Smoothies are great for hot summer days -
and nights!
BLACK BEAUTY
Serves 2
1 cup, low fat vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup, grape juice (purple, not white, grape juice)
1 1/2 cups, fresh blueberries – *frozen
1 cup, fresh blackberries – *frozen
In a blender, combine the yogurt and grape juice. Add the berries; blend until smooth. Strain through a sieve into serving glasses (to remove seeds from blackberries).
*To freeze berries, place on a cookie sheet or in a freezer-proof bag and freeze until solid – about 2 to 4 hours. Transfer tray-frozen berries to freezer bag or other freezer container. May be stored (airtight) in freezer for up to 2 weeks for best flavor.
Variations:
add a pinch of salt and/or a squeeze of lemon juice to bring out maximum flavors
Recipe adapted from Smoothies by Mary Corpening Barber, Sara Corpening, and Lori Lyn Narlock (Chronicle Books)
TROPICAL TEASER
Serves 2
1/2 cup, coconut milk
1/2 cup, rum [Optional]
1 cup, diced, fresh pineapple - *frozen
1 cup, diced fresh mango -*frozen
1 fresh banana - *frozen
In a blender, combine the coconut milk and rum. Add the pineapple, mango and banana. Blend until smooth.
**To freeze the diced pineapple and mangoes: place on cookie sheet to “tray freeze” (this will take 2-4 hours) or place the pieces in plastic freezer bags to freeze. If tray-freeze method is used, pineapple and mango pieces may then be stored in a plastic freezer bag or other container and used as desired. Use home-frozen fruits within two weeks or so for best flavor; use purchased, packaged frozen fruit within 2 months of opening the bag (or within 6 months if bag is unopened).
*To freeze banana, peel the banana and freeze whole. Slice when ready to use.
Variations:
add a pinch of salt and/or a squeeze of lemon juice to bring out maximum flavors
Recipes adapted from Smoothies by Mary Corpening Barber, Sara Corpening, and Lori Lyn Narlock (Chronicle Books)