It's a ridiculously early year for blackberries here: We've been eating handfuls from the bushes for the last couple of weeks. But finally, there are enough ripening all at once to get some recipes made.
First recipe was from one of the mini volunteers- he picked about 2l blackberries, which made some very generous smoothie helpings!
It's easiest to make smoothies if you have a blender- either a jug or stick one (with a bowl or something) will do. Otherwise, you can sieve the ingredients- but that's quite hard work.
Sieving also has the advantage that it will make the smoothie, well, smooth: But we always leave berry seeds in ours- it took a few goes for the kids to stop going "yuck there are bits"- but they've all got the hang of it now!
Ingredients
Blackberries
Apple juice
Bananas (about 2 per litre of blackberries- or a tin of coconut milk is a good alternative, just to make the smoothie creamier).
Sugar to taste (only necessary if the blackberries are sour ones)
Method Preferably, chill all the ingredients for a couple of hours first. Otherwise, you can tip in some ice cubes as well- or just have a warm smoothie...
Put all the fruit and a big glug of apple juice into a blender
Blend
Taste, and add a little sugar if necessary (briefly blend any sugar in)
Add extra apple juice if you'd like the smoothie runnier
Pour into cups
Drink
All fruit smoothies are extremely high sugar drinks- while it's only fruit (unless you add sugar too), you can take in a LOT of fruit without really noticing with smoothies- so if you're watching how much sugar you take in, do be aware of this. It's completely delicious and does contain lots of vitamins and fibre, though...
They freeze into fabulous lollies or sorbets, if you have any left over!