I’ve mentioned that my son Aidan is a pretty picky eater when it comes to healthy things, but he loves smoothies and shakes, so I try my best to incorporate them into his diet on an almost daily basis so I know he’s getting some fruit! And even though he can slurp one down eagerly, there’s always that little bit of leftover smoothie in the blender that I was never sure what to do with! Aidan and I came up with a fabulous way of saving our leftover smoothie and it has been a hit in this house. We turn it into “Smoothie Cream,” our healthier version of ice cream! It’s simple, delicious, resourceful, and the best part is that we don’t waste one drop of the ingredients we’ve put into our smoothie.

All you have to do is pour the leftover smoothie contents directly from the blender into a freezer-safe container and freeze. When ready to use, take the container out and let it defrost slightly until you can break it up a bit with a spoon and it has the consistency of a very thick shake.

The amount of time it takes to defrost to this point depends on the quantity you’ve frozen. You can speed things up by zapping it in the microwave for 30 seconds or so. And that’s it! You have what we call Smoothie Cream! Call it whatever you’d like, but I guarantee your kids will love it just as much as real ice cream! It’s so refreshing and a great, healthy addition to complete or end a meal.

If you don’t have your own tried and true smoothie recipes of your own, here is our favorite base way to prepare one. You can play around with the ingredients and the possibilities become endless. No matter what kind of smoothie you like to make, I promise your whole family will love Smoothie Cream as much as we do!

 

Easy Beginner Fruit Smoothie

Serves 2

Ingredients

• Approx. one cup ice
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• ½ cup milk
• One teaspoon vanilla extract (you may omit this if you prefer)
• Approx. 1-2 tablespoons white sugar (you may use honey, another sugar substitute, or omit completely – it’s your choice!)
• One cup fresh or frozen fruit of your choice (frozen fruit will enrich the thickness)

1. Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend until thick and smooth and desired consistency. Pour into glasses and enjoy. Freeze the leftovers for future Smoothie Cream!