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Another sign of summer are all the recipes I keep seeing for berry dishes. From the Denver Post food section  to Sunset and Bon Appetit magazines, there have been some terrific new takes on what to do with the summer berry harvest. Best of all, they’re very kid friendly, so I’ll be sharing the recipes (and some good books to go with them) in the next few weeks.

First, to get us in a berry good mood, from Sylvan Dell Publishing comes Blackberry Banquet for children ages four to eight . Author Terry Pierce tells the story of forest animals squeaking, tweeting, slurping, yipping, and chomping over the sweet, plump fruit of a wild blackberry bush. When a bear arrives to take part in the feast, chaos strikes.

Like all Sylvan Dell books, the last few pages feature a “For Creative Minds” educational section with fun facts and other activities.  (You can also view it online on their website along with Teaching Activities, quizzes: Reading / FCM / Math, and Learning Links.) I learned that even foxes like to eat berries - who knew?

Terry got the idea for her newest picture book while vacationing in Oregon. “Blackberry Banquet came to me one day when I was approaching my favorite wild blackberry bush to pick berries for making a pie,” she explains. “As I neared the bush, a flurry of animals fled from it, and it made me start thinking about how we’re not the only animals who enjoy such a sweet treat!” (You can read an interview with Terry on the Sylvan Dell site.)

The For Creative Minds section also includes a blackberry recipe. As we all know, blackberries are pretty expensive. Luckily, we have a large bush growing in our yard. If you don’t, investigate if there is a farm in your area that allows families to pick berries. Otherwise, substitute frozen or another (cheaper) kind of berry.

Blackberry Smoothie

To make the smoothie even healthier, sneak in some protein powder, ground flax seed, or wheat germ. Use low or no fat yogurt and 1% or skim milk. You can also use half yogurt/ice cream and half milk.

Ingredients:

1. 1 c. vanilla yogurt, ice cream, or milk
2. 1/2 c. fresh or frozen blackberries
3. 1 small to medium banana
4. 2 to 3 Tbs. sugar to taste depending on berries (skip this step if you’re using flavored yogurt or ice cream).

Directions:

Use a blender on puree or high speed to mix. Pour into tall glasses. The smoothies taste even better if enjoyed outdoors.

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