Smoothies are terrific because they contain refreshing ingredients and are very easy to make. It's a blended beverage that can be enjoyed any time of day. Whether you're looking for a nutritious treat, a healthy breakfast or a post-workout recovery shake, these recipes will help you satisfy any smoothie craving.

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1. For an Antioxidant Blast

This smoothie recipe packs a refreshing blast of antioxidants and nutrients. Made with berries, matcha powder and beets, it delivers a significant dose of vitamins and minerals that will naturally rejuvenate and strengthen your body. Try this smoothie for when you need to give your system an immunity boost.

2. For All-Around Good Health

All you need are fresh fruit, non-dairy milk and spinach to put together a healthy smoothie. It's a simple treat you can enjoy for breakfast, as a snack, or after a good workout.

3. For a Lean, Green Breakfast

Don't let the appearance of this green breakfast smoothie fool you — it is a lean, green, detox machine. In just one glass, it delivers a surprising amount of nutritional benefits that'll get you through the day. To make this smoothie even sweeter, add half a slice of a banana.

4. For Clear Skin

The ingredients in this tropical smoothie not only taste great, but can contribute to healthy, glowing skin. Each ingredient contains many skin-firming and hydrating properties, leaving you with a rejuvenated complexion. Enjoy this smoothie fresh to experience maximum health benefits.

5. For Detoxing

Replenish your body with a detoxifying smoothie. This smoothie recipe is filled with nutritious ingredients such as ginger, coconut water and leafy greens that help cleanse your system and revitalize your body. This detoxifying smoothie supplies your body with plenty of nutrients and anti-inflammatory qualities.

6. For Low-Sugar Sweetness

This peaches and cream smoothie is simple and sweet. All it takes is a ripe peach, plain yogurt, cinnamon and vanilla extract to create this creamy concoction. This is a wholesome smoothie to enjoy for breakfast or as a tasty snack.

7. For Kids

Kids love a good chocolate smoothie, and this one is no exception. It's packed with protein, chocolate, almond butter and bananas that make for a rich and creamy treat. These homemade protein shakes will be sure to please children and anyone with a big sweet tooth.

8. For a Dessert-Alternative

For a delicious and drinkable dessert, serve up a batch of this coconut cream pie smoothie. The smoothie is made from simple ingredients such as bananas, coconut milk, graham crackers and honey, which truly make this a unique and refreshing smoothie. Freeze the bananas prior to blending to ensure the smoothie maintains a creamy texture.

9. For Super Food Fans

Add any of these 11 foods to supercharge your smoothie, from acai to chia seeds. The powerful ingredients will give a nutritional boost to any of your favorite smoothie recipes.

Things You\’ll Need

• Large stock pot

• Chef's knife

• Cutting board

• Slotted spoon or tongs

• Large bowl

• Ice cubes

• Colander

• Paper towels

• Aromatics (e.g., herb sprigs, garlic cloves, hot peppers, whole peppercorns)

• Distilled water

• Kosher salt

• Heavy plate or other clean, narrow weighted object to fit crock

• Dishcloth or plastic wrap

Chop corn ears crosswise for an easier fit in the pickling crock. Image Credit: Tei_Sinthipsomboon/iStock/Getty Images

Pickled corn serves as a sweet and sour side dish at picnics and summer barbecues. Short, squat crocks that hold at least 4 quarts are sturdier than jars, and they block out heat and sunlight during the fermentation process. Crocks also provide increased width over standard jars, allowing for alternating layers of chopped corn ears with other flavoring ingredients during the pickling process. Use jalapenos and garlic for a pungent punch, or coriander seeds and dill for a tart touch.

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Step 1

Fill the stock pot with water and set it over high heat. While the water comes to a boil, husk the ears and remove their silks. Cut the corn ears, crosswise, into disks about 1.5 inches long.

Step 2

Boil the sliced ears for 5 minutes, then remove the pieces and plunge them into a bowl of ice water. Immediately remove the corn pieces and drain them.

Step 3

Drain the corn in a colander and pat the corn dry with paper towels.

Step 4

Prepare the other flavoring ingredients. Depending on the aromatics you use, preparation might include peeling and chopping garlic cloves, chopping jalapeno sections, and separating clean herb bunches into individual sprigs.

Step 5

Set the first layer of corn pieces in the crock. Alternate corn pieces with the prepared aromatics, until all of the corn is in the crock. A 4-quart — 1 gallon — crock will hold about six chopped corn ears.

Step 6

Make a brine in a large bowl by stirring together about 6 tablespoons kosher salt for every 2 quarts of room-temperature water. Stir vigorously until the salt is completely dissolved.

Step 7

Add the brine to the crock until the corn is submerged. Use a heavy plate or other clean, heavy object to weigh down the corn and keep it under the brine.

Step 8

Cover the crock with a clean dishcloth or loose plastic wrap and set it in a dark room with a temperature that's about 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 9

Test the corn after about a week. When it is at the tartness and texture you prefer, cover the crock with its lid, or seal it with tight wrap. Put it in the refrigerator for up to three months. If the crock is too large for your refrigerator, divide the pickled corn, with its aromatic brine, into individual jars or airtight containers.

Tip

If you have a true corn bounty, use a larger pickling crock and double or triple the amount of brine and aromatics you'd normally use.

If you are buying new crocks, look for those that come with their own weights, which are constructed to fit perfectly into the crocks.

Warning

Take care that your crock, recipe ingredients and kitchen equipment are clean and dry to help prevent food spoilage.

