Blended Strawberry Basil Ice

It's strawberry season in our neck of the woods! My husband and I had this drink first while strolling around our historic downtown area on a date night. We had purchased from a little shop... and paid almost seven dollars for it. 

I was hooked from the first cool, refreshing sip. The sweetness of the berries and brightness of the lemon exude springtime. The basil (which is in the mint family) is complimentary but somewhat unexpected, adding a certain refinement to what would otherwise be a simple strawberry lemonade...  But seven dollars?? Seven dollars buys 21 diapers. Seven dollars buys ingredients for an entire family dinner. Seven dollars also buys 60 miles of gas for park trips during this beautiful weather. Seven dollars? NOPE! Not happening.

However, at home I had baskets of farm fresh berries we had just picked from the local strawberry patch and one giant basil plant bush taking over my kitchen garden. So I thought: "I have the main ingredients. Surely I can experiment and make this for less than seven dollars!" Here is the result! It's very much like the original and a huge hit for after mowing our lawn. Or for just lounging on patio soaking up some sun (and making sure the twins don't gouge each other's eyes out with sandbox tools.) In fact, it's such a favorite with adults that we now serve this blended ice whenever we have guests over in the spring or summer!

2 Tbs fresh lemon juice

2 Tbs honey

8 basil leaves

8 frozen strawberries

8 ice cubes

1 - 1 1/2 c water

Superhero Fuel

Today E tried his hand at naming a smoothie! I asked him what he thought our almond butter and jelly smoothie tasted like. He leaned back his head and closed his eyes for another gulp. He thoughtfully licked his lips. He cocked his head slowly to the side and said: "A superhero". And that's how Superhero Fuel got its moniker!

This is our classic nut-butter and jelly smoothie with a few modifications to boost the protein up to about 9 grams per serving. Little boys superheroes are constantly busy running around the yard when duty calls - today they "rescued" an earthworm in distress - and so the extra protein boost does their growing muscles good!

Unfortunately, this smoothie requires a little prep-ahead, but it's not too bad. Prep can be done the night before or, at a minimum, 1 hour before serving.

Superhero Fuel

1/4 cup old fashioned oats

2 Tbs buckwheat seeds

1 Tbs chia seeds

1 1/2 cups almond or walnut milk

1 frozen banana

2 Tbs almond butter

1 Tbs almond flour

1 cup frozen berries (or cherries work well too!)

1. At least one hour before serving, Pour oats, buckwheat, chia seeds, and milk into the blender and place in the fridge. Break the banana into chunks and put it in the freezer.

2. Add frozen (or cold) banana to the blender along with the rest of the ingredients. Blend on high about 3 minutes or until smooth.

The "Naughty Monkey" Smoothie

Around our house, smoothies are part of the daily routine. Around 3 o'clock every afternoon, the kids come wandering into the kitchen passionately declaring how hungry they are and looking to see what's going into the blender this time.

Seriously, my kids eat like hobbits. So after serving breakfast, baby breakfast, mid-morning snack, brunch, lunch for the baby, lunch part II, and  with dinner looming just around the corner, I've had it up to my ears with making people plates and wiping the table after them. Enter the:

Here-Kid-Drink-This-Concotion-In-A-Cup-And-It-Better-Fill-You-Up-Smoothie

But seriously, the smoothie is the perfect vehicle for cramming extra nutrients and calories into perpetually "starving" toddlers with little to no mess and in little to no time. They're even portable for those ambitious days I try to accomplish All-The-Errands in the meager two hours between baby's nap and dinner.

Normally, I give our smoothies cool names like "Green Monster Truck" or "Carrot Crusher" to try to get our three-year-olds to drink them with gusto. But it didn't dawn on me until today that I should try letting them name the drinks. I guess sometimes I get a little caught up in "running the house" and slip into "running the show" instead. It's my loss. It turns out, toddlers are pretty awesome at naming things.

