A Summer Breakfast Series (Recipe: Raspberry Vanilla Smoothies)

photo credit:  www.raspberry.us

All I can say right now is that it is hot.  Dang HOT! I couldn't believe my eyes when I checked the weather around 6:00 pm today, 101 degrees F.  Too hot to go outside.  Too hot to eat lunch or dinner al fresco.  Just too dang hot.  What really stinks is that it is mid-June and technically not even summer yet.  I am back to the days of hitting the park by 8am because when 9:15 rolls around the sun sizzles down upon us and it is time to take that steamy, hot walk home.  It stinks.

On the up side (if there is one), the heat brings cooler food to the table (literally and figuratively).  I have found myself eating more salads and slaws, enjoying juicy peaches (Baking Toddler ate TWO today), and sipping on icy cold lemonade and sweet tea (I'm a southern girl-go figure).  So in those early summer hours when the temperature is hovering around 80 degrees F, you can find me eating breakfast al fresco and definitely sipping on one of these smoothies.

This Raspberry Vanilla Smoothie is part of the Summer Breakfast Series in which our menu includes:

• Potato Basil Frittata
• Ricotta Doughnuts with Blueberry Compote
• Sliced Fruit or a Summer Salad
• Raspberry Vanilla Smoothies
• Coffee & Orange Juice

Oh yeah, totally unrelated to this post or the Summer Breakfast Series but the Smoky Maple Glazed Salmon was featured on StumbleUpon.  I am not a member but apparently one of their members seemed to like the recipe and shared it with the search engine.  I had almost 800 views for that recipe alone last Monday.  It freaked me out because I was afraid I had a creeper on my hands.  Thanks for the props, whoever you are!  Hope you are not a creeper.

Raspberry Vanilla Smoothies
serves 6
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups plain Greek Yogurt
1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries
3/4 cup cranberry juice
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups ice

1. Combine sugar and water in small saucepan and cook over medium low heat until sugar has dissolved.  Set aside and cool.
2. Pour cooled sugar syrup into a blender and add yogurt, berries, juice, vanilla and ice.  Blend until thick and smooth.  Pour into glasses and serve.