A New Best Friend…
By twoey68
@twoey68 (13627)
United States
April 6, 2010 11:26am CST
I’ve recently started something new and I love it. I’ve started making my own fruit shakes. Here’s how I do it: I peel a banana, break it in half and toss it in the blender. Then I add a handful of frozen fruit (I have a ziplock with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, green melon, cantaloupe and grapes in it in the freezer) into the blender. Then I add about a cup of Diet V-8 Splash to it. I blend it for about 2 minutes and then that’s it. The most natural shake I can make. Now here’s a news flash: the regular V-8 Splash has 18g of sugar in one serving…the Diet version has 2g. I can do 2g of sugar and the shakes are sheer perfection.
As for the fruit, I bought one fresh container of strawberries and cut them up and then bought a couple bags of mixed frozen fruits and they seem to be fine. I just mixed them all together in a big ziplock and stuck them in the fridge. My Mom has one of those Bullets but she can’t find it. My blender works just great. I haven’t tried any veggie shakes yet but maybe someone can suggest some…but I’m trying to keep it as natural as I can.
Do you drink fruit shakes? Would you try this one if you did? Do you think it would be good for you? Do you know any veggie shakes to try? What about getting your child to drink them?
6 people like this
33 responses
@mentalward (14691)
• United States
6 Apr 10
That sounds like a smoothie. It also sounds DELICIOUS! I could go for one of those right now myself, especially now because it's 90 degrees outside at the moment. It's blowing my mind, especially after the horrible winter we had with eight feet of snow! It SHOULD be around 60/70 deg. at this time of year, not 90! Yeah, one of your scrumptuous shakes would be most welcome right now. 
I've experimented with different fruits and veggies. I usually add orange juice to my fruits. I started trying them with crushed ice, smoothie-style, but found that they're just fine without the ice.
I'm hoping I'll be able to pick my own fresh fruit this year to use in my fruit drinks. I was very worried about my plants making it through this horrid winter but, after checking them, I found they're all growing very well. (I'm growing grapes, kiwis, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and gojiberries, as well as pears, apples, cherries, peaches and plums but I doubt I'll get much off my trees this year, except maybe the peach trees.)
I wanted to grow all my fruits/veggies because, that way, I can know for certain that no chemicals have been used. Just 100% pure goodness. 
I've experimented with different fruits and veggies. I usually add orange juice to my fruits. I started trying them with crushed ice, smoothie-style, but found that they're just fine without the ice.
I'm hoping I'll be able to pick my own fresh fruit this year to use in my fruit drinks. I was very worried about my plants making it through this horrid winter but, after checking them, I found they're all growing very well. (I'm growing grapes, kiwis, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and gojiberries, as well as pears, apples, cherries, peaches and plums but I doubt I'll get much off my trees this year, except maybe the peach trees.)
I wanted to grow all my fruits/veggies because, that way, I can know for certain that no chemicals have been used. Just 100% pure goodness. 
@moondancer (7433)
• United States
6 Apr 10
This sounds wonderful. I'll have to try this mix you have come up with. I have a vita mix and I have not used it yet...but I want to. I have looked all over for recipes and all of them call for yogurt which I don't like. Thanks for yours
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157552)
• United States
6 Apr 10
You probably could make it without the yogurt. Use lowfat milk instead. If you freeze your bananas then blend them they are thick like ice cream and they taste soooooo good. With summer coming on all of these sound great.
1 person likes this
@moondancer (7433)
• United States
6 Apr 10
This is a wonderful idea Gerty, Thank you so much. My grandchildren and husband would also love this.
@manleyjoe (1597)
• United States
6 Apr 10
I have made shakes from Veggies for several years, remember to add a banana to it for flavor. I started this trying to imitate the V-8 juice without the sodium. Be sure to add a few carrots to the Broccoli and celery and whatever other veggies you want. Experiment it is fun and always healthier than the stuff you buy already mixed.
@honeydew82174 (1720)
• United States
6 Apr 10
I love fruit shakes. They are health. I will give this one a try. My kids would love this! You can make a veg shake out of any veggies that you love. My kids drink those down in no time. We just started eating healthier. I suppose because of age. Thanks for posting.
@jewels49 (1776)
• United States
6 Apr 10
I've been making fruit smoothies for a couple of years now..I add a little flavored yogurt to make it a little thicker and add a little extra calcium. The new blueberry juice by ocean spray is also really good in a berry based smoothie. I do make one I add veggies too it has pineapple, carrots, and oranges with a small amount of vanilla yogurt. It's pretty good. I tend to stick to the berry ones because I eat alot of veggies throughout the day.
2 people like this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
6 Apr 10
Yummy that sounds so delightfully refreshing and light...I will have to add that to my list..of things to try..very soon, I have taken frozen strawberries,lowfat yogurt, and made like a smoothie, but not tried the juice yet..my mom buys the V8 Splash..so maybe next time I am over there I can take some fruit and make me and her some drinks...with this warm/hot weather..will be great!! I don't have a blender..she does..I only have a food processor..
