"Wild Blueberries are Doubly Good" Smoothie

To look at the above graph closer, just click on it. It shows today's smoothie's approximate nutritional values. The above values are based on 2.5 servings. The 2.5 servings average about 415 calories all together, or 166 calories per serving.




The two great things about wild blueberries are:

1. They are high in antioxidants.
2. They camouflage spinach better than anything else I have used.

Wild blueberries are higher in antioxidants than raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, granny smith apples, cultivated blueberries, prunes, strawberries and sweet cherries (according to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry).

I bought mine frozen in a big ole bag at Costco. I can't tell you how much they cost, but I can tell you that they seem like they are lasting FOREVER.

The second great thing about wild blueberries, or blueberries in general, are that they really take the green factor out of the green smoothie. That can be an indispensable factor in convincing people (including yourself, perhaps?) to drink them.

Here is today's recipe which is totally NOT vegan:

1/2 c. frozen wild blueberries
1/2 c. Kefir Probiotic Yogurt
1 c. organic whole milk
1 c. organic raw spinach
1/2 c. ice
1/2 c. filter water
1 frozen organic banana
1 shot of agave
1 shot of vanilla extract

Choco-Cherry Num Yummy

Here is yet another smoothie recipe! I promise I'll be mixing it up soon on here. There is a meatloaf recipe looming in the future!

So here is today's smoothie. This one caters more to the palate than most.

1/2 c. enriched chocolate rice dream
1/2 c. chocolate silken tofu
1/2 c. dark frozen cherries
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. ice
1 c. baby spinach
squirt of agave
squirt of vanilla extract

Enjoy!

Hot Diggity Damn Smoothie

I really like this one. I think it's my favorite one I have ever made!!!

Hot Diggity Damn Smoothie

1 c. apple juice
1 c. enriched vanilla rice dream
1 c. baby spinach
1/2 c. plain yogurt
shot of vanilla extract
1/2 c. ice
1/2 c. frozen strawberries
1 frozen banana
little bit of water

Quite possibly, the reason this was so amazing is that I used strawberries that I picked up a couple of days ago and then froze so my kid would have a cool snack to eat. He didn't like them frozen, so into the smoothie they went.

This one was amazing!

Mantis Mojo Smoothie

One thing I have to say that I am thankful for is the fact that not only does my kid come running when he hears the blender chugging away, but he demands "MORE!" once he has inhaled the first sippy cup of green smoothie.

That means that I don't have to give the smoothies deceptive and attractive names to entice my kid to drink them. I can't tell you how many recipes I have found for green smoothies with names like "Yoda Power" or "Hulk Smoothie".

So, I get to name my recipes after things that I like, like insects. And, yes, it's gross!!! But that is how I roll. And don't worry, if there were insects in this you'd find it in the recipe.

In fact, for this one I tried to use ingredients that people usually have in their homes, like canned fruit and apple juice. If you want to make this one and forgo the Carrot Juice and Rice Dream you can, just add more apple juice and use regular skim milk.

Mantis Mojo Smoothie

1 c. Spinach
1/2 c. Carrot Juice
1/2 c. Ice
1/2 c. Canned Peaches
1/2 c. Canned Pears
1/2 c. Plain Yogurt
1/2 c. Apple Juice
1 Frozen Banana
1/2 Enriched Vanilla Rice Dream

Chocolate Spinach??? Vegan Friendly Smoothie

Ok, I have a recipe here that experiments with Chocolate Tofu. I've been using it off and on for a couple of weeks and I find it a nice alternative to the regular vanilla based flavors of other smoothies I make.

Here is a nutritional breakdown of the smoothie I made this morning. These values represent two servings. Each serving is around 207 calories. Just double click the graph to enlarge it so you can actually see it!

Chocolate Strawberry Morning Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings

1/2 c. Chocolate Silken Tofu
1 c. Enriched Vanilla Rice Dream
1 c. Fresh Ripe Strawberries
1 Frozen Banana
1 c. Baby Spinach
2 Large Bok Choy Leaves
1/2 c. Ice

Blend in crazy ass blender. Drink, feel good about your breakfast choice!

