Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

It's finally starting to feel like March around here. 

We've had a fairly warm last couple of days, which has melted a considerable portion of our snowpack. Enough of the snow, in fact, that the dogs are pretty happy. And it was 60º yesterday! The hubby and I went into town without coats, and it felt amazing.

Dark Chocolate-Mint Ice Cream

I warned you.

I told everyone there would be more ice cream. This one is even easier than my Vanilla Bean. You don't need a stove, and there's not much work. The most work you'll do is by giving the dark chocolate a rough chop. 

Overnight Slow-Cooker Chicken Broth

I've got all kinds of things to talk to you about today. Slow cookers, chicken carcasses, herbs, veggies, broths, oh my! 

To tell you the truth, I haven't bought chicken broth in years. Years. I keep a can of chicken bouillon with my spices, but that's it. I've been making my own ever since I learned this super-simple way to make broth.

Ginger-Soy Glazed Mahi Mahi

Ah, mahi mahi.

Mahi mahi makes me think of Hawaii. I remember one trip with the hubby's company (ex-company, many moons ago) when one of his coworker's wives turned to me in a restaurant and told me to never order mahi mahi. She said they were as intelligent as dolphins and should not be eaten. She was very serious and told me to go read some studies.

My 2015 Goals

It's time to talk change. Self-improvement. Growth. You know, all that stuff that we humans loathe to do. I, myself, am a highly self-motivated person. When I set a goal, I work hard to get there. As such, I thought before I laid out my 2015 goals that we would see how I did on last year's goals.

My first goal was to run a 10k. Accomplished! I ran my first 10k in August. It was extremely hilly and my time wasn't the best, but I did it.

Me and the hubby at the Cincinnati Beer Run in May 2014.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

All right y'all, this recipe is just for me.

You see, I don't like to buy taco seasoning. I don't see the point when I keep all the ingredients on hand. I have a go-to recipe I use for taco seasoning, but I've adapted it. Between scouring the internet for the recipe I use and trying to remember the measurements I like, I finally decided I needed to write down my adaptation in one place, so I don't have to do all this work every time I need taco seasoning. So here we are.

I was reading this article on The Prairie Homestead, and it really got me thinking about what I buy vs. what I make homemade. It's amazing to me what kind of convenience items we buy at the store. It amazes me what convenience items I buy at the store. I make a lot of stuff homemade, but there are certain products that I buy and keep on hand. Almond milk. Tortillas. Dried pasta. You know the drill. All items I could make, but are just so easy to pick up. Seasoning mixes don't happen to be one of those convenience items I purchase. I make my own steak rub, my own pumpkin pie spice, and my own taco seasoning. Making your own seasoning is awesome. What if you hate how much chili powder they put in those packets, and you want more cumin flavor? Alter the recipe. Want it less spicy? Skip the crushed red pepper. Does garlic make your world go round? Throw more in there! I personally like the flavor of cumin to really punch through, and I like my seasoning spicy. Caliente! That's the beauty of creating your own- the power to tinker. Plus, what's in those little taco seasoning packets? You know, besides the spices. What chemicals and preservatives are in there?

There's so much information out there these days when it comes to food choices. I find a lot of it educational and useful, but at the same time, there seem to be a lot of articles trying to shame people for their food choices. In a perfect world, we'd all eat more fruits and veggies than steaks, we'd throw those TV dinners in the trash, and we'd all eat organic. It's just not plausible. As I stumble my way through the sheer volume of information out there involving food, it's hard to keep straight what's good and what's not. You can find articles out there denouncing genetically modified produce and at the same time, you can find articles extolling their benefits. Articles praising veganism, and on the other hand, articles claiming it's not a balanced diet. Why you should eat meat. Why you shouldn't eat meat. Wheat causes all kinds of health problems. Wheat sensitivity is all in our heads. I think I'd go crazy if I tried to literally live by all these opinions. What I do know is that I take it all with a grain of salt. I've come to realize I'll never be perfect, and neither will my diet. I do try to eat clean the majority of the time, I allow myself as much fruit and vegetables every day as my heart desires. I try to limit the processed stuff, but it's just not feasible for me to make fresh mayonnaise everyday. Or to completely steer clear of Cheetos Puffs. However, taco seasoning is easy to make and keeps for a looooong time. I made a small mason jar that will probably last me for years. 

