Peach Rosemary Smoothie

Oh sure, I know what you're thinking. "Why does The Cozy Herbivore always post smoothie recipes in the fall? Why doesn't she do smoothie recipes in the summer, when the weather is super-hot and the produce is super-fresh?"

The truth, veggie freaks, is that I've been such a busy little squirrel this season that it's taken until just about now for me to start to enjoy the fruits of my labors. I've been canning and freezing the bounty of summer's fruits for those dark winter months when I start to feel like a sailor in the hold of a dank and freezing ship, fighting off the effects of produce-deprived scurvy. Plus of course I firmly believe that the height of summer's gifts should be consumed simply, as Mother Nature intended. It seems like such a shame to cook or blend or boil a perfectly ripe piece of fruit. Better to just pop it directly into one's mouth and savor that je ne sais quoi that lets you know you are eating incomparable Fruit.

So with a freezer stocked and a cabinet almost full of jewel-hued Mason Jars (still saving some room for apple butter, to be canned soon), I turned to my supplies for a refreshing smoothie. This summer has been a banner year for peaches, with the hot and dry weather causing the fruit to ripen earlier than usual and have a higher concentration of sugar. A great article about this area's peach crop is here.

This smoothie gets its color from the blueberries, but peach is the star fruit here. The fruit makes this smoothie sweet, but the aromatic rosemary keeps it from crossing the line into saccharine territory. It's all nicely balanced by the earthy buckwheat honey and the creamy cashews. Apricots or nectarines can be used in place of the peaches if you prefer. To make this smoothie vegan, simply substitute grade B maple syrup or agave nectar for the honey.



Bain taitneamh as do bheil!


PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOKING TIME: n/a
SERVES: 1 person


INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup frozen blueberries
1 fresh peach, pit removed, roughly chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, woody stem removed, chopped finely
2 tablespoons creamed cashews (recipe below)
2 tablespoons buckwheat honey
1/3 cup unsweetened soy or oat milk


DIRECTIONS:
For the creamed cashews, (recipe courtesy Bryant Terry, author of Vegan Soul Kitchen and a graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute) soak 1 cup unroasted, unsalted cashews in 1/2 cup water for at least 6 hours or overnight if possible. Combine soaked cashews and water in a blender and process until smooth. This will yield a lot more creamed cashews than this recipe calls for-- simply seal the rest in an airtight container and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. They make a wonderfully creamy dairy-free addition to a wide variety of foods.

Layer smoothie ingredients in blender as listed above, beginning with the frozen blueberries. Process until smooth. If you like your smoothies a bit thinner or if your blender is having trouble getting through everything, add more soy/oat milk.

Enjoy after an intense workout for a sweet protein-packed punch!