Eat Like a Rabbit

In reading up on how to get children to eat healthy, I learned that some foods should be given more creative or less scary names. I took this step when adding spinach to my smoothies. The spinach (green tops) reminded me of eating fresh mint or even the tops of organic berries in my drink when you aren't worried about eating the leaves. The bitterness of the spinach is non-existent; so, I have no fear of suddenly realizing that the "tops" aren't tops at all. I have fought "green smoothies" for quite some time, but the fruit hides the look, which makes me more likely to drink it. Also, the additional vitamin C from orange juice increases absorption of iron, which is just as important for my body as eating the iron to begin with.

Sadly, my fetal-brain-drain kicked in and sometime last weekend I failed to put my frozen bananas back in the freezer, and they weren't very acceptable for smoothies after spending the night in the fridge. I used frozen peaches (Yes, we have a variety of fruit in our freezer. Just wait until all the applesauce and squash come into season.) as an alternative. The downside was that the color came out funky. One person at work thought my drink was pasta sauce to go with my EMT's pasta, and another person thought I was drinking salsa. Well, no matter the look, it tasted just fine.

Recipe for Berry Banana Smoothies

Serves 2

• One frozen banana
• 1/4 cup frozen raspberries
• 6 large frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt

I defrost my strawberries for a minute in the microwave because the banana often adds enough thickness on its own. Blend the raspberries first because they're smaller. Add the strawberries for some liquid, then spinach, banana, yogurt, and juice. Lighten up on the liquids if the smoothie is getting too thin or add an extra banana. The raspberries are the strongest flavor so those are what you need least extra of. If spinach is necessary in your diet, too, you can get away with adding more "green tops" without tasting the bitterness.

As with all smoothies, it's easy to be creative and explore. No two are alike. For my mid-morning drinks, I used just strawberries (defrost again) and peaches with the juice and spinach. I eliminated the yogurt because at work it takes me a while to sip my drink.

Odwalla drinks are popular and can be found at Starbucks, Einstein Bagels, and grocery stores. Costco used to carry large bottles of Odwalla Mango Tango that Paul and my dad were happy to enjoy. Recently, we came across the individual bottles in a variety pack-Strawberry, Mango Tango, and Superfood (a juice mixture with barley greens). The drinks have been very helpful in keeping my vitamin C up and can had a healthy dose of iron, which is important for my blood count right now. They really do taste good, even the Superfood which comes in a dark green color, but if you can get past the look, tastes just fine--like banana and apple juice. Odwalla stresses quality ingredients and being kind to the environment. Most importantly, we find the 11 ounce drinks make a great, healthy snack in the middle of the day.

On Wednesday night, we had a few minutes to waste between our Trader Joe's shopping trip and Jeremy's music class. Leann suggested we stop and get a smoothie at Jamba Juice. We were all for it as Orlando just doesn't have anything quite like it. Jamba Juice wisely offers a nice menu selection ranging from no sugar to sugar in the form of chocolate. Paul and Leann had a naturally sweet mango smoothie. I had a pineapple strawberry and frozen yogurt smoothie.

The sorbet recipe almost at the very end of the The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper has been on my mind since I received and read the book at Christmas.

We brown-bag our lunch. It's an incredible savings when you think about how much lunch out costs. And you can't eat the cheapest Taco Bell every day no matter how much you like it! Paul gets a great discount at the hospital, but I'm stuck on my own. If I forget my lunch, I don't get any. That also has to do with the fact that my schedule at work doesn't allow for the time to go out and buy something.

This is a great snack or dessert option. On occasion, Paul and I will have a breakfast item for dinner, especially if we had rich lunches and were still a bit full from a late lunch. This night, we had small smoothies with peanut butter toast. Certainly, if I can get a concoction that I really like and can remember, I won't want to make so many trips to Planet Smoothie. This recipe makes 16 ounces of smoothie, which is perfect for us. Sometimes, if I make more than that, it goes to waste.

Recipe for Smoothie

• 8 frozen strawberries
• 2 bananas
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2-3 Tablespoons peanut butter

Put all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.

Nothing about this tart was on sale or cheap, but it was beautiful and tasty. I divided the tart into 8 slices, but probably should have kept it at 7 so everyone had enough. I gave ice cream and vanilla yogurt as options for the side.

We had a fantastic and enjoyable Christmas Eve Dinner.

The idea for this refreshing "Last Rose of Summer" drink came as I was reading a Southern-style cookbook at Tuesday Morning. I had the ingredients and it seemed like a great way to stop and think back on the summer and look forward toward winter. I made enough for about 6 servings. It was just strong enough to leave room for adding sparkling water for that extra kick.

Being big fans of Italy, we have been interested in trying this dessert "shack," Jeremiah's Italian Ice, a stand-alone walk-up-to-the-counter building in front of a strip mall. I could not believe the number of patrons. There were three teenage girls working in the stand, and they were all kept busy. They were polite and worked hard. We had heard from friends that it was good. We just were rarely on that side of town. We just happened to be there around dinner time that day. Perfect dessert stop.