Ok friends, I'll admit taco seasoning might not make for the most fascinating blogging. I do suggest putting this recipe back though, you never know when it might come in handy. Perhaps on taco night when you were 100% certain you had taco mix, only to discover -uh oh- you don't! This could definitely come in handy :)

Ingredients:

3 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp cumin

3 tsp sea salt

3 tsp black pepper

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp Mexican oregano (you can use regular)

1 tsp crushed red pepper

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small mason jar. Shake to combine. Store in an airtight container.

Printable Recipe

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.

Looking for other easy recipes for items you might normally pick up at the grocery store? Try these!

Easy Homemade Applesauce

Homemade Pesto

Homemade Hummus

Linked to: Treasure Box Tuesday, Weekend Potluck, Foodie Friday, Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party

The Best Carrot-Bran Muffins

These are not your mama's bran muffins.

What do you think of when you think of bran muffins? I think of dense little hockey pucks that are so dry you're left chewing a mouthful of what can only be described as dirt. I've never been a fan of bran muffins. Yuck.

So what's a girl to do when the hubby asks for bran muffins? Why, turn to Google of course! What did people do before the Internet? They didn't have access to billions of recipes, that's for sure. I'm very thankful that I have the Internet because I was able to track down a healthy, yet fabulous-tasting bran muffin recipe. These are still healthy muffins- low in sugar, made with almond milk, Greek yogurt and whole wheat flour, and a substitution of carrot for the raisins. They just taste better than the garden variety bran muffin.

This muffin recipe utilizes a classic cupcake technique to add levity- creaming of the butter and sugar. This made the recipe different from most muffin recipes where you throw everything together in a bowl. I really think the creaming allows for an airier muffin than the standard dense muffin. The recipe also makes good use of the classic trifecta of spice cake- cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. The hubby goes nuts for this combination. He's a spice cake man, through and through. Whatever the case, the spices work beautifully in this muffin and especially with the carrot. The hubby took these muffins as a snack all last week, and he raved over them. I have a feeling I haven't seen the last of these muffins :)

I think I mentioned last weekend that I was going to remedy my hummingbird situation here at the house. And I did! I bought a beautiful, colorful new feeder that Mr. Hummingbird has become obsessed with. We seem to get the Ruby Throated Hummingbirds around here, which I've read are very territorial. Indeed. Mr. Hummingbird likes to guard his feeder all day. He sits on it and chases all the other birds away. He even gets buzzy when I go out there to change the feeder. He must be watching from the trees or something because anytime I get near that feeder, he's buzzing around my head. I'm not too concerned, it amuses me to no end. This picture is hard to make out (it was taken through the screen on my living room window) but I got a pic of Mr. Hummer guarding his post-

Even that blurry picture puts a smile on my face. I heart wildlife :)

And what's on tap for this weekend? Honestly, I don't know. The hubby is on day-shift right now, and he's working the next 6 days straight. That means all weekend. Boo. So, whilst I'm alone this weekend, this is the plan (in no particular order)-

1. Run

2. Bake

3. Read

4. Catch up on couponing

5. Clean

Now that I look at this list, I realize it is actually in order of what I'd like to do vs what I'd least like to do. LOL. Funny how that works out.

Have a great weekend, my lovely friends! :)

Ingredients (makes 12 muffins):

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp kosher salt

6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, room temp

3/4 cup almond milk

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 tbsp molasses

1 tbsp honey

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup wheat bran

1 cup carrot, shredded

garnish- quick cooking oats (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400º. Line a cupcake pan with liners, set aside. 

2. In a small bowl, combine flours through salt. Whisk to combine, set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (1-2 minutes). Add eggs, beat to incorporate. Add almond milk through vanilla, beat to incorporate.

4. Fold wheat bran and carrot into batter with a spatula. Mix until just incorporated.

5. Divide batter among muffin tin. Top each muffin with quick cooking oats, if using. Bake in preheated oven 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. *For best results, do not over bake*.

6. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack. Cool completely before storage.

Printable Recipe

Helpful links:

Ruby Throated Hummingbirds

Linked to: Weekend Potluck, Foodie Friday

Oven-Baked Eggplant with Alfredo Sauce

Happy Friday! We've all made it to another weekend, thank goodness. I've got a lovely vegetarian recipe for everyone today, one that will definitely not have you asking, "Where's the meat?". I was experimenting with this recipe last week, and the hubby loved it to so much he didn't mind me experimenting with it this week. As a result, I was able to get the recipe exactly where I wanted it.

You may have noticed I've been cooking a lot of vegetarian meals lately. Or meals with lots of vegetables and little meat. The hubby has been having a lot of stomach related issues lately that have caused us to reevaluate what I feed him. We've also been doing a lot of research on organic and sustainable farming. Research that includes horrific information on hormones, antibiotics, and horrible living conditions for commercially farm-raised animals. As a result of all this, we are drastically changing what we eat. Call me crazy, but I've committed to not buying anymore meat from the supermarket. We are going to use up what I have in the freezer, and then go semi-vegetarian. Meaning, if we can get our hands on some locally raised meat we'll take it, but if we can't, then we just can't. Meat will become a once-in-awhile luxury vs something we eat every day. We are going to hit up the farmer's market every Saturday for local produce. The hubby has also starting juicing in the morning for breakfast, eating homemade salads for lunch, and cutting out processed food. Where he was sick as a dog and in-and-out of urgent care 2 weeks ago, he's feeling almost 100% since he's changed his diet. He goes through phases with his diet, so I'm hoping he really sticks to it this time!

I talked about this recipe last week. I was planning on making Eggplant Parmesan, but the hubby was having stomach distress. Tomato sauce never helps anyone with tummy problems. So I switched out marinara for Alfredo. My sauce turned out perfectly this week with the correct butter/flour ratios. I used mostly almond milk to make my sauce, but I did finish it off with a touch of cream to give it a little richness. Breading the eggplant is one of the easiest and most delicious ways I've prepared it.

I like to dip the eggplant rounds in egg, dredge them through a combination of panko and corn meal, and then bake them in the oven till they are crispy and browned. I whole-heartedly believe that even a picky eater would eat eggplant in this manner. It's that good!

To get the hubby his daily veggies, I served a salad on the side. Chopped green leaf lettuce, red and yellow cherry tomatoes, cucumber, goat cheese, and homemade poppyseed dressing. It was a perfectly light accompaniment to the eggplant.

One side note- I thoroughly enjoy leaving the skin on my veggies. If you do not share my fixation, you can, by all means, peel your eggplant. I will add that there are tons of vitamins and nutrients in the skin, though. Your mom would tell you to eat it. Just as mine always told me to eat my potato skins!

Does anyone have fun plans for the weekend? I don't know about fun, but I'll be remedying my hummingbird situation here at the homestead. I've only got 1 feeder at this time, being a newbie with the hummingbirds. I'm quickly learning that the nectar I make goes bad very fast. It's been getting cloudy after only 1 day in our heat. I was outside yesterday morning to retrieve the feeder so I could clean it and refill it. I was taking it off the stand when there was a very loud buzz over my shoulder. I slightly turned to see the hummingbird. He did not seem pleased, LOL. I took the flower part off the feeder and set it on my porch, so I could go empty the chamber in the ditch on the side of the house. When I turned around again, the hummingbird was on the porch, perched on the flowers. I was immediately filled with angst as I was taking his nectar and he wouldn't get any for a couple of hours. I've now decided that we must have 2 feeders so I can immediately put out a new one when I clean the old one. I just can't have those hummers mad at me :)

Have a great weekend friends!

Ingredients (serves 3-4):

1 large eggplant, sliced into rounds

2-3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup panko

1/4 cup cornmeal

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

1 1/4 cup almond milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

garnish: minced parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425º. Lightly spray a cookie sheet with cookie spray. Set aside.

