Wake-Up Smoothie

Wake-Up Smoothie

WebMD Recipe from EatingWell.com

With a stash of berries in your freezer, you can jump-start your day with this nutritious, tasty smoothie in just minutes. It provides vitamin C, fiber, potassium and soy protein.

Ingredients

Prep: 5 minutes | Total Time: 5 minutes

• 1 1/4 cups  orange juice, preferably calcium-fortified
• 1 banana
• 1 1/4 cups frozen berries such as raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and/or strawberries
• 1/2 cup  low-fat silken tofu or low-fat plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon  sugar or sugar-substitute, optional

Instructions

Combine orange juice, banana, berries, tofu (or yogurt) and sugar (or sugar substitute), if using, in a blender; cover and blend until creamy. Serve immediately.

Reviewed July 16, 2012

From www.eatingwell.com with permission. © 2011-2012 Eating Well Inc.
For more recipes go to EatingWell.com

Strawberry Pudding

Strawberry Pudding

For a healthy dessert alternative, this naturally sweet pudding recipe is a tasty treat and has no added sugar. Substituting protein-rich tofu for heavy milks and creams makes this dish much lighter and diet-friendly.

 

Ingredients

Serves 4

8 oz frozen strawberries, unsweetened, thawed and drained
8 oz firm or extra-firm silken tofu
1 tbsp orange zest
1/4 cup agave nectar (optional)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
4 fresh strawberries, sliced

Directions
In a food processor, combine all ingredients, except for the sliced strawberries, stopping after 1 minute to scrape the sides of the bowl.

Blend for an additional minute or until the mix is very smooth.
 Divide the mix evenly among small bowls, and chill for at least 1 hour.
 Garnish with sliced strawberries and serve immediately.

From DR OZ show

Caramel Apple Cider

1 (64-ounce) bottle of apple juice or cider
1/2 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed or a high-quality brand such as Simply Orange
2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 orange
8 cloves
1/3 cup bottled caramel sauce (plus more to tast if desired)
Sweetened whipped cream (p.252 or from a can)
Ground cinnamon

1. Pour the apple cider into a large stockpot on the stove. Set heat to medium-high. Add orange juice, cinnamon sticks & allspice.

2. Thoughly wash your orange & then gently stab the while cloves into it. If you find it hard to do that with out destroying the cloves, use a toothpick to poke little holes first and then insert the cloves.

3. Gently drop the whole orange into the pot. Bring the cider to a boil and then reduce heat to a low simmer. Simmer on low for 60 minutes or longer if you wish. If at any time the orange splits open, remove it from the pot.

4. After the cider has simmered for an hour, add caramel sauce & stir to combind and dissolve. Add more caramel to tast if needed.

5. When ready to serve, ladle the cider into mugs, top with whipped cream, and give it a drizzle of caramel and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Serves 8-10 ~Our Best Bites~ page 27

No-Stress Hot Cider

No-Stress Hot Cider

Ingredients:

2 quarts unsweetened, organic cranberry juice

1 ½ cups dried cranberries

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups honey or agave nectar

2 cinnamon sticks

14 whole cloves

Zest of 2 oranges

Directions:

Pour cranberry juice into a pot, heat completely but do not boil. To the juice, add the zest from the

oranges, cloves, cranberries, vanilla extract, honey and cinnamon sticks. Heat, stirring

occasionally until hot and steamy, for about 20 minutes. Pour and enjoy!

Source:

www.allrecipes.com©

Breakfasts to Brighten Your Day your pick: sweet or tangy

Breakfasts to Brighten Your Day

Instead of downing a cup of coffee and a doughnut on those why not try a healthful protein-rich shake that's brimming over with energizing nutrients like the B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc.
This tasty smoothie, which makes a great snack for children and grownups alike, comes from Food & Mood by Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D. (Henry Holt & Co.).

1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 banana, sliced
3/4 cup orange juice
1 1/2 Tbs. peanut butter
1/2 cup chopped peeled apple
1/4 cup wheat germ

Optional: 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Grated lemon peel & ice cubes

Process ingredients in a blender until creamy.

Or, if you prefer a tangier nutrient cocktail, try this antioxidant-rich combo which is high in vitamin C and the full range of carotenoids thought to protect the cells from free radical damage:

2 medium carrots
1 celery stalk
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 apple
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 large tomato

Optional: 1 garlic clove
1 green onion
dash of cayenne

Put all the ingredients in a juicer and process until smooth.

