SMOOTHIES TO DIE FOR

Smoothies So Good You’ll Forget You Are Healthy

Bananalicious Smoothie

Quit stressing and get your potassium. Potassium reduces stress and we all know what bananas are full of…potassium. This banana smoothie recipe will soothe your nerves and take your taste buds out for night on the town.

Ingredients:

    1 banana

    1 cup limeade

    1 cup key lime yogurt

    1/2 cup of banana yogurt

    2 cups of ice

Blend and serve immediately, then chill out.

Strawberry Banana Supreme Smoothie

Ingredients

    1 cup strawberry nectar or apple juice

    1 cup milk

    1 frozen banana

    1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries

    1 cup strawberry yogurt

Pour all liquid ingredients into the blender. Add all frozen ingredients. Blend at MIX setting for 30 seconds then blend at SMOOTH setting until smooth. While the machine is running, move the stir stick around counter-clockwise to aid mixing. Serve immediately. Each recipe serves 3-5.

Banana Split Smoothie

Too lazy to eat a banana split? How about drinking a banana split? Bananas are great smoothie ingredients so why not bring the split to the smoothie? You can add a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you wish, but it tastes great without it.

Ingredients:

    2 bananas

    8 oz. crushed pineapple, drained

    1 1/4 cup of milk

    1/2 cup of unsweetened strawberries  (frozen or fresh)

    2 tbs. honey

    6 ice cubes

    1 scoop of vanilla ice cream (optional)

Garnish

    Whipped topping

    Chocolate syrup

    Maraschino cherries

Preparation

Combine bananas, pineapple, milk, strawberries and honey in a blender. Blend until smooth, no lumps. Start adding ice slowly and blend until slushy.  Pour into large glasses, preferably chilled then garnish with whipped topping, chocolate syrup, and maraschino cherries. The perfect banana split in a glass.

Banana Blackberry Smoothie

This recipe combines blackberries with bananas, but it would work equally well with any type of berry you have on hand.

Ingredients:

    1 medium banana, peeled

    1/2 cup blackberries

    1/2 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt

    1/2 cup ice cubes

Preparation:

Place all four ingredients into the blender. Blend on high for about 15 seconds, or until it is creamy and smooth! Serve immediately.

Here’s Your Awesome Breakfast Smoothie

Make this smoothie every morning for breakfast. It’s rich in vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, omega-3 fats, monounsaturated fats, soy protein, and so much more!

Ingredients

    1 banana

    1/2 apple

    1 kiwi, peeled

    1/2 cup frozen mixed berries

    1 cup orange juice

    1/2 cup soy milk

    1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

    1/2 cup tofu

    3 tablespoons unsalted natural peanut butter

    2 tablespoons aloe Vera juice

    2 tablespoons flaxseed oil

    1 teaspoon barley grass powder (optional)

Directions

In a blender, combine banana, apple, kiwi, mixed berries and orange juice. Blend until smooth. Add soy milk, yogurt, tofu, peanut butter, Aloe Vera juice, flaxseed oil, and barley grass powder. Blend again until well blended.

Pour into glasses and serve.

SUPER EASY BLACK BEAN BROWNIES

Image via Wikipedia
Black Bean Brownies are something you might never have heard of until now. Well, this is your lucky day! They are high in fiber and other nutrients. If you must you can tell yourself "self, these brownies are less bad for you than the guilt-ridden other kind."
Here's what you do to make these delicious treats.






INGREDIENTS:

12 ounces Black Beans -one can
2 large eggs
1/4 cup oil
1 package dark chocolate brownie mix- your favorite brand
1/2 cups Walnuts - or pecans as a topping
2 cups whipped topping - low fat if you must.

