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Blend Well

Once a California staple, smoothies’ icy tastiness has migrated East

Providing a more healthful twist on the perfect summertime food—ice cream—is the once-humble smoothie, now the subject of enough colorful varieties to make a parade of Syracuse Nationals cars jealous. When made properly, smoothies are healthy and natural. They’re quick and easy to throw together, and a better alternative to other greasy and fatty “on the go” options.

Made with the base ingredients of fruit, yogurt and ice, smoothies are fruity and refreshing. Best of all, more and more spots seem to have caught on to the meal-in-a-glass that can be made of any combination of fruits and even vegetables. Celery anyone?

The Burger Joint

The menu: Tootie Fruity (oranges, bananas, peaches, strawberries, honey); Wake & Shake (oranges, bananas, lime juice); Power Punch (pea nut butter, bananas, honey, wheat germ); Rainforest (pineapple, bananas, oranges, coconut, lime juice); Orange Creamsicle (oranges, milk); Short Blonde Bombshell (mango, oranges, bananas, coconut); Getting My Groove Back (oranges, strawberries, mango, cinnamon, honey).

The price: $3.70. The draw: What you see is what you get. The Burger Joint’s smoothies are completely all natural: just fruit, juices and the occasional scoop of peanut butter or honey. “If you’re at home and use fresh fruit, it’s amazing,” says co-owner Tara Sears. “I wouldn’t sell something I refuse to eat.”

And sell they do. “We sell way more smoothies because the customers taste it and it’s awesome, and they come back,” says Sears. “The smoothies are really filling. People come in a lot after the gym. Most of our smoothie business is people who come just for the smoothies.”

The location: 2700 James St., Eastwood.

Freedom of Espresso

The menu: Acai Pomegranate Blueberry; Caribbean Colada; Very Cherry; Kiwi Banana; Mandarin Orange; Passionfruit; Mango; Strawberry; Strawberry Banana; Wildberry.

The price: $3.75 for a small; $4 for a medium; $4.50 for a large.

The draw: Choices, choices, choices.

There’s a smoothie for everyone at this coffe shop. And with the organic green tea base mix Freedom uses, you’ve got the health benefits of antioxidants as well. “The smoothies have the antioxidants of green tea, and it tastes good,” says Fayetteville Freedom of Espresso employee Jonathan Reynolds.

The locations: 115 Solar St. (Franklin Square); 424 Pearl St.; 114 Walton St. (Armory Square); 128 W. Genesee St., Fayetteville; 401 First St., Liverpool.

Wegmans

The menu: Strawberry banana; Mango; Peach; Wildberry; Very Cherry; Orange.

The price: $2.95 for a small; $3.35 for a medium; $3.65 for a large.

The draw: Cancer-fighting antioxidants.

“Our smoothies are real fruit-based and also made with green tea,” says DeWitt Wegmans employee Lisa Sweet. “So you get the health benefits of green tea, the antioxidants you’re going to get with that.”

And lucky for those Wegmans frequenters out there—and here in Syracuse, we’ve got plenty—the smoothies are on the menu all year long. But be sure to double check that your Wegmans has a cafe, where the smoothies are sold. That way, when you’ve got a stressful hour of shopping ahead of you, don’t fret; just grab a smoothie and chill out.

The locations: Among the many area locations, 6789 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville; 3325 W. Genesee St., Fairmount; 4979 W. Taft Road, Liverpool; 7519 Oswego Road (John Glenn), Liverpool.

Barnes and Noble Cafe

The menu: Banana Chocolate; Orange Mango Banana; Strawberry Banana.

The price: $3.95 (save 10 percent with a member card.)

The draw: One word: protein. “We use 2 percent milk, a whole banana, mocha syrup or fruit puree, depending on the smoothie, and two scoops of protein,” says DeWitt Barnes and Noble cafe employee Kellie Walter. All the smoothies not only have protein, but vitamin C as well, and weigh in at less than 300 calories.

So how do the smoothies hold up on the menu next to a myriad of coffee drinks? “A lot of people get them for their kids as a healthy alternative,” Walter says. Both the orange mango banana and strawberry smoothies are caffeine-free.

The drawback: Barnes and Noble’s smoothies are only here for the summer. So grab ’em while they’re hot... err... cold!

The locations: 3454 Erie Blvd. E., DeWitt; 3956 Route 31, Liverpool.

Panera Bread

The menu: Black Cherry; Wild Berry; Mango; Strawberry

The price: $3.99

The draw: Organic yogurt. “We use lowfat yogurt in ours,” explains Panera employee Karen Sarensky. “Lowfat, organic Stoneyfield vanilla yogurt, base mix, ice and two scoops of protein.” Smoothies and other frozen drinks, such as the frozen mango drink, are top sellers, says Sarensky. But if you’re looking to stay cool and healthy, stick with the protein packed smoothies.

The locations: 3401 W. Genesee St., Camillus; 3409 Erie Blvd. E., DeWitt; 530 Towne Drive, Fayetteville; 3815 Route 31, Liverpool.

Mr. Smoothie

The menu: Pick two fruits (strawberry, banana, raspberry, blueberry, pineapple, peach, mango, orange, pineapple, peanut butter, chocolate, coconut), and one supplement (protein, energy, immunity, stress, fat burner, fiber, green superfood, vita, revitalize).

The price: $3.98 for a small; $4.49 for a medium; $5.46 for a large.

The draw: A supplement for everyone in every mood. “In a smoothie we put non-fat frozen yogurt, all real fruit, sugar syrup and ice,” says Mr. Smoothie employee Hillary Forbes. “And you can also get supplements put in.” So with 12 flavors choices and nine supplement choices, that’s a lot of smoothie possibility.

The location: 3409 Erie Blvd. E., DeWitt; 530 Towne Drive, Fayetteville; 3401 W. Genesee St., Camillus; 5701 E. Circle Drive, Cicero; Carousel Center.

Don’t like any of these choices? Or just don’t want to leave your air-conditioned abode? Don’t fret, smoothies are easily made at home. Google “smoothie recipes,” and you’ll find a bunch of different options. Or check out smoothieweb.com.

All you need is the ingredients, and either a blender or smoothie maker. But which is better? “Basically both are going to do the same thing,” says Smith Restaurant Supply employee Robin Russell. “The smoothie maker is nice because it has a faucet, but I would go for a commercial blender. It’s going to last a lot longer.”

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