Maple Blueberry Coffee Cake

I know it may be a little late for a blueberry post, but forgive me -- the summer heat has kept me out of the kitchen, daydreaming about crisp autumn days and apple pies.

Beea-utiful Berries

7.7 pounds of fresh picked blueberries

I spent July 4th with my friends Dawn and Erin in the fields at Emery's Blueberry Farm in New Egypt, NJ picking pounds of fresh, organic berries. We were in the middle of a heat wave in the mid-Atlantic but my seven-plus pounds of berries were worth the sun and sweat. One of the many blueberry recipes I had lined up for the coming weeks and months is this maple blueberry coffee cake.

Here's what I like about this cake: 

1. Maple syrup -- Sweeten your baked goods with maple syrup. Period.

2. Whole wheat flour and flax meal -- Both give the cake a tougher texture, placing this cake in the breakfast category instead of dessert. I know you love streusel. Butter, sugar, cinnamon. Seriously, there is nothing wrong about that trio. And although I love super sweet, cinnamon coffee cakes, the absence of streusel here makes it easier to justify eating this cake for breakfast.

Cooling Off with Smoothies

It's hot. Really hot.

Although I squeezed in some June baking, I spent most of the month trying to cool off from hot days on the farm. Instead of heating up the kitchen with a hot oven, I have been snacking on cold, crispy cucumbers and carrots, and drinking smoothies. Smoothies are like granola. You can hardly ever mess up and can make something delicious from whatever you have in your cabinets (or in this case, the refrigerator). Below are two of my favorite go-to drinks.

My summer office and classroom.

Kale and Mixed Berry Smoothie

1/4-1/2 c. fruit juice (orange, cranberry, lemon, etc.)

1 c. berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries)
1 medium banana

small handful of kale or spinach

1 c. Greek yogurt OR a handful of ice

Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

Kale and Mixed Berry Smoothie