2. Dip an eggplant round in egg, shaking off any excess. Combine panko and cornmeal. Dredge eggplant through panko mixture. Press crumbs into the eggplant. Place round on cookie sheet. Repeat with all eggplant rounds.

3. Bake in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. Flip all the rounds over and bake for another 10 minutes. Turn oven off and turn broiler on. Keeping an eye on rounds, pull the eggplant when all the rounds are browned and crispy. Set aside to slightly cool.

4. Make the Alfredo sauce- melt butter in a large skillet. Add flour, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Combine almond milk and cream. Add about 1/4 cup of almond milk mixture to skillet. Whisk constantly. Mixture will clump together, and this is normal. Cook for 1 minute (you are trying to cook out any raw flour taste). In slow additions, keep adding milk mixture until milk is completely incorporated. Add salt and pepper. Turn heat off and add cheese to skillet. Whisk until cheese is melted and incorporated.

5. To serve, place egg plant rounds on a plate. Drizzle Alfredo sauce over rounds. Serve immediately. 

Printable Recipe

Helpful links:

Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead

The Healing Properties of Juicing

Advance Sustainable Agriculture

Linked to: Weekend Potluck, Foodie Friday, Treasure Box Tuesdays

Strawberry Lime Basil Sparklers

The day I thought would never come has come. The day that I feature a non-alcoholic cocktail on my blog. Oh, how college-age Jessica would have rolled her eyes and let out a snort of derision. Then she would have smacked me upside the head and said, "Where the vodka?".

There's no vodka in these.

I will concede that vodka would be a nice addition to these mocktails, I just wasn't in the mood. I made these last week one day after the hubby had gone to work, and I was settling in for an evening of reading my book (I'm currently in the middle of "The Secret of Nightingale Palace"). I love to sit down with my book and a big glass of ice tea. Or a glass of wine. Or now, a glass of this!

It's not hard to make your own much healthier soda. It's not necessarily the carbonation that's bad for you in commercial soda. It's the chemicals. And the preservatives. I've read articles that say commercial soda is basically like drinking battery acid. I like my Diet Pepsi and Diet Coke probably more than the normal person, but I make a serious effort to limit my consumption. 

So there I was. Home alone. A couple handfuls of freshly harvested basil sat on the counter by my kitchen sink. One sad lime, leftover from Cinco de Mayo, laid on top of my fruit bowl. I had strawberries and soda water in the fridge, and suddenly, I had an idea. An idea to make my own beverage. I ended up taking a pestle and muddling the strawberry and basil in the bottom of my cup. Every time I brought my pestle down on the fruit and herbs, I released more juice to be combined with soda. If you wanted to make a big pitcher of this beverage, I would suggest muddling the strawberry and basil right in the pitcher. Since I was making an individual drink, I just muddled right in my glass. Add some soda water, a splash of lime juice, some ice, and you are set! 

I recommend letting these sparklers chill for 30 minutes before consumption. The flavors really meld together with a quick chill. You won't believe how much you can taste the basil in these. I've never had basil in a beverage before, so I was pleasantly surprised. Paired with lime and strawberries, the basil really shines. If your palette is bored and you're looking for something new, try this!

So. This post was brought to you today by my kitchen errors. The recipe I was wanting to post today was screwed up yesterday. The hubby has been having a lot of stomach and digestive-related issues lately, mainly related to acid reflux. I've been trying to make tummy-taming meals, and indeed, I had to alter my planned recipe of Eggplant Parmesan yesterday. I feared the marinara would have been too much for the hubby. I decided to batter my eggplant and bake it in the oven till it was browned and crispy. I was then going to make a lightened up Alfredo sauce with almond milk to pour over the eggplant. A little parsley and a side salad would make the perfect light dinner for the hubs. My eggplant came out beautifully, but my sauce? Not so much. I must have been off on my butter and flour ratios, because the sauce never thickened and even seemed to separate. Kitchen fail. The hubby and I both loved the flavors though, so I won't be giving up on this one. You'll be seeing it soon, especially with so much eggplant at the store right now. In the meantime, I was glad I had this recipe in my back pocket to post today!

Kitchen fails. They happen to the best of us :)

Happy Wednesday!

