Berry Good Chocolate Mint Smoothie

Berry Good Chocolate Mint Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 3 cups fresh mixed berries: strawberry/blackberry/blueberry

• 3/4 cup soy milk (or milk of your choice)

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 12 chocolate mint leaves

1. Wash berries; hull and cut strawberries if they are large.

2. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

3. Garnish with chocolate mint leaf, if desire.

Yields: 4 cups (4 servings)

Notes&Tips:

• Smoothies are great for a snack or even as a light breakfast. They're a healthy alternative to the blended drinks you can procure at coffee shops.

• If the berries are sweet, reduce or eliminate sugar altogether.

• Yes, there is actually chocolate mint, not chocolate and mint combined but a mint plant so named. It has reddish-brown stems and the leaves are a slightly darker green than regular mint plants. It is hard to describe its taste. In addition to having the minty taste like a regular mint plant, there is another subtle taste that some describes as chocolate. However, I don't identify that taste as chocolate but it has a hint of sweetness to it. It is marketed as being good for tea and can also be used in salads.

• The chocolate mint leaves were a great addition to this smoothie. It made it very refreshing without imparting an overpowering mint flavor. I really enjoyed the flavor it added to the smoothie.