Simple smoothies

After a workout, nothing refreshes like a smoothie. When they're made with fresh fruit, yogurt or nonfat milk, they can help give you the nutrients you need as part of your healthy meal plan. But why rely on the juice bar in your gym or the local smoothie shop to whip up your drinks? You can easily prepare healthy smoothies at home, and they make great breakfasts when you're in a hurry. All it takes is a blender and a few fresh ingredients to whip up your own liquid masterpiece!

To speed up the smoothie-making process even more, try frozen smoothie mixes. Cooley's SmoothyPaks, available in select supermarkets and natural-foods markets, combine precleaned and fresh-frozen fruits in easy-to-use bags. They can make it easier for you to get tropical fruits such as mango and papaya year-round, even when you can't find them fresh. For smoothie recipes and coupons, call Cooley's at 888-SMOOTHY.

For all the recipes provided here, put the ingredients together in the blender and mix on high speed. When the recipe calls for ice, you can add more or less depending on the consistency you prefer.