Summer in the Sierra Nevada mountains is when the wild blackberries ripen. These unstoppable plants cover over an acre of our land, so for the next month I’ll spend way more time than the average person wondering what to do with blackberries.

I’m a fan of simple solutions, so here is a Blackberry Smoothie Recipe. After a few weeks of drinking purple smoothies I might get more creative . . . Blackberry Balsamic Reduction . . . Roasted Blackberries with Baby Purple Potatoes and Fennel . . . Blackberry Foam . . .

My recent writing covers abstract and rather deep topics, such as love of nature and letting go of expectations. And while falling asleep the other night I noticed myself feeling exhausted from too much self inquiry. This week I’m finding ways to relax and chill out, so a simple blackberry smoothie recipe is a welcome change of pace.

Wild blackberries tend to have substantial seeds, so using a high speed blender helps to make the smoothie smooth. A regular blender will still do the trick but instead of a Blackberry Smoothie you might end up with a Blackberry Grainy. No worries though, it will still taste delicious.

Wild Blackberry Smoothie Recipe

• ½ cup of blackberries
• 1 banana
• ½ cup of strawberries
• ½ cup of peaches
• 1 cup of unsweetened soy milk
• ½ cup water or more if too thick
• 2 tbsp chia seeds (to make it hip . . . )

I use West Soy unsweetened plain soy milk to make this dairy free, but nut milk will also taste good. Frozen fruit will keep the smoothie cold and refreshing, but if the fruit is fresh you can use ice cubes instead of water in this recipe. Toss everything into your blender and blend for a minute or so. Pour into a glass and take a moment to admire the fabulous purple color. Drink and enjoy!