Strawberry + Mint Sorbet

I don't know about you all, but my lil ol' container garden is doing quite well. So well, in fact, that i have mint for days. Seriously. This is why you keep mint contained. It's taking off in this summer heat. I'm completely fine with this; however, I need to use it up!

I recently bought the book "The Ice Creamery Cookbook" by Shelly Kaldunski. You guys! It's amazing! I cannot say enough about this book. If you love making ice cream- go get it. Now.

This is not a sponsored post, by the way. Shelly, amazon, none of them know me. All this is just me telling you about a book I like.

Shelly was kind enough to write in a recipe that would use up a lot of my mint. Thanks, Shelly!

I altered the recipe slightly based on the ingredients I had available... but this turned out delicious. Here's how I made the sorbet, based on the recipe in the book linked above:

Hull and half or quarter 3 cups of strawberries. In a large bowl, combine the strawberries with 2/3 cup of sugar and 2 Tbs chopped, fresh mint. Stir and let this mixture sit for 30 minutes.

Once the strawberries have released their juices and all of the sugar is dissolved, use a blender or food processor to puree the mixture until smooth. I still had flecks of mint leaves in mine. But I think it looks pretty so...

Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and mix according to the manufacturers directions. Transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for at least 2 hours.

Use some mint leaves for a garnish (because surely you've got a few sprigs to spare) and enjoy!

Friday Favorite: Fizzy Refresher

Summer is coming to an end. My oldest goes back to school next week. Next. Week. Whaaaa?

That means that it's time to get back into our school routine (read: wake up early, go to bed at a decent hour, etc). It's also time to cram everything we haven't gotten around to doing this summer into the next 7 days.

With all the schedule changes and running around added to our normal activities, I need a pick me up in the afternoon. I confess I have reached for a Pepsi once or twice... buuuut I've also discovered this little treat I'm going to share with you today.

This post is not sponsored in any way. All opinions are my own. Starbucks and Soda Stream have no idea who I am.

You all know I'm all about the Soda Stream now, well I've also mentioned that I love Starbucks Refreshers. Now I'm combining my two obsessions! A fizzy refresher hits the spot and gives me a subtle caffeine boost in the afternoon. It's very satisfying.

All you do is make a liter of soda water in the Soda Stream. Then add in one packet of your favorite refresher flavor. I only do one packet even though the mixing instructions call for 2 packets per liter. It's less sugar my way and I like the flavor.

This isn't a super sweet drink, but it really hits the spot! I highly recommend giving it a try.

Homemade Lemonade Spritzer

I've been trying all kinds of fun things with my Soda Stream. One of my favorite drinks so far is this Lemonade Spritzer!

By far, my favorite recipe for homemade lemonade is from Pioneer Woman. It takes a little time but it is so worth it. It works well for this drink because you can use some of the concentrate with regular water and reserve some of the lemonade concentrate (the lemon juice + sugar water mixture) to mix with soda water, or you can just make a bunch of soda water- totally up to you.

I reserved 1.5 cups of the lemonade concentrate in a mason jar and kept it in the fridge. When I was ready for a refreshing drink, I just mixed the concentrate with soda water straight out of the soda stream to my taste (I like mine with more concentrate, less soda).

Add ice and a mint sprig for garnish and you've got yourself a spritzer!

If you're so inclined, adding a little vodka makes this a delicious adult beverage. Trust me.

Happy Summer, friends!

Sweet Snack: Fruity Grahams

Summer vacation is in full-swing here at my house. My kids don't seem to be too bored, but, we're only in week 2 of vacation. Actually, this is their first full week off, so I'm guessing by Friday afternoon I'll be hearing "I'm bored! There's nothing to do! Moooooom, lets do something!". It's inevitable.

When summer rolls around, I like to have lots of healthy and fun snacks on hand. I prep snacks on the weekend, which helps a ton during the week. All of the fruits and veggies are ready to eat and easily accessible, so, the kids can grab what they want without having to ask!

I have a few fun snacks that are my "go to" snacks during the summer- frozen grapes, frozen yogurt dots, and frozen peanut butter banana sammies. I may need to break for a snack now...

Earlier this week I was thinking really hard about a fun new snack I could make for the kids and these fruity grahams were the result. It's like a mini fruit pizza, but healthified. I swear it's a word. Well, it is now. I think I've used it enough times throughout my posts on the blog that it's justified as a word.

