Strawberry, Basil & Balsamic Smoothie

Smoothies are really hip right now, aren’t they? It almost makes me like them a little bit less – yeah, I’m one of those people. It isn’t that I enjoy being the only fan of something, either; I just get a little put off when everyone and their mom goes gaga over one thing. I guess it’s the extremes that unsettle me. Still, even the smoothie trend that’s been sweeping over our country hasn’t been enough to dissuade me entirely. After all, there’s a reason they’re so popular – they’re delicious, and can be great for you, too! To try to buck the trend just a teensy bit without boycotting the nutritious drink entirely, I often like to go for “out of the box” flavors. At least, I’m not the kind of person to just throw random fruit together and call it a day. My smoothies need a theme. They require inspiration.

I really like to recreate some of my favorite dishes in smoothie form, which is how I got recipes like sweet potato pie smoothie and pink lemonade smoothie. My most recent creation was a work in progress, but I think I’ve nailed it: a Strawberry, Basil & Balsamic Smoothie. These flavors come together so well in salads all the time, and when I found myself with a flourishing basil plant and a bag of frozen strawberries in the freezer, I knew I had to give it a shot. I have to confess, my first attempt went down the drain, as much as it pains me to waste food and ingredients. I was too exuberant about the balsamic and even I couldn’t stomach it in the end. Round 2 went much better, and what I have for you today is a very sophistical smoothie. It’s mildly sweet with a tang that doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the drink. It’s certainly not a smoothie for everyone, but if you like these flavor combinations, consider trying it out. You may be pleasantly surprised.

 

Past Smoothie Recipes: Pink Lemonade, Raspberry Linzer, Sweet Potato Pie, Strawberry-Mango

You may also have noticed that I’m writing my recipes a little differently. I read a blog post summarizing some tips on how to write a better recipe, and I think it made some valid points. Notably, I’m going to be trying to incorporate a brief summary of the recipe at the top along with prep and cook times. I hope you like the new format!