Very Fruity Green Smoothie

This smoothie is sure to put some zip in your step! It's really good and refreshing! What a wonderful way to start the day.  I hope you'll give this one a try.


Very Fruity Green Smoothie

1 whole orange, skin removed
1 cup frozen raspberries (or any berries)
1 cup chopped pineapple
2 ribs celery
2 cups baby spinach leaves (or greens of choice)

Instructions:
Blend all ingredients until smooth and serve.

Very Fruity Green Smoothie

Mango Raspberry Green Smoothie

 I know, this doesn't look very appetizing.  I promise that it tastes way better than it looks.  If you can't stand the way it looks go ahead & put it in a sports bottle or a non-see through cup & use a straw. Your body will thank you!

Mango Raspberry Green Smoothie

1 mango (fresh or frozen)
1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
3 handfuls of your favorite greens
1 cup water (more if using both fruits as frozen)

Blend greens with water, add in mango and raspberries, and blend until smooth.  Enjoy!

Mango Raspberry Green Smoothie

Lemon, Cucumber, and Basil Infused Water

I found this recipe this morning & I just had to make it right away.  I'm not a big fan of plain water, so anything that can help bring some life to boring plain water is win in my books!  This water is really, really good.  Will certainly cool you off while you're sitting in the sun. :)

Lemon, Cucumber, and Basil Infused Water
Original recipe found here

10 thin slices of lemon
10 thin slices of cucumber
10 small leaves of basil, ripped
3-4 cups of water

Put in fridge and let stand for at least 1 hour.

Lemon, Cucumber, and Basil Infused Water

Luscious Pineapple-Orange Salad

This is a very light & refreshing salad! It would be perfect on a scorching hot summer day too.  It only takes minutes to prepare, but you'll want to let it set for a few minutes to allow the fruit juices to "dress" the greens. That's right - this is a salad dressing free salad! Don't worry you won't miss it. :) Also this would be really good with sprouts added. I didn't have the foresight to have sprouts made, but next time I will.

Luscious Pineapple-Orange Salad

1 cup chopped pineapple
1 orange (peeled & chopped)
4-5 handfuls of your favorite greens (I used mixed greens and baby spinach)
2 handfuls of your favorite sprouts

Place the greens in a large bowl. Add fruits & sprouts (if using) and mix all together. Allow to sit for a few minutes so the fruit juices can "dress" the greens.  Eat slowly & enjoy!

Luscious Pineapple-Orange Salad

Banana Mango Green Smoothie

It's been a long time since I've posted a new green smoothie recipe. I'm doing a green smoothie detox this week, so plan on sharing some of the new things I make.  This is a lovely, creamy green smoothie thanks to the addition of mango. I used a whole celery stick in this green smoothie. If you have never tried using celery in your green smoothies, it does give it a different taste. I really would recommend starting out with a half stick of celery and building up to using more.

Banana Mango Green Smoothie

2 bananas (fresh or frozen)
1 mango (fresh or frozen)
3 large handfuls baby spinach
1 celery stick (use less if new to using celery in smoothies)
1 cup water

Put ingredients in blender in best order for your blender (I do the greens first), use the celery stick to push everything down to the blender blade, eventually blending the celery too.

Enjoy!

Banana Mango Green Smoothie

Spinach, Mushroom & Feta Stuffed Baked Potatoes

I made these two weeks ago and the kids have been bugging me to make them again, so tonight's the night.  They are really good - I mean if kids are going to ask for potatoes that contain spinach they must be good right?

Ingredients

6 baking potatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
approx 8 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
8 ounces goat feta cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Bake the potatoes until cooked through, about 50 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet; add the spinach and cook until wilted. Stir in the vinegar and cook for 1 minute. Add the spinach to the mushrooms; add the feta and stir until mostly melted. Stir in the pine nuts and dill; season with salt and pepper.
4. Cut each potato in half, scoop out potato, and add to the spinach, mushroom & feta mixture.  Mix throughly and scoop back into potato skins. 

Spinach, Mushroom & Feta Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Cabbage Vegetable Soup

I made this soup yesterday for lunch, it makes a huge pot so I'll have lots for lunches for quite a few days or I can freeze it when I'm tired of eating it.  It turned out really good, so I thought I would share the recipe with all of you. :)

Cabbage Vegetable Soup

1/4 cup olive oil
3 medium onions, diced
1 large carrot, quartered and sliced
2 stalk of celery, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
2-3 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups of vegetable cocktail
7 cups of vegetable stock
1 (28oz) can whole tomatoes (broken up)
1/2 a medium white cabbage, cored and sliced (about 4 cups)
2 cups cooked white navy beans(drained)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
1 TB. Italian Seasoning
2 zucchinis, halved lengthwise then sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large pot, add your olive oil over medium-high heat. Add your onions, carrots celery, green peppers, bay leaves and saute for 7-10 minutes to soften.
2. Add your vegetable cocktail juice, stock, tomatoes, cabbage, beans, garlic, pepper, and Italian seasoning and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer for 40-45 minutes.
3. Add your zucchini and simmer for 5 minutes to cook. Serve hot. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Cabbage Vegetable Soup

Mexican Rice

For years I've been making the instant Mexican rice in a bag to serve on the nights we do taco bar.  Lately I've stopped buying it though. It's not cheap to buy the flavored rice like that and have you ever looked at the sodium content in one serving of those packaged rice deals? Wowza - they have a lot of salt. I decided I could do better for my family.  It took a couple of tries but I think I've come up with a recipe that is amazing. Hubby and the kids think it's even better than the packaged rice I used to buy and I know it's much healthier.  I get to pick what goes in it - I can even buy organic ingredients so I know that this is much healthier.

Mexican Rice

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth to make vegetarian)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with taco seasoning.
2. Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Click to save & print

Mexican Rice