If your home's tap water is hard, the final product may be affected. Use either distilled water in your brine, or boil hard tap water for 15 minutes. Let it stand for 24 hours; then strain the water.

Things You\’ll Need

• Mushrooms

• Clean cloth

• Baking tray or sauté pan

• Airtight containers

• Butter, salt and pepper (optional)

If you thought freezing mushrooms was impossible, look no further. White button mushrooms are the most widely available fresh mushrooms to freeze, but they aren't particularly flavorful. Crimini and portabella varieties have an earthier flavor as do shiitake mushrooms, which you can identify by their umbrella-shaped caps. Oyster mushrooms are more fragile and don't stand up to long cooking times. You can freeze any of these mushroom varieties, but it's better to cook them first instead of freezing them fresh. Freezing is widely thought to destroy the cell walls of fresh mushrooms, resulting in a mushy texture after they thaw out.

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Freezing Fresh Mushrooms

Step 1

Bear in mind that if you choose to freeze fresh mushrooms, you may be disappointed in the texture after you return them to room temperature. The freezing process creates a soggier mushroom when defrosted. You may want to use them in soups, stews and other dishes in which the mushrooms aren't the center of attention.

Step 2

Remove any dirt from your mushrooms by wiping them with a clean cloth.

Step 3

Place them on a baking tray and put them into the freezer.

Step 4

Remove the tray from the freezer when the mushrooms are frozen and pack them into airtight containers. To use, place the frozen mushrooms directly into a dish you're cooking or thaw them first for about one hour.

Freezing Cooked Mushrooms

Step 1

Remove any dirt from your mushrooms by wiping them with a clean cloth.

Step 2

Heat butter in a sauté pan. Use approximately two tablespoons of butter for one pound of mushrooms.

Step 3

Add the mushrooms to the skillet and sauté over high heat for several minutes, stirring constantly, until the mushrooms are the texture you prefer.

Step 4

Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper if you choose.

Step 5

Let the mushrooms cool, and then place them in airtight containers in the freezer. You can use the mushrooms frozen or thaw them for one hour before using. The Mushroom Council recommends that you use the frozen, sautéed mushrooms within one month.

Tip

Consider dehydrating your fresh mushrooms to preserve them instead of freezing. Use a dehydrator or cut them into pieces and lay them out as a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place them in an oven preheated to 125 to 140 degrees and let them dry until they're brittle. Store in airtight containers.

They're not usually thought of as a nutritional powerhouse, but mushrooms do contain B vitamins, as well as selenium and copper. Mushrooms are low in calories: one cup of raw mushrooms has about 20 calories.

Researchers tout mushrooms for other health benefits such as antiviral and anticancer effects, as well as cholesterol-lowering properties.

Peaches are in full swing right now and it's the perfect time to use them in your baking, cooking and canning. They are so sweet, delicious and juicy this time of year. Even though fresh peaches are only available for a few months in the summer, there's no reason you can't enjoy them all year long. Just choose some fresh ripe peaches, grab a few jars, a little sugar, and you'll be on your way to preserving these delightful beauties in no time. This winter you can look forward to savoring them right out of the jar, as an ice cream topping, or even in a dessert.

Things You\’ll Need

• 20 pounds of a freestone variety of peaches (Red Haven, Red Globe, O'Henry, Elberta, Angelus, or Canadian Harmony are all good varieties)

• Sharp knife

• 6 cups water

• 3 cups sugar

• 7 or 8 quart canning jars with 2-piece lids

• Steam canner

Step 1

Remove the skins from the peaches by scalding them in boiling water for 15 seconds, then dunk them quickly into ice cold water. The skins should slip off easily. Halve the peach and remove the pit. Leave the peaches in halves or slice them. Place the prepared peaches in lemon juice to keep them from turning brown.

Step 2

Make a simple syrup with 6 cups of water and 3 cups of sugar. Heat until the sugar is dissolved. The sugar will help the peaches retain texture and color. It also adds to the sweetness of the fruit. 2 parts water to 1 part sugar is considered a thin syrup.

Step 3

Fill the sterilized quart jars with peaches and leave a 1/2-inch of headroom in each jar. Add the boiling simple syrup leaving a 1/2-inch of headroom. Wipe around the rim of each jar with a clean wet cloth.

Tip

You can use the dishwasher to sterilize the jars. Just wash and set the dry cycle to high heat. Leave them in the dishwasher until you are ready to use them. If you don't have a dishwasher, you can wash the jars with hot soapy water, rinse, then place them upside down on the steam canner shelf for a few minutes and the steam will sterilize them.

Step 4

Place a sterilized 2-piece lid on each jar. To sterilize the lids, place them in a small pan with boiling water until you're ready to use them.

Step 5

Set each jar on the shelf of the steam canner. Cover the jars with the steam canner lid. Bring the canner water to a boil and process for 25 minutes. Start the timer when the steam starts to come out of the hole in the canner lid.

Step 6

When the jars have processed for 25 minutes, remove the jars from the canner and place them on a towel. As they cool, you will start to hear the jar lids pinging. This means they are sealing. After an hour or so of cooling, you can check to see if the jar has sealed by running your finger along the center of the lid. If it springs back, the jar isn't sealed and should be placed in the refrigerator. A sealed jar of peaches should last at least 18 months when kept in a cool dry place. An unsealed jar of peaches will last about a week or so in the refrigerator.

Just peachy!