Thursday, April 28, 2011

Hawaiian Survivalist



       If you're ever lost in the wilderness of Hawaii with nothing but a machete, blender, and a power supply, then remember this recipe as if your life depended on it; because it probably will.

Your Recipe, Should You Choose to Accept it:

    Twist the top off the pineapple and stick the bromeliad into a glass of water.  Chop the pineapple into wedges or other easy shapes to work with.  If you have a superior juicer, consider juicing the skin to utilize all pulp rather than tossing it out.  Toss in 2 cups of diced skinless pineapple.  Take 2 peeled frozen bananas out of the freezer and dice them or break them into blender friendly pieces.  Dump 2 cups of frozen banana into the blender and then cover with 2 cups of coconut juice.  Top off with 2 tablespoons of vanilla bean extract.  Blend well and taste your concoction.  It should be light and somewhat mild compared to other smoothies made previously.  Absolutely great when you're in the mood for a light beverage, or when your stomach cannot tolerate much of anything.  Use riper bananas for a sweeter finished product.  Also consider using frozen pineapple. 
     Look forward to more recipes containing coconut in the future.  Coconut is actually an amazing ingredient.  It's juice is so pure that it has been used by soldiers for plasma transfusions when donor blood wasn't available.  I don't remember seeing that on LOST!.

 Ingredients:
Yields about 48 ounces.  Savor alone or with a friend (if you haven't eaten him already in order to survive).

Friday, April 15, 2011

Ice Cream from Scratch: Sneaky Syle


     If you have young ones in the home, you may know how difficult it can be to get them to have their daily dose of vitamins, minerals, and general nutrients.  Daily vitamin supplements are great, but it pains me to see a child go through the day with the only vegetable he or she has had being french fries.  There is a flavored milkshake-like beverage for kids that is being advertised as having a high concentration of vitamins that tastes great in order to be attractive to picky kids.  It's great once in a while, but being a proactive individual, I have devised a better option: blend up some vegetables and inject them into meals so as to not draw attention to them.  Not only have I decided to sneak vegetables into the meals of the innocent, but I have struck where little ones will least suspect it: DESSERT.


Your Recipe, Should you Choose to Accept it:

1 carrot 
1 stalk of celery, leaves and all
1 cup frozen mangoes 
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup Half and Half
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon of Vanilla


     Halve the carrot and celery and stick them into your blender when no one is looking.  I was caught and had to make up some story that I was blending something for the dog.  True Story.  Proceed to add the other ingredients in no particular order, seal blender, and hit the  ice cream button.  If your blender doesn't do ice cream with a button, set it to pulse and work your way up to the highest power level and back off as the blender reaches hard to handle areas.  The ice cream blends incredibly smooth and has a slight texture to it due to the mangoes.  If you love guayaba, this will be a delight.  If you cannot make up a good story as to why there might be an occasional green spec in the ice cream, perhaps it would be best to leave out the leaves and put them to use in another recipe.  I plan on making a good amount of ice cream in this manner in the next coming days and then freezing it.  I'll post and share how the texture and consistency holds up. 'Til then....

Yields 32 ounces. Serves 4 (1 quarter cup of vegetables per serving). 

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

The BOSS



Today I will reveal unto you how to make The BOSS.  Banana Orange Strawberry Smoothie.  Real simple.  Real delicious.  If you can't handle The BOSS, then you better stick with Kool-Aid. 

Your Recipe, Should You Choose to Accept it:

     Dump Greek yogurt into the blender and then cover with orange juice so fresh you have to chew it while you drink it.  Peel 2 medium bananas  and   stick them into the mixture.  Cover the concoction with 2 cups of frozen strawberries.  Top off with 2 tablespoons of vanilla bean extract.  Blend well and taste your concoction.  It should be sweet and tangy all on its own with no need to sweeten.  Use riper bananas for a sweeter finished product. 

