Tahoe recipe: A low-calorie, low-carb, sin-free smoothie

TAHOE-TRUCKEE, Calif. — You know what they say? “A smoothie a day keeps the liposuction at bay.” But this is not always true. Just as there are bad fats (super-sized french fires) and good fats (avocado), there are the good guys and the bad guys in the smoothie family.

I cringe when I hear my bathing suit-challenged friends order “just a smoothie” at some of our local establishments without thinking of the hidden calories and carbohydrates in that frosty respite they claim will be their “lunch.”

Even if it is intended as a meal, it can still be packed with your entire weekend allotment of “who cares?” and full of sugars with no fiber.

Yogurt? I take umbrage with the yogurt. So many of them have the same calories as a decent ice cream and it doesn’t even stay in the cone.

Soy milk? Again, gotta’ get the right one or you might as well be sipping a big gulp of half-and-half. Bananas? High in carbohydrates, little fiber. Protein powders? Again, high in calories and here’s the kicker (or not) constipating.

This smoothie, which I now do daily, snow or shine, is the result of a lot of research, a lot of trial and error. In fact, there should be a new version of the film Apollo 13 made to document the brain work behind it. This smoothie will kick your metabolism into orbit and there will be no crash and burn, or meltdown when you step on the scale. I am going to call it...

Ingredients:

1.5 cups berries or cubed cantaloupe, fresh or frozen

1 cup (plus a bit more if necessary) Silk Cashewmilk (only 25 calories a cup. My new fave).

1/2 cup Face Total 0% Greek Yogurt (make sure it is the one with only 9 carbohydrates per 8 oz. serving)

1 to 2 scoops EAS Lean 15 protein powder, chocolate or vanilla. Available at Save Mart.

1 handful fresh spinach

Preparation:

Put cashew milk and protein powder in blender and top with yogurt. This way the powder is moistened and won’t fly all over the place when you turn the blender on. Top with fruit and spinach. Blend until smooth. If it is not cooperating, add a little more cashewmilk.

Simone Grandmain is an internationally published travel and food writer who currently calls Truckee-Tahoe home. She welcomes your recipes, kitchen “must-haves” and food news at simonegrandmain@gmail.com.