Since starting Dr. Mike Moreno’s 17 Day Diet in mid-May, I have lost 15 pounds and 7 inches. One of my favorite recipes that you can have for breakfast, lunch or a snack during all phases of the diet is the Kefir smoothie.

I was completely unaware of Kefir until this diet. In essence, it is a drinking yogurt with a lot of great nutritional qualities including the “good” bacteria that keeps your digestive tract happy. You can find Kefir in most mainstream grocery stores and other stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.

The recipe in “17 Day Diet” is pretty basic with some Kefir, and fruit or jam to add some flavor. While fresh fruit is the best and has the most health benefits, I still keep bags of frozen fruits at the ready – strawberries, peaches, mangoes and blueberries – so I can have a smoothie whenever I want one. (I find they are really great after a Zumba workout.)

For the Fourth of July holiday, I wanted to share this special “Red, White and Blue Kefir Smoothie” recipe that is both patriotically-pretty and healthy. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients (makes one smoothie)

• 1 cup Kefir (that’s the white)
• 6 fresh or frozen strawberries (that’s the red)
• 10 fresh or frozen blueberries (that’s the blue)

(Note: You can substitute whatever fresh or frozen fruit you’d like. I also add peaches or mangoes in sometimes for a tropical variant.)

• 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil (adds extra Omega-3s to your diet)
• 1 scoop of vanilla whey powder (adds extra protein to the meal to keep you full longer)

Directions

Add the Kefir, fruit, flax oil and whey powder to the blender carafe. Blend until thoroughly combined. Stir halfway through cycle if large chunks remain or some of the whey powder sticks to the side of the blender. Pour into glass and serve immediately.