Minestrone Soup II

Minestrone is one of my all-time favorite soups!  I can't get enough of it.  It's Italian, and full of yummy veggies.  It's like the best of both worlds ;) Unfortunately, I seem to be the only one who feels that way in my family...  So I don't make this as often as I'd like to.  Hopefully you get to enjoy it more than I do!

Ingredients:

     ·    1 small celery, diced -or- 1/4 t. celery seeds

     ·    1 can mushrooms, drained

     ·    Handful of frozen green beans -or- 1 small can, drained

     ·    1 carrot, chopped -or- 1 small can, drained

     ·    4 cloves of garlic -or- 2 t. garlic powder

     ·    1 T. dried onions

     ·    ½ large zucchini -or- 1/4 c. dried, rehydrated

     ·    1 can diced tomatoes

     ·    1 can Italian stewed tomatoes, pureed

     ·    4 c. chicken broth

     ·    1 c. beef broth

     ·    1 T. Italian seasoning

     ·    1 t. salt

     ·    2 t. brown sugar

     ·    ½ t. pepper

     ·    1 T. balsamic vinegar

     ·    ½ - ¾ c. pasta

     ·    2 handfuls spinach, chopped -or- 1 small can, drained (opt)

     ·    1 can white beans, drained and rinsed

     ·    1 c. water (opt)

Directions:

Combine ingredients, except pasta/spinach/beans, in medium soup pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender.  Add pasta and return to a boil.  Cook until al dente.  Add spinach and beans; stir well.  Add water to desired consistency.

Summers' Shepherd Pie

This is one of my husband's favorite meals from childhood, and I usually only make it for his birthday...  I grew up with a VERY different version of shepherd's pie, so it's always "confusing" for me when I make it.  But I do like it, too.  Just probably not as much as my husband ;)

Ingredients:

• ¾ lb. ground meat, cooked -or- 1 c. TVP, rehydrated in 1 c. beef broth
• 1 T. dried onions
• 1-2 cans of mushrooms, drained
• 2 cans green beans, drained -or- 2-3 c. frozen -or- 1 c. dried, rehdyrated in chicken broth
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup*
• 1 t. mustard (opt)
• 1 t. Worcestershire sauce
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 small bag of tater tots
• cheese (opt)

Directions:

     Combine all of the ingredients in a casserole dish, except tater tots and cheese, and mix well.  Top with tater tots and bake in preheated oven until bubbling, about 30 minutes at 350.  Add an even layer of cheese and bake/broil until melted.  Serve warm with a side salad.

*Note: I generally make one batch of cream of whatever soup with (rice)milk and then another batch with chicken/beef broth, for a total of two cans' worth of soup.

Pad Thai

I personally lovvve Thai food, even when it calls for stinky fish sauce ;)  This can easily be converted to a vegan-friendly recipe by omitting the egg and shrimp in favor of using tofu (which I have done and quite enjoyed).  Just make sure to use prepared tofu, either cubed or thrown in a food processor until crumbly.  Feel free to add more veggies as desired, as well.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 package pad thai rice noodles
• 2 T. coconut oil
• 1-3 eggs, scrambled (opt)
• 1.5 T. dried onions, rehydrated
• 4 T. fish sauce
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 1 t. paprika
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1 can bean sprouts, drained
• 1/4 c. - 1/2 c. ground peanuts
• 1 c. cooked/canned shrimp OR tofu
• handful of spinach, chopped (opt)
• cilantro (opt)
• 2 limes

Directions:

     Soak rice noodles in warm water for 30-45 minutes.  Heat 1 T. oil in large saucepan.  Add egg and cook either as an egg pancake or scrambled.  Remove egg, and chop if needed/desired.  Add remaining oil to pan, adding rehydrated onion once oil is hot.  Stir onion around the pan a few times before adding shrimp (if using).  Lightly salt shrimp while cooking, then remove from pan.  Drain rice sticks well and add to skillet.  Stir fry noodles until transclucent, adding 2-4 T. water as needed.  Add remaining ingredients and stir well.  Continue to cook until liquid is gone.  Serve warm and garnish with cilantro.  Slice limes and allow individuals to squeeze juice according to personal taste.

