Recipe Friday - Kale Chips

Hey everyone! It's been months since my last recipe Friday post. I get really sick when I'm pregnant and I knew I wouldn't be able to keep it up during those 9 months. To be honest, I still don't know if I'll be able to post a recipe EVERY Friday because life with a newborn, AND a 2 year old AND a 3 1/2 year old is CRAZY!!! Any way, here's a recipe for this week.

I saw this on the Ellen Show. Gwyneth Paltrow was demonstrating some of the recipes from her cook book and this was one that her kids loved. Later that week one of my super healthy friends posted on facebook about how much she loves kale chips.

Kale Chips

Ingredients

- 1 bunch of kale, washed and cut into bite size pieces (ribs removed)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- sprinkle of salt

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
Spread the kale over the waxed paper.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Sprinkle with salt.

Place in the oven at 270 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, or until crispy. Let cool before eating.

ENJOY!!

Recipe Friday - Scones

Alright, so this isn't one of those magic, packed with vitamins, low fat, veggie lovers recipe. It's actually not that healthy at all... HOWEVER, I've been asked for this recipe by several of my friends. It's quick, easy, and tastes wonderful with any of my soup recipes.

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour or whole wheat 1/4 cup white sugar 2 ½ tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda) 1/2 tsp salt 1/3 cup butter 1 cup skim milk

METHOD: Preheat oven to 355°F. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Cut in the margarine or butter till mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs Add the milk and mix to make a smooth dough. (add more milk if necessary to ensure mix is not too dry) Spoon desired size dough onto baking sheet. Mine are usually slightly larger than a golf ball. Baking time approximately 12 minutes

Salsa Breakfast Burrito

Today my husband, kids, and I went on a little road trip to New York (state) to see some church sites and then do a little shopping. On the way there we went to *gasp* McDonald's and got some breakfast sandwiches! I know, I know, terrible right! Those darn breakfast sandwiches are so bad for you with the processed cheese and English muffin. So for today's recipe, I'm going to teach you how to make a healthier breakfast sandwich, I mean burrito.

Ingredients

1 Egg, plus 1 egg white
1 teaspoon skim milk
2 tablespoons salsa
1-2 tablespoons light cheddar cheese, grated
1 whole wheat tortilla
pinch garlic powder
pinch salt and pepper

Method

-in a bowl whisk together egg, egg white, milk, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cheese.
- in a non-stick frying pan, on medium heat cook egg mixture. Stir constantly until no longer runny. Remove from heat. It should resemble scrambled eggs... well that's exactly what it is, scrambled eggs.
- in a separate non-stick pan, warm tortilla on med heat for about 30 seconds per side (or longer if you want it slightly crispy)
- spread salsa on tortilla and top with scrabbled eggs
- roll up, cut in half and enjoy!

Recipe Friday - Checkerboard Sandwiches

Sorry for posting this mid-day instead of right at midnight like I usually do. I totally forgot that today is Friday. Here's a super cute recipe that a woman at church showed me. It's a great way to get your kids to eat whole wheat bread, or, if they're like my kids and eat whole wheat all the time, this is just cute and fun.

Ingredients

- 1 slice of whole wheat bread
- 1 slice of white bread
- whatever you want to put in your sandwich, like PB and Jam, Egg Salad, Ham and Cheese, whatever you want!

Method

- Make your sandwich like usual using brown bread on one side and white bread on the other.
- Cut you sandwich into 3 sections across
- The cut into 3 section in the other direction (you should have 9 equal pieces now)
- Now here's where the MAGIC happens... flip every other piece over so that every other side up is whole wheat. Check out the picture below if you don't understand.

Cute eh? Enjoy!

Recipe Friday - Watermelon Lemonade

Ok so summer is basically over, I know (tear) but this beverage is just so delicious any time of year. Oh sheeesh, I'm a poet and I didn't know it :)

Ingredients (this might have to be adjusted according to preference. Some people like their juice stronger or more watery or whatever)

- Half of a large watermelon cut into cubes, about 6 cups (or whatever, it's going in the blender any way)
- juice of 4 lemons
- 6 cups of water
- 1/2 tablespoon (or more) of liquid stevia or 3/4 cup sugar

Working in batches as necessary, purée watermelon and lemon juice in blender until smooth; transfer to a large container. Add water and stevia; stir until dissolved. Pour over ice in tall glasses, garnish with thin slices of watermelon, if desired, and serve.

ENJOY!