Ingredients (makes 1 beverage):

1/2 cup strawberries, diced

1 handful of basil leaves

1 1/2 cups soda water

1-2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

ice

garnish- lime wedges, strawberry halves, basil leaves (optional)

Directions:

1. In a glass, combine diced strawberries and basil leaves. Using a pestle, begin "smushing" strawberries and basil at the bottom of the cup. Continue until you have a pulp at the bottom of your cup. 

2. Add soda water and lime juice. Stir. Add more lime juice to taste. Add ice, stir. Garnish with lime wedges, strawberry halves, and basil leaves, if using. Serve immediately with straws. 

Printable Recipe

Helpful links:

Why You Should Stop Drinking Diet Soda

Soda and Illegal Drugs Cause Similar Damage to Teeth

Linked to: Weekend Potluck, Foodie Fridays, Feature Fridays

Fresh Mint Lemonade

The first of many mint recipes to come for the season.

Yesterday turned out to be a pretty nice day (for the most part), and it turned out to be a great day for my first harvest. After watching several YouTube videos on harvesting cilantro, parsley, basil, and mint and armed with kitchen shears, I ended up collecting what would have been an expensive bounty of herbs from the grocery store. And the smells of my fresh herbs! I think I've been buying artificial cilantro from Kroger... Have you seen that Dairy Queen commercial, about the artificial fruit stand (ironic, being a Dairy Queen commercial)? "100% not-real fruit" sound familiar? Well, that's how I'm starting to feel about Kroger's cilantro.

And the mint? Ohhhhh, the smell of fresh mint...

True to what my mother said, the mint has indeed taken over its little box. What started out as one lonely strand has branched into many strands. I've got a million mint recipes running through my mind, cookies and popsicles being among the top recipes I can't wait to experiment with. But first, I put some spring-y lemons to good use with this lemonade.

I love fresh lemonade. The difference in commercial lemonade (prepared with artificial fruit juice and more chemicals than you'll ever be able to pronounce) and homemade lemonade (prepared with water, sugar, and lemon juice) is vast. Fresh lemonade is a revelation. It's bright, tangy, and summery. And combined with fresh mint? Holy yum.

You want to know what I think? I think this would make one mean margarita. Think about it. Yeah, it's not lime-based, but it is citrus-based. Mixed with some tequila, orange-licquer, and maybe a touch of light beer to cut the sweetness? That experiment be calling my name! Oh, I'm so doing it :)

If you don't include fresh mint in your diet, let me provide a couple of reasons why you should:

1. Soothes stomach indigestion.

2. Mint provides quick and effective nausea relief. 

3. Can clear up congestion of the nose, throat, and lungs.

4. Mint is a natural stimulant which can help fight depression and fatigue.

5. Mint oil is a natural anti-septic and can reduce skin inflammation and acne.

6. Potential increase in cognitive function and alertness.

There's many, many other reasons to add mint to your diet. Not only is it tasty and fragrant, it's exceedingly healthy for you.

The mint leaves really make the lemonade feel fancy. The scent of a glass of this lemonade is enough to put any grumpy-puss in a good mood.

Well, another week is almost gone. I can't believe it's Thursday already. I continue to be amazed at how busy the hubby and I have been this spring. Today's shaping up to be another busy day as the hubby has the day off. It's yard work and our nephew's t-ball game on deck. As for this weekend, the hubby will be working the night shift. We definitely won't be partying like we did last weekend! Back to reality :)

Happy Thursday!

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

6 cups water

2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 6-7 lemons)

1/2- 3/4 cup mint leaves

ice

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar with 2 cups of water. Heat over medium-high heat until sugar has been dissolved, and the mixture once again looks like water.

2. In a large pitcher, add remaining 4 cups of water to lemon juice. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar mixture to lemon juice. Add ice to taste. Stir in mint leaves. Chill in fridge for 1 hour. Serve over ice.

Printable Recipe

Helpful links:

Mint facts- http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-mint.html

How to make simple syrup- http://allrecipes.com/recipe/simple-syrup/

Linked to: Weekend Potluck, Foodie Friday

Spicy Skillet Tilapia For Two

I have the easiest recipe for you today. 

