One of the beautiful things about living in the Northwest is the bounty of blackberries every august. They grow wild and nearly everywhere. If you put in just a little time, you can get bowls full of the fresh, mildly sour fruit. If you have a little land, chances are pretty good that you might already have blackberries growing in your backyard – just like I have! It’s fuss-free and delicious!
For a couple weeks during the summer, I take the extra ten minutes to pick a few cups of berries for the morning mix. Blackberries come at the same time as Swiss Chard, so it seems natural to combine the two and enjoy the summer bounty.
This smoothie has grit. It’s sweet and sour and a bit more runny than what I usually make. You kind of need something to wash the grit from between your teeth, but overall it’s a great middle of the road (flavor wise) smoothie.
Recipe:
- 1 bunch fresh garden Swiss chard
- 1 ripe summer apple
- 3 – 4 Medjool dates
- 2 – 3 cups fresh picked blackberries
- 1 cup coconut milk (or your favorite berry juice)
No date or apple seeds, and place the wettest fruit towards the bottom of the blender.
Blend for a few seconds.
Add the greens and blend for another 60 seconds on high. If it’s too seedy for you, add some ice and blend longer. Careful not to overheat the mixture.
If you add lots of berries, you’ll get more of a sour tang. If you add less, you’ll still get the rich color and you might find it a little easier to drink. I’m always making a lot so I tend to add lots of berries.
The berry mixtures that you can pick up at Costco work well as a substitute for the fresh blackberries. If you pure them straight from the bag into the blender, you’ll also cool down the mixture allowing for a longer blend time. The longer the blend, the smaller the grit.
Enjoy!
