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
7-18-2007 @10:09AM Angela said... I love my smoothies! I survived culinary school on
smoothies and raman noodles; both of which I still
partake in!
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7-18-2007 @2:48PM Adriane said... I found using frozen fruit instead of ice cubes to be much better...that way, if the smoothie melts some before you can drink it all, it doesn't get icky and watery, which is especially unpleasent should you have a milk or yogurt base.
Great alternatives I've used were vanilla soymilk (yummy flavor, dairy-free and a good thickener--better than milk) and almond extract for added depth/"sweetness". Yum!
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7-18-2007 @3:22PM producestories said... I like adding a tablespoon of flax seed meal to my smoothies - does rough up the texture a tiny bit, but adds a lot of fiber and omega-3s, and also makes the smoothie more filling.
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