Frozen Peach Smoothie Starter

Here is a delicious way to quickly and easily start your day with a smoothie-- called a frozen smoothie starter, it is basically a frozen smoothie pellet the size of a cupcake or muffin cup (whatever size your pan is) that you just pop into your blender along with whatever fruit, fluid or greens you want to add, and voila! A gourmet smoothie, no ice cubes needed! Dairy-free and Gluten-free.

This smoothie is made with fresh, tree-ripened, organic Okanagan-grown Red Haven Peaches, the absolute royalty among eating peaches!  But any peaches will do-- just make sure they are organic (as I explain in this blog, although they have amazing mouth appeal and health benefits, chemically-sprayed peaches are in the "Dirty Dozen" foods list).  You'll have summer in your glass whenever you pour out your peachy smoothie in the months to come!

Blend together the following Ingredients:

1. 6 well-washed (but unpeeled, if organic) Peaches, sliced
2. 4 C. Coconut Dream Coconut Milk (or Almond-Brasil nut mylk would also be delish!)
3. 2 T. shredded (unsweetened) Coconut
4. 1 T. Cinnamon powder

Pour into 12 muffin cups (I use silicone muffin pans for quick pop-out-ability but other muffin tins will do).  

There will likely be enough left over for a big smoothie base (add your fave greens, etc. and blend up again.) 

Put the muffin pans into the freezer and freeze until solid.

Put the frozen peachy-coconut discs into ziplock bags and back into the freezer for those coming days when fresh peaches will be just a dream from last summer!

To reconstitute, just add one or two of the frozen discs to a cup or two of fluid (water, juice, coconut milk, nut mylk, etc.) and add more fruit (a frozen banana goes well) if you want, and fresh chopped greens (with peaches I like cilantro, parsley, romaine or celery).  

Question: Who's the Clever Duck for getting their smoothies all ready to go in advance?

Smoothie of the Week: Carrot- Apple Green Smoothie

Carrots and apples are a great sweet, fresh combo that measure up against bugs going around this time of the year-- and parsley is a boon for anyone with 'iron deficiency'.  Some people may find this a  little hard to digest.  In that case, be sure to take your enzymes somewhere in the process (before, during and immediately after drinking the smoothie).

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh-juiced apple juice (or regular organic apple juice if necessary)
• 1 cup of sliced apple (Pink Ladies are a winner for this smoothie!)
• 1/4 cup raw applesauce (a cored apple chopped into the blender)
• 1/2 cup fresh organic chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup of fresh organic Parsley
• 2 cups of ice
• Blend this vegetable smoothie until smooth. 
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This smoothie information is for you-- it's my bias-- so please see your own health care professional before making any health-related decisions. If you found anything useful, intriguing, or have questions, I would really appreciate your feedback... please use the comment box below.. 

 To your better and better health, ~Cynthia

Smart Pineapple Sage Smoothie (vegan)

Salvia elegans, photographed at the San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum- Wikipedia, Eric Hunter, cc-

Okay, I've been wondering this all summer: what would a green smoothie with sage in it taste like? More specifically, what would a green smoothie with some of my abundant pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) in it taste like?  It smells like pineapple, it tastes slightly like pineapple and a lot like a mild version of the sage you put in your Christmas turkey.  I'm thinking it will have a sharp bitter flavour that will punch through any fruity flavours.  I decide to give it a try anyhow.

Ingredients:

• Water drained from 1 Young Thai Coconut (gel/meat reserved for another recipe)
• Handful of cleaned (with water) Pineapple Sage Leaves
• 2 Bananas
• 1/4 C. Organic Shredded Coconut (unsweetened)
• Dash of Cinnamon (optional)
• Filtered Water - as much as you want (1-2 Cups?)

Whirl up the above in your blender.  

Result: Actually, this is one of the mildest, sweetest Green Smoothies I've ever made. I may try it again and only use 1 banana.  It tastes very tropical.  I think some fresh pineapple would be very nice in this as well.  Sage is an herb with many ascribed natural healing properties.  Go here to read an interesting article from that perspective (also a recipe for Pineapple Sage Pound Cake). 

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This smoothie information is for you-- it's my bias-- so please see your own health care professional before making any health-related decisions.

 To your better and better health, 

 ~Cynthia