Venezuelan Melon Smoothie: Batido de Melon

I was not much of a fruit fan as a kid. I would only eat bananas, oranges and strawberries. Then my mum started to give me "batidos" and I would drink them all!! not knowing what they had inside!! Now a batido is a fruit milkshake or a smoothie, you can make them with almost any fruit (being careful with the citric ones so they do not curd the milk).

Melon batidos were my favorite - even though I did not know it was melon until a while later. I also loved Banana batidos - and now I do make them for my kids quite frequently, particularly when the bananas start to get slightly brown (they will not eat it as a fruit if it even has a small brown spot, but as a a batido they lick their cups!!)

Here is the recipe of my favorite one: Batido de Melon

Ingredients:

• Cantaloupe Melon (a good wedge per glass of batido)
• Milk
• Powdered milk (you can find at supermarkets - if you do not add it - it will work too but will not be as creamy)
• Ice (optional - I used a cold melon and milk and skip the ice so I get cold without the watery taste)
• Sugar or Agave Syrup (optional - I do not put any sweeteners on it but I know people like it)

Cut the melon and remove the seeds and skin. Add ice to blender - (optional - it will water your drink a bit but it will also make it colder). Diced the melon and put inside the blender.

Add milk to cover halfd the melon or a bit less than 1/2 glass per glass of batido needed. Put about 1 spoonful of powdered milk per glass of batido. (Add sugar or Agave syrup to taste)

Blend - serve and enjoy your batido de Melon