Smoothies-Peachy

Just Peachy Smoothies
Peach, blue berry, or red berry smoothies can become pops.
SERVINGS: 4 (1-cup servings)
CARB GRAMS PER SERVING:

2 cups sliced fresh peaches, nectarines, and/or apricots
1 cup fat-free milk
1 6-ounce carton peach fat-free yogurt with no-calorie sweetener
1 cup small ice cubes or crushed ice

1. In a blender, combine fruit, milk, and yogurt. Cover and blend until smooth.

2. Gradually add ice through hole in lid, blending until almost smooth. If desired, garnish each serving with fresh fruit. Makes 4 (1-cup) servings.

Double Blue Berry Smoothies: Prepare Just Peachy Smoothies as directed through Step 2, except substitute blueberry yogurt for peach yogurt and 1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries and 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blackberries for peaches.

Double Red Berry Smoothies: Prepare Just Peachy Smoothies as directed through Step 2, except substitute strawberry yogurt for peach yogurt and 1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen sliced strawberries and 1/2 cup fresh or frozen red raspberries for peaches.

Fruit Smoothie Pops: Prepare peach, blue berry, or red berry mixtures as directed through Step 1. Omit ice. Pour mixture into 14 compartments of freezer pop molds. (Or pour into 3-ounce paper or plastic cups. Cover with foil. Make a slit in the foil of each. Add sticks.) Freeze for 4 to 6 hours or until firm. Makes 14 pops.

Prepare pops as directed; freeze for up to 1 week
Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Banana-Strawberry Smoothies

Banana-Strawberry Smoothies
Source: Better Homes and Gardens

This recipe for Banana-Strawberry Smoothies makes it easy to whip up cool after-school drinks.
Ingredients:
2 ripe small bananas
1 cup frozen unsweetened whole strawberries
1 8-ounce carton vanilla low-fat yogurt
3/4 cup milk

Directions:
1. Peel bananas. Cut bananas into chunks. Place banana chunks, frozen strawberries, yogurt, and milk into blender a container.
2. Cover blender and blend on high speed about 1 minute or until mixture is smooth. Turn off blender. Pour drink into 2 glasses. If desired, serve with pieces of toast spread with peanut butter. Makes 2 servings.

Eat Well and Stay Thin

Eat Well and Stay Thin
Bethenny Frankel reveals recipe secrets from her new book. A must read book! Awesome!

WAHM and SAHM of the Month 2009

Great honor. I was chossen Mom of the 1st quarter of 2009 by Stay At Home Moms Online. You may read more at WAHM and SAHM Online.
http://stayathomemomsonline.com/momofmonth.html

Quote For The Day

Everyday is a gift, thats why they call it the present. Make good use of them

How To Help Kids Go Green

How to Help Kids ’Go Green’



Kids are increasingly aware of the issues impacting their environment, and are even more engaged and excited about making their world a greener place. Parents can involve their children in “going green” with a few simple steps, and show them how they, too, can make a big contribution to Mother Earth.  



Families can celebrate Earth Month all year long by turning everyday tasks into fun and productive steps for children that illustrate how they can help make our planet a greener and healthier place. It doesn’t take a lot of effort -- helping your kids “go green” can happen at home, at school or even through play.  



The first step is to learn about the issue and start a conversation with your child in a way that makes sense to them.  Parents can utilize eco-themed toys or movies as a fun way to start a dialogue with their kids about the importance of protecting their planet. Look for a green theme in products, toys and shows they already love, like the new “Barbie Presents: Thumbelina” DVD. Thumbelina, the star of the DVD, harnesses the magic of nature to save her home in the wildflowers from developers, and sets out to prove that even the smallest person can make a big difference. The movie can ignite a conversation between parents and children about the small things they can do as a family to help give back to their environment.  



“One of the most powerful ways my daughter Lola can learn about protecting the environment is through play,” explains Sophie Uliano, eco-expert, blogger and author of “Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life.” “’Barbie Presents: Thumbelina’ offers an inspirational message as well as an engaging product line that allows us to do green activities together, such as gardening and recycling in a fun fashionable way.”



Inspire your kids to start thinking “green” with a few of these simple eco-tips that can make a big difference:



* Plant a garden at home -- Carve out a small patch in your yard just for your child to plant a garden. Incorporating toys like the Thumbelina Solar Garden Activity set are a great way to introduce kids to gardening.



* Turn recycling into a game -- Turn this chore into something fun that the whole family can participate in by creating a fun sorting game or by decorating different recycling bins with recyclable materials.

