fruit

Better than Green Beer: Fresh Green Smoothies for St. Patrick’s Day

by liz · Feb 26, 2019

One way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day is with (artificially) green-colored food and drinks: green beer, green eggs, green cupcakes, green milk…and the list goes on and on. This makes for some fun-colored eggs in the morning, which probably contain chemicals, and I’m pretty sure I don’t want to eat green gravy.

Instead, how about making food green by injecting green healthy foods into the dish? I definitely want to wear and eat something green on St. Patrick’s Day, so I looked around for some fresh, green-injected recipes. The most surprising one? This Piña Colada Green Smoothie above, made green by adding a cup of fresh spinach, along with other typical ingredients you find in a healthy smoothie. Chopped kale works too, and it has the most nutrients per calorie of any vegetable.

I tried it out at home ahead of time (I certainly don’t want to disappoint green beer lovers with veggie-tasting smoothies) and was most pleasantly surprised. The smoothie tasted fresh, light and fruity-coconutty just like a piña colada should. There was not even a hint of that secret healthy ingredient that turned it such a gorgeous shade of green: spinach. I used freshly squeezed orange juice, fat-free yogurt and vanilla protein powder. With all the nutrients from this as well as the banana and pineapple, I could drink this green delight for breakfast every day.

Piña Colada Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 scoop or packet protein powder
1/2 cup pineapple or orange juice
1/2 cup frozen pineapple cubes
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
1/4 cup vanilla fat free yogurt
1/4 banana
1 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup ice cubes

Directions:

PLACE protein powder, pineapple juice, pineapple, spinach, yogurt, banana, coconut and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.

I also tried this Tropical Avocado Smoothie, shown above, using avocado, lime and fat free evaporated milk. Now I love avocado so much I can find a place for it at every meal of the day, but I’ve never had avocado for dessert (combined with sugar and served as a sweet). This would be interesting.

Well, I loved this smoothie even more! I couldn’t believe how rich and creamy it was, almost like ice cream, and so pretty. I didn’t know sweetened avocado was so good – and I used less sugar than called for in the recipe. In my opinion, this smoothie is just another delicious way to work more avocado into my diet.

So I’m set for fresh green drinks throughout the day tomorrow. And I even found this green-food-injected Green Eggs & Ham recipe, so I can still get my eggs “green” at breakfast.

Tropical Avocado Smoothie

Ingredients:

Pulp of 1 medium avocado
2 cans (12 fl. oz. each) Evaporated Milk, chilled
1/4 cup granulated sugar or to taste
1 teaspoon grated lime zest (optional)
Crushed ice (optional)

Directions:

PLACE avocado, evaporated milk, sugar and lime zest in blender container; cover. Blend for 30 to 45 seconds until smooth.

SERVE in tall glasses. Top with crushed ice, if desired.

NOTE: If a thinner drink is desired, blend in 1 cup ice cubes with drink ingredients.

Cooking Light Recipe Makeover: Low Fat Piña Colada

by liz · Jun 12, 2018

Written by Liz –

The June issue of Cooking Light features a recipe makeover for that refreshing summertime treat: Low Fat Piña Coladas, shown above (photos by Randy Mayor, recipe and content by Cooking Light). They use Carnation evaporated milk to help lower fat but keep the creamy flavor:

“You’ll like our way of losing almost all the sat fat while keeping the delicious coconutty goodness. Freezing the pineapple adds a velvety texture and keeps the cocktail frozen longer. The riper the pineapple, the more concentrated the flavor will be.”

Sounds good to us! Excerpt below is from June 2012 issue of Cooking Light.

Lighter Piña Coladas

Nothing says “escape” like a creamy, ice-cold piña colada: cocktail in hand, feet in the sand, music in the background (hopefully not that dreadful piña colada song, the last #1 hit of the 1970s, unless it’s a guilty pleasure). Unfortunately, nothing says “better head to the gym” like a piña colada, too: 425 calories, 8 grams of saturated fat, most of which comes from the mysterious goo known as cream of coconut. We’ll show you how we kept the vacation-worthy flavor while slashing fat and calories. At just 158 calories, it’s all pleasure, no guilt.

