“Mom?  Who invented smoothies?  I need to write the man a letter and thank him.”

From all accounts I’ve seen, it was Steven Kuhnau who branded the “smoothie” — in the late 1960’s.  As a lactose intolerant teenager, Mr. “Smoothie King” Steven wanted something to enjoy that was similar to the milkshakes his peers loved. So, he created frozen blends of fresh fruit, ice and fruit juice.  Not only did they taste great, but those new concoctions helped him manage his allergies and regulate his blood sugar levels as well.

Cool.

Never underestimate the power of a smoothie.  Breakfast, lunch, snack, dessert.  Sneak in some veggies (kale goes entirely unnoticed), maybe a little protein powder . . . and . . . boom . . . you’ve got a balanced treat with lots of the food groups.  Check out some of these favorites.

This stuff . . . nutrition . . . food . . . breakfast . . . snacks . . . It’s important.  So important, I included it (just a little “taste”) in my upcoming book, Corky Gives the Whole Scoop on the Facts of Life, written for girls, ages 9-13.

Here’s a taste . . . (at least of the food part) from my upcoming book:

That day, I made a brilliant conclusion:

Too Much Junk Food = Epic Fail.

Yep.  That’s pretty much it.

 I learned that a little bit of junk is fine for me, but a lot is an epic fail.  Mostly, junk food doesn’t work too well for anybody, really.  And some people are more bothered by it than others.  Pay attention to what you eat.  And how you feel.  Right after you eat . . . and a little bit after that . . . and then pay attention to how you feel later in the day too.  Food matters.  And it makes a big difference in how you feel . . . during PMS days . . . and all the other days.

Stay tuned . . . there’s more good stuff from Corky to come.  The book will be released soon.  In the meantime, chillax.  Make a smoothie with your kids.  Oh, and by the way, that teenager — the one who invented the smoothies — he grew up to open “The Smoothie King.”  Yep.  Next time you’re there, thank him.  For us.