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Nourishing Smoothie Recipes with 3 Key Ingredients

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Unlock Optimal Nutrition with our dietitian recommended smoothie recipes. Whether you’re a busy professional, fitness enthusiasts or health connoisseur, this recipe is for you! Let’s dive into the world of vibrant colors, flavors, and nourishing choices!

Makes 500 mL (2 servings of 250 mL each)

Ingredients

  1. 1 Cup Liquid:
    • Choose from options like milk (dairy or fortified soy milk) or 100% fruit juice. These provide a hydrating base for your smoothie.
  2. 1 Cup Fruit or Veggie:
    • Fresh or frozen fruits work wonders. For an extra boost, try adding leafy greens like spinach or kale. They’re packed with vitamins and antioxidants.
  3. Protein Boost:
    • Protein is essential for muscle repair and overall well-being. Opt for ONE of these choices:
      • Whey powder or skim milk powder (1/4 cup)
      • Soy: 3/4 cup of silken tofu or edamame
      • Nuts: 1/4 cup (choose from Brazil nuts, walnuts, cashews, almonds, pecans, or peanuts)
      • Nut or Seed Butter: 2 tablespoons (peanut, almond, cashew, sunflower, or pumpkin)

Optional Flavour Enhancers

  • Get creative! Add flavors, herbs, and spices to elevate your smoothie experience. Here are some ideas:
    • Vanilla: A classic flavor that pairs well with many ingredients.
    • Cinnamon: Adds warmth and a touch of sweetness.
    • Fresh mint leaves: Refreshing and invigorating.

Instructions

  1. Cleanliness Matters:
    • Wash your hands thoroughly before handling any food.
    • Clean all surfaces, including the blender, cutting board, and utensils, to prevent cross-contamination.
  2. Gather Your Ingredients:
    • Assemble your liquid, fruits/veggies, and protein boost.
  3. Blend It Up:
    • Pop everything into a blender.
    • Blend until smooth and creamy.
  4. Enjoy! 🥤
  5. Refrigerate promptly any leftover smoothie and perishable ingredients for up to 24 hours to prevent bacterial growth.

Remember, safe food handling ensures that your meals are not only delicious but also safe to eat! For more detailed food safety guidelines, check out these resources:

Safe Food Handling Tips – Canada.ca

Food safety and you – Canada.ca

Written by: Lucia Weiler, BSc, RD, PHEc – Award-winning dietitian and Owner, n4nn

 

Healthy eating at school – insights for menu planning and nutrition programs

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student eating a healthy lunchImage Health Canada

Back-to-school is in full swing, including educational opportunities for dietitians and food professionals! We attended an international seminar on back-to-school success with USDA’s Team Nutrition.[1] As you may know the US funds school lunch programs and has a robust support system – both financial and practical – for feeding kids in schools. We discovered some amazing new content, lots of tips and highlights that you can use to nourish students whether you’re a parent, educator, or foodservice professional.

Scientists and health professionals agree on the importance of healthy eating at school to optimize health, development, and academic performance. Since children and youth spend a large portion of their day in school, they consume a significant proportion of their daily energy intake while in school.[2],[3] This means it’s key to provide food for students that gives them enough energy and nutrients they need throughout the day.

Here are some tips for your school’s food and nutrition program to help kids grow up healthy:

Food Focus

  • Align school nutrition policies with recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide and promote nutrient-rich foods and beverages that are lower in saturated fat, sugars, and sodium.
  • Involve students in the menu development to find the right balance of nutritious foods that are ‘fan favorites’ that kids are going to eat. [4]
  • Encourage student taste-testing and get their feedback on food items created by chefs.
  • Monitor food waste. Are you watching what foods kids throw away? Finding the reason why kids are not eating their lunch provides insights for creating lunches they will enjoy eating.
  • Reach out to a dietitian for support with healthy delicious recipes and meal plans for kids, analyzing recipes and menus to meet school food nutrient standards.

Make an impact beyond the food

  • Provide a safe space to enjoy all foods without fear of food judgement.
  • Advocate for sufficient time for eating lunch. Experts recommend students have at least 20 minutes of seated time to enjoy their meal and socialize. [5]
  • Find out if there is a health committee you can join or start one for your school.
  • Invest in educating your school community about how to build healthy relationships with food. A dietitian can help. Ask them about resources to teach nutrition in the classroom, parent resources on packing lunches, school presentations, and referrals for student nutrition programs.[6]

As Dietitians we look beyond fads to deliver reliable, life-changing advice. Do you want to unlock the potential of food? Connect with us with your comments or questions.

 Written by Lucia Weiler, BSc, RD, PHEc – Award-winning dietitian and Co-Founder, n4nn

 

Tags; Foodservice management, back to school, school nutrition policy, student nutrition, dietitian, Lucia Weiler, n4nn

[1] United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food & Nutrition Service (2022) https://www.fns.usda.gov/team-nutrition

[2] Health Canada (2021) Healthy eating at school – Canada’s Food Guide

[3] Canadian Paediatric Society (2020) School nutrition: Support for providing healthy food and beverage choices in schools

[4] ABC News (2022) Chicago Public Schools lunch menu https://abc7chicago.com/cps-school-lunch-menu-chicago-public-schools/12213616/

[5] CDC (2019) Making Time for School Lunch  https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/nutrition/school_lunch.htm

[6] Dietitians of Canada (2019) Eating Right at School. https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/School-Health/Articles/Eating-Right-at-School.aspx