Combo Tacos (food storage version)

Not only is this recipe more food storage friendly, it's also vegan!  Well, almost.  If you used veggie broth, then it totally would be...  I actually prefer these tacos to the original, and hopefully you will too :)

Ingredients:

• 1 c. TVP, rehydrated in 1 c. beef broth
• 1/2 c. brown rice, cooked in 1 c. beef broth
• 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 T. dried onions, rehydrated (opt)
• 2 T. taco seasoning

Directions:

     Combine ingredients in saucepan; add 2-4 T. of water and simmer until liquid is gone.  Serve warm in tortillas/shells, or with tortilla chips, with desired condiments.

Sloppy Fauxs

I'll have you know that my carnivore husband had two servings of this, and my carnivore son practically licked his plate clean.  If it weren't for the beef broth, this meal would be vegan!  Food storage for the win ;)

Ingredients:

• 1 c. TVP, redhydrated in 1 c. beef broth
• 1/2 c. brown rice, cooked in 1 c. beef broth w/ 1 T. dried onion
• 3 T. brown sugar
• 2 t. steak/mesquite seasoning
• 1/4 - 1/2 c. chopped roasted bell peppers (from a jar)
• 1 can mushrooms, drained and finely chopped
• 2 T. chopped walnuts (opt)
• 1 T. Worchestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 c. marinara/tomato sauce
• 2 T. tomato paste
• salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Directions:

     Combine ingredients in medium saucepan and stir well; heat through.  Serve warm with buns or pita bread, with a side of spiced fries or green salad.

Smoky Black Beans

These are so versatile, and so tasty!  And easy to boot!    I serve these on top of tostadas, over chips, as a filling for burritos or tacos, etc.  Or serve as a side dish with chicken and rice.  Shoot, they're even good on top of toast!  For reals.

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans, with liquid
• 2 T. salsa
• 1/4 t. garlic powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 t. cumin
• 1/2 t. beef/veggie bouillon

Directions:

     Combine ingredients in saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Mash/puree beans to desired consistency.  Serve warm or cold.

Tostadas

These are bonehead simple.  So there.

Ingredients:
  • 1 can refried beans -or- smoky black beans
  • salsa
  • tostadas OR tortilla chips

Directions:
1.  Combine refried beans with a splash or two of salsa in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Stir well and remove from heat.
2.  Top tostadas/chips with beans and your choice of toppings.

GF Baking Powder Biscuits

Still tweaking these a bit, but they're so dang close I just had to share anyway ;)

Ingredients:

• 2 c. flour blend (equal parts brown rice, sorghum and tapioca)
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 c. butter*
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c. - 1/2 c. milk (DF works well)

Directions:

     Heat oven to 450.  Mix dry ingredients together, then cut in butter until crumb forms.  Add egg to a liquid measuring cup and add just enough milk until total amount equals 3/4 c.  Using a fork, add milk-egg mixture to dough until moist enough.  If you'd like to roll and shape the dough, opt for a stiffer texture.  If you plan to make drop biscuits, you can afford to use all the liquid for a wetter dough.  Place biscuits on prepared sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden.  Remove and serve warm.

*I've tried coconut oil with these, and they just don't quite turn out as well...  Feel free to experiment though and let me know how they work out for you!  *B

Hawaiian Haystacks

Most people I know love haystacks.  But everyone has their own opinion on what makes a good stack.  I grew up having completely different toppings from the hub, and if you do a search on the interwebs, you'll quickly see that everyone makes them their own special way.  Which is one of the reasons I love them!  Totally customizable, and very kid friendly.  And this, my friends, is how we stack.

Ingredients:

• 4 T. butter/spread
• 4 T. flour (2 T. brown rice flour + 2 T. tapioca/potato flour)
• 2 c. chicken/vegetable broth
• 2 T. soy sauce
• 1/4 t. garlic powder
• 1/4 t. ginger
• 2 cans chicken, drained
• prepared rice
• celery, finely chopped
• green onions, thinkly sliced
• red bell pepper, finely chopped
• chow mein noodles
• pineapple chunks
• sliced almonds
• coconut

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  As butter begins to brown, add flour and stir.  Cook for one minute, stirring constantly.
2. Slowly whisk in chicken broth, 1 c. at a time.  Allow to thicken before adding more broth and whisk well.  Simmer until desired consistency.
3. Add in chicken and heat through.  Remove from heat.
4. Serve gravy over prepared rice.  Top with desired toppings and dig in!