Mark Bittman, I love you. *Asparagus*

It's that time of year when asparagus is as it should be and everything seems right in the world.

Yesterday Jack and I hit up a local farmer's stand and what did our wondering eyes behold, but freshly cut asparagus gleaming in the early morning sunshine!!!!!

Here is a recipe that does justice to the wonderful flavors this veggie has to offer, and it takes less than 15 minutes to make!! I am going to just paraphrase Mark Bittman's recipe from his cookbook "How to Cook Everything".

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Snap your spears so they break at the natural point
Drop the spears into a dish where they can all lay down flat, cover with water, dump about a tablespoon of salt in there, mix it up and microwave for about 2 minutes.

Take them out, drop them in cold water, dry them off.

Lay the asparagus spears in a buttered casserole dish, cut up about 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and scattered over the top, pour about a cup of freshly shredded parmesan on top. (I use asiago, parmesan, fontina and pecorino romano b/c I love cheese)

Bake about 10-12 minutes, until the cheese is browning. Take it out and add more cheese if you want.

Season with some freshly ground black pepper and coarse salt if you wish, but I omit the salt b/c the cheese is salty enough for me.

EAT!!!

Rather Healthy and Tasty Banana Bread

2 egg whites
1/2 c. light olive oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 ripe bananas (broken in half)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 c. agave nectar
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 c. corn meal
1/2 c. chopped nuts (if your kid isn't allergic to nuts)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put all items in blender in order listed. Blend until fully, well mixed.

Pour into oiled/sprayed bread loaf pan.

Bake for 50 Minutes at 325.

Blue Bok Smoothie

2 large Bok Choy Leaves
Handful of Spinach
1/2 c. enriched vanilla rice milk
1/2 c. carrot juice
splash of agave
spash of vanilla extract
1/2 c. frozen wild blueberries
1 frozen banana
1/2 c. plain yogurt (easily replaced with tofu for vegan smoothie)
1/2 c. filtered water
handful of ice

I like this smoothie simply because I was able to use carrots, spinach and bok choy! Whenever blueberries are thrown into the mix the green-ness is lessened and so it is even more deceptive for children and more appealing to sensitive eyes!

Smooooooth....

So, a hobby that I discovered since last October, when I got my birthday present (a blendtec blender), was making healthy smoothies for breakfast.

My friend Ryan suggested that I post some of them on here and I realized that posting them as status updates on Facebook doesn't give me the option to review them! So, I am going to post today's smoothie!


"Deception Incarnate" Smoothie
Carrot Juice
Enriched Vanilla Rice Dream
Spinach
Plain Yogurt
Frozen Banana
Frozen Orange Segments
Frozen Pineapple
Dash of Agave
Dash of Vanilla Extract
Ice
Water
IAG

I named this smoothie "Deception Incarnate" simply because I managed to sneak not one, but TWO, liquified vegetables into this smoothie and my son drank it up! It is rather sweet because of the Agave and the Pineapple, and the vanilla lends the taste toward an orange julius.

This Past Year!

I figured that the only way to catch up on this last year was to just pop some pictures in here that tell the story for me!

Hominy and Greens! (Mark Bittman Recipe)
How To Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food 

Homemade Bread made with my Blentec Blender. YUM!
Blendtec TB-631-20 The Professional's Choice 1560-Watt Total Blender, Red 

Cold Tofu and Celery Salad with Sesame Seeds.

Happy Anniversary to me!
Mauviel M'heritage Copper 8-Piece Set 

Calphalon Unison pans are a great nonstick option.
Calphalon Unison Nonstick 12-Inch Round Grill Pan

Christmas Cornish Game Hens with an Apple Spice Glaze.

Braised Butternut Squash (Mark Bittman Recipe)

Still loving the pots and pans!

Martha Stewart Lemon Ice Box Cookies.

This meatloaf is surprisingly amazing. It is Ground Turkey, Feta, Italian Breadcrumbs and Cooked Spinach.

Uber Healthy Cookies!