What I love about this snack is that it's simple. Graham crackers, fruit, plain greek yogurt, and a little pure maple syrup. That's it! It's also a fun way to get kids involved in the kitchen. Plus, it saves them from their boredom. ;)

Fruity Grahams

makes 12 

6 sheets of organic graham crackers, halved (just break in the middle)

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

assorted sliced fruits

In a small bowl, mix  yogurt and maple syrup until well combined. 

Spread a spoonful of yogurt on to each graham half. 

Top with your favorite fruits and enjoy! 

Tip for making for a crowd: Place graham cracker sheets on bottom of a cake pan, spread the yogurt on top, then top with fruits. The graham becomes soft if it isn't eaten right away, which would make for a yummy dessert to take on 4th of July or to your summer BBQ! 

Miss KK approves these, and she happily obliged to eat about 3 of them while I took pictures of her.

What is your favorite summer snack? 

Key Lime Pie Greek Frozen Yogurt

Ever since I made my strawberry chocolate chip greek frozen yogurt, my mind has been swirling with visions of other yummy flavor combos. Key lime pie, strawberry peach (I did make this- recipe to come another day), blueberry pomegranate, s'mores... the list goes on and on!

I love anything key lime. Shove a piece of key lime pie in front of me and I'll probably do just about anything you want me to do. That's serious love, people.

If you've been following the blog for any amount of time, you probably also know about my obsession with greek yogurt (and Starbucks). Key lime pie + greek yogurt = one happy marriage.

Just a couple of things before we get to the recipe...

1. The greek yogurt freezes really hard. There isn't a creamy consistency because there isn't any fat, so I suggest pulling it out of the freezer 30-45 minutes before you want to indulge. It'll be the perfect consistency.

2. The base I use for all of my recipes: 2 cups 0% plain greek yogurt + 3 tbsp. sugar. From there, you can add anything your little heart desires! You could also use a 2% greek yogurt for a slightly creamier consistency. I haven't tried it, so if you do, let me know how it turns out!

3. Make this gluten-free by using s'morables in place of graham crackers!

Key Lime Pie Greek Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients
2 C. plain greek yogurt
4 tbsp. key lime juice (freshly squeezed or store bought)
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp. butter, melted

Directions
In a medium bowl, mix together yogurt, key lime juice, and sugar. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until well combined. Set aside.

Add yogurt mixture to your ice cream maker and churn according to your machine's instructions.

Add graham cracker crumbs at the very end of the churning cycle. You can also layer the crumbs as you pack the frozen yogurt into its container instead of incorporating them throughout.

Pack frozen yogurt into a freezer safe container, freeze, and enjoy!

Favorite Warm Weather Drinks

I know I've been talking about the weather-a lot- in my last few posts... but it was a looooong winter and the warm sunshine just makes me happy! Not to mention, this entire week has been above 60- which means the kids have had a ton of outside time to run off energy. ;)

When the warm weather arrives, I ditch my coffee machine and coffee mugs and switch them for cold cups, my espresso machine, and blender!

Here are a few of my favorite warm weather drinks:

Summer smoothies- the possibilities are endless. The kids love to make up their own combinations, too!

 Passion Tea Lemonade- homemade and frozen style!

Easy iced mocha- perfect to get anyone through the day!

My basic green smoothie is a daily necessity. Gotta get the greens in somehow!

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Frozen Yogurt

The weather is finally taking a turn for the better here in Minnesota and I am totally on the spring/summer train! I busted out my cold cups, icy drinks, and ice cream maker this week and have been letting the fresh air in. It's the best feeling to air out the house after a long and cold winter, and to be able to put away the heavy coats and boots. I'm crossing my fingers that I'm not getting ahead of myself here. :)

Last year for Mother's Day, the kids got me an ice cream maker. I dabbled in some ice cream making over the summer- I made Adam a chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream that was super yummy, and I'm still on the hunt for the perfect s'mores ice cream recipe (if you have one, link it or share below, please!).

I decided that I would try to use the ice cream maker more this spring and summer, so I started off with this super yummy strawberry chocolate chip greek frozen yogurt. It's a tart and has just the right amount of sweetness to satisfy my sweet tooth. Plus, it's super easy to throw together, and if you use frozen fruit instead of fresh, you don't even need an ice cream maker!

