cramps during my pregnancies. Upon my search for the additional health benefits of bananas, I stumbled across bananassweb.com. If any of you need to justify your love affair with bananas, click here for a complete list of how bananas can make you a better, healthier person. My favorite: "Bananas contain tryptophan, an aminoacid that can be converted to serotonin, leading to improved mood." Well, that explains why monkeys are always so darn chipper.

I used to have a smoothie maker, but I burned up the motor a little over a year ago. Hey, I was on a smoothie kick back then. That tiny little motor just couldn't keep up. After that, I used my blender for a bit...until it went down in a blaze of glory. Seriously...there was smoke. After that, I went on a smoothie hiatus. Not willingly, but I was at a loss for a blending apparatus. Silver lining: I honestly didn't miss washing all of the smoothie maker/blender pieces after my morning smoothie making sessions. Then, this Christmas, I received a Cuisinart CSB-76 Smart Stick Hand Blender Now this is smoothie making at it's finest. I don't have to assemble anything (unless you count twisting on the blending shaft). And I only have to wash one piece. Plus, it comes with it's own little beaker, (pictured below) which is perfect for measuring ingredients and blending the smoothie to perfection. I love my new kitchen toy!





A few seconds of blending and...breakfast is served! Best of all, my kids really liked this too. For about 108 fat-free calories in an 8 oz. serving packed with antioxidants, calcium, potassium, and mood-lifting serotonin, you can't go too wrong!





POM-Banana Yogurt Smoothie

Serves: 2 (8 oz. servings)

4 oz. POM Wonderful juice
3/4 cup Dannon Light and Fit Vanilla Yogurt
1/2 frozen banana
2 ice cubes


Combine ingredients. Blend until smooth. Enjoy!