As a little side note, this makes for a great food storage meal.  But if you'd rather use cooked chicken (or none at all), feel free.  I know a lot of people use canned chicken soup as their gravy base, and truth be told, so did I.  That's how my mom made it, and then we would add the soy sauce individually.  I stopped buying canned soup a while ago, so while making my own gravy from scratch I decided to add the soy sauce to it directly rather than as its own topping.  Between that and the added garlic and ginger, this gravy really has a great flavor that blends perfectly with the listed toppings.  Reminds me of the islands ;)

But if you grew up eating haystacks with olives, or tomatoes, then you might want to omit the soy sauce and ginger.  Feel free to experiment and make it your own...  Because that's what makes haystacks so great!  *B

Roasted Vegetable Quinoa

I found this recipe a while ago, and now I can't find it anywhere...  I made some modifications to the original version, and now it's one of our family's favorites!  It always hits the spot.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup chicken/vegetable broth
• 1 cup carrot juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 small bunch asparagus, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• 1 small yellow squash, chopped
• 4-8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1-2 handfuls spinach, chopped (opt)
• 1/3 cup almonds, chopped (opt)
• 1 cup chickpeas/canellini beans, drained and rinsed (opt)

Directions:

1. Combine quinoa with broth, carrot juice and garlic in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is translucent. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
2. While quinoa simmers, preheat oven to 425. Toss prepared veggies with olive oil, and salt/pepper to taste. Roast in oven for 12-15 minutes.
3. Add roasted vegetables, spinach, almonds and white beans to cooked quinoa. Toss to coat or until well combined. Enjoy!

You can use whatever vegetables you want, and as many or as few as you wish.  Green beans work well, as does broccoli.  This makes for a wonderful side dish, and the addition of almonds and beans makes it a great vegan meal.  Give it a try and let me know what you think!  *B

Sweet & Savory Green Beans

We eat these all the time!  They're a great side dish for coq sans vin, pot roast, and/or Cornish game hens.  I've been making these for years, but it wasn't until recently that I buckled down and wrote out a recipe...  That's just how I roll ;)

Ingredients:

• 4 c. frozen green beans
• 7 strips of bacon
• 1/4 c. water
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/8 t. pepper
• 1 T. honey
• 1 T. mustard

Directions:

1. Preheat medium-sized skillet over medium heat.  Cut bacon into strips/bits.
2. Add bacon to pan and cook until crispy.  Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Add green beans to pan and stir.  Add water and salt and cook for 10 minutes.
4. When the water starts to look low, add remaining ingredients and stir until well combined.
5. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently so as to keep the honey from burning.
6. Remove from heat.  Add bacon, stir and serve.

Just a little note: I use microwave bacon, because it's easier to handle (aka. less gross), and also because I like the way it crisps up and how little grease it produces.  If you choose to use real bacon, you might want to drain some of the grease out of the pan before adding the green beans.  I also make these with ham, and they taste just as good!  Just add a little butter in place of bacon grease.  Or, you could simply boil the green beans in some water as a low-fat alternative.  I like the subtle smokiness of the bacon, but it's really the honey-mustard combo that makes this dish so tasty...  So feel free to make them according to your taste, and enjoy!  *B

Freedom Pasta (cheese-free macaroni)

I have to admit that I'm quite proud of this recipe: it's tasty and versatile.  We've found that butter doesn't seem to bother us as much as cheese or milk... but if you're sensitive to dairy of any sort, simply substitute your favorite vegan spread and you're dairy free!  And while you're at it, swap out the chicken broth and replace it with vegetable broth and you've got yourself a vegan meal!  Serve over gluten free pasta and you've got yourself a peace treaty ;)

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter, cubed (1/2 c.)
• 1 c. pumpkin puree
• 1/2 c. hummus
• 1 c. chicken broth
• 1/4 c. rice milk
• 1/4 t. garlic powder
• salt & pepper, to taste
• couple dashes of nutmeg
• 4 c. unprepared macaroni (or any noodle pasta)

