Blueberry Blender

The Liquid Ohm I made earlier this month has touched off a smoothie-kick. Here's another delicious way to start your morning with a boost of antioxidants. It is best when chilled, or you could even blend it with some ice cubes just before serving.

In a blender, combine 3 cups orange juice (fresh-squeezed or, if you buy it from the store, a brand that is 100% pure OJ), 1/4 cup agave nectar (in place of honey), 1 pint fresh blueberries, and 1 medium cucumber, quartered.

You could substitute 1 pint frozen blueberries, but at this time of year, that seems like sacrilege! Bonus points if you buy them organic. The recipe did not state whether or not to peel the cucumber, so I left mine unpeeled (it would have said so, if I should have, right?).

Blend until smooth, and then cover and chill for at least 8 hours and up to overnight - making this another perfect brunch candidate.

Strain the mixture either through a cheesecloth-lined sieve over a bowl, or through a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl (I find the latter easier), pressing with a spatula to squeeze out all the juice, and discarding the solids.

You'll be left with 4, one-cup servings of 190 calories. Cheers!

Cost:
orange juice $6.99
blueberries $4.99
cucumber $0.79