Recipe Friday - Salmon Cakes

I used to work at a restaurant that served these amazing crab cakes. Well I found out later that they were not really made with crab (it was that fake stuff) and they lacked in the healthy department (maybe it was the fatty dip they came with).

Later I discovered a way to make salmon cakes that are really really yummy, and much healthier.

Give them a try and tell me what you think.

Ingredients

- 2 large potatoes
- 1/2 onion diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 cans of flaked salmon (213 g) drained
- splash of olive oil
- lemon wedges
- salt and pepper

Peel and cut potatoes in half crosswise. Cover and cook in saucepan of boiling salted water for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain.

In large bowl, mash potatoes until smooth; stir in onions, parsley, mustard, salt, lemon zest, salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Blend in egg. Fold in salmon. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Using hands, shape into eight 3/4-inch (2 cm) thick patties.

In large nonstick skillet, heat half of the oil over medium heat; cook 4 of the patties for about 5 minutes per side or until golden. Repeat with remaining patties.

Serve with lemon wedges!

Recipe Friday -

Kids will love to help you make this healthy snack since it’s fun to spread the cashew butter and sprinkle the chocolate chips. Slice the apples into rounds first then use a small cookie cutter to remove the core from the center of each slice. We used a heart shaped one once, it was way cute!

Ingredients

2 small apples, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds, core removed
1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
3 tablespoons cashew butter (or all natural peanut butter)
2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons omega granola

Method

Start by brushing the apples slices with lemon juice to keep them from turning brown.

Spread one side of half of the apple slices with cashew butter then sprinkle with chocolate chips and omega granola. Top with remaining apple slices, pressing down gently to make the sandwiches. Enjoy!

Recipe Friday - Healthy Banana-Blueberry Muffins

Last week blueberries were on sale at my grocery store. Four pints for $5!!! I wanted to make blueberry muffins but last time I did, they turned out awful. I think I've honestly tried half a dozen recipes and none of them met my expectations.... until NOW! Thanks to Martha Stewart (she'll never let you down) I made the BEST blueberry-banana muffins ever! Seriously, my kids couldn't get enough of them.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 cup wheat germ (I used ground flax seeds instead)
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda (I also added a teaspoon of cinnamon)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 ripe bananas (about 1 pound)
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat (2 percent) milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup frozen blueberries (I used a pint of fresh blueberries- YUMMY)
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a bowl, whisk together flours, wheat germ, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, mash bananas with a fork (you should have 3/4 cup); stir in milk and vanilla.
3. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and banana mixture to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined. Fold in frozen blueberries.
4. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 28 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Let cool in pan 10 minutes; transfer muffins to a rack to cool 10 minutes more.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Healthy Banana-Blueberry Muffins and more delicious recipes, smart cooking tips, and video demonstrations on marthastewart.com

Recipe Friday - Turkey Meatloaf

One of my first memories of watching the Simpsons was an episode where Homer is sitting in front of the oven saying "Mmmm Meatloaf" I always thought meatloaf was gross because of this, and unhealthy. Even though meatloaf is a classic American/Canadian meal, my Mother never made it. Then one day, I was watching one of my favorite cooking shows "Chef at Home" with Michael Smith and he showed us how to make a delicious and healthy meatloaf. I've made it and I can tell you that it's so YUMMY! Try it for yourself and let me know what you think!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 onions, peeled and sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
• 2 pounds of ground turkey
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs
• 1 can (156 ml) tomato paste
• A few dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme or oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Preheat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, and then add the oil and onions. Sauté them until they are golden brown. Add the garlic and mushrooms and continue sautéing until all the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms have lightly browned.
3. In a large bowl mix together the turkey, milk, breadcrumbs, egg, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and mushroom mixture. Season well with salt and pepper. Press the mixture into a loaf pan, or 8” by 8” baking dish and bake until lightly browned on top and firm, about 1 hour. An instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meatloaf should read 165 degrees.

Recipe Friday - No Cook Berry Crisp

With this heat, who wants to be turning on their ovens? This recipe requires no oven at all and perfect for summer, especially with berries in season. It's a great way to load up on anti-oxidants, vitamins, protein, and healthy fats. I'm heading out to my garden to pick some fresh raspberries right now!

