Raspberry Mango Smoothie

I am a gulper. I gulp. Chasing a toddler and newly-crawling baby, cats underfoot, smoothie in hand, dancing to some iteration of not-quite-kids'-music: Peter Franti or Jack Johnson or They Might Be Giants (which, really, might as well be kids' music), that breakfast smoothie is the last thing on my mind, and so I gulp it.

This, I am told, is the absolute wrong way to drink a smoothie. The right way involves "chewing" the liquid, so that it comes into contact with saliva and allows your mouth's enzymes to begin the digestive process before it enters the stomach. When done correctly, it is supposed to get warm in your mouth. (Am I the only one who cringes at the idea of warm smoothie?)

Whether due to preoccupation or an aversion to mouth-temperature smoothies, I am decidedly bad at this. But here's the solution: chewable bits, stirred or blended in at the end. These force you to savor smoothies, and can be soaked chia seeds, dried goji berries, semi-blended dates, even raisins. This time of year, I prefer fresh raspberries, which are abundant, and so delicious paired with the muskiness of mango.

Raspberry Mango Smoothie
1 large serving

1 cup frozen mango chunks
1 fresh peach, pitted, skin on (bananas, apricots, or additional mango also works here)
1 cup almond milk, fresh orange juice, or water
juice of 1 lime
dash stevia or agave to taste
1 cup ice
generous handful of fresh raspberries

Blend everything except the raspberries until completely smooth, adjusting the sweetness as you like. Toss in raspberries, and briefly pulse until the berries are just broken up, but the individual seeds remain whole (the smoothie should still be peach-colored, not pink).

Drink, hunched over a computer at the office while typing furiously, or running after your twelve children, comforted by the idea that even in chaos, you are properly chewing your smoothies.


Tomorrow I head over to Colorado Vegfest to check out vegan favorites like Colleen Patrick Goudreau and Howard Lyman. Can't wait. Also, I'm still putting together a quick demo on cake decorating. I shot it weeks ago, but in the excitement of summer, haven't edited it yet. Soon. Until then, enjoy your smoothies!