Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie

A deliciously healthy and refreshing treat.

Whirl up the berries with yogurt and fresh orange juice to create this creamy, refreshing smoothie that's high in vitamin C. It makes a fast and healthy breakfast shake or a delicious low-calorie snack-in-a-glass, any time of the day.

Number of Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

You Will Need
1 quart (4 cups) ripe strawberries
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste

Garnish (optional)
4 small strawberries with leaves
4 thin round slices of unpeeled orange

What to Do
1. Rinse and drain the strawberries and place them in a food processor or blender. Add the yogurt, orange juice, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Process on the highest speed until a well-blended puree forms, about 15 seconds, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container once or twice. Taste the mixture and sweeten with a little more sugar, if you wish.

2. For a very smooth beverage, strain the mixture, using a wooden spoon to push the drink through. Discard the strawberry seeds.

3. Pour into 4 tall glasses and serve immediately. If you wish to decorate the drinks, slit the strawberries and the orange slices halfway through the centers. Attach one berry and one orange slice to the rim of each glass.

Per serving: Calories 108, fat 2 g, saturated fat 1 g, cholesterol 5 mg, sodium 45 mg, carbohydrate 21 g, fiber 4 g, sugars 17 g, protein 4 g

Tips:
Variations

• Banana-berry smoothie: Add 1 small banana, cut into quarters (Step 1). Because bananas tend to thicken drinks, increase the orange juice to 3/4 cup. Taste the smoothie before adding the tablespoon of sugar (you may not need it).



• Apricot-berry smoothie: For the fruits, use 2 cups peeled apricot slices and only 2 cups of ripe strawberries.

Interesting Facts About Yogurt

• Strawberries are not only naturally sweet and delicious but also an excellent source of vitamin C. Ounce for ounce, strawberries provide more vitamin C than fresh oranges. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps protect against cancer, may slow the aging process, and helps maintain the immune system.



• Yogurt contains active bacterial cultures that "eat" the milk sugar (lactose), making yogurt a great dairy product for those people who have a milk intolerance.



• Low-fat plain yogurt is lower in calories than yogurt that is sweetened with fruit purees.