Strawberry Colada Ice Cream for Ice Cream Tuesday

Since I've been unable to run, my physical activity has dropped off significantly.
I still walk Zooey fairly regularly, and I am working to do my PT exercises as much as possible. But all of this together still doesn't burn as many calories as my normal running routine.
It was only a matter of time, then, when Lack of Movement plus No Change in Caloric Intake took a toll on the waistline and the self esteem.
In an attempt to do what I can to alter the part of that equation of which I am in control, I've decided to focus efforts on lowering my refined sugar, grain, and dairy intake (the dairy reduction was more to combat headaches and migraines than anything else) as well as pay careful attention to the actual amount of food I put on my plate at each meal.
Of course, reducing one's sugar and dairy intake means reducing one's ice cream intake, and sometimes, a girl just wants her dessert.

Now, the great thing about ice cream, other than the way it tastes, is that its the fat content that gives ice cream that smooth texture. Coconut milk, which has the creamy texture that I was looking for, is also high in good fats, too, so it's a perfectly good substitute, and because the fat doesn't need to be cooked in the same way that a custard-based (read: with eggs) ice cream does, making a dairy-free ice cream was quite a simple process that only required a few ingredients.
And then, of course, fruit, because I still wanted to feel virtuous even when indulging.

Strawberry Colada Ice Cream
(dairy-free, paleo-friendly, vegan)

For the ice cream base:

• 1 can coconut cream
• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• 4-6 Tbsp agave nectar (to taste)*
• 2 large strawberries (or 4 small to medium sized ones) - this is just for color
• 2 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp vodka (optional - this will help the ice cream from setting up too hard)

For the mix-ins:

• 1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
• 1 cup pineapple, chopped (if you use canned pineapple, you can use the crushed variety; just be sure to drain it completely)
• 2 tsp coconut oil, divided (or less - you really only need to lightly coat the pan)
• 2 tsp agave nectar, divided (optional, if you want your mix-ins a little sweeter)

Combine coconut cream, coconut milk, agave, strawberries, and vanilla in blender, and puree until smooth. Pour through a fine mesh sieve (optional), and refrigerate overnight. I recommend using a quart jar in order to utilize vertical space.
Heat 1 tsp each coconut oil and agave a 6-inch sauté pan over medium heat; add strawberries and cook until caramelized. Cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate overnight. Repeat this for the pineapple (you could do them together, but I wanted to keep the color of the pineapple).
Churn the ice cream base according to your ice cream maker's directions. When the mixture is just about at soft serve consistency, add the strawberries and pineapple, and continue to churn until the fruit is well distributed.
Transfer mixture to a freezer-safe container; press plastic wrap down onto the surface of the ice cream, and cover with lid. Freeze for at least four hours before enjoying.

*NERD ALERT - A (not very) brief word about agave nectar: For a few years, agave nectar was seen as a "natural" alternative to sugar, being lower on the glycemic index, and as such, considered a better and even safer choice for diabetics and others who were concerned about sugar intake. However, for various scientific reasons that I won't go into here except to say that the large amount of fructose in it makes you want to eat more, even when full, agave nectar has been proven to not be a "healthier" option. I used it in this recipe because of its more neutral flavor (compared to honey or maple syrup). If the full amount suggested above (less than 7 Tbsp) is used, each serving of the finished ice cream will contain under 1 Tbsp of agave nectar, which in terms of sugar intake is slightly under the RDA for an adult (1 Tbsp has about 21 g of sugar; the RDA is 25 grams).