Tip #1: Homemade Coconut Milk

We make our own infused coconut milk to replace heavy, sugary cream of coconut. This cuts 176 calories and 8 grams of sat fat per drink. Save day-of prep time by doing this step (step 1) the night before.

Tip #2: Fresh Pineapple

Pineapple peaks in summer; it’s sweet, slightly tart, and juicy. Sub fresh fruit for some of the canned juice and save 44 calories per drink. A splash of juice adds more acidity.

Tip #3: Gold Rum

We opted for the darker variety, with its hints of caramel and molasses, which better complement the creamy coconut and tart pineapple.

Piña Colada Recipe for Success

Freezing the pineapple adds a velvety texture and keeps the cocktail frozen longer. The riper the pineapple, the more concentrated the flavor will be. Get the recipe here.

Links:

Related better-for-you frozen cocktail recipes:

Green Jalapeño Margarita

Frosty Strawberry Margaritas

Creamy Healthy Smoothies Perfect for Summer

by liz · Jun 8, 2018

I love healthy smoothies. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’ve been obsessed with mixing up green concoctions for fruit smoothies and margaritas! But, creamy, green smoothies are one of the best ways to drink your greens. They are my favorite thing to drink on a warm summer morning, and also just after a run. It’s a good treat when you want to cut down on ice cream, and using milk (any kind you like, even half & half) gives smoothies that creaminess you crave.

Here are a few for you to try.

Super Fruit Bliss Green Smoothie

Recipe by Coffeemate

Ingredients for 2 servings:

1/3 cup acai berry juice
1/3 cup fresh blueberries
1/3 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup packed baby spinach
1/4 cup Sweet Cream Flavor Coffee Creamer
1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional)
1 cup crushed ice

Directions:

PLACE acai juice, blueberries, pomegranate juice, spinach, Coffee-mate, sugar and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.

Frozen Avocado Mocha Bliss recipe — Photo by Coffeemate

Frozen Avocado Mocha Bliss Smoothie

Recipe by Coffeemate

Ingredients for 2 servings:

1 cup strong coffee, cooled
6 tablespoons Vanilla Flavor Coffee Creamer
1/2 avocado, pitted and peeled
1 tablespoon Baking Cocoa
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup crushed ice

Directions:

PLACE cooled coffee, Coffee-mate, avocado, cocoa, sugar and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.

Summer Grilling: Beat The Heat By Bringing Cooking Outdoors

by liz · Jun 14, 2012

Written by Liz –

It’s the time of year to retire the oven and do a little backyard cooking, especially with Father’s Day just around the corner! With just a grill and tongs, the great outdoors can provide a natural setting for creative menus. Here are some tips and tricks for firing up your mealtime in the warm months ahead:

Arm Yourself with the Right Tools. If it’s always grill season for you, consider investing in a high-quality grill that can be used year after year. Next, buy a set of flat metal skewers—they do not require soaking and they will not fall apart like the wooden ones. The flat edge keeps food from turning, which is an added bonus.
Master the Classics. No barbecue is complete without hamburgers and hot dogs. Toasted buns should be placed butter side down for a few minutes until golden brown. Make handmade patties 3⁄4 of an inch thick and use chopped onions, dry onion-soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to season. Hot dogs should be turned often until slightly blistered on all sides. For veggie lovers, portobello mushrooms marinated in equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar are a tasty alternative.
Experiment. Grills are for more than just meat! Pizza, fruits and vegetables gain new appreciation when cooked on an open flame.

Kids and adults will both love this Grilled Fruit with Apple-Maple Syrup as a summertime treat. Brushed with a warm blend of 100% apple juice and pure maple syrup, this grillable dessert is ideal with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Grilled Fruit with Apple-Maple Syrup

Ingredients for 4 servings:

1/2 cup Apple NESTLÉ® JUICY JUICE® All Natural 100% Juice
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
4 slices ripe pineapple, peeled
2 peaches, cut in half, pits removed
4 scoops Vanilla DREYER’S or EDY’S SLOW CHURNED Light Ice Cream

Directions:

COMBINE Juicy Juice and syrup in small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

PREHEAT grill. Brush fruit lightly with a small amount of syrup. Grill fruit, brushing occasionally with additional syrup, for about 2 to 3 minutes per side or until nicely browned.

REMOVE fruit to individual dishes and top each with a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle with remaining syrup.