Ingredients

6 cups mixed berries, such as blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries
2 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 cup raw pecans
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup pitted dates, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

In a (7- x 11-inch) dish, toss berries with maple syrup. Put pecans, almonds, dates and cinnamon into a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Scatter nut mixture over berries and serve immediately, or chill until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Recipe Friday - Yummier Protein Shakes

As much as I hate to admit it, when I'm working out really hard or when I'm trying to loose weight, I drink a protein shake for either breakfast or lunch. I'm not one of those "gym rats" that eat only chicken, egg whites, and shakes instead of real food. Trust me, the rest of the day I'm eating a lot of fruits, veggies, and whole grains (and the occasional treat) I've just learned from my personal trainer friends that extra protein is needed when you're trying to build muscle, and lower carbs (notice I said lower carbs instead of NO carbs) will help people lose weight. So today's recipes are how to make a protein shake actually taste good, instead of like cardboard.

First of all, the best tasting protein shake is called Whey Gourmet and you can get this at most sports nutrition places. If you want to save money, Exact (found at Fortinos) isn't too bad either.

Second, you'll need a blender like the Magic Bullet or whatever.

Third, drink your protein shake cold. There's nothing worse than a warm thick shake. Eeewww, I'm grossed out just thinking about it.

Here's a few ways I like my shakes

1. Chocolate Monkey - 2 scoops chocolate powder with half a frozen banana and water. Mix in the blender until smooth.
2. Strawberry Banana - 2 scoops vanilla powder with half a cup of frozen strawberries, half a banana and water. Mix in the blender until smooth.
3. Mint Chocolate - 2 scoops chocolate powder, 4-6 ice cubes, half a teaspoon mint extract, and water or skim milk. Mix in a blender until smooth
4. Orange Creamsicle - 2 scoops vanilla powder, 4-6 ice cubes, half a cup orange juice, and skim milk. Mix in a blender until smooth.
5. Pina Colada - 2 scoops vanilla powder, 4-6 ice cubes, 1/3 cup frozen pineapple chunks, 1 tablespoon canned sweetened coconut puree, water. Mix in a blender until smooth.

I've also heard that mixing in some instant coffee crystals makes a fabulous mocha shake, but I don't drink coffee.

Well, there you have it, 5 wonder ways to actually enjoy a protein shake.

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

Recipe Friday - Chicken and Roast Veg Quiche

Lately I've been looking for more ways to use up ingredients laying around my fridge. I almost ALWAYS have a bunch of eggs sitting in my fridge, just a few days away from expiring, and since I hardly ever eat eggs for breakfast, I thought I'd make some quiche!

Ingredients
1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, put through a garlic press
1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Original
1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (or use chopped broccoli)
1 cup chopped or shredded cooked chicken (I usually use last night's leftovers)
3 eggs
2 egg whites
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 (9-inch) pie crust, in pie pan
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Method
Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Toss onions, garlic, bell peppers, extra virgin olive oil, Mrs. Dash, salt and pepper together on a large baking sheet. Roast in oven until just tender, about 10 minutes. Add asparagus, toss well and roast until vegetables are golden brown and tender, 15 to 20 minutes more. Add chicken, toss well and set aside.

Mix eggs, egg whites, flour, baking powder, milk, salt and pepper together in a medium bowl. Arrange vegetable mixture in pie crust, then pour egg mixture over the top. Scatter cheese over egg mixture and bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 45 minutes. (Tent with foil if top gets too dark before quiche is cooked through). Set aside to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

ENJOY!

Recipe Friday - Black Bean and Veggie Soup

Yesterday was one of those days where I NEEDED to go grocery shopping so bad, but didn't have time to go. Dinner time came and I had no clue what to make. I opened the fridge and noticed a few left over veggies, so I decided to make some soup. I also found a can of black beans and decided to add them to the soup for some added flavor, texture, and fibre. It turned out better than expected and both kids really enjoyed it, especially Joseph. The best part is, it was FAST.

Ingredients (this is what I had on hand, I'm sure other veggies would be great too)

1/2 head of cauliflower, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 very large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning
splash Extra Virgin Olive oil

Method

In a large sauce pan heath olive oil on medium heat. Add all veggies and spices. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring often. Add chicken stock, black beans and soy sauce. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until veggies are tender, maybe 20 minutes. Puree soup until smooth.

ENJOY!

Recipe Friday - Real Italian Meatballs

Sorry this is late. My internet was having issues. Last night my good friend Adam came over to make us a real Italian dinner (yes, he's Italian). He made us some very yummy meatballs and I ate like 6 of them! They were easier to make than I thought and tasted WAY better than any store bought meatballs.

Here's the recipe...

