Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Bananaberry Smoothie

A curious reader writes in:

"Dear Persephone,
If you supposedly do all this cooking, why aren't there more entries on this site? What the heck do you eat, anyway?"
Signed,
Anxious in Alameda"

Well, Anxious, I'm glad you asked. See, while I do cook at least a few times a week, often it's just something really boring like rice and beans, or a salad, or tomato soup. Other times, nobody around here feels like eating, but dinner must be had. No malnutrition allowed around here, let me tell you! So, for times like these, I make smoothies.

Not just any smoothies. These smoothies have every bit of nutrition packed into them. But, they must also taste good. And, preferably, look pretty too. Here, I'll share my recipe with you.

Bananaberry "Dinner" Smoothie
1-2 cups enriched soy milk (vanilla)
1 ripe banana
1 to 1-1/2 cups frozen fruit (berries, or maybe mangoes, etc.)
1-2 scoops protein powder (I use Trader Joe's Soy Protein with vitamins)
1/4 tsp Vitamin C powder
1-2 TBLS Very Green supplement powder
1 TBLS fiber (psyllium husks, Metamucil, whatever)
1 TBLS ground flax seeds (you could also use just flax seed oil)

Pour 1 cup soymilk into blender. Add banana and half the frozen berries or fruit Add powders and supplements. Add rest of frozen berries or fruit. Top of with more soymilk. Blend. If it's too thick add more milk. If it's too thin, add more frozen fruit.

Serves 1-2

And yes, it really does taste great even with all that other stuff in it!

Plus (and here's the good part), it only takes a minute and everyone's happy.

Sunday, June 3, 2007

Peanut-Butter Bliss

I hate to brag, but I make a pretty darn good peanut-butter cookie.

Flaky, rich peanut taste, not too sweet... they crumble just right in your mouth. It's a good thing I don't make them too often. As it is, I think work folks will be enjoying plenty of these. They are dangerous to have in the house.

Is There Anything Better?

Fresh-baked whole wheat buttermilk-and-honey bread. It's just the best.

I tried making it in the food processor this time, rather than the KitchenAid as usual. I'm not sure what I think. I *think* it went well. It certainly was messier to clean up, since I don't have a dishwasher. The food processor has all kinds of little nooks and crannies; the KitchenAid bowl is pretty simple to wash. That might be the deciding vote.

However, the rest of the bread-baking process went off without a hitch. Great rise, great texture. Somehow I think that if I made my own bread, my tummy would be happy. If only.

Saturday, June 2, 2007

Happiness In A Bun


For those times when you need a cinnamon bun (or other sweet, cinnamony treat), I offer this solution: Quick Cinnamon Buns. No yeast, hardly any wait. However, 100% made from scratch. These, ladies and gentlemen, are Treats Worth Having. Warm, gooey, cinnamon-y, with cream-cheese glaze. With coffee (decaf, thanks) on a Saturday morning. Heaven.

you know you want the recipe. totally.