If you're looking for a filling, healthy and delicious breakfast or snack, a smoothie cannot be beat. I sometimes make one the night before, so all I have to do is grab it and run in the morning.

The key to a good smoothie is usually yogurt — that's what gives the drink its thickness and substance. But some of the smoothie recipes below contain interesting alternatives to yogurt.

Selecting the right combination of fruit (you can use fresh or frozen) is also part of concocting a good smoothie. Start with a favourite flavour base — mine is strawberry — and build on that with other flavours. You can experiment with your own combinations or try some of the following:

1. Apple: Here's a recipe that is perfect for the holiday season, with apples and a dash of cinnamon. Tastes like you're sipping an apple pie.

2. Kiwi: Yes, it's that fuzzy brown fruit with the green inside. Don't be afraid of using some of the more unusual fruits. This recipe has a hint of honey and uses crushed ice as a thickener. You'll need to drink it right away, otherwise the ice will melt and it will go runny.

   

3. Mango: I adore this smoothie, because it has most of the flavors I love. I don't hesitate to use frozen fruit when I'm in a rush. If you don't enjoy the taste of fruit with all those seeds, substitute a yogurt with raspberry on the bottom, which is seed-free.
4. Chocolate/Espresso: Now you can get your morning coffee fix in smoothie form! This recipe calls for a shot of whey protein powder (available at health food stores) for those that are into building muscle. Of course, you can just omit this ingredient if you're a couch potato like me.
5. Peach: Peach can easily be overpowered by other fruit, so the key here is to use peaches that are ripe and at peak flavor. If it's not peach season, you can use canned peaches.
6. Pomegranate: I'm into fruit that contains anti-oxidants, and pomegranate is one of them. No need to deal with the messy fruit here; I recommend using the pom juice.
7. Strawberry Squirt: Feel free to omit the shot of chocolate if it's not something you want, but I have to say it sure as heck doesn't hurt. This is a super-easy morning drink that takes minutes to whip up.
8. Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake: You read it right — I did say cheesecake. It's divinely delicious and you'll swear you're gulping cheesecake. In this recipe, a bit of cream cheese thickens things up. I've subbed the low-fat variety without any harm.
9. Green Tea: Whether you're on a green tea kick for health reasons, or you just love the taste, here's a variation that makes sipping easy. Tossing in some fruit puts a spin on things.
10. Oatmeal: It may sound unusual, but oatmeal is a no-brainer in a smoothie. It's a great thickener and leaves you feeling like you've had a nice, hearty breakfast. It also doesn't hurt that it is heart healthy, too.
    Last, here's a more unusual idea that ups the ante on being healthy:
11. Veggie & Fruit: Green smoothies are by no means freaky, and if you blend them with a bit of fruit, you won't even notice you're getting your daily allowance of veggies. If you enjoy a Bloody Mary, this smoothie will certainly remind you of that.

Tips: If you're being adventurous and concocting your own smoothie recipe, try to keep things simple and choose no more than 2 or 3 fruits at one time. And, if you think what you've created is too overpowering in flavor, yogurt is definitely going to cut that heaviness out—so just add a bit more of it in to thin out the flavor.

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