pear berry smoothie.

pear berry smoothie

1 cup frozen strawberries

3/4 cup frozen raspberries

*1/4 cup dried mulberries

1 1/2 cups cubed red pear (about 1 large pear)

1/2 cup coconut water

1/2 cup ice

Put the ingredients in a high-speed blender for about 1 or 2 minutes. Makes two full glasses.

*Superfood

quinoa lettuce wraps.

quinoa lettuce wraps

(courtesy of Food Babe's kitchen) 

1 head romaine lettuce

1 cup dried quinoa, cooked to package instruction

4 large ripe avocados, pitted and smashed

1 lime, juiced

2 cups cherry tomatoes, chopped

1/3 cup chopped onion, white or red

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

Cook the quinoa according to package instructions, or use a rice cooker.

Make the guacamole by putting all the ingredients in a bowl, except lettuce, and combine well.

Serve by filling a lettuce wrap with quinoa and guacamole. Top with extra cherry tomatoes.

orange goji smoothie.

orange goji smoothie

(courtesy of Julie's kitchen)

2 oranges, peeled and seeded

1 frozen banana

*1/3 cup dried goji berries

*2 tablespoons hulled hemp seeds

*1/2 cup coconut water

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

2 cups ice

Blend all the ingredients together, except for the ice, until smooth. Add the ice and blend once more until frosty. Makes 3 full glasses.

*Superfood

minestrone.

minestrone

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

1-2 cups fresh green beans, chopped (frozen work too)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

Salt and pepper

2 cans organic diced tomatoes

6 cups vegetable broth

1 can organic kidney beans

1 cup whole wheat elbow pasta

2 tablespoon freshly chopped basil or parsley for garnish

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent stirring frequently so the onions don’t brown. Add the garlic, cook until fragrant. Add the celery and carrot and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green beans, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Cook for 3 additional minutes.

Add the diced tomatoes, pasta, and vegetable broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the kidney beans and pasta and cook until the pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.

Serve in bowls garnished with freshly chopped basil or parsley. 

strawberries wild.

strawberries wild

1 cup apple juice

1 cup frozen strawberries

1/2 frozen banana

1/2 cup coconut ice cream

1/2 cup coconut yogurt

1/2 cup ice

Put the ingredients in a high-speed blender for about 1 or 2 minutes. Makes two full glasses or four small.

savory carrot soup.

savory carrot soup

(courtesy of Ellie's kitchen)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 2-3 small)

1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger

2 1/2 teaspoons freshly minced garlic

5 cups chopped carrots

5 cups vegetable broth

Zest of one lemon and juices

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, stirring frequently so the onions don’t brown. Add the garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add chopped carrots and lemon zest. Cook for 3-5 more minutes until the carrots start to absorb the flavor. Add broth and bring to boil. Simmer until the carrots are tender. Blend in batches until smooth. Return to pot and add lemon juice. Serve and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh herbs.

Note: We also use this soup as a dip for raw veggies and tortilla chips. My kids love it!

morning fries.

morning fries

2 large russet potatoes

1/4 cup chopped sweet peppers

1/2 cup finely chopped red onions

1/2 cup chopped spinach

2 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper

Scrub and clean the potatoes. In a food processor, shred the potatoes.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the sweet peppers and onion, then sauté for 1 minute. Add the potatoes, spinach and parsley. Fry the potatoes on each side for 3-4 minutes like a pancake. Season the potatoes with a little salt and pepper.

Note: These are just like hash browns, but my kids call them morning fries. They love french fries so much that anything made from a potato usually has to end with the word “fries” :-)

cherry treat smoothie.

cherry treat smoothie

2 cups organic frozen cherries

1 banana

1/4 cup coconut yogurt

1 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon coconut sugar

Put the ingredients in a high speed blender for about 1-2 minutes. Makes two full glasses.

easy-peasy trail mix.

easy-peasy trail mix

dried blueberries 

dried cranberries

dried mangos 

dried cherries

prunes

mulberries 

goji berries

golden berries

chopped dates

cashews

almonds

walnuts

sunflower seeds

pumpkin seeds

mini vegan chocolate chips

Grab a box of plastic bags and turn on some of your favorite tunes. Lay out all the item listed above and put little bit of each into the baggies. Zip them up and store them in a box in your pantry.

I make 30-40 bags at a time. They are a great grab-and-go snack that isn’t chips or crackers.

Try buying these items in bulk because nuts and berries can be expensive. I bought a bulk shipment through Green Smoothie Girl.