Peach & Strawberry Smoothie

The delicate hint of rose complements the taste of the strawberries perfectly and really brings out the fruity flavors of this drink. I can't eat much first thing in the morning, so I'll often have a smoothie to last me until I can eat a bit more. Tinned peaches and frozen strawberries make this a quick, nutritious drink you can whip up anytime of the year.

Note: kefir is much more nutritious and beneficial than yogurt. Unlike yogurt it can actually colonize the friendly bacteria in your gut. While yogurt contains one or two strains of beneficial bacteria, kefir typically contains many more strains of both beneficial bacteria and yeast, all of which contribute different health benefits. It's really easy to make kefir.

Ingredients:
1 can peaches, in juice
1 handful strawberries, fresh or frozen
1 to 1-1/2 cup kefir or organic acidophilus yogurt
1 teas bee pollen
1 teas Eau de roses (extract of roses)

Important ingredient notes:
Make sure the peaches are in juice, not syrup, even light syrup – it's full of sugar and definitely not healthy. Even light syrup really overdoes the sugar and takes away from the flavor of the peaches.

Look for Eau de roses in shops that specialize in Middle Eastern or Mediterranean foods. This is the flavoring that's commonly used in Turkish delight. If you can't find any, try substituting natural vanilla essence instead.

Instructions:
Pour the peaches, including their juice and yogurt into a blender. Add bee pollen and rose water. Blend well.

Frozen strawberries will make this a bit thicker and colder than fresh strawberries. You can also add some ice if you want a really cold drink, but not too much or it will mask some of the subtle flavors of this smoothie.

Makes 2 tall smoothies