Today's post brings a close to a month of Ice Cream Tuesday posts for National Ice Cream Month. I hope you enjoyed reading the posts and recipes as much as I enjoyed eating them. In case you missed any, here they are:

• Dark Chocolate Orange Ice Cream
• Mr. Pineapple Brown Sugar Ice Cream with Beer Caramelized Pineapples
• For the Love of Dog "Cool-Yer-Paws" Doggie Ice Cream
• Not Princess Stephanie's Chocolate Cherry Chunk Ice Cream

And don't forget to check out some of the other wonderful bloggers who have participated in Ice Cream Tuesday this month; we've all had so much fun:

• Jenni Field's Pastry Chef Online (today she has a ginger ale stracciatella!)
• Comfortably Domestic
• Inside NanaBread's Head
• The Hungry Goddess
• Cravings of a Lunatic
• That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Try Anything Once (including today's salted caramel mocha ice cream)
• NY Foodgasm
• Desserts Required (check out the Oreo milkshake she has today)
• Creative Culinary
• Cookistry (she's featuring Nutella ice cream today)
• Food Love People Lust

Not Princess Stephanie's Chocolate Cherry Chunk Ice Cream for Ice Cream Tuesday

HRH, like many young girls her age, loves Olivia the Pig.

We have all of the original book series by Ian Falconer as well as a few of the Nickelodeon series DVDs and the books from those series.
In fact, for her first Halloween, HRH wore an Olivia costume. She hated everything about it.
One of her favorite Nickelodeon episodes/books is "Princess for a Day, in which Olivia and Princess Stephanie of Poshtonia switch places; hilarity, naturally, ensues.

The complicating incident in this plot takes place in the local ice cream parlor, where both Olivia and Princess Stephanie enjoy some cherry chocolate chunk ice cream. Every time she reads the book or watches the episode, HRH has asked for us to make cherry chocolate chunk ice cream.
Except for the part where she's not a huge fan of cherries, this is a great idea.
So, I simply switched the main and supporting flavors, and now, she can't get enough.
Neither can I.

Imagined when making my dark chocolate orange concoction earlier this month, this ice cream combines dark chocolate, cherry puree, and chunks of both chocolate and cherries to make a rich and delicious treat that princesses and non-princesses alike will enjoy.

Not Princess Stephanie's Chocolate Cherry Chunk Ice Cream
Inspired by this recipe from Scoop Adventures

For the syrup:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup cherry juice
• 1/8 tsp salt 
• 1 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

For the ice cream base:

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 2 tsp cherry extract

For the cherries:

• 2 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted and chopped
• 2 Tbsp cherry vodka (you could use regular vodka if you want)
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar

Additional mix-in:

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips or your favorite chocolate chunks (optional)

Combine cocoa powder, sugar, cherry juice, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat to a boil until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and pour over chopped chocolate. Let sit for five minutes, and then whisk to combine fully. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together ice cream base ingredients, and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until boiling. Boil for ten seconds, and then immediately strain through a fine mesh strainer into the chocolate mixture. Whisk to combine fully.
Cool over an ice bath (I use a larger bowl filled with ice water) until mixture registers about 50°, and then cover and transfer to the refrigerator to cool overnight. If you don't have a ton of horizontal room in your fridge for the bowl, use two quart jars (this makes a little over one quart).
Macerate the cherries in the sugar and vodka in a covered bowl in the refrigerator overnight.
Once the ice cream mixture is completely cooled, add to your ice cream maker and churn according to directions.
When ice cream is just about at soft serve consistency, drain the cherries and add them, along with the chocolate chips/chunks, to the ice cream maker. Churn until well mixed, and then transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Press plastic wrap down on top of the mixture, cover with the lid, and freeze for at least 4-6 hours before enjoying as you watch your favorite Olivia episode.

Mr. Pineapple Brown Sugar Ice Cream with Beer Caramelized Pineapples for Ice Cream Tuesday

A few weeks ago, when I was about to churn my chocolate orange ice cream for last week's Ice Cream Tuesday post, my ice cream maker died. I had just poured my mixture into the pre-frozen base and turned it on, and it made The Most Horrible Machine Dying Sound.
And then it stopped.
And I was left with a mixture that had already started to freeze to the ice cream base and no real good way to get it OUT before having to start over.
It was panic at the disco over here.
Of course, Zooey tried to help, so that was fun. Dogs and chocolate go together so well, you know.
Thankfully, I only managed to lose about half a pint as I madly poured and scraped the mixture back out of the ice cream maker and into the quart jars from whence they came.
And then, once I cleaned that remaining half pint of mixture off the counter top, the cabinets, the floor, and me, I sat down and thought, "Crap. What do I do NOW?"
Certainly I could have made this without an ice cream maker, but after posting about this little adventure on my personal Facebook page, some close friends texted me and said I could borrow theirs for a while. They even pre-chilled the base so I could get back to where I was before Disaster struck.
So naturally, I've gone mad with power and am making All the Ice Creams.

