Pineapple, Orange, Granola and Carrot Smoothie

I never thought about adding vegetables to smoothies until I tasted a lunchtime smoothie my sister made that included spinach, pear and walnuts. These are ingredients I like in a salad, and they work well together after taking a trip through the blender — especially with fresh ginger added to the mix. With that, I broadened my horizons and explored fruit and vegetable smoothies. I’d picked several pounds of oranges from a friend’s tree, so I used fresh orange juice as the liquid, and for each drink I combined one or two fruits with a vegetable. I was thinking the smoothies would make great snacks, but in fact these make satisfying meals. They’re packed with vitamins, especially C and A, beta carotene, and antioxidant-rich flavonoids. A small amount of granola contributes great texture to this tangy smoothie. I prefer the thick version without the ice cubes, but that’s a matter of taste. Pineapple is an excellent source of manganese and contains an enzyme called bromelain that aids digestion.