Links:

Related grilling recipes:

Linguine with Lemon and Grilled Baby Artichokes

Grilled Pound Cake with Seasonal Berries and Apple-Ginger Syrup recipe

Grilled Pound Cake with Seasonal Berries & Apple-Ginger Syrup

Whipping Evaporated Milk: Seasonal Fruit with Lime Whipped Topping

by liz · Apr 27, 2012

Did you know you can whip evaporated milk to create a slimmer version of whipped cream? Evaporated milk is a lower-fat substitute for half-and-half, light cream or heavy cream. It’s also super convenient since it’s a pantry staple, and shelf-stable.

Whipping evaporated milk is much easier than I expected! You only have to chill the milk well, then whip for several minutes with a mixer, adding any flavoring you like (I like to add Cognac and lemon) and a little bit of sugar (powdered and granulated both work fine).

Watch the video above to see how easy it is to whip evaporated milk.

Seasonal Fruit with Sweetened Lime Topping from Meals.com

Ingredients:

1 cup Evaporated Milk
1/4 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
8 cups sliced seasonal fruit or berries, such as mangos and strawberries
Spiced chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

POUR evaporated milk into small mixer bowl; place beaters into mixture. Freeze for about 30 minutes or until ice crystals form around edge of bowl. Meanwhile, place about 1 cup fruit in each of eight dessert dishes.

BEAT evaporated milk on high speed for 1 minute or until very frothy. Gradually add sugar and lime juice; continue beating for 2 minutes or until mixture is stiff. Immediately top each serving of fruit with about ½ cup whipped topping. Sprinkle with nuts.

NOTE: For whipped evaporated milk that holds up to 30 minutes: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon gelatin over 2 tablespoons water in small, microwave-safe bowl; let stand for 2 minutes. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 40 seconds; stir. Let stand for additional 2 minutes or until dissolved. Pour 1 cup evaporated milk and dissolved gelatin into small mixer bowl; follow recipe above. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 30 minutes.

Seasonal Fruit with Lime Whipped Topping

Author: Meals.com

Recipe type: Dessert

Prep time: 10 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Serves: 8 servings

Did you know you can whip evaporated milk to create a slimmer version of whipped cream? Evaporated milk is a lower-fat substitute for half-and-half, light cream or heavy cream. It's also super convenient since it's a pantry staple, and shelf-stable.

Ingredients

1 cup Evaporated Milk
¼ to ½ cup granulated sugar
¼ to ½ cup fresh lime juice
8 cups sliced seasonal fruit or berries, such as mangos and strawberries
Spiced chopped nuts (optional)

Instructions

POUR evaporated milk into small mixer bowl; place beaters into mixture. Freeze for about 30 minutes or until ice crystals form around edge of bowl. Meanwhile, place about 1 cup fruit in each of eight dessert dishes.
BEAT evaporated milk on high speed for 1 minute or until very frothy. Gradually add sugar and lime juice; continue beating for 2 minutes or until mixture is stiff. Immediately top each serving of fruit with about ½ cup whipped topping. Sprinkle with nuts.
NOTE: For whipped evaporated milk that holds up to 30 minutes: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon gelatin over 2 tablespoons water in small, microwave-safe bowl; let stand for 2 minutes. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 40 seconds; stir. Let stand for additional 2 minutes or until dissolved. Pour 1 cup evaporated milk and dissolved gelatin into small mixer bowl; follow recipe above. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 30 minutes.

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This Week: National Blueberry Pie, Oatmeal Cookie & Raisin Days

by liz · Feb 28, 2011

I love food holidays. There is a food holiday for everything, and it gives me direction on what to eat and cook. Today for instance, is National Blueberry Pie day, so I promptly started searching for blueberry pie-ish recipes. I found this Perfect Match Blueberry Lemon Pie; it would be even better with a little Meyer lemon added.

Next I found this Red, White and Blueberry Torte, which adds a chocolatey cake-like crust and more berries. Another great option for Blueberry Pie day. And if you really want something different, try these Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Blueberry Pancakes or Corn Blueberry Muffins.

Then, for a real chocolate-covered treat, I’ll try these Chocolate Chocolate Raisinets Cookies. Baking cocoa plus chocolate-covered raisins in this recipe really doubles the fun!