My favorite smoothie recipes are simple, easy to prepare and taste great.  This one is no exception. It’s tart, sweet and creamy and is often my sole motivation for going on a run. An added bonus: The fruit provides considerable nutritional and health benefits.

Ingredients:

• 2 scoops of Tangerine Cream (Mike’s Mix or Melissa’s Mix)
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 cup water
• ½ lime

Directions: Remove the rind and seeds from the lime. I do this with a sharp knife and a cutting board. Place all ingredients in a blender, cover and mix. I start with one cup of water but sometimes need to add more to get the ingredients to blend.

Total calories: Using Mike’s Mix-322; Using Melissa’s Mix-253

I typically have both strawberries and limes in the house on a regular basis and as such, this recipe doesn’t require a special trip to the grocery store. I stock up on bags of frozen strawberries when I find them on sale, there is no specific brand that I consistently buy. I purchase fresh limes weekly. They are 4/$1.00 at our grocery store. You can easily make this recipe without the limes, however, they add an additional tartness and loads of vitamin c.

The tastes of Mike’s Mix and Melissa’s Mix Tangerine Cream are similar and you can use either interchangeably. However, I prefer to use Melissa’s Mix as the flavor is a little sweeter than the Mike’s Mix with a few less calories (I may be a bit biased on preference as Melissa’s Mix is my namesake).

Want to make this recipe for two? Simply double the ingredients. You can store any remaining smoothie in the refrigerator for a couple of hours without losing its consistency.