Batido, in Spanish, simply means "beaten"--in the sense of beaten in a blender. Since Ecuador is the banana capital of the world, the people there usually use bananas for this drink. Just take ripe bananas, drop them into a blender, add milk (I use skim) and a hint of vanilla), and voilà...you have a batido. And what could be more healthy? It tastes like a banana shake without the fat or added sugar. And kids love them.
Most Latin American countries have their versions of the batido. In Guatemala they call them licuados (literally, "liquefied"), and they make them with every kind of fruit imaginable, including strawberries, mangoes, cantaloupe, and watermelon. Yes, watermelon! (Don't knock it until you've tried it.) In Guatemala, licuados are made with either water or milk, but I like to make them with milk because the kids get their dairy and their fruit at the same time.
Colombians also make fruit drinks in blenders. I had one with blackberries in Cartagena's Plaza San Diego one night, which was called, quite appropriately, mora con leche (blackberries with milk). It was divine, although I'm sure the colonial architecture and the 70-degree sea breeze contributed to my enjoyment.
While smoothies often include a lot of sugar, batidos rely on the fruit's natural sugar for sweetness (although you may need to add a little sugar if you're using berries). But batidos are also healthier than straight fruit juice, because you use the whole fruit--including the fiber.
So blend away, knowing that your kids are getting calcium, fiber, and a host of anti-oxidants in every batido they drink.
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Ripe bananas and mangoes are just two fruits that make great batidos. © Gira | Stock Free Images |
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