How To: Make a Fruit Smoothie for Breakfast

We've all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and that we should never skip it.

Easy to say, harder to actually do. Who has time in the morning to sit down at the table and eat a leisurely bowl of cereal or oatmeal? There's showering to be done, traffic to be faced, work to be started.

That's why I usually start my days with a fruit smoothie that I can put together in my blender in about three or four minutes and drink in the car on the way to work.

Here's how I do it.

I start with frozen fruit. I tried fresh, but ran into two problems. My favorite fruits aren't always available fresh and blending fresh fruit tends to make juice, not nice thick smoothies.

Frozen fruit can usually be found on the same aisle as the ice cream because, I suppose, people use it to top their desserts. Make sure that the bagged frozen fruit you're buying is just that - fruit, with no sweeteners or additives.

I usually buy three kinds - blueberries, cherries and mixed berries that contain raspberries, strawberries and blueberries together. Blueberries and the mixed berries contain antioxidants and cherries just taste good.

The exception to the frozen vs. fresh rule for me is bananas, since they usually only come one way. But, as soon as I get them home, I break each banana into two equal halves and put them into the freezer.

The frozen banana is the basis of the smoothie. It helps keep it thick and gives it that smooth texture.

I put two pieces of banana into the blender cup, and add enough berries or cherries to reach the two-cup mark.

Then, I drop in a small handful of shelled, whole almonds. They add some crunch to the smoothie and are good for the heart. I also put in a little artificial sweetener, just because I like my fruit smoothies to taste a little sweeter than usual.

Finally, I add a can of chocolate Slim Fast. You can use any kind of liquid - including orange juice or cranberry juice - but I prefer the Slim Fast for a couple of reasons. First, the chocolate, of course. Second, it adds to the thickness of the smoothie. And third, because it's only a couple hundred calories and has plenty of added vitamins and minerals.

Important: If you use Slim Fast, make sure it's refrigerated.

I blend for about two to three minutes, until banana and almonds are completely chopped and the mixture takes on a smooth, consistent texture. Then, I pour it into a glass and drink it down.

I've been doing it for about two years, and I've found that drinking one smoothie in the morning - sometimes accompanied by a few pieces of wheat toast - gives me enough energy to last until well past lunch, reduces my appetite and makes me less apt to eat other kinds of sweets that aren't as good for me.