The summer fruit is coming at me from all sides these days. I can't turn around without spotting blueberries, blackberries, peaches, nectarines, apricots and plums. There thousands of good uses for these succulent berries and stone fruits (jams, pies, compotes, sauces, cobblers, crisps and slumps to name a few) but lately, I've been trying to reduce the amount of sugar I eat, so I've been looking for ways of enjoying the abundance of summer a little more naturally. In addition to eating the fruit just as it comes (which I do, by the bushel) I've been making my ancient blender whirl up a variety of smoothies. My favorite thing to do is just throw some fruit and yogurt in, with a dribble of milk to thin it down a little. If that's not sweet enough for you, try adding a little fruit juice, honey or agave nectar. I have a friend who always throws a handful of oats into her smoothies, for the extra fiber. A few ice cubes (or frozen fruit) will make it nice a cool. The most important thing when it comes to making smoothies is to feel free to experiment and figure out what tastes good to you.
photo by Marisa McClellan