This ice cream is a nod to a local summer favorite: San Tan Brewing Company's Mr. Pineapple wheat beer. This seasonal brew is immensely popular round these parts, and people celebrate its tapping each year like it's a national holiday (it should probably be a state holiday, at the very least). The subtle sweetness that the pineapple adds to the beer is a perfect partner to the brown sugar, and when you add in pineapples caramelized in that same beer, you have a winning combination that just might make you forget that it's 110° already.
It's worth a shot, at least.

Mr. Pineapple Brown Sugar Ice Cream With Beer Caramelized Pineapples
Ratios inspired by Jenni Fields's Pastry Chef Online Maple Buttermilk Pecan Ice Cream

• 2 cups San Tan Brewing Company's Mr. Pineapple Wheat Beer (or other wheat beer with pineapple or other tropical fruit to it)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/2 tsp salt (I use Real Salt)
• 14 ounces brown sugar (you could probably reduce this to about 10-12 ounces)
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 cups whole milk, chilled
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• Beer caramelized pineapples*

Combine the beer, cream, half and half, salt,  brown sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly.
Boil for ten seconds, and then immediately strain through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl.
Add the whole milk, which you can just bring right out of the fridge when you need it. Whisk to combine completely.
Cool over an ice bath (I use a larger bowl filled with ice water), and then cover and transfer to the refrigerator to cool overnight. To save valuable horizontal space, I recommend using two quart jars.
Once completely cooled, add to your ice cream maker and churn according to directions. In the last few minutes of churning, mix in the caramelized pineapples.
Once the ice cream has reached soft serve consistency, pour mixture into freezer safe container. Press plastic wrap onto top of mixture (don't worry; it won't freeze to it), and fasten lid before moving to the freezer. Freeze for at least four hours before enjoying.
Just a note: this makes two full quarts, so you may need to pour some out for your homies before churning; otherwise, when you add the pineapple, the ice cream will spill out of the dasher. Or, I suppose you could do this in multiple batches. It's up to you.

*To make the beer caramelized pineapples, follow this recipe from The Beeroness; I used more Mr. Pineapple instead of the saison she recommended, and it.was.amazing. Just make sure that you chill the pineapples before mixing in to the ice cream, or else they will warm the mixture up too much, and you'll be churning for a bit longer than you plan.

Common sense warning: Even though the beer is cooked and the alcohol levels thus reduced, this ice cream still contains some levels of alcohol, so it's probably not the best choice to give your kids. Which is perfectly fine; you work hard to raise those kids, and you deserve to have an ice cream all to yourself for once. Get the kids a non-boozy flavor and enjoy responsibly.

She Put the Lime in the Marshmallow, She Ate it All Up

If we're being honest, I tend to prefer lime over lemon.  With the exception of lemon curd, which is one of The Best Things Ever, I just feel like lime is a little more exciting in things.

Thus, with the success of my attempts with lemon and orange, it was only a matter of time before I put the lime in the marshmallow and ate it all up.

Lime Marshmallows

adapted (once again) from the irreplaceable Jenni at Pastry Chef Online

• 4 1/2 Tbsp gelatin (about 5 envelopes)
• 1 cup plus 2 tsp cold water (I also added a splash of lime juice, for giggles)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp lime extract
• 1 Tbsp lime zest plus more for tossing
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup (you can also use rice syrup or honey)
• 1 cup lime syrup (formula below)
• water
• combination of corn starch and powdered (icing) sugar, about 1:1 ratio

Combine the water, lime zest, and lime extract in the bowl of a mixer.  Sprinkle gelatin over the mixture and stir to combine, being careful to get rid of any lumps.  Set aside.

