Pack-it-in-Nutrition – Smoothies Galore

Smoothies are one of those universal fun foods that can serve as a meal, snack or supplement. There seems to be no end in combinations. The real trick to making a great smoothie is to determine ahead of time what you want your main flavors to be and what you want to hide for extra nutrition.

Most commonly, smoothies are fruit based. Some choose to also use a dairy base such as yogurt or ice cream while others prefer a dairy free drink. You can serve them as frozen concoctions or as a thick juice.

Here are some starter drinks for you:

1. Berry, Berry Blend

 

Mix frozen or fresh Blueberries, Strawberries, Bananas and Oranges/Orange Juice with Ice. Blend in a blender, adding more ice or orange juice until you reach your desired consistency. Add honey as needed to reach desired sweetness.

 

2. Super Foods Power Smoothie by Savory Simple

Borrowed from Savory Simple

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 frozen banana, chopped
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoon flax seed (I prefer roasted flax)
• optional: a handful of kale, preferably frozen

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
2. Mix on low for 30 seconds to chop up the banana and begin incorporating ingredients.
3. Blend on high to puree the smoothie.  Blend until the flax seed are kale are broken down and the mixture is frothy.

(Ingredients and Directions were copied from Savory Simple.)

3. Banana-Strawberry-Peach Smoothie by Williams-Sonoma

Borrowed from Williams-Sonoma

 Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 very ripe bananas, peeled and frozen
• 4 to 6 strawberries, hulled and frozen, plus 2 strawberries for garnish
• 1/2 peach, pitted, plus 2 thin slices for garnish
• 3/4 cup peach nectar

Directions:

Select 2 tumblers. In a blender, combine the bananas, the 4 to 6 strawberries, the peach and peach nectar, and process until thick and creamy. Divide between the glasses. Garnish each glass with a peach slice and a strawberry and serve immediately.

 

Addional alterations to recipe are provided on the site.

(Ingredients and Directions were copied directly from Williams-Sonoma.)

Cranberry Apple Butter

The Flying Biscuit in Atlanta is one of my favorite breakfast places. So when The Flying Biscuit opened in Gainesville a few years ago, I was really excited. I’ve always thought one of the best items on the menu are the biscuit (of course) which are served with this fantastic and fragrant Cranberry Apple Butter.

Cranberry Apple Butter

 

2 C. Dark Brown Sugar

1 Cinnamon Stick

1-1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp Ground Nutmeg

1 tsp Ground Cloves

1 C. Orange Juice

2-3 C. Fresh Cranberries

10 Granny Smith Apples – peeled, cored and chopped

 

Add sugar, spices and orange juice to a large pan and bring to a simmer. Add cranberries and simmer until the cranberries begin to pop. Add apples and cook on low until apples begin to fall apart. Once all apples are cooked, remove from heat and puree with a stick blender or in a food processor until very smooth. This butter can be eaten warm, or cool completely and store in the refridgerator for up to 3 weeks.

 

 

 

This recipe is a rough take on an “unofficial” Flying Biscuit recipe I found online. I’ve made a few adjustments to make it a little more tart and a little less sweet. If you add 3 cups of cranberries and don’t reduce the sugar, you’ll get a tart and sweet butter. Personally I think next time I’ll tadding 2 cups of cranberries and reducing the sugar would make a great adjustment.

 

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Posted in Appetizer, Apples, Breakfast, Cranberries, Desserts, Oranges, Thanksgiving Preparation

Homemade Apple Cider Caramel

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Angela S. | Leave a comment

You’ll Need:
4 cups Apple Cider (make your own using our recipe or buy it from our co-op)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
0.5 cup Brown Sugar (packed)
4 TBSP Butter

1. Reduce cider and vanilla in skillet on medium to high heat until it is approximately 2 cups in volume. (This may take 60 to 90 minutes.) Stir frequently.

2. Add brown sugar and butter and continue to cook and stir. Cook until mixture begins to thicken. It should look like this:

3. Allow to cook for another 5-20 minutes (depending how thick you want the final caramel).
4. Remove from heat and allow to thicken. Serve with fresh fruit or pour over brownies or other dessert.
5. Store in refrigerator and reheat as needed for future use.

Want additional ideas of how to use this recipe? Consider dipping chilled apples on a stick into the sauce. Then roll the apples in toppings of your choice (nuts, sprinkles, chocolate chips, dried fruit, pretzel pieces, etc.). Continue to chill apples until you are ready to enjoy them.

Enjoy!
-Angela

Recipe inspiration courtesy of Epicurious.