Strawberries Romanoff

Strawberries Romanoff from Olive Garden

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup brown sugar
Juice of 1 orange
1 Tbsp Triple Sec
2 qt strawberries, washed and quartered
Fresh mint sprig

Procedures:
COMBINE sour cream, brown sugar, orange juice and triple sec together in a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly. Add strawberries. Fold in until evenly coated.
PLACE coated berries in a dessert dish or champagne glass. Garnish each with a sprig of mint.
CHILL until ready to serve.

Raspberriessss Tips - Berry Trifle

Raspberriessss
Last year I was given some raspberry starts today I picked my first raspberry. I must say it was delish!
Now I shall compile tips on growing them & recipes....

From Fine Gardening:
Raspberries are not just another tasty berry; they are loaded with healthful attributes. They're high in fiber and contain vitamin A, folate, antioxidants, and numerous minerals; the juice contains vitamin C; and those sometimes-annoying little seeds contain vitamin E. And, of course, if you have a raspberry patch, you have endless dessert possibilities.

The key elements to raspberry success are careful selection of plant type, a good solid trellising system, and husbandry techniques that match the needs of the plant. Once everything is in place, your raspberry patch will provide you with many years of satisfaction.

Pruning for a long harvest season (I will need to do this)

The smooth green 1-year-old canes and the rougher brown 2-year-old canes are easy to tell apart. Each spring, 1-year-old canes are trimmed back to below the fruiting area, and 2-year-old canes are removed completely.

The main purpose of pruning is to get rid of older canes in favor of newer canes that will produce fruit. In late summer, some of your newly planted canes will begin to fruit at the top of the cane and continue into the fall. In the early spring of the following year, while the plants are still dormant, it's time to prune these now 1-year-old canes, and here is where we do something special.

The common method of pruning everbearing raspberries is simply to cut all of the canes down to about 1 inch from the ground. Though it's an easy way to go, this method eliminates the July crop. Fruiting doesn't begin until early fall, the reason some raspberry growers call everbearing raspberries "fall bearing." (This method is useful, however, if a disease has developed in your patch.)

Instead, the first spring, we cut the 1-year-old canes back to below the fruiting area, level with the top support wire. These shortened canes begin fruiting in July. In the meantime, leafy new canes, called primocanes, grow rapidly up from between the old canes. These new canes will flower and fruit later in the summer. We thin them out and clear away those suckers that popped up around the patch. The following spring, we remove the 2-year-old canes completely to make room for new growth, cutting them off at the ground, and we trim back the 1-year-old canes. We usually top-dress our raspberry patch with well-rotted manure and berry fertilizer in early spring. You can also prune summer-fruiting varieties using this method.

OH THE RECIPE!
Recipe: Berry Trifle
by Darlene White
Berry Trifle
10 generous servings, or 16 smaller ones

This summer party dessert looks spectacular in a traditional 12-cup trifle bowl. You can also make it with just raspberries.

Custard:
2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 egg yolks
1 Tbs. butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups whipping cream

Fruit:
1 pint raspberries
1 pint blueberries
1 pint strawberries
2 Tbs. confectioner’s sugar
2 Tbs. sherry or orange juice

Cake:
3 oz. package lady fingers
Half a 9 oz. angelfood cake
1/4 cup sherry or orange juice

To make the custard: Scald the milk in a heavy pot. Mix the sugar and flour together, and place in the top of a double boiler over hot water. Whisk in the scalded milk, then quickly whisk in the egg yolks. Cook, stirring, until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla. Pour the custard into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or waxed paper to prevent a skin from forming on top. Refrigerate until cool.

Line a traditional 12-cup glass trifle bowl with lady fingers and fill with custard and fruit for a spectacular Berry Trifle. Photo/Illustration: Scptt Phillips

Reserve a few whole berries to decorate the top. Place the rest of the raspberries and blueberries in a bowl. Slice the strawberries and add them to the bowl. Add the sugar and the 2 Tbs. sherry. Let the mixture steep 30 to 45 minutes to allow some of the fruit juices to be drawn out.

Whip the cream and mix a third of it into the custard; reserve the rest.

To assemble the trifle: Place 1 cup of the fruit mixture in the bottom of a 12-cup glass trifle bowl. Arrange the ladyfingers around the outer sides of the bowl. Top the ladyfingers with berries. Spoon half the custard mixture into the center of the bowl. Cut a couple of slices of angelfood cake into pieces and scatter them on top of the custard, then drizzle half the sherry on it, and top with the remaining fruit. Cover the fruit with slices of angelfood cake and drizzle it with the remaining sherry. Add the remaining custard to the dish, then spread the rest of the whipped cream evenly over the top.

