Per Golubka’s instructions: “Take some familiar greens, or better yet, be adventurous and pick the brightest leaves with the strangest name. A bunch usually serves about three people. Add a banana per person, the riper the better. Stop here for a classic combination, or go on to add some kiwi, apple, grapes, mango, or berries for a more fruity flavour. Add about 1/2 cup of water per person and blend well until smooth and bubbly. Generally, this kind of smoothie tastes like fruit, but some greens overpower the sweetness. Those include collard greens, Swiss chard, and, the mightiest of all, arugula – nothing can mask its presence.”

Oster Classic Beehive Blender – Blue, Chrome, Copper, Red

Oster 14 Speed Blender

Magic Bullet Express

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I don’t think there’s anything in this world that I crave more than ice cream. And not just during the hot summer months: I crave it year-round. I’ve been behaving myself lately and indulging less often since I’m trying to lose weight and train for a half marathon, but I just can’t seem to give up my ice cream addiction. I was discussing this with one of my more health-conscious friends recently, and he shared a little secret with me: how to make banana ice cream using just frozen bananas! Simply place a couple of ripe bananas in the freezer for a few hours and then process them (love my new Cuisinart food processor) until smooth and creamy. To make it even easier, I peeled the bananas, sliced them, and put them in a ziploc bag before freezing.

That’s it! Who knew something so easy (and healthy!) could be such an amazing treat?! Of course, you can always add a little peanut butter or chocolate if you so desire, but I’m telling you, the bananas on their own are sweet enough. It’s a great alternative to throwing away those bananas that are just a little too ripe for my taste. Plus, it gives me another great excuse to use my beautiful tangerine Cuisinart 3-cup food processor!

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The recipe is perfectly simple for those sticky summer afternoons.

Peach Sorbet

500 grams peach puree
75 grams atomized glucose
110 grams water
65 grams sugar
3 grams sorbet stabilizer

Pineapple Sorbet

500 grams pineapple puree
70 grams water
75 grams atomized glucose
60 grams sugar
1.5 grams sorbet stabilizer

Kiwi Sorbet

500 grams kiwi puree
225 grams water
65 grams atomized glucose
120 grams sugar
2 grams sorbet stabilizer

Method is the same for all of them

Start by making the sugar syrup. Place the water and the atomized glucose in a small saucepan . Bring to a simmer. In the meantime, whisk together the sugar and sorbet stabilizer in a separate bowl . When the water comes to a light boil, add the sugar and stabilizer mixture, whisk and bring to a boil. When it starts to boil, pour the syrup into a bowl and let it cool slightly before refrigerating. Refrigerate the sugar syrup overnight.

Add the fruit puree to the sugar syrup, mix really well and churn in ice cream machine . Freeze.

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In the summer I love to eat fresh pineapple .  It’s one of my favorite summer fruits but one of my least favorite to actually prepare.  Cutting a pineapple is a frustrating process and typically involves a much larger knife than I prefer to use in the kitchen.

That’s why I was so excited to see the Vacu Vin Pineapple Corer at Cooking.com .  It cores the pineapple for you, all you need to do is slice off the top and then this device does the rest for you, making perfect pineapple rings.

I compared several different pineapple corers/slicers before settling on this one.  What really sold me was that it came with three different sized attachments depending on the size of the fruit.  Otherwise most of the different models were pretty similar in price and style.  The Vacu Vin is only $14.95, which is about the price threshold I have for random kitchen tools.

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Want to make a fun drink to serve your friends at your July 4th party?  I’ve got just the thing.  My nickname for this drink is “Punch of Freedom” although I think that applies more to the alcoholic version which will no doubt make you feel free if you drink enough!

Here is the way I make it, and then I’ll provide you with some alternatives:

-1 gallon fruit punch
-1 gallon lemonade
-1 bottle champagne
-1 dozen strawberries, sliced
-2 peaches, sliced
-1 package blueberries
-1 pint berry sorbet

For the two gallons of juice, you can substitute strawberry lemonade, orange juice, or cranberry juice, but I would recommend mixing at least 2 of those instead of just one base.  Whatever you mix, try to target an overall pink/red color for the punch (to fit the 4th of July theme).

For the fruits you can use pretty much whatever you like, I find the peaches and strawberries have a nice flavor and soak up the champagne or other alcohol nicely so they are tasty to eat at the end of the drink.  The blueberries are mostly just to have a little blue for the red/white/blue theme.

Instead of champagne you could use ginger-ale or tonic water for a non-alcoholic version.  If you want it to be alcoholic but are looking for something stronger, you could also substitute vodka, but be careful not to add too much!

I like the sorbet because it adds extra fun; you could also substitute sherbet or even vanilla ice cream.  However, if your party is outdoors and you don’t have enough ice, you will definitely end up with a soupy drink when the frozen part melts.

Whatever way you personalize this drink, there’s little you can do that will truly mess it up, so it should end up fun and festive!