Ingredients

- 1 pound of ground meat. We used the tri-pack of lean ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal which equals 1 pound total. You can buy this at most fancier grocery stores like Fortinos.
- 1 cup of Italian bread crumbs
- 3/4 cup fresh Romano cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
- 1 large clove of garlic minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients with your hands until incorporated. Form into balls of desired size. I like to make them slightly smaller than a golf ball. You can either fry them in oil until cooked, OR simmer them in tomato sauce for 3 hours. Serve with pasta and sauce.

Tomato Sauce
- 3 cans of crushed tomatoes (796 ml)
- 1 small onion
- 1 can of tomato paste
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley
- salt and pepper

Put 1 clove of garlic and onions in a large sauce pan on medium heat for 5 minutes string often. Add 2 tablespoons parsley and remainder of the ingredients and warm on medium heat until sauce starts to bubble. Add 1 clove of garlic and 1 tablespoon parsley. Gently add uncooked meatballs and simmer on minimum for 3 hours.

Enjoy!

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

Recipe Friday - Pesto Pasta Salad

Tonight I'm going to a friends house for a Canada Day (well day after) party. She called yesterday and ask me if i could bring either a veggie tray, Cesar salad, garden salad, or a pasta salad. I decided on a pasta salad because I have a great recipe up my sleeve. I made this a year ago for another party and someone commented "this is delicious, probably the best thing here!" Here's the recipe for pesto pasta salad...

Ingredients

- 1 cup of pesto sauce (or if you're in a hurry, 1 jar Presidents Choice pesto sauce)
- 1 pkg grape tomatoes cut into halves
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled on the George Foreman Grille and cut into bite size pieces
- 750 g of corkscrew noodles, cooked

Throw everything into a large bowl. Mix and serve!

Enjoy!

Recipe Friday - Seafood Cucumber Stacks

Canada Day is next week so why not throw a party and serve yummy appetizers? Here's a fun one that reminds me of sushi, but way easier to make, and without the raw fish. These look like a lot of work, but they're not, so they're perfect to make when you want to "look" like a better chef than you really are :)

Seafood Cucumber Stacks

Ingredients

1/2 cup light cream cheese, softened
1 bunch chives, finely chopped, divided
Zest and 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 (4-ounce) package Smoked Salmon OR 4 ounces smoked trout OR 8 ounces crab meat OR
12 medium peeled, deveined and halved cooked shrimp
1 seedless cucumber, cut into 24 slices

Method

In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, half of the chives, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper. If using salmon or trout, cut into 24 bite-sized pieces. Arrange a piece of seafood on each cucumber slice then top with a dollop of sour cream mixture and garnish with remaining chives.

ENJOY!

Recipe Friday - (almost) Sugar Free Banana Bread

I LOVE banana bread a little too much. I've been known to eat half a loaf in just one day, and it takes a lot of restraint to keep myself from devouring the entire thing. The 45 minutes it takes to bake in the oven and the amazing smell that fills the air makes me so hungry that the 3rd degree burns I get from eating it hot are totally worth it (jk, don't try that). I was so happy when I attempted to make banana bread without sugar (aside from the chocolate chips, which are optional) and it turned out GREAT. My husband didn't even notice it was sugar free and my kids loved it too, but who doesn't LOVE banana bread?

(almost) Sugar Free Banana Bread
3 Ripe Bananas
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup skim milk powder
1/2 tablespoon liquid Stevia
1 beaten egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Method
Pre-heat Oven to 350
1. Mash bananas
2. Use electric mixer and mix mashed bananas with butter on med speed for 1 minute
3. Add Stevia, skim milk powder, egg, and vanilla and mix for another minute
4. Add baking soda and salt. Mix 30 seconds
5. Mix in flour until dough forms
6. Stir in chocolate chips (optional)
7. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes

ENJOY!

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

Recipe Friday - Potato Topped Chicken Pot Pie

When I got married I received a lot of cookbooks. I flipped through most of them and decided that there was nothing interesting, and they sit on my shelf being totally useless. I did however get the Canadian Living Cookbook which has a lot of great recipes and the BEST part is, they're family friendly! The recipe that I probably make the most (I made it tonight for the in-laws, and they really enjoyed it) is called Potato Topped Chicken Pot Pies. It's total comfort food!

