Happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Dan and I have spent the last couple of days in the sunshine state for our friends’ wedding. I’ve taken the time to decompress and detach from technology, and the downtime has been rejuvenating.

As I write this from the comforts of our compact rental car, we’re making our way to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter where we’ll spend the day before heading back to Chicago late this evening. I never finished the series — still have grand plans to go back and immerse myself page-by-page — but I’m so excited to meander through the magical streets of Hogsmeade. A healthy dose of childhood wonder and laughter is good for the soul, right?

Also good for the soul: smoothies like this one…

Amethyst-hued.

Creamy.

Slightly tart.

Yet sweet in all the right ways.

Antioxidant-laden.

Graced with subtle herbaceous flair.

Downright lovely.

To make this smoothie, you’ll add a frozen banana, water, fresh blackberries, ice, basil leaves, and chia seeds to a blender. Blend on high for a minute or two, pour into a glass, and slurp away. There’s something wintry about this smoothie, and the chia seeds lend a richness that’s filling and satisfying. The basil adds a pop of freshness to cut through the creaminess of the banana, and you can easily swap the blackberries for another berry that you have on hand (strawberries and blueberries are great options). Overall, this one is a great go-to morning smoothie that offers energy, ease, and satisfying flavors.