Spray a 9X13 pan with either pan spray or coat with oil (I use my Misto and olive oil).  Line the pan with plastic wrap, and then coat the top of the plastic wrap with oil.  Coat completely with your powdered sugar and corn starch mixture.  I've played around with how much, and what I've found works well for me is to coat completely and then tap out the excess.  This makes, for me, a less clumpy end product.  Set the pan aside.

Bring sugar and syrups (and a splash of water) to a boil.  Continue to boil until the mixture reaches 244° (the soft ball stage).  

When the syrup mixture reaches about 235°, turn on the mixer, using the whisk attachment, to low or medium low.

As soon as the syrup reaches the proper temperature, remove and pour into the mixing bowl, continuing to whisk on low/medium low.  

Gradually raise the speed of the mixer from light speed all the way to ludicrous speed.  Continue to whip until the mixture has about tripled inside (read: you're fearful it will overflow) and it starts to come off the sides of the bowl in small threads.

Using a large spatula liberally coated with pan spray or olive oil, pour the marshmallow cream into the prepared pan, carefully spreading it out evenly.  Take a pause to lick the spatula before throwing it in the sink.

Sift the corn starch-powdered sugar combination over the top of the marshmallows, making sure that you can't see any of the shiny mallows under the snowy powder.  Allow to sit, uncovered, in a coonhound-proof area for several hours or overnight.

Once the marshmallows are set, invert the pan over a large cutting board.  Use the plastic wrap to easily remove the marshmallows from the pan.  Cut into one inch cubes, tossing each in more corn starch and powdered sugar before storing in an airtight container for about a week (or however long the mallows last).  Sprinkle with a little extra lime zest for a bit more of a zing, if you like (I like).

Lime Syrup

• equal parts sugar and water
• as much lime zest as you want

Heat all ingredients so that the sugar dissolves completely.  Allow to simmer until the syrup is slightly reduced.  Cool completely and store in the refrigerator.  When ready to use, strain out the zest.

I've seen some ingredients strain the zest when the syrup has cooled, but I think it packs a bigger punch if it's allowed to steep for a day or so.  It's up to you.

Like the lemon marshmallows, these beauties offer a tart accent that offsets the sweetness of what is essentially sugar, sugar, and more sugar.  It's a rather unique taste combination that offers a hint of the relief from the Arizona heat that's found in lemonade and lime slushies.  I can almost feel the double digit temps again when I have seven three one of these marshmallows.  Ahhhhh....

So Easy a Caveman Can Do It - But I Can't

Over the last few months, I've realized that I've kind of plateaued in my attempt to get rid of some of that "stubborn belly fat" that all those commercials for wonder supplements and crazy workout DVDs love to talk about.  It's not stubborn.  It's an unwelcome guest, and I'm kind of tired of it having way overstayed its welcome.  

So I've been looking at how I can step it up.  Not just so I can more easily slip into a pair of pants, but also so that I know I'm healthier.

For a long while, I've really reduced my meat consumption.  I really really really don't care for chicken. When I was pregnant with HRH, it was a huge aversion to me, so much that when I tried to buy some of those pre-cooked strips for the Husband at the store one day, my knees buckled and I thought I was going to pass out.  Ever since, I can only handle it if it's REALLY well made, and I have to REALLY want it.  I also have tried to cut down on red meat, especially because of the many links between red meat consumption and a greater risk of colon cancer (among others).  

And I like most vegetarian protein sources.  I love beans.  I really like tofu.  Quinoa is great.  Tempeh - meh (see what I did there?); that's really the one thing that I've had that I didn't really care for.

But nothing seemed to be working.

I decided, then, to take a week and try a modified paleo plan.  I say modified because I did use a "paleo for runners" approved foods list, which includes more starchy veggies like sweet potatoes and squash.  Apparently a non-runners paleo diet doesn't allow for them.

