Fruit Smoothie

This "recipe" is fantastic; commit it to memory and then get creative. Here's the basic recipe:

2 c. juice (I like orange or cranberry best)
2 c. frozen fruit (I like strawberries or mangos)
1 banana

Put it in a blender and blend.

When you start getting experimental, you can replace the juice with juicy fruit like melons and start adding things like yogurt, and as weird as it may sound, you can add some veggies for extra nutrients (just don't go overboard or you'll regret it). A carrot or a little red cabbage won't change the flavor that much but can be a great way to get some more vegetables into your diet.

Fruit Freezers

1/2 can juice concentrate
1 cup water
1/2 cup milk
3-4 oz. yogurt (opt.)
1 tray ice cubes (of as many as it takes to get right thickness, maybe a few less)

Directions:
Put it in a blender (ice last) and blend! Serve in pretty cups. If you want to get fancy, garnish with fresh berries, fruit slices or sprigs of mint.

You can be as exotic and creative with the juice/yogurt blends as you want--it's pretty hard to mess this recipe up. It's also great with Pina Colada "Bicardi" mix. Lemonade is a great summer treat.

For a fun breakfast, try using orange juice.

* I got this recipe from my sister-in-law Emily, and it is delicious!

Two Healthy Granola Recipes

No, granola isn't a dessert, but it is useful in a lot of desserts. A number of the dessert recipes here call for granola, so I thought it'd be a good idea to offer some healthy granola recipes. Here are two of my favorite.

Granola 1:
3 c. rolled oats
1 c. wheat germ
1-2 c. dried fruit
1/2 c. coconut
2 oz. sesame seeds
1/2 c. nuts
1/2 c. hulled sunflower seeds
1/2 c. olive or vegetable oil
1/2 c. honey or molasses
1 Tbsp. vanilla

Directions:
1. Throughly mix all ingredients except the fruits and nuts.

2. Spread evenly on a rimmed cookie sheet and toast for 1 hour in a 350 degree oven, stirring every 15 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and add fruit and nuts. Stir periodically while it sets up.

4. Store in an airtight container.


Granola 2:
1 1/2 c. rolled oats
1 c. coconut
1/2 c. hulled sunflower seeds
1/2 c. raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 c. wheat germ
3/4 c. whole, raw almonds
1/4 c. whole flax seeds
4 Tbsp. natural peanut butter
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. maple syrup or molasses
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. dried cranberries

Directions:
1. Mix together the oats through flax seeds on a rimmed cookie sheet and toast for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven, stirring every 15 minutes.

2. While the oat mixture is toasting, melt the PB, honey, and maple syrup/molasses in a pot. ONce the mixture is nicely melted, bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the vanilla.

3. Remove the oat mxture from teh oven and leave the oven on. In a large bowl, mix oat mixture wiht the PBmixture and stir to coat. Stir in cranberries and then spread the granola mixture onto the same cookie sheet so that it isn't completely touching.

4. Put back in the oven and bake for 15 minutes (less for gooier granola, more for crunchier). Remove from the oven and cool.

*Note: You can add any seed or nut you want, this is just my favorite combination. Dark chocloate chunks are sometimes fun to add also.

Chocolate, Date, and Walnut Baked Pudding

I hesitate adding this dessert because it's not particularly healthy (healthier than a lot of desserts though) and I also don't think it's very good without ice cream! But, if you just want something healthier than a lot of chocolate desserts, then this is for you. Plus, you can always eat it with low-fat frozen yogurt rather than ice cream. But while we're on the subject of ice cream, if you are going to eat vanilla ice cream, Dreyer's Natural Vanilla is the only way to go. It is truly the most delicious and only has "real" ingredients in it like cream, milk, sugar, etc. (none of that guar gum and such).

Now for the recipe:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 Tbsp. chopped walnuts
• 2 Tbsp. chopped dates
• 1 egg plus 1 egg white
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. whole-wheat flour
• 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp. skim milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 5 cup pudding basin or two ramekins with cooking spray. For best results, place a small circle of parchment paper in the base. Place the walnuts and dates on top of the paper.
2. Separate the whole egg into two separate bowls. Add the vanilla and sugar to the yolk and whisk to mix. Add the flour and cocoa into the mixture. Stir in the milk.
3. With a mixer, beat the two egg whites until soft peaks form.
4. Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg whites. Spoon mixture into the pudding basin or ramekins.
5. Bake for 30 minutes if in a pudding basin, 20 minutes if in ramekins. Run a knife around the pudding then turn it out and serve immediately.

I originally got this recipe from Guilt Free Desserts by Wendy Doyle