Super Antioxidant Smoothie

I think it's time we talked about the good, the bad, and the super awkward.

First, the good:  I am learning how to swim. After conquering a lifelong fear of water, drowning, and most certain death, I recently signed up for adult swim lessons. And I'm loving it! I'm loving it so much that I've been trying to practice in between lessons so I can keep improving... which leads me to the bad.

A bad idea, that is. It is a bad idea to go to the community pool for public swimming time on a Friday night. I was expecting to find the pool empty with maybe myself and a couple of adults getting in some late-night cardio. No such luck. Instead, the pool was packed with children of all ages and every single floaty device ever created. I could instantly tell I was going to be the oldest person there by over a decade, but I stuck with my (bad) decision and stayed to practice my kicks. And then it happened.

The super awkward. After 45 minutes I grew tired of getting kicked in the face by tiny feet and hit over the head with floaty things so I retreated to the hot tub to take a breather. Note to self: the next time I hear a prepubescent male voice say "Hey, what school do you go to?" get up, and leave. No explanation needed. Because things only get super awkward from here.

But my former naive self, who didn't want to seem rude and had no idea what was coming, politely responded, "I don't go to school." To which my young male friend asked, "Well what college do you go to?" Me: "Uh, I am sorta... post-college." I was met with widened eyes and an "Ohhh."

Ladies, you should know that what follows this will be the following three questions: "So, are you here with your friends?" then, "Do you come here often?"  and finally, "What are you doing next Friday night?"

It's awkward enough to get hit on by junior high boys in junior high... but in your late twenties, it's just a sign that you should stay away from public swim night.
The only way to recover after an awkward (although humorous) swimming experience?  An antioxidant smoothie.  This smoothie is packed full of nutrient-rich goodness.  I used dried goji berries and a mix of frozen berries (cherries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries).  Goji and other berries are high in antioxidants, which work to protect our cells from aging.  Antioxidants are also thought to help boost immunity and reduce the risk of some diseases.

I blended filtered water with cashews to make a creamy base with some healthy fats for the smoothie, but you could also sub any nut milk of your choosing.  If you have spinach or other greens on hand, this recipe is a wonderful green smoothie as well.  Blend with a frozen banana and enjoy your super antioxidant treat!

Super Antioxidant Smoothie
Serves 1

1.5 cups water
2 Tablespoons cashews
2 Tablespoons goji berries
1 cup frozen berries
1 banana, peeled and frozen

Blend water and cashews until creamy.  Add goji berries, frozen berries, and banana and blend.  Enjoy!