Now that school is back in session, I’d give anything to
preserve that carefree feeling that comes with summertime. Well….I
figured it out. And I’m letting you, my friend, in on the juicy secret.
Shhh… EAT MORE BERRIES.
Blueberries, strawberries and blackberries are true super
foods. Naturally sweet and delicious, berries are low in sugar and high in life
preserving nutrients - they are among the best foods you can eat!
And every July and August in Oregon they are everywhere. Dripping
and draping all over the landscape West of the Cascades, succulent blackberries
line every roadway and riverbed and untamed patch of land as far as the eye can
see. Blueberries can be hoarded cheep at “U Pick and Pay” places along the
River cut canyons that tumble from the mountains of Central Oregon all the way
to the coast. Organic strawberry farmers welcome picking your own delectable
gems of juiciness along the McKenzie, and even Fred Meyer discounts huge
clamshells of berries during the height of berry season for 4 quid apiece. It’s
a veritable berry Barmitzvah!
Hard to be unhappy with that kind of gorgeousness going on
all around you. I mean, how do you badmouth a fresh berry? Or anyone or
anything, for that matter, when there are fresh berries in the house? It’s
inconceivable.
Last week a fun
friend invited us for a berry picking expedition. We loaded
up the cars with kids, cups and containers and headed over the mountains to
hunt for edible treasure.
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6 hours later we rolled back into the driveway, tired, full of berries, purple fingered ALL, and still damp from our bridge jumping challenges on the McKenzie. After dining on all the fresh berries we cared to eat that week, a large berry stash is tucked away in the freezer to last until Spring or whenever friends come up for a little getaway (yes, that's you).
I especially love the random blueberry leaf or tiny stems that end up in my breakfast bowl, or the occasional greenish blueberry
whose tartness reminds me that we did it ourselves…because we can.
You're invited, my friend. Add a few more berries to your life and
extend the magic of summer wherever you are.
Favorite Banana Berry Smoothie (Serves 8)
4 cubes ice
1 cup frozen berries (Costco has our favorite Oregon Berry
Blend for a great price yearround)
1 (13 ounce) can coconut cream
2 bananas (fresh or frozen)
¼ cup frozen OJ concentrate
Blend until smooth and dive back into summer!
