Strawberry Pineapple Morning Starter

Ingredients

• several (7 or 8) large strawberries
• several (2 or 3 rings; 7 or 8 chunks) pieces of fresh or canned pineapple
• 1/4 cup apple juice
• 4 or 5 ice cubes (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Add ice cubes and apple juice. Layer in pineapple. Add strawberries. Blend until smooth. Let sit for a minute to reduce froth.

2. 2

   If you like your smoothies smooth, use the ice (or frozen strawberries). Without the ice, the recipe is a little chunkier but still oh so delicious! This is a favorite in our house, especially with fresh strawberries.

3. 3

   Tips

4. 4

   No apple juice on hand? Orange juice or plain coconut water work just as well and keep this recipe naturally sugar free. Canned pineapple packed in its own juice (not syrup) is a fine substitute for fresh, and lets you make this smoothie year round.

5. 5

   Since fresh strawberries and pineapple both freeze well, this is a great recipe to prep in bulk. Wash and hull a batch of strawberries and cut up pineapple, then freeze them together in portioned bags for up to three months, so a smoothie is always ready to blend on a busy morning.