Thanks to this year’s bumper blueberry crop, our [tiny]freezer is quickly filling. But I must say, it is worth it; this year’s blueberries seem sweeter than ever. Plus, you can’t beat the prices of fresh summer berries. The overload of blueberries has resulted in a love for this True Blue Summer Smoothie!
Though I offered to make some blueberry bars, my husband quickly declined with a, “Save them for the smoothies!” Considering how much he loves cookies and bars, this says a ton for his adoration of our refreshing smoothies. In fact, this sweet blueberry smoothie, he not only enjoys immensely, but also brags to others about.
Do you see those wonderfully sweet blueberry flecks throughout? Those were my disguise. What you can’t taste, or see, is the spinach! You have probably seen claims on other blogs that you can’t taste spinach in smoothies. Years ago I put this theory to the test, and it was true, but because it turned the smoothie a less than attractive green, I couldn’t get my husband to go near it. However, when I snuck the spinach into this blueberry smoothie (blackberries work too), he was none the wiser, as he happily sipped away his new favorite breakfast.
After I let him in on the secret, he couldn’t keep his mouth shut. I have overheard him many times boasting, “You can add spinach to smoothies and you can’t even taste it!” My job here is done …
Tips for Freezing Blueberries
- As soon as you get home with your bounty, set aside some fresh ones to consume over the next few days.
- Take the remaining blueberries, rinse them well, and pat them dry.
- I usually leave them on the counter on a towel in a single layer, after I have patted them dry, for an hour or so to get rid of any excess moisture.
- Place the blueberries in large freezer bags (make sure they are freezer bags, not the regular ones), zip them closed, getting as much air out as possible, and freeze.
- I usually lay the bags flat in the freezer and stack one on top of the other.
Special Diet Notes: True Blue Summer Smoothie
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, gluten-free, soy-free, peanut-free, vegan, plant-based, vegetarian, and optionally nut-free (based on dairy-free milk).
- 1 medium ripe banana, broken into chunks
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- ½ to 1 cup plain or vanilla dairy-free milk
- ½ cup packed fresh baby spinach
- ½ cup ice
- Sweetener, to taste (agave, sugar, or your choice)
- 1 tablespoon flax seeds (left whole or ground)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 to 2 tablespoons protein powder
- Toss the banana, blueberries, and ½ cup of the milk alternative into your blender. Process until smooth.
- Add the spinach and any of the optional add-ins if using, and blend until those little green specks vanish.
- Blend in more milk alternative until it reaches your desired consistency.
- If desired, blend in a handful of ice for a frostier treat.
Reader Raves
Sas has been making this True Blue Summer smoothie over and over and can’t get enough: “I even ventured into new territory this a.m. and added raw chard instead of spinach, and it still worked! I am really picky with my veggies so gettin’ em’ in a smoothie is genius. It’s also nice because using them raw saves you from having to take time to cook your veggies–it’s an easy way to increase your daily # of veggie and fruit servings” – Sas
Cynthia Huenke tried this smoothie and loved that her kids were even fans: “He has no idea there is spinach in them. One year old loves them no matter the color. She shares my green smoothies all the time. What a wonderful way to get nutrition into the kids. It is so not hard to get kids to eat healthy!” – Cynthia Huenke
[This recipe is from my book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living]
