Seasonal Does Taste Better

I think at times I have developed into a true foodie. I eat mostly organic and above all I buy only seasonal items. As much as I love my tropical fruits, you can't get me to bite into an orange before summer and I don't even buy my berries until Spring hits. Why? Because eating food in its season usually tastes much beter and is a whole lot cheaper due to the volume available.

So, after eating apples and pears pretty much all of fall and winter, I readliy welcome the myriad of strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and don't get me started on mangoes and grapefruits of the upcoming season. I like to put all these fruits in a smoothie and it provides me with a long standing jolt that a cup of coffee simply can't provide. The recipe is below:

1/2 cup of diced strawberries
1/2 cup of raspberries
1 diced banana
1 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon Spirulina (A nutrient packed blue green algae superfood)
1 teaspoon ground flaxseed

And Blend Away!!!

For those adventurous types, you may want to make your own Almond milk. I came across this cute site, Happy Foody (www.happyfoody.blogspot.com) in which the publisher included a recipe for homemade vanilla almond milk from the cookbook Living Cuisine: The Art and Spirit of Raw Foods by Renee Loux Underkoffler. Makes 4 cups.

1 cup soaked raw almonds (soaked 4-8 hours)
4 cups filtered water
Pinch of sun-dried sea salt
1 T non-alcohol vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean (optional)
3 T raw honey or maple syrup (or 3 soft dates, pitted)

In a blender, at medium, then high speed, blend soaked almonds, water, and sea salt until smooth. Pour through a strainer (or use a nut bag) to separate pulp. Pour liquid back in the the blender and blend in vanilla extract and bean (if using) and sweetener until smooth.

Enjoy!