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Creamy Tropical Green Smoothie

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tropical green smoothie

Green smoothies have been a “thing” for quite a while now, but I didn’t get it for the longest time because every recipe I tried tasted just too, well, green. But, I finally found one that tastes like a proper smoothie – cold, creamy and delicious. Your first thought will be “tropical” not “green”.

There’s a lot going on in this smoothie to make it just right. The banana, avocado and yogurt keep it creamy, the ice cubes keep it cold and refreshing, the orange juice gives it a tropical flavour, and the honey sweetens it up. I don’t normally put this much honey in a smoothie but I feel like it’s necessary to take away the “green” flavour that tends to make these types of smoothies taste like a blended salad. *shudder* I like to eat my salad with a fork, thank you very much.

This smoothie gets it’s green from two veggies, avocado and spinach. But, I don’t think that either are distinctly noticeable. In fact, Max doesn’t like avocados one bit “except for in smoothies” he now proudly proclaims, because he loves this smoothie so much. Mommy win!

tropical green smoothie

Creamy Tropical Green Smoothies

  • 1 avocado, peel and pit removed
  • 1 large banana, peeled (or 1.5 small)
  • 1 large handful baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 1/2 cups pure unsweetened orange juice
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 12 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender, process until smooth. Serve.

Makes: 4 large servings

Adapted from Everyday Food.

Homemade Almond Milk

By in Beverages, Cold, Homemade 10 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

almond milk

Almond milk has been a constant in our fridge for a long time. I use it mostly in my granola and drinks. We still use regular milk for cooking, but I find that if I have too much it starts to bother me, so I keep it to a minimum and always make sure to have an alternative on hand.

I started making my own almond milk about a month ago. It’s cheaper then buying a carton from the store, especially if you can buy your almonds in bulk. Since I’m the only one that uses almond milk on a regular basis in my family I can never finish a full carton by the time it goes bad. Making my own saves me money and I don’t have any waste. Plus, it only takes two ingredients for the base recipe, rather then a bunch of extra fillers that I don’t need. I find it much more convenient to make it myself then to run out to the store for more. As soon as I’m out I soak some almonds overnight, blend it up in the morning and I’ve got myself some fresh almond milk.

I also love the adaptability to flavour it up as I please. If I’m going to use it for cooking I leave it plain, if I’ll be using it for granola and drinks I like to flavour and sweeten it up. I do think that almond milk is an acquired taste, especially if you’re used to using another alternative, like soy milk. But it has quickly become my favourite milk substitute, right alongside coconut milk. I like to flavour it with vanilla and cinnamon, my kids think it tastes like eggnog and actually beg to drink it. That never happened with the stuff I got from the store.

If almond milk is a regular at your table, or you want to have a small batch rather then having to buy a big carton, this recipe is for you. It really couldn’t be simpler.

In other news, Kitchen Simplicity is featured in the spring issue of Celebrate Home Magazine. You can view the free magazine online through issuu or browse through the pdf version. In the issue I share four recipes for a spring brunch. They have lot’s of lovely articles about gardening, cooking, and, of course, all the different ways to celebrate home.

Almond Milk

Pick and choose your optional mix-ins or use them all for a delicious beverage that tastes great on it’s own.

  • 1 cup raw almonds
  • 3.5 cups water (plus more for soaking)
  • pinch sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla, optional
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup, optional

Place almonds in a bowl. Cover with enough cold water that the almonds are completely submerged. Set aside and let soak overnight (or at least 8 hours).

Drain and rinse the almonds, place in your blender along with 3.5 cups fresh water. Cover and process on the highest setting for one minute. Line a fine mesh sieve with cheesecloth. Pour the almond mixture through the cheesecloth. Gather the ends of the cheesecloth and, using your hands, squeeze out as much liquid from the almonds as possible. Discard or save the almonds for another use (once I come up with some good ones I’ll be sure to share!). Whisk in sea salt along with desired flavourings. Pour into a storage container and refrigerate (let sit for a couple hours before using for best flavour) . Stir or shake before use. This should stay good for up to 5 days.

Makes: 3.5 cups

Adapted from Oh She Glows.

Grapefruit Smoothies

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grapefruit smoothies

I’m majorly in the mood for spring and flavours that are bright and fresh. And, since grapefruit is in season right now and so much sweeter, me and the kids haven’t been able to stay away from it. It’s a great fruit to bridge the gap before all the wonderful spring fruits and veggies come into season. Which is officially less then a month away. I could not be more excited about this fact!

We’ve been slurping up this gem of a smoothie for a couple of weeks now. I’ve got it all down by memory and can be seen throwing things into the blender on autopilot. It is our new favourite.

For this smoothie we use the real deal – one whole (peeled) grapefruit sliced up and thrown in the blender with plenty of other sweet and creamy things – this means you get the full nutritional value of the grapefruit rather then just drinking the juice. Grapefruit is definitely the dominant flavour but the strawberries and banana help round it out and sweeten it up, while the vanilla and yogurt give it a creamy, rich flavour. The result is a refreshing smoothie that tastes like a grapefruit in creamsicle form. Yum!

Grapefruit Smoothies

If your grapefruit is on the tart side feel free to add more sweetener, to taste.