Basically, the paleo diet is, from what I understand, supposed to mimic the ingredients that our very ancient, probably much hairier forefathers would have eaten.  Of course, this means no processed foods, but it also nixes all grains, dairy, and sugars (although some sites allowed maple syrup and honey because those were natural sugars, and I can totally imagine an early Homo sapiens risking life and limb for a handful of honey like he were some Ice Age Winnie the Pooh).  Probably the most restrictive aspect for me, though was that it didn't allow for legumes or beans.  Even though I love me some rice and white breads, rarely a week goes by that I don't have beans with at least two meals.  But I was determined to try this to rev up my body's vacationing fat burning abilities.

I created a meal plan for the week and headed to the grocery store.

First of all, holy sticker shock, Batman!  I haven't actually bought meat that wasn't turkey necks for Zooey or bacon in a really long time, apparently, because when I picked up a small package of ground beef, I thought I was going to have to take a second mortgage out on the house.  Yikes.

I admit that on top of my mandate that I would still be enjoying my morning coffee with half-and-half and cinnamon sugar, I did "cheat" during one meal.  One of my friends and I had lunch, and I had a beer.  Beer, as you know, is made from grains - gluten-y grains - so it's waaaaaaaay up on the Verboten Items List.  But I also don't want to be that person who puts the kibosh on every restaurant suggestion because it doesn't work for my super restrictive diet plan.  "Oh, no, that place doesn't work for me.  I can't eat anything that casts a shadow past 1:00 in the afternoon on Tuesdays."  

Interestingly enough, that evening, I felt TERRIBLE.  Like you might right before you get sick.  Achy, tired, tempting fate by trying to NOT get a headache.  Just...blah.  And then I got cranky because I didn't feel well, so it wasn't the most pleasant evening.

I can't say with absolute certainty that this was all caused by the grains.  But it was interesting nonetheless.  

At the end of the week, I knew that this plan isn't for me.  That isn't to say it's a terrible idea.  I really like certain aspects of it.  But I think that it's more of a diet than a lifestyle for me at this point in my life, and restrictive diets never work.

What I DO think I can take out of this experience is that I don't necessarily need to embrace the red meat again, but I can bid a fond farewell to grains more easily than I thought.  And that's where I think I can improve my eating habits.  While I'll be welcoming beans back to my diet very soon (hello, Cuban dinner plans), I'm not sure that I'll be so quick to nab a loaf of bread to go along with them.  I'd love to experiment with gluten-free grains and work to reduce the amount of corn-based products I consume.  While I didn't weigh myself at all this week, I do feel less full around the middle, even though I've felt like I've eaten a lot more than I usually did.

One big success is that I was able to stick to my meal plan.  I made it a lot more simple and relied a great deal more on leftovers for lunch and dinner repeats, and I think that's where I've gone off the rails before.  I'm hoping to be more consistent with that as well.

Where have you been successful in modifying your food lifestyle to make healthy changes?  What are you willing to "give up"?  What are non-negotiables for you?

Raspberry Marshmallows - Served Two Ways

Ever since I made that batch of lemon marshmallows back in February, I've been obsessed with them.  I mean, OBSESSED.  I can't stop thinking of fun, delicious flavors to try out.  So far, I've also managed to make:

• chocolate stout mallows (for St. Patrick's Day)
• orange mallows (not enough orange flavor, but I'll be playing around with this one)
• strawberry mallows (same as above)
• apple cinnamon mallows (tasty now, these will be amazing in the fall)
• piña colada mallows (for a review of them, check out Kat's post here)

The rest of my list will keep me playing with corn syrup and gelatin for the next two years at least.  So you should probably go out and buy stock in said corn syrup and gelatin now before the share price quadruples.
It shouldn't really come as a surprise, then, that this round of Theme Weavers shenanigans sees me adding raspberry marshmallows to the list.  Happy Berry Week, everyone!