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients
2 C. Plain Greek Yogurt (Chobani non-fat is my favorite)
2 C. Frozen or fresh Unsweetened Strawberries
1/2 C. Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 C. Mini Chocolate Chips

Directions
In a blender, add yogurt, strawberries, sugar, and vanilla. Add a splash of water and blend on high until smooth.

Add to your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's directions. Add in chocolate chips at the end of churning.

If you used frozen berries, you can probably skip the ice cream maker because the mixture will be pretty thick already. Just pour mix into container and mix in chocolate chips.

Add frozen yogurt to a freezer safe container and freeze until desired consistency is reached. You may need to check in on it every once in a while and stir around to get an even consistency.

March Favorites

I'm so glad Spring is here. My house is cleaner, we are spending more time outside, I've gotten my first "Spring pedicure"... good times, friends, good times.

March was a fun month. Here are my favorite posts:

Favorite Recipe Post- Apple Almond Oatmeal::perfect for chilly Spring mornings

Favorite Product Post- Kitchen Canisters::keep the kitchen looking good and keep baking supplies handy

Favorite Kid Post- Sneaky Orange Smoothie Pops::I hope my kids will share these with me

Enjoy the last day of March! I hope, wherever you are, you can open the windows and let in a little fresh Spring air.

Skinny Taco Dip

My siblings and I recently had surprise party for our parents 31st anniversary. It was a murder mystery party, which they knew was happening, but what they didn't know was that some of their friends were going to be part of it as well! They were definitely surprised and we all had a great time with lots of laughs... and tons of FOOD.

The theme of the murder mystery we chose took place on a cruise ship. If you've ever been on a cruise, you know cruise ships are notorious for their buffets. My personal favorite is the midnight buffet, but you didn't hear that. What happens on the cruise ship, stays on the cruise ship. Err... my hips. Until I get home and exercise my butt off. I digress...

Point is, we had a few different buffet areas for the party and lots of food. My brother and sister-in-law brought taco dip- who doesn't loooooove taco dip?! It's something I normally don't make unless I'm going to a special get-together with family or friends because, well, let's face it- I would do some serious damage to a pan of taco dip.

Up until recently, I've always used cream and cheese and sour cream for my base mix. In an effort to make myself feel less guilty, I substituted greek yogurt for the sour cream. I also added in my favorite refried beans. I'm actually a pretty picky eater, so my toppings are limited, but I bet this would be yummy with fresh salsa, black olives, avocado, and tomatoes!

Skinny Taco Dip 

Ingredients
1 C. homemade refried beans (my favorite recipe is HERE)
4 oz. softened cream cheese
3/4 C. plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp. homemade taco seasoning (recipe HERE)
1 C. romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 C. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 C. red onion, diced

Directions

1. Combine cream cheese, greek yogurt, and taco seasoning in a small bowl. Mix well.
2. Spread an even layer of beans in an 8x8 casserole dish.
3. Spread cream cheese mixture over the bean layer.
4. Add your toppings and dig in!

Apple Almond Oatmeal

Growing up, I rarely ate breakfast. When I did, it was usually just some cereal and I was out the door. Well, once I was old enough that I made my own decision about breakfast. Now I can't function without eating something in the morning! Boy, how times have changed.

One of my go-to breakfasts is this simple apple almond oatmeal. It comes together quick and is super easy- you probably have all of these ingredients in your pantry right now!

It's super easy to make this your own- not a fan of almonds? Swap it out for another nut like walnuts. Add more apple. Omit the cinnamon. Add nutmeg. Switch it up each time until you find that perfect combination.

Two things about this recipe: First, it's important to have a good tasting apple. Super sweet and juicy apples can be tough to find this time of year, so just be sure the one you're using tastes good. It can really make or break this recipe. Second, the amount of water called for in this recipe will produce a thicker oatmeal. Just add 1 cup of water instead of 3/4 if you like your oats a thinner.

Apple Almond Oatmeal
serves 1

Ingredients
1/2 C. old-fashioned oats (not quick oats. you can also use gluten-free oats)
1/2 of a small apple, cut into chunks
1 tbsp. sliced almonds
1 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
dash of salt
3/4 C. water

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a 2 cup microwave safe bowl or mug.
Microwave for 2 minutes, or until oatmeal is the right consistency for your taste.

Sprinkle with a little brown sugar, if you're feeling sweet! Enjoy!

February Favorites

What a lovely month February has been.

Here's a few of our most loved February moments:

Who loves a good treadmill workout? We do!