  • 1 ruby red grapefruit
  • 1 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1 ripe banana, peeled
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Cut the ends off the grapefruit so you can see the pink flesh. Using that as a guide trim away the skin and the white pith until you have a naked grapefruit (see visual of how to do this here). Slice the grapefruit into thick rounds and remove any seeds. Place the rounds of grapefruit into a blender along with remaining ingredients. Process until smooth.

Makes: 2 large servings or 4 small (about 3 cups total)

 

Dulce De Leche Coffee Creamer

By in Beverages, Cold, Warm No Comments Tags: , , ,

dulce de leche coffee creamer

In my craving for spring I’ve also been having a huge craving for iced coffee. Unbelievably, we’ve been having very mild weather the last couple of weeks and it has increased my cravings that much more.

There’s something so satisfying and refreshing about an iced coffee, especially with such a delicious flavour as dulce de leche. It’s a nice treat to have in the middle of the day when my little girl’s napping and my son’s quietly coloring at the table. A moment of blissful reprieve from the business of the day.

This recipe is really complicated so prepare yourself. JK! It’s two ingredients warmed together until they become one. It doesn’t get much easier then that. Although, If you wanted to get really crazy you could add a bit of sea salt for a salted dulce de leche coffee creamer or some cocoa powder for a caramel mocha type creamer. Oh dear, I think I’ve just talked myself into it. Time to make another batch of dulce de leche so I can experiment.

Dulce De Leche Coffee Creamer

You can make this as low-fat as you like, keeping in mind that it won’t be as creamy. You can also use non-dairy substitutes such as almond milk in place of the half and half.

  • 2 cups half and half cream (milk, or milk substitute)
  • 1/2 cup dulce de leche

Place cream and dulce de leche in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk until mixture is steaming and smooth. Allow to cool before storing, covered, in the fridge.

To serve, stir desired amount into hot or iced coffee.

Makes: 2.5 cups

Watermelon Milkshakes

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Watermelon Milkshakes

I know for most people summer is coming to an end. School is starting and that automatically makes our thoughts turn to fall. But, the thing is, my kids aren”t school age yet, and I still have plenty of veggies in my garden and nice sunny days to enjoy. So I”m going to hold onto summer just a little bit longer. I just can”t let it go! :) My time will come when I won”t have that luxury, so I”m going to enjoy it now, while I can. That”s why this week we enjoyed some Watermelon Milkshakes - twice!

I think this would be a nice treat for the kiddos as a celebration of the end of summer or just because it still is summer. Show them that school won”t ruin all the fun. ;P This brilliant shake comes from the same person who came up with the Last-Minute Iced Tea, Jennifer of Foodess. I have to apologize to her for sharing two of her drink recipes in a matter of a week. But when I tried this healthy version of a milkshake I just knew I had to share it with you.

It”s got the cool, refreshing taste of watermelon with the creaminess of milk and a hint of vanilla, blended together until frothy and thick. This is one refreshing drink. And, so much healthier and guilt-free then a true milkshake.

The first day I made it I substituted almond milk for regular milk and it turned out to have more of a slush consistency. It was still darn tasty, just slightly different then I was expecting. So, just keep this in mind if you make such a substitution.

I know that next year this will become a regular during the summer and I”m sure I won”t be able to resist making it a couple more times before the leaves start to turn.

Enjoy the weekend! I hope the sun is shining where you are!

Watermelon Milkshakes

To freeze watermelon: cube it, place it in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and place in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a resealable freezer bag for storage.

  • 3 cups cubed frozen watermelon

  • 1 cup milk

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Serves: 2

Adapted from Foodess.

Last-Minute Iced Tea

By in Beverages, Cold 1 Comment Tags: , , ,

last minute iced tea

It’s been a while since I made my usual cold brewed iced tea. We’ve been having some pretty nice days again lately and the other day, when the temperature was climbing, I was craving a cold drink to share with the kids – Iced Tea to be exact, and I wanted it right now. Thankfully I had stumbled upon a brilliant last-minute iced tea just a couple of weeks before, so I quickly whipped some up and me and the kids were sipping away in no time. It was completely refreshing and gave me the boost I needed to get through that hot and sticky afternoon. (Just remember that regular black tea has caffeine! I water my kids’ iced tea down with additional water but if you’re worried about it make sure to use a caffeine-free tea.)

This last-minute iced tea works because it starts with a concentrated tea that’s quickly cooled down by the addition of ice, ice and more ice (so smart!). This will definitely be my go-to for the rest of the summer since the weather is so unpredictable and the hot days are getting a little fewer and farther between. I like to add a squeeze of lemon juice because that’s how my mom always made it and it just wouldn’t be the same without it. But, if you prefer you can leave the lemon out. To care-free sunny days!

Last-Minute Iced Tea

  • 4 cups water
  • 6 black tea bags
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 cups ice cubes (12 ice cubes) + more for ice bath and serving
  • juice of 1/2 lemon, optional
  • slices of remaining half lemon to garnish, if desired

Bring water to a boil. Add tea bags. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and stir in sugar. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl or sink with ice and water. Place 2 cups of ice in a large pitcher or bowl (I prefer a bowl because more surface area comes in contact with the ice bath). Stir in tea. Set over ice bath and stir until ice is melted and tea is cold. Stir in lemon juice. Fill glasses with ice and pour tea over, to serve. Garnish with lemon slices.

Adapted from Foodess.

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