By Jenn Hardy of Mama Naturale

I've always loved smoothies. But even though I was open to improvising with ingredients, I always ended up using variations of yogurt, banana and frozen berries. In recent years, I've learned a smoothie can be so much more nutritious and exciting—and a great way to get veggies into the kids.

Here is a green-colored smoothie that doesn't use spinach. It adds variety without being “just another green smoothie.” No need for yogurt, the avocado offers all the creaminess you’ll need. The cucumber adds a lot of liquid to balance out the texture. The dates add just enough sweetness, while the kiwi adds a bit of tang.

Fresh Summer Smoothie

Ingredients

1 cup filtered water
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and halved
2 dates, pitted
½ cucumber, halved and peeled
2 kiwis, peeled
1 pear, cored
1 cup ice
Choice of sweetener, optional

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in your Blendtec blender jar.
2. Secure lid and press the Smoothie button. If your blender doesn't have a Smoothie button, blend on a Medium to Medium Low speed for 10 seconds, then Medium to Medium High speed for 30 seconds.
3. Enjoy!