I'm serious! The easiest. I love cooking with fish. Some people may be intimidated by fish, but not me. It's such a versatile protein, and thin white fish, such as tilapia, mahi mahi, snapper, orange roughy, etc. cooks fast. Its fast cooking time makes it absolutely perfect for a weeknight. This meal came together within 30 minutes, and that's including the rice I made to serve alongside. 

You may have seen some meme's going around on FaceBook that say, "Eating Tilapia is Worse Than Eating Bacon". Pish posh. I've done some research on imported tilapia, especially from China. It's really hard to trust a lot of sources on the Internet, because honestly, you don't know who's paying that person to write an article. Always something to keep in mind. I've read that Chinese hatcheries aren't sanitary and don't have the same standards as the US. What I've read is enough to keep me from buying tilapia from China, but not enough to keep me from banning tilapia from my diet. I simply check the labels on the tilapia I buy to make sure it's not from China (buying frozen fish is about the only option where I live). 

That being said, this recipe would work with many other types of fish. All the fish I previously listed would work. I believe this recipe would also work with halibut or cod, you would just need to adjust the cooking time for a thicker cut of fish. I highly recommend trying this dish, you'll be amazed at how tasty it is for such a quick recipe. This is one of those recipes I went into expecting it to be just so-so. I was pleasantly surprised :) Serve this along with hot cooked rice or buttered pasta, to soak up all that wonderful sauce.

I adapted this recipe from one of my favorite blogs, Skinnytaste. Skinnytaste is a go-to for me in the summer. Her blog is filled with tons of lightened-up dishes and colorful salads that are perfect for cooling down on a hot day. Don't let the name of the blog fool you, you won't find deprivation on the site. Just healthy, tasty, well-rounded meals with lots of fresh ingredients. I can't say it enough, ditch the processed junk and start eating whole foods. You won't believe the difference in everything. More energy, clearer skin, softer hair, easier weight management, etc. People, just ask yourself this- there's got to be a reason why folks who eat more whole, nutritious foods are healthier. It's because they eat stuff that's good for them.

All right. Enough lecturing for today. All I ask is that you think twice before pulling into McDonald's today. You can still pull in. Just think about it first. In the meantime, I've obviously woken up in sanctimonious mood. I guess I will go find something to put this mood to use :)

Happy Thursday!

Ingredients (serves 2):

1 tsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1/2- 3/4 tbsp cajun seasoning

2 white fish fillets (such as tilapia, flounder, snapper, etc)

hot cooked rice or butter egg noodles (to serve with)

2 tbsp parsley, minced

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add onion. Sauté about 5 minutes, or until onions become tender. Add green pepper. Sauté another 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 30 seconds- 1 minute.

2. Add tomatoes and cajun to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add fish to the pan and cover the fish with the sauce mixture. Cover the skillet, turn heat down to medium-low, and cook for 10-13 minutes. Fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

3. To serve, place rice or pasta on a plate. Place a fish fillet on top of desired starch, then spoon sauce over the dish. Sprinkle 1 tbsp minced parsley over each dish. Serve immediately. 

Recipe adapted from Skinnytaste.

Linked to: Weekend Potluck, Foodie Friday

Green Smoothies

Don't be put off by the color of these smoothies. They taste ah-mazing! Yes, there may be fistfuls of spinach in these frosty bad-boys, but you'd never know if I didn't tell you. The smoothie just tastes like kiwi and vanilla. It is so good! I've always heard you can put greens in a smoothie (spinach, kale, arugula, etc.) without flavoring the smoothie, but believe it or not, I'd never experimented. Well. Now I know I should have done this before.

This is the one of the smoothies this week that I used ice in. I suppose you could freeze your kiwis if you are looking to skip the ice. I blended and blended these smoothies (you know, with my little blender), and arrived at the perfect texture. Not a single ice chip! I made these pretty thick, you could definitely add more liquid and less ice to achieve a thinner consistency.

