4 Healthy (Or not so Healthy) Smoothie Recipes to Try this Summer

It is the middle of August, days are hot, long, and bright. But even then, I am already looking forward to Fall. Autumn is my favorite time of year, and I can already taste the pumpkin spiced lattes and smell the apple cinnamon candles. BUT, I also want to hold onto the last warm nights of fall, and so I am doing everything to grasp that summer feeling (sly Harry Styles reference) for just a little while longer.

So, when the days are long and hot, all I want to do is cool off and relax, and there is no better way than with a nice cold smoothie. My favorite way to spend the evenings after all my work is done is to lay back in my back yard, as the sun is setting, with a good book and a refreshing smoothie. Anyone else there with me?

Also, are you looking for other ways to beat the heat? Are you still staying at home because of the new Delta Variant of Covid-19? Check out this post I wrote last summer, full of ideas on how to beat the summer heat without ever leaving your home!

Anyway, during the summer I like to make a wide variety of smoothies, from sweet to refreshing and everything in between. Here are some of my favorite smoothie recipes I have been drinking this year, and I just can’t get enough of them!

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There is nothing better than this sweet, refreshing drink on a hot day. I like mine with a lot of vanilla flavor, which is why I add a drop of vanilla extract. However, with vanilla yogurt, you still get a nice creamy flavor and texture, if you don’t want to add the extract.

This smoothie reminds me of my childhood, going to Starbucks and grabbing a Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino! Anyone else used to order those before you started drinking coffee? Or even better, anyone still order those because I know I do!

For a non-dairy option, you can try to make a tropical smoothie. You can substitute any juice you want in, and it tastes like a tropical paradise in a cup. I like adding lemonade to mine sometimes to add some tartness. A lot of stores also sell bags of mixed fruits, and they usually have a tropical blend. Try one of those out, and have fun with it! No smoothie recipe is perfect for everyone, so see what works for you!

Okay, this one is definitely not healthy, but it is truly delicious! You can also try putting some peanut butter in there instead of hazelnut flavoring! That makes it taste like Reese’s cup in a cup! It is heaven. To be honest, this one tastes like ice cream, and I like to pretend it’s healthy because it has fruit in it. It definitely is not healthy, but let me live in my delusional fantasy, please!

If you don’t like pulp, just take out the orange. The orange juice adds plenty of flavor, I am just a pulp lover! This one is probably my favorite. It is both sweet and refreshing, I can gulp down 3 of these in one sitting. The orange and cream combo is one of my all-time favorites!

Bonus!

If you are just about ready for fall but still want something cool to drink on those hot days, try this Pumpkin Pie Smoothie recipe I found on Sally’s Baking Addiction. So many great recipes on that site, I can’t wait to try this one! Let me know if you try it, and how it tastes! It looks delicious.

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There are so many fun combinations of fruits and juices you can try, the possibilities are endless. Sometimes I just grab a bunch of fruits, vegetables, and juices and throw it into the blender, hoping it tastes good! I also love to add spinach to most of the smoothies I make. It doesn’t add a lot of flavor, and being vegetarian, it is nice to have that added iron and nutrients in my diet!

Let me know in the comments below what your favorite smoothie is! I would love some new recipes to try out before summer starts!