Green Lemonade

This time of year the fruit everywhere in New York looks fabulous. I am tempted to enjoy the beautiful raspberries, blueberries, peaches, melons and strawberries as much as possible while they are looking so splendid. Yesterday, I bought my first cantaloupe which was sweet and delicious. I love cantaloupe sliced simply in a bowl for breakfast, and I find that it also makes a great smoothie. Cantaloupe is actually one of my mom’s favorite ingredients in the morning green smoothie she makes for herself and my dad. This Cantaloupe-Raspberry Green Smoothie is actually one of my mom’s favorite green smoothies. This green smoothie can be enjoyed in a tall frosty glass, or if you like pour it into a bowl and enjoy it as a breakfast soup! Garnish the soup with a few extra pieces of cantaloupe or a few fresh raspberries for a refreshing start to your morning. The great thing about a breakfast soup is you can savor the flavors as you tuck into the soup with your spoon. You may enjoy this smoothie so much, that you might decide to freeze a little extra cantaloupe for use later in the week or even for use later in September and October during the early days of fall. I also added a hint of minced ginger here to compliment the cantaloupe. Ginger lovers , don’t be shy…..the minced ginger tastes delightful here.

Cantaloupe-Raspberry Green Smoothie

Serving Size: 1 (16 ounces), ~180 calories

Directions

Combine the cantaloupe, raspberries, spinach, ginger, water and ice into a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust to taste. Ginger lovers consider adding some extra ginger. Some of you may also want to add just a hint of Stevia, honey or Agave Nectar. Garnish with freshly sliced canatloupe or a few fresh raspberries if you are planning to enjoy this smoothie as a breakfast soup.

Notes: Stevia is a plant native to Central and South America. It is 300 times as sweet as sugar, but has zero calories. A little Stevia goes a long way. I recommend the Nu Naturals brand of Stevia in powdered form.