Hydration Smoothies – a recipe from The Handmade Mama by Mary Helen Leonard
My second book, The Handmade Mama, has been out for a few months now, and as I mentioned in my last post, its arrival was followed shortly by my brand new baby girl. As you might have guessed, the alignment of these two major events didn’t exactly make promoting the new book easy. For example, I have been meaning to share this recipe for Hydration Smoothies for quite some time. It seems like every time I sit down to write someone is squawking or screaming in my ear or pulling on one or more body parts.
Life as mama sure makes you popular – at least on a hyperlocal level.
Life as mama also makes you THIRSTY, and these tasty smoothies are perfect for quenching that thirst. Packed with nutritious ingredients, light on natural sugar, and infused with hydrating coconut water, they are pretty much the best thing ever for pregnant or breastfeeding moms. Or, really, for anyone battling day after day of 100 plus degree weather. You know, pretty much everyone in Texas this time of year.
Excerpt from The Handmade Mama by Mary Helen Leonard
Shared with permission of Spring House Press
Hydration Smoothies
Staying hydrated can be one of the most challenging aspects of prenatal and postpartum life. Some days it may seem like you’ve emptied an entire water tower all on your own by the time you reach the third trimester!
Even though they chug water all day and night, some mamas can still feel dry and experience the gut-grappling discomfort of dehydration during pregnancy and lactation. Sometimes adding a boost of nutrients (like electrolytes, antioxidants, and fatty acids) can help your body make better use of all that water. One easy (and delicious) way to do that is by making a smoothie.
Each of these recipes was created with a light, fresh flavor that isn’t overly-sweet or packed with sugar. You can make these smoothies your own by experimenting with different frozen fruits, flavored yogurts, or mild-tasting vegetables. You can try adding extra water, coconut water, fruit juice, or honey to adjust the texture or add extra sweetness to any of the following recipes.
A little tip on smoothie-making: always put the liquid ingredients on the bottom of the blender, followed by the soft, and then the frozen ingredients. This helps everything blend as smoothly as possible.
Hydration Smoothies
Yield: Each of these recipes makes about two 8-ounce (240 ml) servings
Berry-Watermelon Smoothie
Ingredients
- ½ cup (120 ml) coconut water
- 2 cups (480 ml) frozen berries
- 1 cup (240 ml) fresh seedless watermelon, diced
- ½ cup (120 ml) plain or vanilla-flavored yogurt
Cucumber-Avocado Smoothie
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (180 ml) coconut water
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lime juice
- ½ cup (120 ml) ripe avocado
- 1 cup (240 ml) frozen pineapple
- 1 1/2 cup (360 ml) fresh cucumber, diced
Mango-Ginger Smoothie
Ingredients
- ½ cup (120 ml) coconut water
- 1 cup (240 ml) frozen mango
- ½ banana, sliced
- ½ cup (120 ml) yellow bell pepper, diced
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Directions
- Place any liquid ingredients into the bottom of the blender first, followed by the fresh ingredients. Place the frozen ingredients into the blender last.
- Secure the top of the blender, then blend at a slow speed for thirty seconds. Increase to a high speed and blend for two more minutes.
- If the smoothie ends up being too thick or chunky to blend easily, try adding 1 or 2 tablespoons of water or coconut water, then blending again.
The Handmade Mama is available at all major booksellers. If you’ve already checked it out, pretty pretty please stop by Amazon or Goodreads to leave a review. Having a good number of reviews helps gain the book exposure so it’s a GREAT way to support the book.
Looking for more tasty drink recipes? Check out my recipes for Sparkling Cocktails and Mocktails, Three Ways.
