Wisdom tooth extraction = soft foods = smoothie time!

Alas, at age 32 the time has finally come for me to have my wisdom teeth out. The procedure went as smoothly as it could, but nevertheless I'm down two teeth (and I've gained two gaping holes in my mouth, goody). Even though I only did the left side, I still have to be on soft foods for a few days. Luckily, that doesn't mean nothing but porridge! Between my new gustatory needs and the arrival of spring, I decided this was the perfect time to pull out the blender and get busy with some smoothies.

Smoothies are delicious and easy to make - in fact the hardest part is probably cleaning the blender afterward. Many people like to go with a banana base. Me, I prefer to let bananas be bananas, and stick to berries! They're crazy full of antioxidants, have wonderful flavor of course, and give a smoothie gorgeous color. Plus, frozen organic berries are available year round and work perfectly for that cold, thick consistency you're aiming for.

For this morning's smoothie I used the following:

• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup frozen cherries
• 1/2 cup vanilla soy yogurt
• enough almond milk to bring it to the right consistency - somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 of a cup
• a hearty squeeze of raw blue agave nectar

Using yogurt adds a nice dose of protein to my purple meal-in-a-glass, and will also help combat the bad effects of the antibiotics they're making me take to prevent infection. It's always a good idea to help replace your intestinal flora when on antibiotics - just don't consume your "probiotics" at the same time that you're taking the pills! Give a couple hours in between to let each do its job.

I'm hoping I'll be back on solid foods by, say, Monday? Until then, me and my blender can cozy up and make beautiful smoothies together...