Directions:

1. Heat a medium sized saucepan over medium heat.  Add butter to pan and melt.
2. When butter starts to bubble, add the pumpkin puree and stir until well combined.  For added depth/flavor, (if you want) you could wait until the butter starts to brown before adding the puree.  Just be careful not to let it burn!
3. Simmer the pumpkin for a couple of minutes before adding the hummus.  Stir well and simmer for another minute.
4. Carefully whisk in chicken broth and bring sauce to a simmer.
5. Add rice milk and seasonings and whisk well.  Allow sauce to simmer until desired thickness/consistency.  Remove from heat and cover.
6. While sauce simmers, fill a large stockpot full of water.  Add enough salt until water tastes salty.  Bring pot to a rolling boil.  Add pasta and a couple tablespoons of olive oil and stir.  Reduce heat to a gentle boil and cook pasta until done, but still firm.  Stir and taste noodles every few minutes for doneness.
7. Remove from heat.  Drain cooked pasta and return to pot.  Add sauce and stir until well combined.  Serve warm.

If you're using gluten free pasta, be careful not to overcook or you'll end up with super mushy noodles that fall apart easily and end up resembling polenta.  But also be careful not to undercook the pasta, or else you'll have a crunchy bowl of noodles to munch.  Growing up in an Italian household, I've never prepared pasta according to the package.  I prefer to taste-test my noodles for doneness, and I always end up with perfect noodles, regardless its gluten content.  If your noodles are done before your sauce is, you can add them back to the pot and add a little more oil so they don't clump together.  Once your sauce starts to cool, you'll notice it thickens up real fast.  This is why it's best served warm; not because it tastes better or worse, it's simply a matter of thickness preference.

I've made this a few times now, and both free and captive (?) eaters love it!  We typically pan-fry some chicken sausage to throw in with the pasta, too...  And just FYI, my mother-in-law raved about this dish when she had it, even going so far as to say it's one of the best mac & cheese dish she's ever had.  And there's not even cheese in it!  It really is a satisfying dish full of flavor that everyone can enjoy!  *B

PS- This makes a HUGE batch of pasta, enough for four adults and two children (and maybe seconds for some).  So feel free to halve the recipe.  Or instead of tossing the sauce and pasta together you can spoon the sauce over individual servings of pasta.  Or make the sauce as is and freeze any sauce that you don't use and save it for next time!  Like I said, it's versatile ;)

Single Serving Coffee Cake (gluten free)

I don't typically encourage the frequent use of the microwave - too many nutrients lost.  But sometimes, you just have to have your cake and eat it, too!  I was hungry this morning, and wanted something to go with my yogurt.  Coffee cake happens to be one of my favorite pairings with yogurt, but I was hungry now and didn't want to make the mess or take the time required for the real deal.  So, I came up with this happy substitute:

Ingredients:

• 1 T. butter OR coconut oil
• 2-3 t. brown sugar OR honey
• 1 t. unsweetened apple sauce
• 3 drops of vanilla
• 2 T. tapioca flour
• 1 T. sorghum flour
• 1 T. ground flax
• 1 T. oats
• 1 T. chopped walnuts
• pinch of baking powder
• pinch of salt
• pinch of cinnamon

Directions:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Melt butter (or coconut oil) in the microwave in a ramekin.  Stir in the sugar (or honey), apple sauce, and vanilla.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the ramekin and stir until well combined.
4. Smooth down batter and microwave for 45-60 seconds, or until cooked through.  Length of cooking depends on your microwave settings, so peek on your cake every 15 seconds.  Take care not to let it burn, or explode!

Add a dollop, or two, of your favorite yogurt and you're off to a good morning start!  If you don't mind gluten, and don't have any GF flours on hand, then you can make up your own flour blend with whole wheat flour, unbleached white flour, and wheat germ.  Or just use 4 T. of all purpose flour in place of the tapioca, sorghum and flax.  This would be super delish with some chopped apples or raisins thrown in too.  Customize it to your taste and dietary needs and enjoy!  *B

PS- Sorry for the terrible pictures from here on out.  I have no decent camera, only an old iPhone.  And we've recently moved from sunny AZ to cloudy WA, so any picture will always be suffering from poor lighting...

