Mixed Berry Smoothie

Put all of the ingredients in a blender and whirl until smooth. Really let it whirl to get it smooth—this may take 2 minutes, which will seem like a long time to leave something in a blender, but the smooth texture at the end is totally worth it. (Note: This level of ultra-smoothness is difficult to achieve if you've decided to use blackberries, their stubborn hulls don't break down too easily.)

If you're not using frozen berries and want to add a couple of ice cubes to thicken things up, get the greatest thickening effect by adding them one at a time, with the blender running, and whirling each one until it's fully incorporated. It takes a bit of extra time, but the true "smoothie" texture that results is worth it.

Pour into a tall glass and serve immediately.

* Use whatever kind of yogurt you prefer, obviously, but the berry flavor will shine through best if the yogurt doesn't have other flavorings in it. Nonfat and low-fat yogurt are fine, but a whole milk yogurt will lead to the creamiest, most satisfying smoothie.

Variations

Make It Milky. For a creamier, less fruity smoothie, use milk, soy milk, almond milk, or rice milk instead of the orange juice.

Make It Vegan. Use a whole, peeled banana in place of the yogurt to thicken things up. Other tropical fruits can play this role too, including mangos and papayas. Plus, papaya adds a frothy element when you whip it up in a blender like this.

Make It Minty. Adding a couple of fresh mint leaves to berry smoothies takes them from delicious to "what is in this?!?!?!" Yum!

Make It Protein-Packed. Add a tablespoon or two of almond butter for a thicker smoothie with some extra protein in it, along with a lovely nutty flavor.

Make It Protein-Packed II. Add 2 to 4 ounces of soft tofu. It adds body and plenty of protein to the smoothie and hardly affects the flavor at all. 

Make It a Bit Green. Sounds odd, but if you want to work some more greens into your diet, know that a handful of spinach is barely detectable amid all the berry flavor going on here—although it will dull the color of the smoothie quite a bit, so it's not a great way to "sneak" greens into someone else's diet!