Today I was dreaming of chocolate covered cherries while dumping frozen fruit and cocoa in the blender and admiring the pretty fuchsia color it was making. Of course the minions came running as soon as they heard the tell-tale "whir" start up. "What you makin', Mommy. I'm darrrrrving." E even fell on the floor in mock weakness to emphasize the point. "Well, I've got bananas, cherries, chocolate..." (Eruption of little boy giggles.) "I want to call dat a Naughty Monkey!"O announced.

And so the Naught Monkey (Cherry Garcia) Smoothie was born! And, my, is it good! O kind of has a point with the "naughty" part because there are no veggies in this sweet treat. But (and that's a big but), it IS worlds healthier than the doughnuts I actually was craving this afternoon. Here are the ingredients! Simply blend until smooth. Maybe one day I will update this with a little beet juice or a purple carrot to nutrient-it-up a little. Maybe. Probably not :)

Naughty Monkey Smoothie

1 frozen banana

1 1/2 cups frozen cherries

1 cup almond milk

3 Tbs vanilla protein powder*

1 1/2 Tbs cocoa powder

1 Tbs plain almond butter

*Our protein powder is sweetened a little with stevia so -if omitting- you may want to add a dash of your own sweetener to get the full dessert-like effect.

The Carrot Crusher! (Smoothie)

     One of my twins, we'll call him "O", most decidedly does NOT like carrots. Not the "crunchy" kind. Not the "soft" kind. He is very clear. Not in a box. Not with a fox. You get the picture.

     However he most decidedly DOES like monster trucks. Therefore, I was able to sneak a whole 1/3 of a cup of grated carrots in him by pairing them with mango and giving them a cool "arena name". Letting him drive his truck over a pile of carrots while I worked didn't hurt either!

2 generous cups frozen mango chunks

1 cup shredded carrot

1 can lite coconut milk
a dozen red grapes for sweetness

1/4 tsp ginger powder

Serves 3

Note: This is a very mild-tasting smoothie that my kids really enjoy. For me -someone who likes exciting food- it's a little bland. Try adding 1/2 a banana for sweetness and/or the juice of half a lime for brightness :)

Green "Monster Truck" Smoothie

     One of the keys to a kid-friendly green monster is CITRUS! Citrus flavor covers a multitude of sins ... or vegetables in this case. This recipe is banana free for those people who just can't warm up to the banana flavor is most smoothies. Half an avocado gives it its silky texture as well. And, as always, be sure to blend on high for at least 3 minutes to avoid a somethings-stuck-in-my-straw toddler meltdown!

2 mandarin oranges, peeled

2 kale leaves, stems removed

1 heaping cup frozen pineapple

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

1/2 avocado, pitted and peeled

1 cup almond milk

1/2 cup orange juice (fresh is best)

Serves 3

5 Tips to Get Your Kids Drinking Their Veggies

     If you think passing a Kale and Cucumber Smoothie off on a non-veggie-loving adult is hard, it can be even MORE challenging to make appealing to a non-veggie-loving TODDLER! Here are my 5 Tips to get your toddlers drinking their veggies.

1. Go Slow

It's unlikely that a two or three-year-old will just love a green monster the first time it's presented. In fact, it takes multiple exposures for young children to decide conclusively if they like any new food. Make a smoothie you love and offer a little bit to your child. If they don't like it, don't sweat! Offer it again another day, and another... and another.

2. Name It

Again, the word "Kale" is probably going to send my twin toddlers running! Currently, however, they are BIG into monster trucks and so our smoothies have more suceessful names like "Carrot Crusher", "Nut Butter Mudder", and "Green Monster-Truck".

3. Color Match

Toddlers have a keen, discerning eye for veggie deception. Hide carrots in a mango smoothie, kale in "limeade", and - when in doubt - add blueberries. Blueberries dye anything purple!

4. Blend, baby. Blend

Dare I leave one small carrot nib in a smoothie, my texture-sensitive kid will passionately declare (with drama only a toddler can muster): "I can't drink like this!!" And then there's the lump-stuck-in-my-straw meltdown that must be avoided at all cost. Blend toddler smoothies FOR.E.VER (or at least on high for 3 minutes.)

5. Involve Them

Once my little guys got used to drinking smoothies with hidden veggies, I started involving them in the process. Helping chop, add, or blend produce made them more open to trying new things!