PREPARATION:

Pre-heat your oven to 350 Degrees. Grease or spray an 8X8 baking pan.
Place the beans (with liquid), eggs and oil in food processor and spin it up until fairly smooth.
Add the brownie mix and spin it again to mix everything. Then add the nuts you've chosen or non at all if that is your want.
Pour everything into the pan and bake for about 30 minutes. They're done when a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to cool and cut into about 16 delicious pieces.
Serve them with a couple of heaping helpings of whipped topping.
Enjoy!
Steve and Kim

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World's Best No Fat Brownies For A Healthy Snack

Image via Wikipedia

Okay, we're going to go back to being a little more healthy today in our choice of foods. Here's a recipe for no fat brownies that will, I'm sure, tickle your fancy.
INGREDIENTS:
One box of brownie mix
1/3 cup of no-fat plain yogurt
2 egg whites (don't you just hate separating the whites from the yolks?)
1/3 cup of water

PREPARATION:
Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl.
Spray a 9 x 13 pan with your favorite no-stick spray.
Bake this mixture in the oven as the label on the brownie mix box directs.

Serve this delicious treat with sliced or crushed strawberries or raspberries and enjoy.

Hope you enjoy this simple treat. If you like it why not let us know by subscribing to our blog. Just hit the subscribe button and it's a done-deal.

Until next time,
Steve and Kim

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Eclair Dessert

Image by jcarbaugh via Flickr

Eclairs are one of my favorite comfort foods. Admittedly this special dessert is not the healthiest thing you can ever put into your mouth. In fact by just reading about it you'll likely be able to hear your arteries begin to harden. However, everybody needs a little special something once in a while, right? So here is your comfort food special of the day. Eclair Dessert.

INGREDIENTS:

1 box of graham crackers
2 packages of instant vanilla pudding
3 cups of milk (whole, vitamin D fortified is best)
8-12 ounces of Cool Whip
1 can of chocolate frosting

PREPARATION:

Mix the pudding with the milk until it is well blended. Stir in the Cool Whip. Place a layer of graham crackers in the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan. Cover the bottom with 1/2 of the pudding/Cool Whip mixture. Cover this with the remainder of the pudding mixture. Place another layer of graham crackers on the pudding. Heat the frosting in your microwave until it is thin enough to pour and then pour it over the graham crackers, spread until completely covered. Refrigerate until the frosting is once again firm. **Best if made several hours ahead of the time you'll need it so the graham crackers have time to soften.

There you have it. Eclair Dessert. Now, go take a nap before all that sugar drops you like a hot rock.

Steve and Kim

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FRESH BLUEBERRY COBBLER

I love Blueberries! No question about what dessert I'd chose if given the choice. Here's one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy it too.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 6 cups fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup self-rising yellow cornmeal mix
• 1/3 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 cup milk
• 
  

Preparation

1. Combine 1/3 cup sugar and 1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch in a small bowl. Combine berries, cornstarch mixture, and lemon rind in a large bowl until well blended; spoon berry mixture into a lightly greased 2-qt. baking dish.

2. Combine flour, cornmeal mix, and remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a medium bowl. Stir in butter and milk until blended. Gently spread batter evenly over berry mixture.

3. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of topping comes out clean. Serve warm.

Better get out the napkins for this sweet dish. You're going to need them.
Steve and Kim

PATRIOTIC DESSERT

Well, here comes summer and the 4th. of July celebrations. With that in mind I thought I'd share a quick recipe with you that will help you celebrate the holidays.

INDREDIENTS:

2 Packages of instant white chocolate pudding.
3 cups of skim milk (if you're heart-smart).
Fat-free Cool Whip
Angel food cake cut into bite-size pieces
Strawberries, sliced
Blueberries
Raspberries

PREPARATION:

Mix pudding with milk and let stand for about 5 minutes.
In a glass bowl or dish, layer, with cake and pudding in between each fruit:
Angel Food Cake/Pudding/Strawberries/ Pudding/ Blueberries/pudding/Raspberries
SMOTHER WITH COOL WHIP AND ENJOY

Celebrate!
Steve and Kim