Is the leprechaun coming to visit your house on St. Patrick's Day? The leprechaun's gold might remain elusive, but your kids will be thrilled to find a rainbow of delicious drinks instead. They don't have to know how healthy they are!
Smoothies are an easy way to get much-needed nutrients into your kiddo's diet. While seasonal holidays like St. Patrick's Day can be filled with sugary snacks and sweets (green minty shakes, anyone?), it is possible to be as sneaky as that little leprechaun and work in some healthy treats too!
We're going to be celebrating St. Patrick's Day at my house this year with a rainbow of smoothies. As a breakfast treat or an after-school snack, your kids will love this fun rainbow of colors on St. Patrick's Day... or any day!
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Red Smoothie
- ½ banana
- 1 small beet
- 1 cup of frozen cherries
- 1 cup of vanilla almond milk
- ½ cup of ice
- ¼ cup of cacao powder
- ¼ cup of cauliflower
Peel banana; place half the banana in a blender (use the other half for another smoothie or put it in a plastic zipper bag and freeze for another time). Peel, wash, and dice the beet; add to the blender. Add remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
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Orange Smoothie
- 1 orange
- 1 cup of mango (we use frozen mango chunks)
- 1 cup vanilla almond milk
- 1 cup of ice
- ½ cup of cauliflower
Peel the orange and take off as much of the pith ("white") as possible. Add all ingredients to your blender. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
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Yellow Smoothie
- ½ banana
- 1 cup of frozen mango chunks
- 1 lemon
- 1 cup of frozen pineapple
- ½ cup of ice
- 1 cup of coconut milk
Peel and half the banana and place it in your blender (use the other half for another smoothie or another day). Squeeze the lemon into the blender, then add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
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Green Smoothie
- 2 green apples
- 1½ cups spinach leaves
- 1 lemon
- ½ avocado
- 1 cup of coconut milk
- ½ cup of ice
Wash and core the apples. Cut the apples into smaller pieces so they blend well and there are no chunks. You can leave the skin on as it has great nutritional benefits. Add the apples, avocado, and spinach to a blender. Using a lemon squeezer, juice the lemon into the blender. Add the milk and ice, and blend! Serve immediately.
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Violet Smoothie
- 2 cups blueberries
- ½ banana
- 1 cup of spinach
- 1 cup of vanilla almond milk
- ½ cup of ice
Wash blueberries. Peel the banana and place half into the blender; save the other half for another day. Add remaining ingredients to the blender; blend and enjoy immediately!
Erika Veduccio is the co-publisher of Macaroni Kid EATS!