 

* Choose reusable goods for everyday eats -- Take a reusable water bottle to sports or dance practice and pack lunch in a fun reusable lunch box or bag.



* Conserve water -- Talk to your kids about how much water they save by taking a shower instead of a bath and by turning off the faucet while brushing their teeth.



* Save electricity -- Assign a “Power Captain” of the household -- someone responsible for turning off the lights whenever the family leaves leave a room or the house; give the Power Captain points or small rewards for every light they turn off.



Before you know it, your kids will be on their way to an eco-friendly lifestyle. Encourage them to spread the word to other family members and friends to join the green movement. Together everyone can help preserve a green, clean and healthy Earth for generations to come.



For more eco-tips on how you and your family can protect Earth, visit www.epa.gov/kids.



Courtesy of ARAcontent

Smoothies

Sweeten Summer with Cool, Refreshing Smoothies



Warm summer days call for the perfect frosty refreshment. Try homemade fruit smoothies -- sweetened naturally with pure honey. Creating your own creamy concoctions is easy -- simply blend together your favorite fruits with ice cubes, milk or yogurt and a touch of honey. Honey is the secret ingredient to enhancing the sweet flavors of the fruits.

Blend up your own delicious smoothies with these easy tips:

* Add variety: Experiment with different combinations of fresh fruits. Try melons, berries and tropical fruits such as mangoes, bananas and pineapple.

* Make it thick: Add a few more ice cubes for a creamier mix.

* Keep it cold: Instead of using fresh fruit, use frozen fruit for a colder and thicker beverage. You can buy frozen fruit or freeze your own.

* On the go: Make smoothies ahead of time and store in the freezer.

* Prevent sticky situations: Add honey and any additional liquids to the blender first to prevent it from binding up on the frozen fruit and getting stuck.

Try these simple smoothie recipes from the National Honey Board. For more recipes and additional honey tips and information, visit www.honey.com.  

Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie

Makes 2 servings


Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries

1 large kiwi, peeled

1 container (8 ounces) low-fat vanilla yogurt

1/4 cup honey

12 to 15 ice cubes

Directions:

In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and process until smooth. Serve immediately.

Tropical Smoothie

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups low-fat milk

1/4 cup honey

2 medium ripe bananas, peeled

1 cup plain yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla (Substitute vanilla yogurt for plain yogurt and vanilla, if desired.)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

5 ice cubes

Directions:

Combine milk, bananas, yogurt, honey, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg in blender or food processor; process until thick and creamy. Add ice cubes, one at a time, and blend until smooth.



Honey Breakfast Drink

Makes 4 servings



Ingredients:

2 cups milk

1/2 cup orange juice

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup low-fat dry milk

1/4 cup wheat germ

1 large banana, peeled and sliced

4 to 5 ice cubes



Directions:

Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor and mix well.



Courtesy of ARAcontent

Smoothies, Honeydew-Grape

Honeydew-Grape Smoothie
Source: Ladies' Home Journal

A refreshing blend of honeydew, grapes, and grape juice make this low-calorie drink a great way to start the day.
Ingredients:
2 cups (8 oz.) peeled and cubed honeydew melon or cataloupe
2 cups green or red seedless grapes
2/3 cup white grape juice, chilled
4 ice cubes

Directions:
1. Puree honeydew melon, grapes, and white grape juice in blender on high speed. With machine running, add ice through feed tube one cube at a time, until mixture is thick and smooth. Puree in batches. Serve immediately. Makes 3 cups.

Smoothies, All-fruit

All-Fruit Smoothie
Source: Ladies' Home Journal

This refreshing blend of pear, grapes, banana, and cranberry juice gets a slightly sweet flavor from the honey.
Ingredients:
1 ripe Bartlett pear, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
1/2 cup green seedless grapes
1 small ripe banana
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup cranberry juice cocktail
5 ice cubes

Directions:
1. Puree pear, grapes, banana and honey in blender. With motor on, add cranberry juice through feed tube; puree until blended. Add ice through feed tube one cube at a time until thick and smooth. Makes one 14-ounce serving.

Ginger-Lime Chicken Salad

Ginger-Lime Chicken Salad
Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients:
1/4 cup fat-free or low-fat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken breast
1 cup snow pea pods, long-bias cut
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon very thinly sliced red onion

Directions:
Combine yogurt, lime juice, and ginger in a medium bowl. Add chicken, stirring to coat. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. Toss pea pods, celery, and onion together. Arrange vegetable mixture in four salad bowls. Top with chicken mixture. Makes 4 servings.