Smoothies are a great breakfast (or snack) option any time of the year, but especially in the summer when everyone’s home in the morning and you just want something cool and refreshing—and nutritious—to start off your day. The fact that it takes just minutes to throw together is a nice bonus, too.

For those of us who regularly enjoy smoothies though, it’s easy to get into a rut and make the same smoothies over and over again. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but if you’re like me, you’re ready for new ideas. So tell us:

What are your favorite smoothie tips or recipes?

I’ll start us off. I love adding a tablespoon or so of almond butter to my smoothies to add a nice and rich nutty flavor. When I need a boost of sweetness, I throw in one or two dates. And any bruised or nearly-overripe fruit gets washed, cut up, and thrown into the freezer for my smoothie stash.

How about you? Any tips or tricks for smoothie-making? Secret ingredients? Or if you have favorite recipes, shout them out below and let’s expand our smoothie repertoire!

 

Spinach is a dark green leafy vegetable wonder that people—especially kids—either love or hate. I was firmly in the love camp even before ever tasting spinach, thanks to all those afternoons spent watching Popeye the Sailorman after school. So imagine my profound surprise and disappointment when I finally had the chance to down a healthy portion of uncooked canned spinach, Popeye-style, because I thought that was the only proper way to eat it. Let’s just say I’ve come a long way since then.

Spinach is such a versatile vegetable, enjoyed cooked or raw, and is packed with so many things that are good for you. It’s usually available all year, but its peak season is right about now, when beautiful bundles of these green leaves adorn tables at many local farmers markets.

So let’s talk about this nutritional powerhouse today! Tell us:

Do you have any favorite tips for growing, buying, storing, or cooking spinach?

I love throwing a handful of spinach into my morning smoothies, and find that using a bit of fresh apple cider helps mask the sometimes-metallic taste when I accidentally add too much spinach. I also love creamed spinach, and though it’s typically a side dish, I’ll happily make a meal of it. Same goes for spinach just lightly sautéed with good oil and lots of garlic. And spinach salad? I can feast on that for days.

How about you? Any favorite spinach recipes? Or tips on the best way to store this delicate vegetable? Have any advice for growing or buying spinach? Funny or memorable stories about the first time you had it? Were you, like me, completely duped by Popeye? Come share below!

 

A bowl of cherries may traditionally represent the good life, but a bowl of strawberries is no less satisfying and captivating. When perfectly ripe, strawberries are succulent, juicy, sweet, with just the right counterbalance of tart that keeps you coming back for more. These bright red speckled beauties remind us that winter is over, and warmer weather lies ahead. A basket of strawberries holds a world of possibility: strawberry pies, shortcakes, ice cream, smoothies, jams, jellies, coulis, and almost any other sweet treat you can think of. But beyond that, they can also be roasted as a side dish component, tossed into salads or wraps, puréed in the salad dressing, or used in other savory applications. It’s a pretty mighty fruit, that one. Even the Beatles wanted to go down to their fields and take us with them.

Strawberries are in season right now, and a recent stop at the local stand of a nearby strawberry farm was quite the revelation. I had no idea there were so many different varieties of strawberries! They stock the stand every morning after picking—flats upon flats of lovely red strawberries. By early afternoon, you see the “All sold out” sign on the side of the road. That’s a lot of strawberries, and we want to know what you all do with them! Tell us:

What’s your favorite strawberry tip, trick, or recipe?

Any special tips for buying them or storing them? Do any of you grow strawberries in your garden? Any favorite recipes or dishes? I love strawberries but I’m pretty simple and haven’t gotten creative with them yet. Ree’s Strawberry Shortcake Cake is one of my favorites, but mostly, I just snack on them, sometimes with a bit of cream or honey yogurt, but always plain and unadorned if they’re particularly sweet. And I always keep some in the freezer for smoothies. My mom keeps them frozen too, but she uses them to keep champagne chilled. (I’m not as cool as she is, obviously.)

We want to hear all your strawberry tips and recipes, so come share below and include some links if you have ‘em!

 

We’re going through some kind of heatwave this week, and I finally understand why everyone has been warning us about the summer heat where we live out west. It’s H-O-T. Then again, I still remember what winter felt like back east (it was C-O-L-D) so I’m not complaining.

I’ve been drinking my share of plain cold water and cold seltzer, trying to stay cool and hydrated. I also find myself reaching for iced coffee when I can afford the extra caffeine. I like smoothies for breakfast, whip up fruit slushies in the blender when it’s snack time … I’d drink ice cream too, if I could. I think I ingest food mostly in liquid form when the temperatures start rising, and I suspect I’m not the only one. So, in an effort to expand our summer beverage repertoire, tell us:

What are some of your favorite summer drinks?

A Sicilian I used to work with swears by piping hot espressos and tea. He’s convinced that hot drinks can actually to cool your body down. I’ve also seen a lot of hot tea served in the middle of sweltering afternoons in India, so I’ve always wondered about this. Studies have shown that hot drinks make your body think it’s really hot outside, and that triggers sweating, which is your body’s way of cooling itself. But they warn it’s not as simple as that. It depends on other factors, like how humid it is outside and what you’re wearing. Because sweating helps only if it actually evaporates from your skin. Personally, I don’t like sweating, and if there’s no way for it to evaporate, you don’t quite get that promised cooling effect. You might instead get a hot-and-sticky effect. Not fun.

So I stick to my cold drinks, but wonder if anyone else might have a different experience. We want to hear all your summer drink ideas. Come share below!

 

It's Taco Tuesday-plus-one-day! I can't believe we haven't talked about tacos yet. I've been remiss!

Today's Kitchen Talk topic is all about the tomato. Tell us:

What are your favorite tips when it comes to tomatoes?

It can be about choosing tomatoes, your favorite variety of tomatoes, growing tomatoes, cooking tomatoes, canning tomatoes, the most delicious or even unusual dish you've had with tomatoes ... as long as it features the tomato,…