Smoothies have been on the scene since the inception of the electric blender in the early 1920s and have steadily gained popularity ever since. It is safe to say smoothies have moved past the idea of being a trendy or fad food and have solidified their place as a constant in our ever-changing world. These liquified treats appeal to all age groups largely because they are quick, portable, versatile, nutritious, and delicious!
Smoothie Bars
You can purchase a smoothie in some of the more obvious places that come to mind, such as gyms, nutrition shops, restaurants, coffee shops, and, of course, popular chains such as Keva Juice, Tropical Smoothie Café, and Nekter Juice Bar. I did my homework and found a few places in Southern New Mexico and surrounding areas that offer distinctive delectable treats made by smoothie mixologists who have refined their recipes.
At Sassy Grass Juice Bar and Lounge in Las Cruces you’ll find an eclectic and relaxed atmosphere that serves up fresh-pressed vegetable and fruit smoothies, along with shots of wheatgrass, turmeric, and ginger. While there, you can browse art by local artists or enjoy a game of chess or pool. Owner Ramsey Lengal shares, “One of our most popular items is the Tropical Mystic, which comes with pine-apple, banana, mango, fresh orange juice, coconut flakes, and honey.” One of his personal favorites is the Sassy Grass, a blend of spinach, pineapple, grapes, strawberries, fresh orange juice, super green powder, walnuts, and pecans that comes with a wheatgrass shot poured right on top. Customers can expect to pay $10 dollars on average for each beverage. Most items are gluten- and dairy-free with the exception of yogurt, but you can certainly opt to leave that out.
Funky Town Smoothie Café in Sunland Park offers an assortment of specialty juices and smoothies. They emphasize healthy green drinks such as the Kale Piña Covado, which consists of kale, pineapple, avocado, protein, and almond milk. You can also creatively incorporate a heap of vegetables into your diet by downing a Veggie Blast, a blend of spinach, celery, cucumber, and apple. After a long day driving his trash-truck route and a quick pit stop at the transfer station, George Segobia’s final stop to end the day is frequently Funky Town to pick up a smoothie. “Anything and everything with peanut butter,” he laughs.
Texas is home to B-juice, a thriving smoothie business that markets itself as an “all-natural healthy bar.” B-juice was established in 2016 and is a locally owned El Paso business. They take pride in working toward the ultimate goal of “finding the perfect balance between delicious and healthy.” B-juice features two smoothies that hold true to their business name and state. The B-juice smoothie is a mix of cacao nibs, cacao powder, goji berries, walnuts, almond milk, banana, dates, cinnamon, and vanilla, while the Texas smoothie has super hydrating powers with its combination of coconut water, pineapple, dates, orange, and banana. If you find your-self in a rush, they encourage you to call in your order a few minutes ahead to make for a speedy visit.
Being a true and dedicated Elvis Presley fan, I would hop in my imaginary pink Cadillac and drive to the city of Artesia in southeastern New Mexico just to visit Fat Straw Drinks. There I’d pick up an Elvis smoothie, which is a play on The King’s favorite sandwich, an enjoyable combination of chocolate mix, banana, and ice, infused with peanut butter (they sensibly left the bacon out of this one!). They also feature the Mermaid Kiss, a fusion of coconut powder, fresh banana, pineapple, and blue curaçao syrup, topped with whipped cream and sprinkles.
At-home Smoothie Recipes
Don’t forget you can also easily create these delights right in your own home, especially if you are looking for a more economical approach. One warm Sunday afternoon I put all my years of watching Bill Nye the Science Guy as a child to the test and came up with my own mad-scientist concoctions. I opted to try to appeal to both sides of my flavor palate by attempting to make one smoothie sweet and the other a bit more tart.
In a few minutes I was able to create what I decided to call Something Cherry Cool by blending together an incredibly simple four-ingredient list made up of cherries (I used frozen dark sweet cherries), coconut milk, almond milk, and ice, and was surprised by how flavorful it turned out! It had a light and frothy texture with a hint of coconut that nicely intensified with every sip. I most appreciated that I was able to enjoy this minus the guilt of adding any sweeteners. However, if you are feeling the need for something extra sweet, you can always elect to add cane sugar, a touch of honey, monk fruit, or even maple syrup.
The next smoothie I conjured up required a few more ingredients, but produced an exceptional Tropical Vibe (so it only made sense to name it as such) that still only took a few minutes to prepare.
Something Cherry Cool
1 can (13.6 oz) unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup frozen cherries (pitted)
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup crushed ice
Tropical Vibe
1 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk ⅔ cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup pineapple, cubed
1 cup mango, cubed
3 tablespoons honey
1 cup crushed ice
Each recipe makes approximately four servings.
As temperatures begin to rise, let smoothies be the perfect hero to help you beat the summer heat! Smoothies are a unique food item that make for an excellent breakfast on the go, summertime snack, post-gym treat, healthy meal replacement option with some added protein, or even an adult beverage. Call upon your own inner Bill Nye to explore the endless possibilities in your kitchen or leave it to the smoothie professionals to blend you up some-thing smooth!
GET YOUR SMOOTHIES HERE!
Artesia
Fat Straw Drinks
575-810-8111
orders.cake.net/11270530
El Paso
B-Juice
915-239-6751
b-juiceelpaso.com
Las Cruces
Sassy Grass Juice Bar and Lounge
505-870-4749
facebook.com/SassyGrassJuice
Sunland Park
Funky Town Smoothie Café
915-321-0882
facebook.com/Funkytownsmoothies
Story and photography by Desiree Bustamantes
Originally published in Neighbors magazine
Posted by LasCruces.com