Truthfully, marshmallows are not difficult to make.  They require sugar, heat, a candy thermometer, and a little patience.  And a spouse who doesn't mind that your kitchen is a cloud of powdered sugar for about 24 hours.  Once you get the procedure down, then it's a matter of experimenting with those different flavors.  As you may guess, I'm not a fan of adding artificial flavors to my foods, so if I'm going to make a flavored marshmallow, that flavor needs to come from The Real Deal.
The two traditional ways to have mallows are, of course, the s'more and atop hot cocoa.  While the former is a fantastic summer - and year-round - treat, just the thought of hot cocoa at this time of year makes me want to melt.  The good news is that The Internet has a summery option that was the inspiration for the milkshake below.
I hope that you decide to try your own hand at marshmallows; you'll see not only how easy they are but also how much more tasty than their factory-made counterparts.

Raspberry Marshmallows
adapted from the wonderful Jenni at Pastry Chef Online

• 4 1/2 Tbsp powdered gelatin
• 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp cold raspberry puree (see note)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (preferably homemade)
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup raspberry syrup (see note)
• powdered sugar
• corn starch
• freeze dried raspberries (you can find these at Whole Foods)

Pulverize the freeze dried raspberries using a spice grinder (our coffee grinder has been appropriated for this purpose).  Add the powder to a 1-1 mixture of the powdered sugar and corn starch; this will be your coating for the mallows.  I usually use about a cup of each, but I also tend to be coating-happy, hence the aforementioned 24-hour powdered sugar cloud.
Add the puree to the bowl of your mixer.  Bloom the gelatin by combining with with the puree, salt, and vanilla.  Make sure there aren't any chunks or clumps.
Spray a 9x13 pan with pan spray or olive oil (I like to use my Misto for this).  Make sure every inch is lubed up.
Line pan with plastic wrap.  Make sure that it's firmly pressed down and that there are no bubbles.  Spray/oil the now plastic-wrapped pan again.  This might seem like a weird step.  Trust me; there's a reason.  You're not just spraying an aerosol can for a contact high giggles.  Dust the bottom and sides of the pan with the raspberry powder-cornstarch-powdered sugar coating mixture using a fine mesh strainer or sieve.  Make sure you can't see the plastic wrap through the coating.
Set the pan aside, and turn your attention to the stove top.  In a large-ish, heavy sauce pan, combine the sugar and the syrups as well as a splash of water.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Cover the pan and allow to boil, undisturbed, for about 3 minutes.  Then, uncover it and monitor the temperature.  You need the sugar to heat to the soft/firm ball stage - above 235° F but not over 244°F.  Jenni suggests the higher temp, but don't let it get any hotter, or else you'll have to start over.  That would suck.
When the temperature reaches 240°, turn your mixer on to low or medium low; you'll need to use the whip attachment.  Because you're gonna whip it good.  Actually, you're going to whip it well, but I guess proper adverbs don't sell records.
Once the sugar-syrup mixture has reached 244°,  remove it from the heat and pour directly into the mixing bowl.  Be careful; this is hot (duh), so the speed should be low enough that nothing splashes out and burns you like that acid burned Harvey Dent in the second Christian Bale Batman movie.
Once you've added it all, turn up the speed to medium and allow to whip (good/well) for a few minutes before really cranking it up to top speed.  Now whip it into shape; shape it up - get straight.

I cannot discourage you from playing this while whipping the mallows into shape - in fact, I whole-heartedly encourage it, as I do singing along to it at the top of your lungs.  I'm pretty sure it helps the process.
But I digress.
You'll know you're done whipping when the mixture is about tripled in volume and it begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl in slender, delicious threads.
Turn off the mixer, and pour the mixture into your prepared pan.  A very large rubber spatula, liberally coated with olive oil is helpful to get the remnants from the bowl to the pan.  The marshmallow cream should completely fill the pan.  Spray the top of the cream to smooth it out.
Sift the coating over the entire top of the pan, making sure that none of the shiny marshmallow surface shows through.
Now here's the really hard part.  Set the uncovered pan aside for several hours so that the marshmallows can set.  I like to make them in the evening so that they can set up overnight, and then I can have marshmallows for breakfast finish the process in the morning.  I also like to keep them in the microwave, but that's really because it doubles as a coonhound-proof food storage device.  Zooey doesn't understand that the marshmallows aren't for her.
Once the marshmallows are set, you can cut them into squares.  Giant, fluffy squares of deliciousness.  I've tried a pizza cutter, kitchen shears, and a serrated bread knife.  What works best for me is the knife. Now here's why the plastic wrap layer in the pan is so key.  To remove them from the pan, turn the pan upside down on a large cutting board, and then flip it over.  Then remove the plastic wrap, and voilà!  Your marshmallows are naked and ready for cutting.
Toss the marshmallow squares (or, if you so wish, liberally oil a shaped cookie cutter and make fun-shaped mallows) into the coating mix before storing in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.  However, if you make one of the two goodies below, they might not last 2 days.

