Berry Berry Granita Smoothie

My boys are crazy about this newest special treat creation. Treats are a big thing at our house and it's hard to keep it healthy. But I think I've done it. Tons of berries and a few scoops of superfood powders make this very high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. And it's the easiest recipe I've ever posted. Try it, this batch had to be guarded while in the blender so watch those little hands! 

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups strawberries
• 2 cups blueberries (any mix of berries will do, frozen or fresh)
• 1 banana (very ripe is best)
• 1/4 pear
• 3 tbs. coconut milk
• 2-3 cups apple or berry juice
• 8 ice cubes (add more if using fresh berries)
• optional:
• 1 scoop Amazing Grass Green Superfood powder- berry flavor
• 1 scoop Innate Response Formulas Kid's multivitamin powder
• 6 drops stevia liquid (if you prefer a sweeter treat)

Now, throw it all in a blender, I love my Ninja, absolutely great for blended treats like this one. 

Blend in high for 1-2  minutes or until it's smooth and to your liking. 

It should resemble the consistency of very soft ice cream. 

Have spoon waiting and ready, serve and enjoy watching everyone go crazy! 

Blueberry Green Smoothie

Oh, there is nothing quite like a cold smoothie on a hot summers day, or really any day for that matter. 

Now, not every smoothie is equal. The keys to a good smoothie are banana and ice. Bananas add that creamy texture and sweetness that really makes a smoothie a good one. And the ice creates a frozen treat that seems like more desert than healthy drink. 

For my boys, it takes a little extra to get them to eat anything that is a veggie. So here is where I hide them. You'd never know this smoothie has beet greens and a superfoods powder. 

Blueberry Smoothie Recipe:

• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 peach, pear, or nectarine
• 1 banana (frozen is good if you've got some)
• 1/2 cup coconut milk 
• 1 cup beet greens, spinach, or kale (stems removed if really tough)
• 8 ice cubes
• 1 scoop Amazing Grass Green Superfood (berry flavor is good and tons of nutrients. It has wheat in it but before the seeds are produced, it's supposed to be gluten-free and works well for us)

Optional:

• 2 tablespoons agave, honey, or maple syrup (if you want to make sure the kids will devour it)

Now, I love my new blender. I was skeptical, because it's advertised on TV. But The Ninja Professional Blender is really amazing. It has blades in the bottom, middle, and upper parts of the blender, so it works really well and fast. I must use it several times a week and it's a great smoothie maker. And when I saw two chefs standing in line to buy one, I was suckered in. 

So my point is, get out your blender.

Then, place all the ingredients in and blend away for about 1/2 minute or until smooth. Adjust with more ice or water until you get your desired consistency. I like mine like yogurt. Stick in a straw, or if you want to get fancy, add a few flowers and serve. Makes 3 large glassfuls. 

Strawberries and Beets Popsicles and Smooties

They're the same color, so why not combine them? It's been a real challenge to get my kids to eat anything that grows out of the ground. So hiding it seems to be my next strategy. Chef Fox was onto me though. But when saw the strawberries, he was convinced to give it a try. 

Frozen is what we had and perfect for smoothies. Our original intention was simply popsicles, but Chef Fox had an even more brilliant idea, why not popsicles and smoothies?! Fabulous!

With a few chops of his kid-friendly knife, all was ready. One beet and 6 frozen strawberries were ready. 

When he went to get the popsicle molds I quickly added 1/4 cup coconut milk, a banana, a cup of blueberry juice, and 8 drops of liquid stevia to the blender. Any juice would do though.

                                                

These are our popsicle molds. And we quickly put them into the freezer. But wait, there was more left over... and before i could turn around, Chef Fox had poured him and his brother two glasses of smoothies and were gulping it down like they hadn't drank in days. 

The next morning, breakfast popsicles were a big hit. Yes!