These three smoothies celebrate summer by putting seasonal fruits in the spotlight.  They’re accompanied by unique flavours that also pump up the healthiness factor.

During a summer vacation, I went to a Jamba Juice for the first time.  I fell in love, and as usual when I fall in love with something outside of my day-to-day budget, I immediately went about trying to re-create that experience at home.  And my first attempt — a handful of frozen “mixed berries”, ice, and some milk — perhaps unsurprisingly didn’t achieve the delicious flavour or texture I remembered.

Over the years, I would learn that a smoothie is all about balance.  The perfect smoothie is not juicy or icy, but creamy and thick.  It isn’t dessert-sweet, but highlights the natural sweetness of fruit balanced by a bit of tartness.  And rather than a “medley”, which forces your strawberry to fight with a raspberry, blueberry, or mango for flavour prominence, smoothies are best when they put just one star in the spotlight.  Then you can surround it by a supporting cast for complexity and nutrition.  Say, frozen bananas for creamy texture.  A handful of nuts and pinch of salt.  Half an avocado and some fresh kale.  A carrot or two and some coconut milk.  After making hundreds — maybe even a thousand — smoothies, I can say that the possibilities for harmony are literally endless.

These three smoothies celebrate summer by putting seasonal fruits in the spotlight.  They’re accompanied by unique flavours that also pump up the healthiness factor.  I hope you like having them as a part of your breakfast rotation as much as I have.  Enjoy!

THE RECIPES

A few notes to start us off:

• I add at least half of a frozen extremely ripe banana to all of my smoothies.  Not only does it make the perfect creamy texture without overpowering flavour, it also adds natural, sugar-free sweetness.  Just buy a few bunches, let them turn brown and spotty, slice them up, and freeze until you need them.
• If a farmers market is available in your area, I definitely recommend local produce when it’s in season.  It’s amazing how much more powerful the flavour of a piece of fruit is just after picking.  (As opposed to being kept in cold storage for days or weeks, as is typical for grocery store produce.)
• If you use frozen fruit where I call for fresh, that works fine!  Just nix the ice cubes and keep a little extra liquid handy.

THE SUMMER PEACH SMOOTHIE

serves one for breakfast, two as a snack

Peach ginger oat smoothie.  This smoothie celebrates summer by putting seasonal fruits in the spotlight.  It's accompanied by unique flavours that also pump up the healthiness factor.

Instead of making pie of those leftover peaches — the ones so soft and ripe they make your kitchen smell like an orchard as they go about collapsing under their own weight — try this spiced late-summer smoothie instead.

The flax seeds add a toasty, nutty background — and vegetarian omega-3s — to this peaches ‘n almond cream-style shake.  Rolled oats bring on the fibre and protein, while turmeric and ginger lend pie-spice flavour along with fantastic anti-inflammatory properties.  I try to avoid sweetened almond butter and almond milk at the grocery store;  they’re both packed with surprising amounts of sugar.  A super-ripe peach and banana should be all the natural sweetness you need;  and if not, a little teaspoon of honey or maple syrup goes a long way.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 very ripe fresh peach, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 small very ripe banana, sliced and frozen
• 1 heaping TBL natural almond butter
• ¼ cup rolled oats
• 1 TBL roasted whole flax seeds (if you aren’t used to the flavour, I recommend starting with half)
• tiny pinch of sea salt
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground turmeric, optional
• ½-inch chunk of fresh peeled ginger, optional
• 1 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tsp raw honey, or to taste
• 2 ice cubes

† Add everything except the honey to your blender and puree on high for a full minute or two.  Now have a little taste.  Does it need that teaspoon or so of honey, or is it sweet enough?  How about a bit more cinnamon?  Do you want more liquid?  Adjust to taste and texture, then blend on high again until you’re satisfied.  Pour into a glass and enjoy immediately.

THE GREEN PINEAPPLE SMOOTHIE

serves one for breakfast, two as a snack

Coconut pineapple mint smoothie.  This smoothie celebrates summer by putting seasonal fruits in the spotlight.  It's accompanied by unique flavours that also pump up the healthiness factor.

If you love super-bright, refreshing, tropical flavours, this one is absolutely made with you in mind.  With juicy pineapple, tart lime, and a few sprigs of fresh mint, there’s far more summer sunshine in this glass than the spinach-green color lets on.

I love the sweet, slightly nutty flavour of coconut water, and a bit of extra-virgin coconut oil adds gorgeous coconut fragrance without the heaviness of canned coconut milk.  If you can’t find coconut water at your grocery store — I find mine on the same shelves as the bottled or boxed juice, plant milk, and other shelf-stable beverages — try diluting half a cup of canned full-fat coconut milk with water.

Last but not least, I’m always looking for ways to add a little extra protein.  If you want a boost, you can go with a neutral-tasting protein powder, but I like the slightly grassy flavour of hemp seeds with this flavour combination.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 heaping cup chopped fresh pineapple
• ½ large very ripe banana, sliced and frozen
• 1 cup packed fresh spinach (washed and chopped)
• 2 sprigs fresh mint, just the leaves (about 10-12)
• 1 TBL extra-virgin coconut oil
• juice of ½ lime
• ¾ cup natural coconut water
• 1-2 TBL hemp seeds, optional
• 2-3 ice cubes
• 1 tsp honey, optional

† Pile everything except the honey into the blender and puree on high for a full minute or two.  Taste and adjust the sweetness to your liking.  (The pineapples I have been eating lately are super-sweet and juicy, so honey hasn’t been necessary at all!)  Pour into a glass and enjoy immediately.

THE RASPBERRY COCOA SMOOTHIE

serves one for breakfast, two as a snack

Raspberry cocoa Smoothie.  Peach ginger oat smoothie.  This smoothie celebrates summer by putting seasonal fruits in the spotlight.  It's accompanied by unique flavours that also pump up the healthiness factor.

This is a truly healthy option for you chocolate lovers out there.  As one among you, I adore this smoothie.  I love this gorgeous reddish earthy hue, which tells you exactly what you’re about to taste:  raspberry-forward, followed by dark chocolate enhanced with a pinch of salt.  Because the avocado lends the smoothie a thick, creamy texture, you’ll want to grab a spoon.  It’s not dessert for breakfast, but it’s close enough.

If you can’t find a bag of frozen raspberries, strawberries are a great substitute.  Rich, caramel-like, and potassium-packed, Medjool dates are my favorite add-in for sweetness.  Although they might be a little harder to keep on hand than honey or agave nectar, I can find them at Costco.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup frozen raspberries
• ½ avocado, pitted
• ½ large very ripe banana, sliced and frozen
• 3 TBL natural cocoa powder or raw cacao
• big pinch (about ½ tsp) sea salt
• 1½ cups milk of choice (I use brown rice milk)
• 1 TBL chia seeds, optional
• 2-3 soft Medjool dates (can substitute 2-3 tsp honey)

† Add everything to the blender and puree on high for a minute or two.  You should arrive at a thick consistency — think slightly melted frozen yogurt.  Taste and adjust to your liking, then pour into a glass and enjoy immediately.  Bon appetit!