Simple Smoothie Snacks


 Everyone in your family will enjoy these blended berry snacks. Be sure to strain through a fine-mesh strainer before feeding through the g-tube! Makes 4-5 half-cup servings, about 350 calories each.
  • 1 cup coconut milk. You can usually find coconut milk in the ethnic food aisle of your grocery store. If you can’t find it, don’t be afraid to find the store manager and ask for it. Advocacy helps get the groceries we need into our local stores.  And, it really works! If you need to reduce calories, you can use milk, almond milk, soy milk or tofu instead.
  • 2 heaping cups chopped fruit. You can use strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, chopped apples (unpeeled), rhubarb, peaches, whatever is in season. I recommend avoiding raspberries, as their seeds tend to pass through the food strainer, but bunch up and clog the g-tube. 
  • 1 cup chopped nuts. I use mostly walnuts, because they are readily available on our acreage and my father-in-law’s farm.  You may choose other nuts available to you. Be careful with peanuts, which are legumes (like lentils and navy beans) and not true nuts, and are more often associated with food sensitivities. 
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Cinnamon brings out the sweetness of fruit.  Besides, it provides essential nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, and fiber. 
  • 2 Tablespoons honey (optional) If you need a sweetener for your smoothie, use honey. Locally-produced honey is said to boost your immune system and help fight allergies.
Add one ingredient at a time, and blend well. Depending on the moisture content and density of the fruit, you may need to add a Tablespoon or two of coconut milk (or other liquid) to the mix.  Strain through a fine-mesh strainer before feeding through the G-tube.