Garnish the trifle with the reserved berries and mint or other edible leaves. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavors to meld.
260 cal, 14g fat, 100mg sodium, 2g fiber; small serving

Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Sangria

Sparkling Sangria

Great for summer entertaining or cooling off on long, lazy days. Kids will love the grown-up feel -- and taste -- of this sparkly fruit spritzer. Frozen grape and mint leaf ice cubes add an extra splash of color and flavor. Estimated Times

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooling Time: 1 hr freezing

Servings: 8

Ingredients:
1 orange, washed, halved and cut into thin slices (remove any seeds)
2/3 cup red and/or green grapes, rinsed and cut in half
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves or sprigs, rinsed Purified water
3 cups Apple NESTLÉ JUICY JUICE All Natural 100% Juice, chilled
4 to 5 cups calorie-free seltzer water, chilled

Directions:
PLACE orange slices on baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.

DIVIDE grape halves and mint leaves or sprigs between two ice cube trays. Fill each tray with purified water and freeze until solid.

POUR Juicy Juice into pitcher; add frozen orange slices, prepared ice cubes and seltzer water. Serve immediately.

NOTE: Omit ice cubes for children under age 4 due to choking risk. Also, try substituting White Grape NESTLÉ JUICY JUICE All Natural 100% Juice.

Fit-as-a-fiddle Berry Pancakes

(From: The SleepOver Cookbook, By Hallie Warshaw)
I recomend this recipe me & my husband plan to make this again.

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Whole-Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1 Cup nonfat milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 cup fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries (thawed)

Maple syrup or applesauce
Vegetable cooking spray

Directions:
In a large Mixing bowl whisk flours, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon (dry ingredience). Form a well in the middle. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk egg until foamy.
Add the milk, vanilla & oil, and mix to combine.
Gently pour the liquid mixture into the well of the dry ingredients and mix until just blended.
Add the Orange Juice & mix to Combine.
Gently stir in blueberries
Using 1/2c measure, pour the batter into the center of a lightly sprayed medium sized frying pan.
Cook for approximatly 3 min. or until underside becomes golden brown.
Using a spatula flip pancake over & continue to cook until otherside is golden.

Serve with butter, maple syrup, applesauce, powder sugar or anything you love on pancakes.

Orange-Scented Cornmeal Cake With Fresh Berries

Orange-Scented Cornmeal Cake With Fresh Berries
Ingredients

For the cake:
3/4 cup whole-grain pastry flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the berry sauce:
1 cup blackberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice

Preparation

To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine the four, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, combine 1/3 cup of sugar and the oil. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat for 2 minutes. Add the yogurt, eggs, orange peel, and orange juice. Beat for 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients and beat until blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle over the batter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

To make the berries: In a food processor or blender, puree 3/4 cup of the blackberries, the sugar, and the orange juice until smooth. Strain the puree through a sieve into a small bowl; discard the seeds. Cut the cake into wedges. Spoon the berry sauce over the wedges and sprinkle with the blueberries, raspberries, and remaining blackberries.

Note: When you use an electric mixer to beat citrus peel into a batter, a lot of the peel can cling to the beaters. Be sure to scrape any peel from the beaters back into the batter.

Makes 8 servings

Per serving: 189 calories, 30g carbohydrates, 4g protein, 7g total fat, 55mg cholesterol, 3g dietary fiber, 200mg sodium

Marmalade French Toast Casserole

Marmalade French Toast Casserole
Grapefruit or mixed fruit marmalade will work just as well as the orange marmalade called for in the recipe. Serve the casserole with honey or pancake syrup warmed with orange rind and a splash of orange juice (add one teaspoon rind and two tablespoons juice per 1/2 cup syrup). This easy casserole can be assembled in less than 15 minutes and stored in the refrigerator overnight.

YIELD: 12 servings (serving size: 1 piece)

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 (16-ounce) sourdough French bread loaf, cut into 24 (1/2-inch) slices
Cooking spray
1 (12-ounce) jar orange marmalade
2 3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 large eggs
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

Preparation:
Spread softened butter on one side of each bread slice. Arrange 12 bread slices, buttered side down, slightly overlapping in a single layer in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread marmalade evenly over bread; top with remaining 12 bread slices, buttered side up.
Combine milk and next 4 ingredients (through eggs), stirring with a whisk. Pour egg mixture over bread. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Sprinkle casserole with walnuts. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until golden. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Maureen Callahan, Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2006

Healthified Blueberry-Orange Muffins - butternut squash

Healthified Blueberry-Orange Muffins

70% less total fat • 300% more dietary fiber than the original recipe—see the comparison. Butternut squash takes the place of some of the cooking oil in these hearty muffins. You can substitute canned pumpkin for the squash, if desired.

