Another Green Smoothie Recipe

Remember my other green smoothie? We've been making them a lot around here. We try to change it up a bit every time, just to see what we like best. The other day I bought a few bunches of other types of greens. I set out to make a smoothie this morning and got all the greens in the blender and I realized I was out of pineapple juice. I didn't even have any cans of crushed, tidbits, or chunk pineapple. I usually use that as my base with the greens. It helps a ton with the flavor and texture.

Well, I had to improvise.

Here's what went into my blender today (in order):

• spinach
• kale
• collard greens
• 3/4 cup of water
• 2 lemons (ends cut off, peeled, then cut in thirds w/ seeds removed)
• 1 kiwi
• 1 orange
• 1-2 Tbsp blue agave syrup
  
• 3 Tbsp plain yogurt
• swiss chard
  
• 1 scoop (probably about 1 & 1/2 Tbsp) ground flax seeds
• 1 banana
• about 8 frozen strawberries
• about 1 & 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
• sprouted chia seeds
  

It was soooo yummy! I think it's the yummiest yet!

(The only crazy thing that happened to us while making it was my baby [20 month-old] turned the switch on the blender while I was washing the swiss chard, but the lid was only half way on. We had quite the mess to clean up. It was on the blinds, window, counter, wall, blender, grain mill next to it, the baby, me, cupboards, etc... you get the idea. Cooking with kids can be fun. But, you always have to expect the unexpected. And expect to make time for cleaning up A LOT more as you go...)

If you try this, let me know what you think.

Green Smoothie

Yummy Green Smoothie! It may look gross, but it really is quite delightful!

Wondering what's in it?

For this one I filled my blender half full of spinach leaves. Then I added half a can (20oz. can) of pineapple, but all of the juice from it... and only the 100% juice kind. Then I blended it for a bit. Actually, I pulsed it a bit, then blended it until the green really came out and the chunks were all gone. It was really smooth! I added a banana and a scoop of ground flax seed. I could have had it just like that!

Since my 4 year-old son got the bag of strawberries out of the freezer this morning and filled the bag with water, I needed to use them. I then added strawberries, frozen blueberries, and a few spoonfuls of plain yogurt to the blender and blended until smooth. It turned out more brownish/purplish/redish. But, OH-SO-YUMMY!! I love it because I know we are getting some "greens" and my kids just love smoothies anyway!


You can really add anything, in any amounts. We've just been experimenting around here. It's fun. They always turn out a bit different. I liked the one with peaches in it, the other day.


Here's the proof that my kids LOVE it:

Millions of Peaches, Peaches for Me...

{This was a weird, cool, "freak of nature" peach to find in our box! This nature-branded "A" was a sign... that the peaches really belonged to us. ???}

Listen to the "Peaches" song, by The Presidents of the United States of America. Thanks Deb, for reminding me of this group recently! Anyone else remember them?

Well, I finally finished off those peaches. Actually did about a week ago. Ya, I'm finally getting around to posting about them. I only want to post this for me anyway. Next year, when I get peaches I just know I'll be trying to remember all that I did with the peaches from 2009. So I'm just saving myself some trouble. Right?!

Anyway... here's what I did with approx. 60lbs of peaches:

1. Ate them, washed, straight from the box. Ate them cut up. Ate them blanched, peeled and then cut up.
2. Made peach-apple sauce. (mixed with some existing apple sauce).
3. Made some fruit leather. (twice). Pureed peaches mixed with apple sauce.
4. Peach-mango salsa. YUM! I made two batches of this and I finished it so fast. I say "I" because I was such a pig, and literally I ate most of it... with chips, while no one else was around! SO YUM!
5. Dehydrated peach slices. These went fast... I mean we ate them fast. They take so long to dehydrate, though. We eat them faster than they take to make. We dried about 8 racks full.
6. Peach pie in a jar. (twice)
7. Frozen peaches. Six, gallon sized bags.
8. Peach crisp (cobbler? I never know which one to call it.) The one with the oat mixture on top. Yummy.
   
9. Peach syrup (so yummy on german pancakes, or regular pancakes).
10. Is that all? Really? I feel like I'm missing something.

Next year I'd like to try canning some and I am looking forward to trying my friend's peach-strawberry jam recipe!!

(The "Pie in a Jar" didn't turn out as pretty as I had hoped, but it was so good. I think I just needed a different crust recipe. ...maybe...)

Two Posts: Sprouts and Peaches

This morning I went out to the garden to finish planting the seeds (thanks to my wonderful husband who watched my little helpers - inside - while I was in the garden. Thanks, Hun!) When I pulled off the burlap covering the garden boxes, this is what I found!!! Wow! I only planted the seeds five days ago! I really wasn't expecting sprouts yet! Maybe I wasn't even expecting them at all! I was so freakin' stoked! I ran inside to tell my husband. I was almost as giddy as I was when I first learned to stipple a quilt.

My yellow squash sprouts. Woohoo! The peas still haven't made an appearance, but that's okay. I have enough excitement for one day! (Oh, wait... I also have peaches!! That's pretty darn exciting, too!)

Here's one more. It's blurry. Sorry. I mean, you get the idea, right?! K- enough about my sprouting squash!

Peaches: Ah... mmmm... Utah Peaches!

My sister-in-law ordered these through her mom. My husband picked them up last night. We have approximately 60lbs (well, now maybe only 58lbs) of peaches in our possession. Yikes! I better get busy!

They smell so wonderful. So does my house. These peaches are so soft, juicy and sweet, with the right amount of tartness. Yummm! I've already had three... or four today. So I don't really know what I'm going to do with all of them, but I need to decide soon, before they go bad. I'm thinking: blanch, slice and freeze some, fruit leather, dried peached, can (if I can find someone who can help me), peach pie filling(?), peach syrup, and of course eat a bunch. {Cobbler, peaches 'n' cream, peaches on cereal, in oatmeal, etc.} Are the possibilities endless? I guess. But whatever I do, I need to get creative and BUSY!