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Posted in Apples, Desserts

Kids Corner – Fun Pumpkin Cereal Treats

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Angela S. | Leave a comment

I recently discovered a creative and fun Kellogg’s Rice Krispie Treat recipe (Surprise Pumpkin Treats) in one of my many recipe/family magazines. (I don’t know which one because it has been recycled already. LOL.) We haven’t made cereal treats in years, so I thought the kids would enjoy the project, and sharing them with friends.

You’ll Need:
3 TBSP Butter
4 cups Mini Marshmallows (or equivalent)
3 drops Red Food Coloring
15 drops Yellow Food Coloring
6 cups Puffed Rice Cereal
12-14 small Chocolate Candies of Choice
6-7 Pretzel Twist Sticks, broken in half

1. Melt butter in large pot.
2. Add marshmallows and stir continuously until melted. Remove from heat.
3. Add red and yellow food coloring and stir.
4. Add cereal and mix well.

5. Prepare candies and pretzels.

6. Place handful of marshmallow/cereal mix in greased hand along with one chocolate candy. Form a ball, enclosing the candy.

7. Place cereal ball on non-stick surface and push down gently until ball is slightly flattened on the bottom.
8. Add pretzel stick by gently pushing it into the ball.
9. Set aside to cool and harden before serving.

Note: The original recipe calls for green gum drops (to form the stem) and green frosting (to draw leaves/vines). We substituted the gum drops and frosting for half a pretzel twist stick.

Enjoy,
-Angela

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Posted in chocolate, Desserts, Kids Corner, Pumpkin

Kids Corner – Vegan Chocolate Cake

Posted on October 22, 2011 by Angela S. | Leave a comment

My kids have recently expressed an interest in learning how to cook, desiring to help prepare our daily meals. While this is a very sweet gesture on their part, it does take a little bit of extra planning on my part (and some extra time). As we venture through their experiences, I may post some of their recipes in our Kids Corner. If your child(ren) are eager in the kitchen and you’d like us to feature them and their recipe(s), please submit your picture(s) and recipe notes to Angela.

First up, Mollie Katzen’s Made-in-the-Pan Chocolate Cake featured in Honest Pretzels.

You’ll Need:
1.25 cups Unbleached White Flour
0.33 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
1 cup Sugar
0.5 TSP Salt
0.75 TSP Baking Soda
1 cup Water
0.33 cup Canola Oil
1 TSP Vanilla Extract
1 TSP Cider/White Vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
2. Mix the flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, and baking soda in pan.
3. Add water, oil, vanilla, and vinegar to dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Flatten the batter to make sure it is evenly distributed in the pan and clean the edges of the pan above the batter.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until done.
6. Allow to cool before cutting.

-Angela

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Posted in Cake, chocolate, Desserts

Chocolate Chip Sweet Potato Bread

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Angela S. | Leave a comment

Fall always bring about several pumpkin recipes. If you are like me, your house is filled with the aroma of pumpkin spice and several baked goods in the oven. You may even have a cup of warm cider or hot cocoa on the counter keeping you company.

There are several pumkin bread recipes floating around blogs and the internet right now. What intrigued me most about this recipe, was the adaptability to use sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin… AND since we just received some locally grown BEAUTIFUL PURPLE sweet potatoes, I thought it would be a lot of fun to make a purple chocolate chip bread.

You’ll Need:
1 cup Oil of Choice
2.66 cups Sugar
4 large eggs or 6 Egg Whites
12 oz Mashed Sweet Potato
0.66 cup water
1.33 cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 cups All Purpose or Bread Flour
0.5 TSP Baking Powder
2 TSP Baking Soda
1.5 TSP Salt
1 TBSP Pumpkin Spice
2 TSP Cinnamon
1 TSP Vanilla Extract
24 oz. Chocolate Chips

1. Grease two 9×5″ loaf pans and preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Blend together oil, sugar, eggs, potatoes and water in mixer until thoroughly blended.
3. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
4. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix well.
5. Add vanilla and chocolate chip to dough mixture, and continue to mix.
6. Pour half of mix into each pan.
6. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes, or until done.
7. Cool completely on wire rack before serving.

-Angela

**Recipe idea adapted from Passionate Penny Pincher.

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Posted in Bread, chocolate, Desserts, Potato, Pumpkin, Purple Potato, Sweet Potatoes

Baked Fall Delight

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Angela S. | Leave a comment

You’ll Need:
1-2 Pears, chunked and without seeds
2-4 Plums or Pluots, chunked and with pit removed
handful of fresh Cranberries
0.25 cup Brown Sugar
2 TBSP Sugar or Honey
dash of Salt
dash of Cinnamon
0.5 TBSP Butter, chopped
0.5 cup Water

Combine all ingredients in a baking pan, sprinkling sugar/honey, butter, cinnamon and salt on top. Bake for 20 minutes, uncovered. Stir and bake for another 15-20 minutes.

