Delicious, Nutritious, & Helps Reduce Food Waste
Soaring temps, melting ice, wild weather forecasts… It’s just plain smarty to reduce food waste–whether a global warming skeptic or not–and to teach our children how to as well. A proactive start is taking stock in our own kitchens, minimizing what we buy at market and maximizing what we purchase (especially before we depart on any summer travels.)
According to the FDA, solid waste landfills’ primary source is food waste, and landfills contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Looking at the overall picture, nearly one-third of all food produced is wasted each year according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. What can we do to offset some of this?
Many of us are once again enjoying summer vacations or heading back to work-related travel, so I’d like to propose the “Smarty Smoothie.” This recipe helps you take inventory of the fridge prior to take-off and make effective use of perishable items. Smoothies are versatile: breakfast, snack, sweet treat, or on-the-go meal.
With this basic formula, ingredients can be swapped so that we can grab what’s on hand for our health and avoid feeding landfills unnecessarily. These particular ingredients listed below add calcium, vitamin D, and an antioxidant punch. No more wincing either as we toss limp greens or overly plump berries before heading out of town.
Smarty Prep Tip: Pitting cherries is easy (and fun) work! Grab a reusable straw, and push the pit through. When the straw tube fills, simply blow to clear.
Smarty Smoothie
Ingredients
(Serves one)
½ cup Greek nonfat yogurt
½ cup unsweetened plain almond milk
½ cup crushed ice
½ cup loosely packed spinach leaves
½ cup chopped nectarine
½ cup pitted cherries and blackberries
½ teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Place all ingredients in a Magic Bullet or blending device.
Blend until desired consistency is achieved.
Note: These greens and fruits are what I had on hand about to expire. You can substitute other types of leafy greens like kale or even avocado for the spinach. You can also use only berries or only cherries rather than the combination. If you prefer other types of berries, use those. As for the nectarines, feel welcome to try other firm-fleshed fruits too like peaches, mango, apple, or pineapple. Have fun experimenting with flavors, and use what is mostly likely to go bad soon. You can also freeze overly ripe fruits to use at a later time too.
