5 Reasons to Put the “Moo” in sMOOthie

22 Feb 5 Reasons to Put the “Moo” in sMOOthie

The post was sponsored by National Dairy Council. All thoughts are my own.

I heart smoothies. In my three cookbooks, I have tons of fun smoothie combinations. So when National Dairy Council invited me to be part of their sMOOthie event where Catherine McCord from Weelicious was demonstrating some of her healthy smoothies I just had to attend.

Toby and Catherine McCord from Weelicious

Catherine’s smoothies were so fun and creative. Besides the “moo” (AKA cow’s milk and yogurt) they also included a variety of healthy ingredients like strawberries, cauliflower, bee pollen, spinach, and blueberries. Below are two of the scrumptious sMOOthies she whipped up.

Below is the Very Dairy Delicious sMOOthie where the ingredients are surrounding. To increase the nutrition, Catherine added fresh cauliflower together with berries, milk, and yogurt.

Now this beauty in the photo below is a Tropical Lassie made with mango, lime, milk, yogurt, and almonds. To give the smoothie texture, she topped it with blueberries which can be eaten with a spoon!

As you can tell, I get so excited talking sMOOthies! Whether I choose to add cow’s milk, Greek yogurt, traditional yogurt, kefir, or cottage cheese, here are 5 reasons I love cow’s milk-based dairy in my smoothies and recommend it for others:

1. It’s a simple way of getting needed nutrients
   Milk and dairy provide 9 essential nutrients, including 3 that the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans pinpointed as nutrients of concern for Americans. Vitamin D, calcium, and potassium are found in milk and dairy, and most Americans are lacking these nutrients in their diet. It’s hard to replace the nutrition found in dairy. The substitutes often don’t match up.
2. It helps meet the recommended 3 daily servings of dairy
   It’s recommended to get three daily servings of dairy each day, but the average American is only getting 1.7 cup equivalents of dairy foods (milk, cheese, and yogurt). As milk is a quick and simple way to take in 9 essential nutrients, getting a full 3 servings is important. For me, adding dairy to a smoothie is a no-brainer! And, it’s so simple for people to do—no cooking required!
3. It’s undeniably good for our health
   Including milk and dairy products into your diet has been associated with a reduced risk of osteoporosis, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Fermented dairy foods, like Greek yogurt and kefir, have live and active cultures that help keep our digestive systems healthy.
4. It’s lactose intolerance friendly
   When mixing dairy with other foods, like fruit in smoothies, it helps those with lactose intolerance digest the lactose. My brother-in-law is lactose intolerant—I add Greek yogurt to his smoothies and he loves them! You can use lactose-free cow’s milk, too.
5. It’s delicious!
   Anything I choose to eat needs to be delicious and nutritious, and I know others rely on flavor, too. I love the flavor of milk and dairy and it’s such a simple way to make my smoothies even creamier and tastier. Let’s drink to that!

Besides tasting all of Catherine’s delicious sMOOthies, I also had a blast riding the sMOOthie bike which blends the smoothie as you ride it. You can tell from the photo below how much fun it’s to make your own smoothie while riding a bike.

If you love your dairy like me and want to showcase how you use “moo” in your sMOOthies, tweet or Instagram photos of your favorite sMOOthie pic and use the hashtags #UndeniablyDairy.