Notes:
1) While fresh raspberries would be awesome, I prefer to use frozen organic ones.  Thaw them out and puree them, with the juice.  You may need to add a bit of water as well; you don't want it to be too thick.  If you have leftover puree, it's really fantastic on top of ice cream or in a salad dressing.  Or just chugged from the blender cup.  I've heard.
2) For raspberry syrup, you could make a simple syrup infused with raspberries or make a reduction of some raspberry juice (or all natural cran-raspberry juice, if you can't find just raspberry juice).  It's up to you.  For these mallows, I went with the latter, simply for convenience purposes (we had cran-raspberry juice in the refrigerator).

Of course, homemade marshmallows are fine on their own as a complete meal snack.  But they are made even more heavenly when combined with other wonderful goodies, like these s'mores and milkshake.  The s'mores aren't really a "recipe" - most people know how to make s'mores (except for that one crazy woman on that Jeff Foxworthy baking show who didn't even KNOW what a s'more was - WHAT?), so I've basically explained the assembly steps (although that is probably obvious from the photos, huh?).  The milkshake is, in a word, brilliant.  If you use enough of the mallows, you'll really be amazed at how the toasted flavor comes out.  And since I can't wait until winter comes to enjoy a beverage with mallows floating on top of them, this is the perfect way to stay cool and get my cocoa fix.

Raspberry S'mores

Place 2-3 fresh, organic raspberries on top of a graham cracker.  And by the way, since you made your own marshmallows here, you might as well make some homemade graham crackers.  Too hard, you say? Well, if you can make a pie crust or a chocolate chip cookie, you can make graham crackers.  Try Jenni's graham cracker recipe.  I did, and I regret nothing.
On top of the raspberries, place a Ghirardelli dark chocolate and raspberry square (if you really don't like dark chocolate, you can use the milk chocolate version, but since dark chocolate has nutritional benefits, and we're using fresh fruit and a whole wheat flour-based graham cracker, basically I'm telling you that this is a health food).  Have another graham cracker at the ready.
Toast your marshmallow.  You could do this in the broiler if you wanted to, but homemade mallows have a lower melting point, so we usually bust out the crème brûlée torch.  Plus, Husband likes to set things on fire with the torch, so this is a fun activity for the whole family.  If you DO use the broiler, do NOT walk away; watch the mallows carefully.  Place your toasted mallow on top of the chocolate immediately, and add your top graham cracker.  Smoosh down, being careful of gooey deliciousness that will attempt to escape the confines of the cracker.  Devour.  Repeat as needed.
You may notice that in these photos, the top graham cracker is falling off the s'more.  It's true.  These guys are so big that you're going to need to unhinge your jaw and inhale them like a python, but in truth, you're going to make a mess of yourself regardless of how daintily you may try to enjoy a s'more.  Embrace the mess, people.  Just make sure you have some wet wipes at the ready before you do any of this.  Also a glass of water.  Maybe just sit outside and have the hose ready for when you're done.  Whatever.  It's summer, right?