This may seem like a strange combination. Kiwi and spinach? Turns out to be one of the best combinations! Perhaps you don't eat kiwi. Let me tell you why you should, besides the basic, obvious reason that they are freakin' delicious. These little fuzzy fruits are one of nature's super foods. They're high in vitamin C and potassium. Studies have shown kiwi can lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity. They are good for your skin, can help you sleep better, and help lower your blood pressure.

Ok, after hearing all that, why wouldn't you eat more kiwi?

I think the world would be a happier place if people would just eat more fruit. My springtime diet has morphed into a fruit free-for-all. On top of trying to avoid processed food (excluding fruit snacks, my Kryptonite), I try to eat mostly whole foods and allow myself as much fruit and veggies as I want. I've had an easier time managing my weight by eating this way than I ever did eating a calorie-restricted diet and keeping a food journal. I've got a highly unscientific theory that my body doesn't like the stress of obsessing about food and calories. I think everyone would have an easier time managing their weight if they just ditched all the pre-made and processed food.

Did I mention these were unscientific theories? They are :)

All right, Jessica out. It's my mother-in-law's birthday, and I'm taking her out for lunch. Before I stuff my face with pizza however (oh the irony, after I just waxed poetic about ditching processed foods!), it's cardio day at the gym. Gotta go work up that appetite! Then...

Time to come home and bake a cake!

I love birthday season :)

Happy Hump Day!

Ingredients (makes 2 smoothies):

4 kiwis, peeled and sliced

3 cups spinach

1 cup Greek vanilla yogurt

1/2- 1 cup almond milk

2-3 cups ice

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in blender. Add more almond milk to make your smoothie thinner. Add more ice to make your smoothie thicker. Pulse until you reach your desired texture. Distribute between 2 glasses. Serve immediately.

Linked to: Weekend Potluck, Foodie Friday

Strawberry Orange Smoothies

Well friends, you've made it to "Smoothie Week"! Settle in for lots of fruit, yogurt, frozen goodness, and maybe... some chocolate! That's right, I don't play by the rules. Sometimes I feel obliged to throw caution to the wind and put a non-traditional ingredient in my smoothie. Hey, you'll never know how delicious it is if you never try it!

I figure Spring is the perfect time of year to roll out "Smoothie Week". We had our first summery day of the year last year, indeed it got up to 85º. The house was 79º at 9 pm last night, so it was also the first day of the year we had to turn on the AC. Boo. I hate the AC. But, if that's the tradeoff for sitting in a lawn chair in my backyard with a smoothie in my hand, I'll take it. There's just something so magical about sitting outside with a frosty concoction while the sun beams down on you.

I can also successfully report that all the fruit, yogurt, and frozen bananas have been liberated from my kitchen. A week of smoothies took care of all those supplies!

Although I really enjoyed all the smoothies I experimented with, this was one of my favorites. I'm such a sucker for anything with berries. I've been on a major strawberry kick as of late. Since they're in season right now, they've been on sale. Maybe it's the low price or that I have some sort of strawberry deficiency, but I've been wolfing them down by the pound. Yes, by the pound. I felt guilty the first time I realized I'd inhaled a pound of strawberries in a sitting. Then I googled strawberries.

There's 150 calories in a pound of strawberries.

That's correct.

You read that right.

You can eat a pound of strawberries for 150 calories. Is this a revelation to anyone else? I mean, what else can you eat a pound of for that little calories? There's not a lot. Strawberries also boost short-term memory, ease inflammation, promote bone and eye health, lower cardiovascular disease, and are high in fiber. They have many other benefits, but you have Google to look those up right? :) My point is, there are a lot worse things you could be eating.

So I suggest following along with my "Smoothie Week". I actually ate smoothies for lunch all last week after my workouts. I loved it! They were very filling, plus they were quick and portable. Portable makes me happy. It means I can do many, many other things whilst sipping away. Like making another smoothie...

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! Happy Monday friends!

Ingredients (makes 2 smoothies):

1 cup strawberries, halved

1 orange, peeled and sectioned

1 cup vanilla yogurt

1 cup orange juice

2 frozen bananas, sliced

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Distribute between 2 glasses, and serve immediately. With a straw :)