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
6 Apr 10
I have been thinking of trying it with pomegranate juice to get a double whammy of nutrition..wonder if that would taste good?
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
8 Apr 10
I've been making smoothies for a while now. I like to start with some almond milk and greek yogurt for the fruit ones. Then add the banana and frozen berries of all kinds. It is still nice and thick. I put some chocolate chip in one but they got to hard so I'll try softening them up more or put them in earlier to get a chocolate smoothie. I have made a few vegetable smoothies too. I started out with canned tomatoes because I didn't have fresh ones. Added some avocado, celery, carrots, spinach. I'm going to experiment with broccoli too.
Here is one from Dr Oz that I'm going to try.
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 banana
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 cup orange juice
1 container non-fat strawberry yogurt
8 baby carrots
Handful fresh spinach
2 tsp flaxseed oil
2 scoops vanilla protein powder ( any brand)
¼ cup dry oatmeal
@GardenGerty (157552)
• United States
6 Apr 10
I have done similar things. Of course the banana and the other fruits have naturally occurring sugars as well. I would probably not do either version of the V8 splash. I keep frozen fruits on hand, and also will freeze bananas. I use skim or 1% milk as the liquid in mine. I do not know what it would be like to try blending veggies into a drink. I have a juicer I used to use, a really inexpensive one,and I would juice carrots especially. Carrot juice is actually sweeter tasting than any kind of fruit juice. If you had one of those juicers you could use vegetable juices in your smoothies instead of the V8 splash.
1 person likes this
@DavidReedy (2378)
• United States
9 Apr 10
Fruit shakes sound yum... you're just a second away from a good margarita... Anyway, sans the spirits, it still sounds great... YOu got me curious about the veggie shakes however... hmmm...
@jezzmay (1845)
• United States
9 Apr 10
I think this would be good to try. I do not have
a blender, I will have to get one. I think this
would be good for you.
I do not know about veggies shakes, but I guess
you could blend what you like and try it.
The children would maybe try the fruit one, I
doubt they would the veggies.
@scififan43 (2434)
• United States
27 Aug 10
I am not much of a vegie person so I don't think I would even want one. allthgouht it would be good to get your child to drink them in order to promote good health.
@slickcut (8141)
• United States
7 Apr 10
That sounds great and healthy....I do not have a blender at the moment because i left mine with my ex when i left, however i plan to get another one very soon....I use to make shakes all the time..Its a good healthy way to get good things with very few calories......I always try to eat a lot of fruit & low calorie meals ...I have always been concerned about gaining weight ...I have even started buying egg beaters , they are real eggs without the yolk and they are very good , you cannot tell the difference........
@ayumitakashi (4462)
• United States
8 Apr 10
I LOVE smoothies! I love when my mom makes them as well, especially the bananas smoothies that she makes. I also like the smoothies that they do at Jamba Juice. I'm really addicted to those smoothies because they don't have too much sugar and they are healthy for you. The one that you mentioned sounds really good and I would definitely try to make it.
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
7 Apr 10
I make juice in the juicer, sneak veggies in and the kids love them. No bananas though, I hate banana in juice....
@Carpathian (582)
• United States
8 Apr 10
Fruit shakes are very good to drink. Better then soda and Kool-aid. Most parents try to teach their kids to eat healthy and then they don't teach them to drink healthy. So, if you think about it drink is something they should teach their kids too. Try oranges and Mandarins oranges also mango's. Their are a lot of fruits that you can use. If you can go to the store and look in the veggie area where you find the bags of salads and fruits and veggies. You will find (Natural Fruit Drinks) they are fruit health drinks that are about $3.00 to $4.00 each. You can look at what is in them then go home and make your own. Also, at the Health store's they have a shake mix that you add fruit too. They are very good and they have vitamins added to them. I love making my own shakes. As for veggie shakes. Well, I'll just stick with diet V-8. What is different is you could get some mixed nuts. I like Deluxe lightly salted with sea salt Planters Mixed Nuts. I take a small handful and mix that in the shake after it is almost done. The nuts are chopped up fine and they taste great in the shake. And, nuts are good for you. So, enjoy.
*Peace and Love get's you through everything in Life*
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
8 Apr 10
I've never made a fruit shae like you've talked about, but we've made fruit smoothies on a very regular basis. When I am making a smoothie, I will use some plain yogurt, orange juice (or occasionally other juices) and the fruits of choice. I think that these make a wonderful breakfast. However, I will occasionally use them for a snack as well. As far as getting the children to drink them, that is no problem at all because the kids think of them as milkshakes.
@kaylachan (57636)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
8 Apr 10
I don't know about getting a child to drink them, but me personally no. I'll make the occossinal smoothie, but that's just about as far as I go. and I use ice cubes, fresh fruit, and orange juice. I don't have a blender nor do I really buy fresh fruit anymore so I would have no way of making any. Not that I would want any.