PPS- Yes, I'm back!  I have a slew of recipes to share, and most of them (if not all) are gluten free.  I've learned a lot in our journey to be less gluten dependent, and I'd like to help anyone out there wanting to do the same.  It seems scary and near impossible at first, but it really isn't as bad or as hard as you'd think.  You can do it!  I promise :)

Cranberry Cilantro Salsa

I love the freshness of this!  And I love that it's as simple as it is delicious.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz fresh cranberries 
• 1/2-1/2 purple onion
• 1 small seeded jalapeno
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 1 C sugar (or less to taste)
• 1 heaping tsp cumin
• cream cheese, softened

Directions:

1. Give the onion, jalapeno and cilantro a rough chop.  Pulse cranberries, onion, jalapeno and cilantro in a food processor or blender until you've reached the desired consistency.
2. Mix in sugar and cumin.  Refrigerate.
3. Spread cream cheese out on the bottom of a really shallow bowl/serving plate.  Then spread the salsa over the top.  Serve with crackers.

This super yummy dish is from my super sweet friend.  Thanks for sharing, Tanilee!  *B

French Onion Soup

This soup is a labor of love...  It takes forever!  But it tastes great.  So don't let the amount of time involved scare you off permanently.  Because it really is worth it!  Unless you don't like onions.

Ingredients:

• 8 sweet onions, cut in half and thinly sliced
• 2 t. garlic
• 4 T. butter
• salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 T.apple cider vinegar
• 4 c. beef broth
• 1/4 c. unfiltered apple cider (opt)
• pepper, to taste (opt)
• crusty bread
• swiss cheese

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.  Add a layer of onions and sprinkle with salt.  Continue layering onions and salt until pot is full.
2. Sweat onions for 15-20 minutes.  Do not cover, and do not stir.
3. Add bay leaves and thyme.  Cook until onions are significantly reduced, stirring occasionally.  It generally takes me about an hour and a half.  Onions will darken and start to fall apart, and will be sweet (almost syrupy).
4. Remove bay leaves and thyme.  Add chicken broth and apple cider vinegar and increase heat to medium high.  Reduce liquid to at least half, or until onions are back to a thick consistency.  Should take about 15 minutes.
5. Add beef broth and apple cider.  Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
6. To make swiss crostinis: Heat oven to 425.  Slice bread into half-inch thick slices and place in a single layer on baking sheet.  Bake for four minutes, then flip bread slices and bake for another four minutes.  Top with slices of swiss cheese and bake for 4 more minutes.  Serve over hot soup.

Might I suggest you taste the soup right after adding the beef broth, but before adding the apple cider.  If you use sweet onions, your soup might have just the right amount of savory and sweet.  Any other onion will work, and you can add or omit the apple cider, depending on your taste.  The first time I made this, I used sweet onions and added four times the amount of cider.  It was way too sweet.  The second time I made it, I used a variety of onions and only added a little bit of cider.  It was perfect.  But then again, I like onions!  *B

Perfectly Preserved Strawberries

This recipe makes enough for two 22oz jars of strawberry preserves: one for the fridge, and one for the freezer.  And yes, it sets up beautifully - as in it's spreadable, and won't be mistaken for strawberry jello...  This jam is indeed pectin free, in that pectin is not an ingredient.  But, pectin is naturally found in the white/greens of strawberries and in the rinds of lemon!  True story.  Strawberries really do make up the bulk of this recipe, not sugar.  These preserves have just the right amount of sweetness AND tartness, just like the strawberries they're made from.  Using just three simple ingredients, it's preserved perfection! 

Adapted from Cincinnati Locavore

Ingredients:

• 1 four pound flat of strawberries (make sure to get some with green/white tips)
• 2 lemons
• 2 c. white granulated sugar, unbleached

Directions:

1. Wash, hull and roughly mash strawberries.
2. Add sugar and allow to sit for a bit, letting it macerate in its juices.
3. Pour into non-aluminum stock pot (high sides helps with the splattering) and bring to a rolling boil for five minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat and strain the strawberries bits from the liquid, making sure to collect all available syrup.
5. Return syrup to pot and add lemon juice AND lemon peels.  Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Boil for a few minutes, until syrup thinckens further.  If you have a candy thermometer, temperature should read close to 220 degrees.  Be careful not to burn!
6. Return strawberries to pot and bring contents to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.
7. Remove from heat and discard lemon peels; allow to cool.  Pour into jars suitable for storing in the fridge or freezer.

