Fruit is wonderful eaten as is but chilling it bumps the refreshment factor up a notch. (What’s a better picnic treat than cut melon pulled from an icy cooler?) Freezing the fruit takes the cooling effect a step further and invites a swirl of frosty options.
Just put frozen fruit in a blender, pour in enough milk to cover it, and you have the base of a frothy, drinkable smoothie; add a tiny bit of liquid instead — enough to get the mix whirring — and you wind up with a sorbetlike frozen dessert. Split the difference and you get the makings of a smoothie bowl: a frosty fruit puree that is so thick you can top it with all kinds of fun, healthful ingredients and eat it with a spoon.
This version is a mix of cherries, for a brilliant red, summery essence, and ripe banana, which provides enough sweetness that you don’t need added sugar. The fruits are frozen and blended with low-fat milk (you could substitute almond, coconut or soy milk if you prefer) and an aromatic hint of vanilla until smooth and spoonable, then poured into a bowl and topped with an array of colors, tastes and textures: juicy berries, chewy coconut, and crunchy, protein-rich almonds and chia seeds.
It’s one of those recipes you can freely play around with, using any mix of fruit, nut and seed toppings you like, for a breakfast or snack that’s satisfying and refreshingly different.