Feelin' Fruity: Part III Berry Merry Smoothie
The weather in New York has been a tease this last week. Mild, breezy and spring-like, people are shedding their winter frocks and embracing the warmth. We should enjoy it while we can, but really, why give the people such a pure indication of a change when the bitter winds are sure pull around again? With this in mind, we must keep healthy. Keep up our intake of antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables, and more importantly, allow it to please out palate.
Herewith, a favorite installment of mine: the berry smoothie. There is nothing like a fruit smoothie to boost your energy. Pack it with energy inducing fruits and a scoop of yogurt, this sweet drink helps get you through the morning with a tropical state of mind, regardless of the dropping mercury. Today’s is an odds-and-ends of leftover fruits I found while cleaning out the freezer.
How surprised I was to uncover some long-forgotten blueberries. I also found a small stash of currants that I had purchased for New Year’s to drop in Champagne (this was a great trick: the light currants danced marvelously in the bubbly). Currants are just now making a name in the U.S. Long a European favorite, these poison-looking berries are rich in disease-fighting abilities; thought to be more potent than blueberries and pomegranate pulps. They are also packed with vitamin C, A, potassium, calcium and phosphorous. Even better: I met a man a few months back who planted the first currant farm in the U.S. to produce currant juice. It tastes delicious and I cannot wait until it hits my local store.
BERRY MERRY SMOOTHIE
Makes 2 smoothies. Prep time= 5 minutes. Use a hand-held or stationary blender.
* 10 blackberries
* handful of currants (red, black or white)
* ¼ cup ripe blueberries
* 4 ripe strawberries
* 1 ripe banana
* ¼ cup plain yogurt (vanilla, low-fat, no-fat, regular or soy options work too)
* ½ cup orange juice
1) Place all ingredients in blender. Blend and serve.
Other smoothie options:
Apricot-Mango Smoothie
Berry-Banana Smoothie