INQUISITR.COM / Health & Lifestyle

July Is National Blueberry Month: Celebrate With These Smoothie Recipes

By Charisse Van Horn
Published on: 15:50 PST, Jul 12, 2016

July is National Blueberry Month and people nationwide are celebrating with delicious recipes, such as blueberry smoothies. Fox 2 Now shared a video featuring alcoholic and non-alcoholic berry drinks served at the Hard Rock Cafe that celebrate blueberries. For those who want a healthy drink for enjoying blueberries during National Blueberry Month, the following smoothies are a great choice.

The Blueberry Orange Smoothie is a delicious and nutritious drink that is full of vitamins, anti-oxidants, and protein. Use fresh or frozen berries blended with orange juice and low-fat blueberry or vanilla yogurt for the smoothie. Top the blueberry smoothie with fresh blueberries, orange peel, or your choice of berries such as raspberries or strawberries. You can find an easy and quick blueberry-orange smoothie recipe at Betty Crocker.

The deep, purple-bluish color combined with orange in the above recipe is a bright, colorful variation of the blueberry smoothie. The following recipe combines blueberries with layers of creamy coconut, giving the finished drink a triple-toned hue that starts off with a rich plum then reaches a lighter shade of lavender and is topped with a creamy, white coconut froth. The blueberry-coconut smoothie looks gorgeous in mason jars or glass mugs and can be topped with shredded coconut, blueberries, or other fruit of your choice.

When it comes to serving blueberry smoothies, presentation is everything. While you can go out and purchase fancy blue and white drink straws, you can make your own embellishments that are the perfect adornment for your blueberry drinks. As featured in the picture above, all you have to do is slide some blueberries on a straw for the perfect decorative touch. The recipe for blueberry-muffin smoothies is a popular one and a good choice for those who want more carbohydrates added to their morning blueberry smoothie.

Most blueberry-muffin smoothie recipes call for the addition of oatmeal; however, you can make the recipe gluten-free, vegan, or just adjust the recipe to your tastes and dietary needs. Here are some links to various blueberry-muffin smoothie recipes as well as other popular blueberry smoothie recipes.

Teaspoon of Spice: Blueberry Muffin Smoothie (this recipe uses dry oats and Greek yogurt)

Casa de Crews: Blueberry-Lemon Smoothie

Martha Stewart: Banana-Blueberry Smoothie

All Recipes: Blueberry Smoothie

The Pioneer Woman: Blueberry-Yogurt Smoothie

The Blender Girl: Raw Vegan Blueberry Blast Smoothie

Diet Doctor: Low-Carb Blueberry Smoothie

The history of National Blueberry Month traces back to the United States Department of Agriculture and a proclamation declared on May 8, 1999. According to U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, Dan Glickman determined July as National Blueberry Month because it is the month when blueberry crops reach the peak of harvest. Blueberries are harvested from the middle of April throughout the beginning of October. Since the ’70s, many steps have been taken to promote blueberry growth nationwide, to cultivate highbush blueberries, and to increase production. Today, blueberries are recognized for their delicious flavor and nutritional value.

Check out the graphic below for a look at some of the nutritional and health benefits associated with blueberries.

Are you going to enjoy blueberries in July as a way of celebrating National Blueberry Month? From blueberry muffins and smoothies, to simply enjoying blueberries in their raw state, everyone can savor the flavor of blueberries this month.

[Image via Shutterstock]

Share this article: July Is National Blueberry Month: Celebrate With These Smoothie Recipes
More from Inquisitr