You don’t have to heat the house to love berries

By J.M. Hirsch

This perfect-for-summer smoothie is closer to a frappe than the health food-inclined drinks most people associate with the term. If you’d like to health it up, substitute low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt and low-fat milk.

Or try a blueberry granita, which offers all the cool, summer refreshment of ice cream in a healthier, easier package. The regular stirring of the granita as it freezes is a great job for the kids.

BLUEBERRY SUMMER SMOOTHIE

1 cup blueberries

1 frozen banana

1 cup vanilla ice cream

1 tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate

1‚Ñ2 cup whole milk

Pinch salt

Pinch cinnamon

1‚Ñ2 cup club soda

In a blender, combine the blueberries, banana, ice cream, orange juice concentrate, milk, salt and cinnamon. Puree until very smooth. Add the soda water and puree for 1 to 2 seconds, or until just mixed. Serve immediately.

Servings: 2

BLUEBERRY GRANITA

31‚Ñ2 cups blueberries

1‚Ñ2 cup superfine sugar

3‚Ñ4 cup water

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Creme fraiche or unsweetened whipped cream, for serving

In a food processor, combine 21‚Ñ2 cups of the blueberries with the sugar. Process until very smooth.

Transfer the puree to a mesh strainer set over a medium bowl. Use a spoon to help press the juices out of the pulp. Discard the pulp.

Mix in the water, lemon zest and juice. Transfer the mixture to a shallow non-reactive baking dish and place in the freezer. Every hour, use a fork to stir the mixture, crushing and scraping it as ice forms.

After about 4 hours, when the mixture is evenly frozen and icy, scrape again with a fork to fluff the crystals. Spoon the granita into chilled serving glasses, then top with remaining blueberries and creme fraiche.

Servings: 4 to 6

(Granita recipe from Jim Denevan’s “Outstanding in the Field: A Farm to Table Cookbook,” Clarkson Potter, 2008)