Wild For Smoothies

Word of the Week

Concoction (kun-kock-shun): A mixture of various ingredients. It comes from the Latin word concoctionem, meaning "digestion."

Salve!

I'm not sure how we've already made it to the end of June, but here we are! We are about to enter what they call the "dog days" of summer. Those are those hotter than hot summer days that actually fall from July 3-August 11th. The term comes the ancient Romans who associated those days with the star Sirius (the brightest star in the "Large Dog" constellation).

So in preparation, I've thought of the perfect, healthy treat to help everyone stay cool. Smoothies! In reality, there's no wrong way to make a smoothie. Just pick your favorite fruits and vegetables, add a little liquid, and blend!

It's hard to know exactly when the smoothie came to be, but we do know one thing for certain. The blender wasn't invented until 1932 by Stephen Poplawski. It wasn't until after that handy invention that smoothies could exist!

So. . .what kind of smoothie recipe did you think I'd share with you this week? When I think of summer time, the very first fruit that pops into my mind is watermelon! It's the only time of the year we really get to enjoy them. I made this delicious recipe, and I highly recommend that you give it try, too!

Wild for Watermelon Smoothie

1 cup watermelon, cubed

1 cup strawberries, frozen

1/2 a banana

Directions: Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend! I recommend pouring it into a fun cup and drinking this yummy concoction from a fun straw. ENJOY!

Five FUN facts about watermelon!

• There are ancient Egyptian drawings of watermelons, dating back over 5,000 years!

• The largest watermelon ever grown was in Arkansas in 2005. It weighed just over 268 pounds!

• We think of watermelons being red inside, but other varieties can be white, yellow, orange, or green!

• Watermelons technically aren't fruit, they're vegetables! This one is quite controversial, but they're in the same family as pumpkins and cucumbers. I, too, was shocked!

• They grow square watermelons in Japan by placing a glass box around the melon as it grows. I'd like to see one of those!

What other smoothie recipes have you created?

Please share them at LJMadwish@gmail.com

Until next time. . .

Gram