A breakfast that goes down smooth

Sometimes, I like to start my day with a nice cold one. You read that right, a cold one. But not the kind of cold one you're thinking. Breakfast is a bit early for beer, don't you think? You don't hear people saying "It's 8 a.m. somewhere!,'' do you?

I'm talking about a nice, cold, refreshing smoothie.

Smoothies, made with lowfat yogurt, fresh fruit and juice, are a great way to start your day in a healthy way, with several servings of fruit. Sip one, slowly, through a straw. They're surprisingly filling. Plus, they're portable. Pour one in a glass and go about your housework, makeup routine and other business. It's a breakfast that goes where you go, and can even be poured in an insulated container and taken in the car.

The best thing about smoothies is that they are an all-season treat. In the summer, I make them with strawberries, peaches, melon, blueberries, cherries and other fruits.

In the winter, I make them with apples, pears (both add nice thickness), frozen pineapple chunks and blueberries, tart cherries and other summer fruit we have stashed in the freezer. I even throw diced frozen banana in there, which might come as a surprise to those of you who know I'm not a big fan of bananas. Even though they're not my favorite fruit, they're a great source of potassium. Winter Morning Breakfast Smoothie You will need:

1/2 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt

Half a cup of frozen pineapple chunks Half of a banana, diced, also from the freezer 1 whole apple, peeled, cored and diced Handful of frozen blueberries or tart cherries 1 tablespoon honey (optional) 1 tablespoon wheat germ (optional) Splash of apple cider, orange juice or other fruit juice you have on hand Dash of vanilla extract, sprinkling of cinnamon Blend yogurt, fruit, juice and vanilla extract until blended. If mixture is thick, add more juice. If it seems thin, add ice cubes to blender one at a time and blend. Add honey and wheat germ and blend until combined well.

Pour smoothie into a tall glass. Serves one.