Prep Time:20 min
Start to Finish:40 min
makes:12 muffins

Nonstick cooking spray
3/4 cup buckwheat flour
2/3 cup Gold Medal® whole wheat flour
2/3 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup mashed cooked butternut squash*
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3/4 cup fresh blueberries or 3/4 cup Cascadian Farm® frozen organic blueberries (do not thaw)
1 to 2 tablespoons rolled oats

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper bake cups. If using paper bake cups, coat insides of paper cups with cooking spray; set pan aside. In a large bowl, combine the buckwheat flour, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, squash, milk, orange peel, orange juice, and oil. Add the egg mixture all at once to the four mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in blueberries.
3. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each almost full. Sprinkle with oats. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups; serve warm.
4. *Tip: You may substitute frozen squash in place of fresh butternut squash. Prepare 1 package (10 oz) of Cascadian Farm® frozen winter squash according to package directions. Use 1 cup squash for recipe. Save remaining squash for another use.

Nutritional Information

1 muffin: Calories 140 (Calories from Fat 30); Total Fat 3 1/2g (Saturated Fat 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 35mg; Sodium 200mg; Total Carbohydrate 24g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 6g); Protein 4g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 40%; Vitamin C 10%; Calcium 4%; Iron 8% Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1 1/2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Brainy Breakfast Idea

Eat a Brainy Breakfast
The best breakfast is one of whole grains, low-fat protein and dairy and full of lots of fruits and vegetables. Try these great options from pediatrician Dr. Jim Sears to get in that most important meal of the day:

• Granola cereal, yogurt & a sliced apple
• Scrambled eggs, toast and orange juice
• Veggie omelet, bran muffin and fruit with yogurt
• Whole-grain pancakes or waffles topped with berries &/or yogurt, & milk
• Whole-wheat zucchini pancakes topped with fruit, and milk
• French toast topped with fruit and orange juice or milk
• Low-fat cheese melted on toast with a piece of fruit
• Low-fat cream cheese on a whole-grain bagel & orange juice
• Peanut butter and banana slices on an english muffin & milk
• Berry banana yogurt smoothie on-the-run, such as School-Ade

Orange Dessert Squares

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs, separated
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 3/4 cup milk
• 4 teaspoons finely grated orange peel

• Orange Sauce:

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 4 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice

Preparation:

In a medium bowl beat sugar, butter, and egg yolks at medium speed until light and fluffy; add flour alternate with milk at low speed, beginning and ending with flour. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold egg whites and orange rind gently into the batter; pour into greased and floured 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake at 375° for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool, cut into squares, and serve with warm orange sauce. Makes about 12 to 18 servings.

Sauce:
In small saucepan mix together sugar, cornstarch, and salt; pour the boiling water over mixture, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Add butter, orange peel, and orange juice.

Go-All-Night Smoothie

Go-All-Night Smoothie
Want to boost your man's performance in bed? Try The Doctors' Go-All-Night Smoothie!

Ingredients
1 ripe banana
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 skim milk
1 cup low-fat yogurt (strawberry or blueberry)

Instructions
• Place banana, orange juice and milk in blender.
• Blend for about two seconds until smooth.
• Stir in yogurt.
• Chill, if desired, then serve.

Nutrient Analysis Per Serving:
Calories: 322
Carbohydrates: 66 g
Protein: 13 g
Cholesterol: 9 mg
Sodium: 168 mg
Fiber: 2 g
Fat: 2 gr
(6 percent of calories from fat)

HomeMade Treats

The Container Store has HomeMade Treats shown on there website they look really good!

Chilled Pineapple-Cranberry Relish
from REALSIMPLE

Hands-On Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 25 minutes (includes cooling time)
Make about 4 cups

Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
16 ounces cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup fresh orange juice
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup apricot preserves
2 small Granny Smith apples—peeled, cored, and chopped
1/2 pound chopped fresh pineapple (1 1/4 cups)


Directions:
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the cranberries, orange juice, sugar, and preserves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens, 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the apples and pineapple. Let cool to room temperature.

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.