Ingredients

1 1lb lb(454 g) (454 g) boneless skinless chicken breastboneless skinless chicken breasts
2 2cups cups(500 mL) (500 mL) chicken stock
2 2cups cups(500 mL) (500 mL) button mushroombutton mushrooms, quartered
1 1oniononions, chopped
2 2carrotcarrots, chopped
2 2cloves garlic, minced
2 2bay leafbay leaves
1/4 1/4tsp tsp(1 mL) (1 mL) salt
1/4 1/4tsp tsp(1 mL) (1 mL) pepper
1 1pinch pinchnutmeg
1 1cup cup(250 mL) (250 mL) frozen peas
1 1tsp tsp(5 mL) (5 mL) Dijon mustard
1/2 1/2tsp tsp(2 mL) (2 mL) lemon juice
1/2 1/2cup cup(125 mL) (125 mL) all-purpose flour
Topping
6 6Yukon Gold potatoYukon Gold potatoes
1/2 1/2cup cup(125 mL) (125 mL) milk
4 2tbsp tbsp(50 mL) (25 mL) butter
1/2 1/2tsp tsp(2 mL) (2 mL) salt
1/2 1/2tsp tsp(2 mL) (2 mL) pepper

Preparation:

Topping: Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch (1cm) chunks. In large saucepan of boiling salted water, cover and cook potatoes until tender, 15 minutes; drain and return to pot. Add milk, cheese, butter, salt and pepper; mash until smooth. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cut chicken into 1/2-inch (1 cm) chunks. In separate large sauce-pan, bring stock to boil. Add chicken, mushrooms, onion, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, salt, pepper and nutmeg; reduce heat, cover and simmer until chicken is no longer pink inside, about 6 minutes. Stir in peas, mustard and lemon juice.

In small bowl, whisk flour with 1/3 cup (75 mL) cold water; whisk into stock mixture and bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook, stirring often, until thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 5 minutes.

Make-Ahead Meal: Ladle into four 2-cup (500 mL) ovenproof or foil dishes. Spoon or pipe potato mixture over top. Let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate until cold. Cover with foil and overwrap with heavy-duty foil; freeze for up to 1 month.

Thaw in refrigerator; remove heavy-duty foil. Bake on rimmed baking sheet in 400°F (200°C) oven or toaster oven until knife inserted in centre for 5 seconds feels hot when touched, 25 minutes. Uncover and broil until golden, about 3 minutes.

Enjoy!

Me Ka Aloha

- Elisabeth

Recipe Friday - Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

Let me start by saying "Happy 1st Birthday Joseph!" I can't believe it's been a year since I gave birth to a little (well not so little) 9 pound 9 ounce cutie pie. It's been a great first year and I love my little guy so so much! Ok, more about that later... Time for a recipe!

Here's a twist on traditional pesto. I decided to make this one day because roasted red peppers were on sale. It turned out really well and it was actually faster than my usual pesto because I didn't need to grate all that romano cheese, AND lower it's in fat. This recipe is perfect to make on one of those busy days when you feel like your head is going to explode from all the running around (for me, that day is today!). In the time that it takes to boil a pot of pasta, you'll be done and your family will enjoy a healthy, homemade meal. It's faster than ordering a pizza!

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

300 mL jar of roasted red peppers, drained (or 3 whole roasted red peppers)
3 cloves of garlic
3/4 cup olive oil (I use extra virgin, but you can use regular if your kids don't like the strong taste)
1 small bunch of fresh basil, washed and stems removed

Put all ingredients in a blender. Blend about 2 minutes. Serve over whole wheat pasta and sprinkle with a bit of Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

- Elisabeth

Blueberry Orange Popsicles

I'm sure you've all noticed how freakin' hot it's been all week (I think we've had record highs and I love it!) and unfortunately our pool isn't open yet (if you could see me now, you' see my sad face). We're having problems with the plumbing and might need to dig it all up and repair it, which will take a while. Just ask Dave how he feels about having a pool and he'll gladly tell you how much he despises it, more than he despises car alarms (he really hates car alarms). So, without a pool to cool off in, my family has been searching for other ways. The best, most delicious way? Blueberry Orange Popsicles! My kids love Astro Smooth and Fruity Blueberry yogurt, like really, we go through a couple tubs a week, so I thought it would be fun to freeze it. Blueberries are full of antioxidants and vitamins, orange juice is full of vitamin C, and yogurt has calcium. It's the perfect, fun way to enjoy a healthy frozen treat!

Directions

1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup of orange juice - make the frozen concentrate kind with 2 cans of water instead of 3
1 cup of Astro Smooth and Fruity yogurt

Throw everything in a blender until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for 3 + hours.

ENJOY!