We love apricot season! There are so many ways to enjoy eating apricots.  I usually stock up on them, wash, pit and store them in the freezer to use in smoothies. Apricots are delicious right off the tree, but my son and I have some fun and delicious ideas of how we will enjoy all of our apricots!  ​ Try our delicious and nutritious  Apricot-Lemonade which is refreshing summer drink and a great way to use all those apricots!

Apricot-Lemonade ​
 
Ingredients: ​

• 5-6 fresh apricots, cut in 1/2, remove pit
• 1 handful of mint
• 4-5 dates, pit removed
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1-2 cups of water
• Ice

Directions:

1. In a Vita Mix or blender, combine the apricots, dates, mint, lemon, water and ice. Blend until smooth.
2. Add extra water until you reach a desire taste, sweetness and thickness.

 

It's not always easy to get young kids to eat greens, especially kale! With so much kale growing in the garden, I created this recipe to show kids how delicious it can be in a smoothie! This is a basic recipe for a green kale smoothie but feel free to add extra boosters like flax seeds, chia seeds or your favorite protein powder.

Ingredients:
Can use fresh or frozen fruit
• 1 handful kale (Lacinato or curly kale). washed
• 1 cup chopped pineapple
• 1 cup chopped mango
• 1 banana, cut in half
• 2 cups water, can also use coconut water or any favorite non dairy beverage
• unsweetened coconut for garnish (optional)
• ice (if not using frozen fruit)

Directions:
1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. 
2. Top with unsweetened coconut (optional)

Ingredients:

• 2 large handfuls of spinach and/or kale
• 1 avocado
• ½ cucumber, diced
• 2 tbsp. hemp seeds (or flax, chia)
• 1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple (or mango)
• 1 orange (or lemon)
• 2 sprigs of mint
• 1” piece of ginger (or more)
• 2 cups coconut water
• 4-6 dates (depending on sweetness)
• Ice

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend well
2. Extra boosters: favorite protein or greens blend  

 

​Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana, best if frozen
• Zest of 1 orange (use your favorite orange – clementine, mandarin or naval)
• 2 oranges, peeled
• 1 drop clementine or wild orange essential oil
• 2 cups coconut milk (can also use almond, soy or rice milk)
• 5-10 dates 
• 1 tbsp. chia seeds or flax seeds
• handful of ice

 

​Directions:

1. Add the frozen banana, oranges, zest, nut milk, dates, essential oil, chia seeds and ice to a high-powered blender. 
2. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
3. Pour into a glass and serve.  Enjoy!

 

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana, best if frozen
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2 cups almond milk (can also use rice milk or soy milk)
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 5-10 dates 
• 1 tbsp. chia seeds
• handful of ice

Directions:

1. Add the frozen banana, pumpkin, nut milk, dates, spices, chia seeds and ice to a high-powered blender. 
2. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
3. Pour into a glass and serve.  Enjoy!​
   

Two of our favorite summer fruits: strawberries and watermelon! Stay hydrated in the hot summer months with this delicious Strawberry-Watermelon Refresher.   Use fresh fruit or keep frozen fruit on hand to blend these up any time!   Add some coconut water for extra electrolytes!  This antioxidant-rich drink is the perfect addition to a healthy summer!  Don't forget to freeze the leftovers in popsicle molds.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• handful of spinach
• 1 cup green grapes
• 1 kiwi, peeled
• ½ green apple
• few leaves of fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• Ice

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Check out the demonstration video for our Shamrock Smoothie here:  youtu.be/5fYjgnrfc9E

An antioxidant rich smoothie to enjoy with your Valentines before all the sweet treats!  

Ingredients:

• 3 cups almond or rice milk
• 1 cup frozen or fresh cranberries
•  1/2 cup pomegranate arils
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 banana
• 4 dates
• Ice

*Can also add extra nutrient boosters, such as, chia seeds or flax seeds

Directions:
1.    Add all ingredients to a blender and blend together until smooth. 
2.    Pour into glass.
3.   Enjoy!

My son and I had fun making this smoothie for his 5th grade classmates!  It's safe to say that the recipe is kid tested and approved!

A Flash back to Valentines Day 2014: In the kitchen with my son and his friend making Valentine "treats" like this delicious smoothie!

Chocolate, peanut butter and bananas are always a great combination. We have created this delicious smoothie that uses peanut butter, banana, and raw cacao powder, along with a few other healthy ingredients.  Raw cacao powder is a 100% dark chocolate source of antioxidants, magnesium, iron and fiber and has the rich chocolate taste without the sugar and processing. This smoothie would be a perfect, healthy treat for a Valentine's Day breakfast.   My son and his friend were great helpers in making the Chunky Monkey Smoothie!  You can always get kids to consume extra nutrients with smoothies!

Ingredients:

• 1 banana, frozen works best
• ½ cup peanut butter
• 2 tablespoon raw cacao powder
• 1 tablespoon flax seeds
•  2 dates
• 2 cups almond milk or other non-dairy beverage of choice
• Ice

​Directions:
1.    Blend all in a blender until smooth.
2.    Top with unsweetened coconut (optional)

Want to get your kids to eat Kale? Try this delicious smoothie that we named "The Grinch's Smoothie"! (It just sounds better than kale-apple smoothie, right?)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice milk, almond milk (or any other non dairy beverage of choice)
• 1 handful kale and/or spinach
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro or fresh mint
• 1 banana
• 1/2 of green apple and 1/2 of red apple
• 4-6 dates
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped into 2" pieces
• 1 tbsp. flax seed
• Ice
• Almond milk or coconut whipped cream - optional
• pomegranates for garnish - optional

Directions:
1.     Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. 
2.    Pour into a glass. For a extra holiday touch, top with whipped cream and pomegranates
​

Ingredients:

•  2 cups plant-based milk: coconut, almond or soy
• 1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger 
• 1 tsp. coconut oil 
• 3-4 peppercorns,  or dash of fresh pepper 
• 1 tbsp. turmeric powder

 Directions:
​1. In a saucepan, heat 2 cups plant-based milk on medium high heat.
2. Add ginger, coconut oil, peppercorns and turmeric. Whisk all together well.
3. Bring to a simmer and simmer covered for 10 minutes.  
4. Strain.  
5. Optional ad ins:  raw honey, maple syrup, cinnamon 
6. Drink immediately or add to glass container and refrigerate.
 

• Recipe adapted from Timeless Turmeric https://www.timelessturmeric.com/

Stay healthy through the holidays with this antioxidant rich smoothie!

​Ingredients:
·       3 cups almond or rice milk
·       1 cup frozen or fresh cranberries
·       1/2 cup pomegranate arils
·       1 cup frozen strawberries
·       1 banana
·       ½ cup fresh mint
·       4 dates
·       1 tbsp chia seeds
 
Topping: unsweetened coconut

​Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients together until smooth. 
   
2. Pour into glass.
   
3. Top with shredded unsweetened coconut.
4. Enjoy!
   

Ingredients: 

• 1 ripe banana, best if frozen
• 1 apple, seeded, and quartered (we used granny smith apples)
• 2 cups almond milk, soy milk or rice milk
• 1 tablespoon almond butter, peanut butter or sunflower seed butter
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon and/or 1 tsp apple pie spice, pumpkin pie spice or all spice
• 4-6 dates
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
• toppings: chopped walnuts and apple slices

Directions:​

1. Add the frozen banana, apple, milk, almond butter, peanut butter or sunflower seed butter, spices, dates and flax seeds to a high-powered blender.
2. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
3. Pour into a glass, add toppings and serve.

​ENJOY!