Blueberry Pear Smoothie

When does spring begin? The calendar says it started a month ago, but I beg to differ. Spring really begins for me when the Chinese magnolia trees blossom, and when it’s finally warm enough that I feel like making smoothies again.

By that definition, spring started in January when we lived in California. Here in Massachusetts, it starts in April.

I love smoothies (blueberry ones, mango ones, you name it), but I can’t bring myself to make them in winter. When it’s cold and gray outside, and wool socks are mandatory even with the heater on, I just don’t feel like blending up a semi-frozen beverage, no matter how healthy and delicious it is.

Happily, those cold, gray days are behind us now, replaced by . . . somewhat warmer, gray days. Oh well–I’ll take it. Time to dust off my blender and make a smoothie!

Which of my favorite smoothies would be The First Smoothie of Spring? As I skimmed through my list of recipes, my eyes lit up when I saw this one. It’s so refreshing, and the combination of frozen blueberries and mango make it a beautiful, deep red color.

I also love that it has four colorful fruits and one sneaky vegetable. I like to toss some spinach in because it adds tons of nutrients, but you can’t taste it with all that delicious, fruity flavor going on.

And while we’re talking about nutritional boosts, did you know a pear contains more than 10 percent of your daily vitamin C? It also has a lot of fiber, which thickens the smoothie and keeps you feeling full longer. Not too shabby, pears. 🙂