 Ingredients:
  • 2 cups of Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 1 cup of Country style Orange Juice (Country style = Lotsa Pulp)
  • 2 cups Frozen Strawberries
  • 2 Medium Bananas
  • 2 tablespoons of Vanilla Bean Extract
Yields 48 ounces containing a total of 30 grams of protein.  Savor alone or with a friend.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Very Cherry Berry Smoothie




     Several weeks ago I bought some 100% cherry juice thinking, "boy, I sure love cherries, and I really like juice...I'll take it!" I got it home and poured myself some (or drank it straight from the bottle most likely) and winced a little at the medicine like beverage.  Not what I had in mind.  While at the blender today I was thinking of something healthy to make.  Next to the Aloe Vera juice was the small bottle of cherry juice.  Thinking to myself if something tastes like medicine it ought to be good for you, I decided to base my concoction around those two primary ingredients.  

Your Recipe, Should You Choose to Accept it:

     Pour your medley  of frozen berries into the blender and cover with  2 cups of nonfat plain Greek yogurt.  I choose nonfat not because I'm a fat ass or anything, but because it has 50% more protein than regular Greek Yogurt.  Also, regular has about 60% of your daily suggested fat allotment.  Add Aloe Vera juice and cherry juice into blender and stir with a spoon to mingle it with the yogurt.  Be sure to allow some liquid to surround the blades of your blender.  Add 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean extract to the mixture and top off with cherries.  My container stated that it contained 12oz. of cherries, but measured out it showed about 2.25 cups.  This information can be helpful if you purchase large quantities of cherries at a time and/or do not have a scale at home, but only a measuring cup.  Be sure that the cherries are pitted, otherwise smoothies will be the only thing you'll be drinking for quite some time.  
     Blend well and taste your concoction.  If it tastes like medicine you have followed the recipe correctly.  If it tastes wonderful, then quit while you're ahead.  I added a large glop of honey with a table spoon that was easily 2 ounces - 4 ounces.  The honey made the drink magically transform from a medicinal beverage to a guilt inducing dessert.  Aside from the honey, the vanilla is also key to making this transition.    

 Ingredients:
  • 2 cups of Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 2 cups of Frozen Mixed Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.)
  • 2.25 cups (12oz. weight) frozen Dark Sweet Cherries (pitted, of course)
  • .5 cup 100% Cherry Juice
  • .5 cup Aloe Vera Juice
  • 1 tablespoon of Vanilla Bean Extract
  • Sweeten with Honey to taste (.25 cups, give or take)
Yields 48 ounces.  Perfect for 2 hungry adults and a child, 3 modest adults, or 6 Frenchmen.  Enjoy.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Morning Coffee

      In celebration of the installation of Morning Coffee, I present to you a blended cup of jubilation!  Sometimes clearing dozens of browser tabs can feel like a daunting task; and to get you through, a little kick could be more than helpful.  If you're impatient like me, nothing is worse than having to wait to drink your beverage (except for maybe a burnt tongue).  Sitting around and huffing and puffing over a hot mug of coffee isn't how I like to spend my time.  Unless I risk death due to hypothermia, I like my drinks chilly. 


Your Recipe, Should You Choose to Accept it:

  • Brew a pot of coffee.  My pot claims to contain 4 cups, yet I ended up with 500ml/16oz.  Pour a mug for yourself if you'd like, but be sure to set aside 16oz. for your Morning Coffee.  Place the designated coffee into a temperature resistant container and set it in the refrigerator.  Once the coffee has chilled, pour it into an empty ice cube tray.  Freeze.  Once frozen, each frozen cube of coffee should consist of 1 oz.   My cubes were overfilled slightly so that each cube contained 1.2 oz.
  • Combine Half and Half, vanilla extract, almond extract, and cinnamon into blender and mix well.  Add frozen coffee cubes to blender and blend till smooth.  If resulting concoction is not delicious enough, spoon honey into the pitcher and blend until desired sweetness level is obtained (my preference is a heaping tablespoon). 
  • Enjoy

Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoons of Vanilla Bean Extract
  • 2 teaspoons of Almond Extract (start with less and add extract as needed for flavor)
  • ½ teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon
  • 2 ounces of Half and Half
  • 6 ounces of Frozen Coffee (you favorite blend)
  • Sweeten with Honey to taste. 
 

      Makes one 8 oz. serving.  I generally prefer a 16 oz. serving myself, but unless I plan on being up for hours on end, 8 is enough.  If you prefer coffee for it's flavor rather than it's caffeine, substitute decafinated coffee and drink as much as you like.