Tools & Decorations:
-Punch bowl
-Punch Ladle
-American Flag Drink Napkins
-American Flag Cups

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Strawberries are a delicious way to add more antioxidants and fiber to your diet.  According to the California Strawberry Commission, a serving of strawberries, just 8 berries, contains more vitamin C than an orange, and 2 grams of fiber!  What’s even better, is that a cup of strawberries contains just 50 calories.

I’ve found that the best and fastest way to get my daily intake of fruits and veggies is to make a power-packed morning smoothie. Here’s a strawberry smoothie recipe to get you started.  It also contains blueberries–another superfood!

Strawberry & Blueberry Smoothie

• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 banana, peeled
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 1 individual size container of yogurt

Combine all ingredients in a blender, or smoothie maker, and blend until mixture reaches desired consistency.  To add a little zip, replace some of the milk with orange juice.  Yogurt can be any flavor, depending on what you like.  I’ve also added a handful of uncooked quick oats to this recipe for increasing my whole grain intake.

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It’s the weekly produce aisle dilemma for me…do I spend more to fill my refrigerator with organic fruits and veggies or just stick with the old standbys?  Have you ever wondered if buying organic food is really worth the money?  According to the green living gurus at Ideal Bite, there are times when organic is definitely better. Here are the top ten picks for food you should always try to buy in organic varieties:

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Lettuce
9. Pears
10. Imported Grapes

In addition to reducing the risks associated with consuming pesticides and other chemicals,  organic foodies claim that organic produce tastes better, and is more nutritious. Here’s an interesting article on the benefits of eating organic foods.

If you’re trying to make room in your grocery budget for organic foods, consider slashing bottled water from your grocery list. A recent California study showed that bottled water isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

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Fresh and juicy pears are in season in many parts of the U.S. right now, so now is the time to pull out your favorite pear recipes, and enjoy one of Autumn’s most delicious fruits.  Pears can be baked or grilled with meats like pork and chicken, and made into delicious desserts like this one:

Pear Cranberry Crisp

Filling:

• 7 large pears, slightly under-ripe, peeled, and cored
• 1 cup fresh or frozen whole cranberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbs. flour
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Topping:

• 1 cup of flour
• 2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 stick butter, chilled and cut into small chunks

To prepare filling: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and pour into a buttered 8-inch square baking dish.   (Substitute non-stick spray for butter if you prefer.)

To prepare topping: Combine first 4 ingredients in medium mixing bowl. Then, cut in butter using a pastry blender, or food processor, until mixture is coarsely blended.

Sprinkle topping evenly over filling. Place baking dish on a cookie sheet and place in oven. Bake for about an hour, or until the top is golden and edges are bubbling.

If you have an ice cream maker, this recipe is a great excuse to mix up a small batch for serving up a really special fall dessert.

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I have almost all the risk factors for contracting skin cancer: pale skin, blue eyes, freckles, an immediate relative who has been diagnosed with skin cancer and a history of being burned several times over.  To add fuel to the fire, I live between Southern Cali and Australia, I love the outdoors and I hate putting on sun block!  All this considered, I still have a fantasy that I can not only eat to protect my skin, but also perhaps, ingest my way to reversing the skin damage I already have!  Here’s what the experts say I’ll have to eat if there’s any chance of making my dreams reality.

• Vitamin A – Found in carrots and low-fat dairy products such as yogurt.  A vitamin A supplement is also recommended for it’s dramatic benefits to the skin, however use caution in taking it if you’re pregnant – it can harm the baby in large doses.
• Antioxidants – The best sources are berries: blueberries, strawberries and blackberries.  These protect skin cells from DNA damage.
• Essential Fatty Acids – Found in salmon, walnuts and flax oil.  Some women prefer to take fat from their butt and shoot it into their face to look younger.  I think I’ll try eating more salmon first.
• Oils – Make sure it’s cold-pressed, expeller processed or is extra virgin.  Commercial oils are full of crap and heated when processed which ruins the good stuff.  Oil is high in calories however so you only need two tablespoons per day.
• Selenium – has been proven in some studies to prevent skin damage.  Brazil nuts are a high in selenium.
• Green Tea – can be useful if put on the skin as well as digested.  Green tea has been proven to prevent and reduce the risk of skin cancer.
• Water – An oldie but a goodie.  Make sure you drink at least 8 glasses per day.  Your skin will thank you!

Check ou WebMD for a full report on healthy foods for skin.

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Here’s an easy Halloween recipe that kids love and actually involves real, live fruit!  To make five Caramel Covered Apples you will need:

• 40 caramel cubes
• 5 apples
• 1 tablespoon water
• 5 wooden sticks
• wax paper

Wash and dry the apples.  Remove the stems and insert the wooden sticks in the stem holes until about half the stick is in the apple.  In a small double boiler over medium low, heat the caramel and water until thoroughly smooth, stirring continuously.  Dip the apples into the hot caramel sauce, coating them completely.  Set aside on greased wax paper.  You can store the apples in the frig but allow them to set at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

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