Serve with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, granola or a crumbled Heart Healthy Cookie of choice.

-Angela

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Posted in Cranberries, Desserts, Pears, Plum, Pluot

Heart Healthy Apple Spice Oatmeal Cookie

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Angela S. | 2 Comments

I recently felt the urge to start indulging in the feeling of fall… which meant enjoying a little apple cider. Well, one thing lead to the next, and I now have these delicious apple spice cookies to share.

You’ll Need:
16 oz Almond Butter
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Apple Cider
2 TSP Vanilla or Almond Extract
1.5 Cups Oat Flour
1 TSP Baking Soda
1 TSP Salt
1 TSP Ground Cinnamon
2 TBSP Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 Cups Rolled Oats
1 – 2 Small Apples or Pears, finely chopped
0.5 - 1 Cup White Chocolate Chips

1.  In a pan, mix brown sugar and cider, and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Pour hot mixture over almond butter, add vanilla extract and stir until mixed well.
3. In a separate bowl, mix oat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Fold it into the nut mixture.
4. Fold oats and apple/pear chunks into dough and set aside to cool for ~10 minutes.
5. When dough has cooled, add white chocolate chips (if desired).
6. Make cookie dough balls, approximately 24 per batch. Place two inches apart on an oil-sprayed cookie sheet. Flatten the dough balls with the bottom of a measuring cup or glass.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool for 1+ hours before enjoying.

Note, if you use fresh apples or pears, the cookie may be very moist. It may be best to refrigerate moist cookies, heating them in the microwave or toaster oven just before serving.

You might also notice these are similar to another one of my cookie recipes… The Heart-Healthy Chocolate Cranberry Cookie and The Heart Healthy Gingerbread Cookie.

Enjoy,
-Angela

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Posted in Almonds, Apples, chocolate, Desserts, Pears

Heart Healthy Gingerbread Cookies

Posted on September 12, 2011 by Angela S. | 2 Comments

My kids have been celebrating an early Christmas the past few days, watching numerous Christmas movies, enjoying hot cocoa and then requesting gingerbread cookies. Yes, gingerbread cookies in September!!! I couldn’t help but start to cringe with the memory of how all those holiday goodies friends, family and neighbors share with us tend to add too many unwanted changes in our diet/body which then sends us into those New Years Resolutions that we rarely stick to. LOL. So, here’s my attempt to create a healthy Christmas Cookie for this year!

You’ll Need:
1 cup Brown Sugar
0.5 cup molasses
0.5 cup water
16 oz Almond Butter
2 TSP Vanilla Extract
2.5 cups Oat Flour
1 TSP Baking Soda
1 TSP Salt
0.75 TSP Cinnamon
0.75 TSP Ginger
0.5 TSP Allspice
0.5 TSP Ground Cloves
2 cups Instant Oats

1. In a small sauce pan combine brown sugar, molasses and water. Bring to a boil and stir until brown sugar is dissolved.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add almond butter, vanilla and sugar mixture from step 1. Mix well.
3. In a new large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Mix well.
4. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture.
5. Let dough sit for 5-10 minutes.
6. Now it is time to form your cookies. You can roll the dough out on a counter and use cookie cutters or you can put cookie cutters on a cookie sheet and press the dough into it mold. I used the later method.
7. Bake cookies for 10 minutes at 350 F.

Enjoy,
Angela
ps – I’ll take a better picture tomorrow when I have some natural lighting.

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Posted in Desserts, Oatmeal, Thanksgiving Preparation, Vegetarian

Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted on September 4, 2011 by Angela S. | Leave a comment

If you enjoy a soft cookie and like the perk of it being heart healthy, this may be your recipe. Based on the Banana-Maple Oatmeal Cookie, I created this one using flaxseed, pear sauce, oatmeal, chocolate chips, and whole wheat flour.

You will need:
1 TBSP ground Flaxseed
3 TBSP water
1 cup Quick Oats
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
0.5 TSP Baking Soda
0.5 TSP Baking Powder
0.5 TSP Salt
1 TSP Ground Cinnamon
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
0.5 TSP Vanilla Extract
0.5 cup Maple Syrup
0.5 – 1 cup Pear Sauce (or Applesauce)

Follow the cooking directions from Banana-Maple Oatmeal Cookies.

Did you know, ground flaxseed is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and also plays a key role in preventing and/or reversing diabetes, cancer, constipation, inflammation, and heart disease as well as reducing the symptoms of menopause and so much more? Read about it at Flax Health.

Enjoy,
-Angela

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Posted in Apples, Desserts, flax seed, Flaxseed, Pears

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