Very Berry Smoothie

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups orange juice
  
  


• 1 cup low or non-fat vanilla yogurt
  
  


• 2 small (or 1 large) ripe bananas
  
  


• 1 cup berries (fresh or frozen) -- strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries work well.
  
  

Preparation:

• Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for about 10 seconds or until all ingredients are smooth.
  
  

Make 4 Servings:

Weight loss recipes Amount Per Serving (¼ of recipe (269 g)): 164 Calories, 4 g Protein, 36 g carbohydrates, 2 g Dietary Fiber, 1 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 3 mg cholesterol, 40 mg sodium

Triple Melon Smoothie

(makes 2 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup low-fat peach yogurt
  
  


• 1 cup 1% milk
  
  


• ½ cup seedless watermelon, chopped
  
  


• ½ cup cantaloupe, chopped
  
  


• ½ cup honeydew melon, chopped
  
  


• 4 ice cubes
  
  

Preparation:

• Put yogurt, milk and watermelon in blender and blend on high for 20 seconds.
  
  


• Add cantaloupe, honeydew melon and ice cubes and blend on high for 45 seconds or to desired consistency.
  
  

Make 2 Servings:

Weight loss recipes Amount Per Serving (½ of recipe (358 g)): 205 Calories, 9 g Protein, 37 g carbohydrates, 1 g Dietary Fiber, 3 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 131 mg sodium

Spiced Banana Orange Smoothie

(makes 2 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 banana, peeled and cut into chunks
  
  


• 1 large seedless orange, peeled and sliced
  
  


• 2 cups plain or vanilla-flavored soy milk
  
  


• 1 tsp powdered ginger
  
  


• 3-4 ice cubes
  
  

Preparation:

• Place all ingredients except ice cubes in blender. Cover and blend on high speed for 15 seconds or until smooth.
  
  


• Add ice cubes, cover and blend for 15 seconds more or until well blended.
  
  


• Serve immediately.
  
  

Make 2 Servings:

Weight loss recipes Amount Per Serving (½ of recipe (261 g)): 118 Calories, 5 g Protein, 19 g carbohydrates, 5 g Dietary Fiber, 3 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 20 mg sodium

Fresh Hawaiian Smoothie

(makes 2 servings)

Ingredients:

• ½ cup mango, fresh or frozen
  
  


• ½ cup cantaloupe, fresh or frozen
  
  


• 1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen
  
  


• 1 cup pineapple juice (or more to thin)
  
  

Preparation:

• Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for 10 seconds or until smooth.
  
  

Make 2 Servings:

Weight loss recopes Amount Per Serving (½ of recipe (283 g)): 143 Calories, 1 g Protein, 35 g carbohydrates, 3 g Dietary Fiber, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 6 mg sodium

Cranberry Spiced Cider

(makes 8 servings)

Ingredients:

• 4 whole cloves
  
  


• 4 whole allspice
  
  


• 5 cups apple cider (non-alcoholic)
  
  


• 3 cups cranberry juice
  
  


• 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
  
  


• ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  
  


• 2 star anise
  
  


• 3-4 orange slices
  
  

Preparation:

• Place cloves, allspice, cinnamon sticks and star anise in a cheesecloth square and tie ends together.
  
  


• Combine spice bag, apple cider, orange slices, cranberry juice and brown sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, covered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  
  


• Remove from heat and let stand for 30 minutes.
  
  


• Discard spice bag and orange slices then pour into mugs.
  
  

Make 8 Servings:

Weight loss recipes Amount Per Serving (1 cup (265 g)): 149 Calories, 1 g Protein, 38 g carbohydrates, 0 g Dietary Fiber, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 8 mg sodium

Chai Spice Tea

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
  
  


• 2 cups 2% milk
  
  


• 4 tea bags, black tea
  
  


• 2 slices fresh ginger, cut into 1½” slices
  
  


• 2 tbsp honey
  
  


• ¼ tsp allspice
  
  


• ½ tsp ground cardamom
  
  


• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  
  


• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  
  

Preparation:

• Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Add tea bags, reduce heat and simmer for about 2 minutes. Remove tea bags.
  
  


• Add remaining ingredients to tea and bring to a boil.


• Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
  
  


• Strain and serve hot.
  
  

Make 4 Servings:

Weight loss recipes Amount Per Serving (¼ of recipe (312 g)): 95 Calories, 4 g Protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 0 g Dietary Fiber, 2 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 9 mg cholesterol, 67 mg sodium

Citrus Mint Crush

(serves 4-5) - yields about 5 cups

Ingredients:

• 1-¼ cups cold water
  
  


• 2 cups lemon-flavored sparkling water
  
  


• ½ cup sugar
  
  


• ½ cup tightly packed mint leaves
  
  


• ¾ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
  
  


• ¾ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  
  


• 1 tbsp grated orange zest (no pith)
  
  


• Crushed ice (optional)
  
  


• Mint sprigs for garnish (optional)
  
  

Preparation:

• In a medium saucepan, add water and sugar and cook over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool.
  
  


• Coarsely chop mint leaves and set aside.
  
  


• In a medium sized bowl, add the cooled sugar-water then stir in orange juice, orange zest, mint and lemon juice. Cover bowl and refrigerate until chilled through.
  
  


• Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a large pitcher. Discard remaining orange zest and mint leaves.


• Stir in sparkling water then serve over crushed ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.
  
  

Make 4 Servings:

Weight loss recipes Amount Per Serving (¼ of recipe (121 g)): 128 Calories, 1 g Protein, 33 g carbohydrates, 1 g Dietary Fiber, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 11 mg sodium

Agua Fresca de Pepino

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups water
  
  


• 3 cucumbers, chopped seeded and peeled
  
  


• ½ cup freshly lime juice
  
  


• ¼ cup sugar
  
  


• Crushed ice (optional)
  
  


• Lime slices for garnish (optional)
  
  

Preparation:

• Pour ½ cup of the water and 1 cup of the cucumbers in blender, process until smooth then add more cucumbers and water continue until all cucumbers are pureed.
  
  


• Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain cucumbers into a pitcher to remove seeds and pulp. Add the remaining water, lime juice and sugar, to taste
  
  


• Chill before serving over crushed ice garnished with a lime slices.
  
  

Tip:

• Instead of cucumbers, use fruits like papayas, guava, pineapple, orange, pink grapefruit, cantaloupe, watermelon or a combination of 2 or more.
  
  

Make 4 Servings:

Weight loss recipes Amount Per Serving (¼ of recipe (269 g)): 86 Calories, 2 g Protein, 21 g carbohydrates, 2 g Dietary Fiber, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 5 mg sodium

Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie

Peanuts and peanut butter great anytime family staples—great for an energy-boosting snack or a healthful PB&J sandwich. But lately, they’re being used in a variety of delicious and innovative recipes like the one below. Peanut butter you can drink—now that’s refreshing.



Ingredients:

• 1 cup fat-free or low-fat chocolate milk


• 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter


• 4 pitted prunes (dried plums)


• ½ cup sliced ripe banana, frozen


• ¼ cup crushed ice

Preparation:

• Combine milk, peanut butter and prunes in an electric blender; process until smooth.


• Add frozen banana and crushed ice; process again until blended.

Make 2 serving, about 3/1 cup each.



Weight Loss Recipes Amount per Serving: 250 calories, 8 g fat, 9 g protein, 38 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol,, 150 mg sodium