I love this freezer jam so VERY much!  And every time we have it, I think, "Dang, I have GOT to share this, with the WHOLE world!"  It's taken me forever to post it, and for that I apologize profusely, as strawberries are no longer in season (in most places).  But, I had to write it down before I forgot... And luckily, the hub manages produce at Costco, so we always get the best strawberries at the best price.  Even in the Fall!  I guess AZ has its perks after all.  *B

Slightly Nutty Green Drink

My green drinks all have one thing in common: their hue.  But each one has a very distinct flavor all their own...  This one is smooth and nutty, and very satisfying.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. rice milk
• 1 T. almond butter
• 2 handfuls baby spinach, frozen
• 1 banana, frozen

Directions:

1. Place ingredients in order as listed in a blender.  Blend on high until super smooth.  If you don't have frozen spinach or banana, then throw in a couple of ice cubes.  Serve cold.

I love to drink this one sometime between lunch and dinner, right when those afternoon munchies hit!  It always hits the spot.  *B

Energizing Green Drink

Growing up my mom would occasionally make us a green drink with parsley and spinach.  I loved them!  But she never had a specific recipe (she never does).  So I came up with my own... In college, my friends/roommates were seriously disturbed with my blended beverages, and none were brave enough to try them.  I think they might have attempted an intervention of sorts, they were that worried about me.  During my final year at school, I made a green drink as part of a presentation for my classmates.  Most tried it, and several liked it.  Take that, roommates!  And thank you mom for raising me proper :) 

Ingredients:

• 2 c. pineapple juice
• 1 T. chia seeds (opt)
• 1 handful fresh parsley, trimmed
• 1 handful baby spinach, frozen
• 1 tiny cucumber, peeled & frozen (about 4 inches)
• 1 celery stalk, frozen

Directions:

1. Place ingredients in order as listed in a blender.  Blend on high until super smooth.  If you don't have frozen veggies, then throw in a couple of ice cubes.  Serve cold.

The pineapple juice makes for a really sweet drink, but balances nicely with the rest of the ingredients.  If you don't like parsley (Mandi), then replace it with another handful of spinach.   If you don't like cucumbers, substitute zucchini.  If it's too sweet for you, try it with half juice and half water.  Just make it work for you... Because if you're feeling sluggish and need a little fresh pick me up, this oughta do it!  *B

Super (Green) Smoothie

This green drink is the husband's favorite, and I don't blame him!  It's sweet and satisfying, and full of green goodness :)

Ingredients:

• 1 c. rice milk
• 4 oz. vanilla yogurt
• 1 T. natural peanut butter
• 2 handfuls of spinach, frozen
• 1 frozen banana

Directions:

1. Place ingredients in order as listed in a blender.  Blend on high until super smooth.  If you don't have frozen bananas or spinach, then throw in a couple of ice cubes.  Serve cold.

PS - the kids love it, too.  *B

Strawberry Smoothies

Mmm, strawberries.  No matter how they're made, or what they're in, I love them.  Especially au naturel.  Did you know that strawberries help thin the blood?  True story.  After a long Winter of meat and starches (foods your body craves/needs in the cold), strawberries really do make the perfect Spring treat and help you get ready for those long (hot) Summer months...  And here in the AZ, we're ready for smoothies!  This sweet and sneaky smoothie not only has fruit, but also has veggies in it.  Which makes it perfect ;)

Ingredients:

• 1 c. apple juice
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 frozen banana
• handful of frozen strawberries

Directions:

1. Place ingredients in order as listed in a blender.  Blend on high until super smooth.  If you don't have frozen bananas or strawberries, then throw in a couple of ice cubes.  Serve cold.

I usually end up watering this down, after I've poured it into the kids' cups.  It thins out the smoothie into more of a crafty juice...  So add as much or as little water as you'd like!  Or leave it thick and icy.  Either way, it's yummy AND healthy.  The kids love it, naturally.  *B