Wouldn't you love to eat this healthy spinach egg white omelette, like, right now?

I'm still loving my junk counter organization. It's made my life a little calmer.

March is going to be so Springy and green. We are excited to celebrate our blogiversary NEXT WEEK! If that's not reason enough to be excited about March then I don't know what is.

Happy Friday, friends!

Fruit & Veggie Pops

This is the winter that never ends... yes, it goes on and on my friends....

Seriously, friends. Here in MN we are in yet another blizzard! Since January, we've had a blizzard nearly every week and I am longing for the days of green grass, wagon rides, iced coffee on my front porch, and sunshine!

In hopes that warmer weather will be on the way soon, I whipped up a batch of fruit and veggie pops for my kiddos. It's a great way to get some good nutrition into the kids without them "knowing" and what kid doesn't love to have a freezer full of popsicles- even in the dead of winter?

Here is the recipe I used this morning- berry cool pops. It's the perfect mix of healthy fat (coconut milk), antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. It's also gluten and dairy free!

Berry Cool Frozen Pops
makes about 6 pops

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 generous handful of spinach leaves
1/2 ripe banana
1 cup frozen mixed berries
drizzle of honey to taste

1. Blend coconut milk and spinach leaves until smooth.

2. Add banana, mixed berries, and honey to spinach/milk mixture. For the honey, I usually drizzle a couple turns around the blender.

3. Blend until well combined and there are no chunks of fruit left and the mixture has turned purple.

4. Pour into popsicle molds, freeze, and enjoy!

Substitutions: You could certainly substitute the coconut milk for whole milk. Almond milk would probably work here, too, but might give the pops a slightly nutty flavor.

I got the popsicle molds on Amazon. Click HERE to get all the details on them- they are awesome molds!

I'll be sharing more of my frozen pop recipes soon- there is a whole world of possibilities out there beyond adding greens to your smoothie!

Until then, stay warm friends and visualize the beach! :)

Healthy Spinach Egg White Omelette

I've been in a breakfast rut. I think for the past month I've switched between apple almond oatmeal (I'll post my recipe soon- it's yummy!) and eggs over-easy w/ whole wheat toast and an orange. Both delicious, but after eating these things so often in the last month I'm pretty much over it. Kind of like I'm over the ridiculous cold weather we're having this winter.

Saturday morning I woke up motivated to try something new for breakfast. After all, I had the time- no kids to rush out the door and get to school, no errands to run, and nowhere to be until the later in the  afternoon. For a minute there I thought I was dreaming- it's not like mornings are carefree like this every day!

Ok, back to breakfast.

Basically, what I came up with was an egg white spinach omelette and it was super yummy. It was also packed full of nutrition- which is pretty important for your first meal of the day.

The egg whites are packed with protein, are low calorie (48 calories for 3 whites), and have no cholesterol or fat. Egg whites are missing nutrients like b12, vitamin D, and iron- so go ahead and mix this up once in a while by adding 1 whole egg + 2 egg whites. Still much lower in calories, fat, and cholesterol than using 3 whole eggs!

Spinach is nutrient dense and loaded with nutrients like:

Vitamin A: promotes healthy vision,  boosts the immune system, and promotes healthy cell growth  (i.e. inhibits cancerous cell growth).

Magnesium: helps with body temperature regulation, detoxification, energy production, and transmission of nerve impulses- among many other things!

Spinach is also packed with vitamin K, folate, iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B2 & B6, and potassium. It's a great source of protein, fiber, and zinc, too!

Seriously, if you don't eat this leafy green, start! If you're not a fan of veggies, whip up a green smoothie with extra fruit and you won't even know the spinach is in there. Pinky promise.

Spinach Egg White Omelette 

Ingredients
3 egg whites, slightly beaten
1 handful of fresh spinach
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. parmesan cheese (mozzarella or monterey jack work here, too)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Heat skillet on medium-low and spritz with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Lightly beat egg whites in a small bowl, just until foamy. Add onion powder and spinach to egg whites, mix until combined.

3. Pour into skillet and cook 2-3 minutes, or just until it's set. Flip over and cook another 1-2 minutes.

4. Fold omelette in half and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add some fresh fruit and whole grain toast and you've got one heck of a breafkast! Enjoy!


Linking up with Kelly the Kitchen Kop at Real Food Wednesday! Go check out all the other yummy real food recipes over there!