Ah, summer and the heat it brings with it… How to make it a bit more tolerable? Ice cold drinks. Smoothies are filling and tasty, and they’re such a big help keeping us hydrated. Plus, we get all the health benefits from the fresh fruits that go into them.

The trick is to use naturally sweet fruits or mix tangy and sweet ones so that adding sugar is optional. And to make smoothies truly filling, use lots of fruits with less water and ice. Cut fruits into very small pieces so that they get pureed easily. You don’t want the blender’s motor to get overworked, after all.
Blueberry Smoothie
Recipe byThis blueberry smoothie has rolled oats, yogurt and… ginger. Yes, ginger! As strange as that may sound, ginger adds a warm undertone to this otherwise freezing drink.

Ingredients
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup blueberries if they’re frozen, there’s no need to thaw
- ½ cup yogurt well chilled
- brown sugar to taste
- ¼ teaspoon fresh grated ginger or to taste
Instructions
- Put the oats in the blender pitcher and add enough water to cover. Allow to soak for 15 minutes.
- Add the blueberries to the oats and process until smooth.
- Add the yogurt. Process again until smooth.
- Add a tablespoonful of brown sugar and the grated ginger. Pulse a few times.
- Taste. Add more sugar, if the smoothie tastes too tangy. Pulse a few more times.
- Pour the smoothie into glasses and serve at once.