Chocolate and Toasted Raspberry Marshmallow Milkshake
adapted from this version of Spike Mendehlson's Toasted Marshmallow Milkshake

• 2 cups chocolate ice cream (if you have the room, make your own - since my freezer is full up of frozen edamame and seafood stock, I went to Udder Delights and got their version)*
• 1/2 - 1 cup fresh milk (depending on how thick or thin you like your shakes)
• 8-10 ounces raspberry marshmallows plus a few more for garnish ( I maybe used 12, just for good measure)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• handful fresh raspberries (for garnish)

Toast the marshmallows (see the comment above about the lower melting point of homemade mallows).
Toss the toasted marshmallows, vanilla, ice cream, and milk into the blender and mix until the marshmallows are fully incorporated.  Pour into glasses and garnish with the raspberries and remaining marshmallows.  Drink immediately.
These would also not suck with a shot of Chambord or Godiva liqueur.  I'm guessing.  I don't know.  It's just a hunch, which you may or may not want to test for the purposes of science.  Just remember to drink responsibly if you choose to take this route.

*Another delightful ice cream flavor that you can use is a white chocolate raspberry, for (hopefully) obvious reasons.  Vanilla would also work well in a pinch; after all that's what the original recipe calls for.

Thanks for sharing Berry Week with us.  If you haven't had the chance yet, please check out the other incredible berry recipes from the other Theme Weavers:

• Fresh Strawberry Pie from Kirsten (Comfortably Domestic)
• Berry Sangria from Mads (La Petite Pancake)
• Annie's Blackberry Cake from Jeanne (Inside NanaBread's Head)
• Summer Berry Terrine with Mascarpone Whipped Cream from Anne (From My Sweet Heart)
• Vanilla Gelato with Peach-Blueberry Compote and Honey Whipped Cream from Lauren (Climbing Grier Mountain)
• Strawberry Smash from Kat (Tenaciously Yours,)
• Strawberry Basil Sorbellinis from Megan (Wanna be a Country Cleaver)
• Strawberry Rhubarb French Toast from our newlywed, Haley (The Girly Girl Cooks)
• Gluten Free Papaya-Berry Crisp from Monica (The Grom Mom)
• Black Raspberry and Cherry Pie with a Gluten-Free Crust from Christina (Buffy and George)
• Blackberry Cobbler Ice Cream from Theme Weavers newbie Shanna (Pineapple and Coconut)
• A Pacific Northwest (PNW) 75 from Beka (Kvetchin' Kitchen)
• Cherry Clafoutis from Madeline (Munching in the Mitten)

Now, before you go, tell me - what flavor of marshmallow would YOU like to snack on?

Eat it or Starve: Patriotic Princess Edition

I'm so excited that HRH's school has begun to help me in the Eat it or Starve Battle that we wage in the Philistine house on a daily basis.  Recently, her teacher has begun to offer a once-a-week cooking class in the afternoons.  Now, this is a bunch of four-year-olds, so my kid is not going to be learning how to prepare and present a pressed duck any time soon, but it's a start.  The rules are that nothing will have any tree nuts or peanuts in them, since those are big no-nos in the daycare syndicate, as you might imagine.

HRH had to miss the first two classes due to her swim schedule, so last Thursday's class was her first.  She wasn't particularly keen on joining until she learned that her BFF K was in the class, and then she was over the moon.

In the spirit of the upcoming holiday, the class made Fireworks Pretzel Sticks, Red White and Blue "Parfait," and fancy water with (gasp!) star-shaped ice cubes.

The overall goal is to get the kids more inspired and excited to help out in the kitchen and to try new foods, so after last week's class, I asked HRH if she wanted to show me how to make the treats for the Fourth of July.

"Yeah! Let's make them again!"

So today, we did.

Now, this is not going to be a post in which I give you a recipe for making Fireworks Pretzels, Et Al; I'm sure by the photos you can gather the various elements and what the procedure to assemble is.  If you need a recipe for something this simple, there are quite a few blogs out there who appear to think poke cakes with a box of Jello are the most ingenious creation ever, so you can catch those instead.  

(sorry for the snark - I'm not a fan of poke cakes and don't understand why people feel the need to post recipes that use boxed everything)

This is simply a post of how, little by little, my daughter is becoming more adventurous AND more helpful in the kitchen, and as such, becoming a young lady conscious of the foods she chooses to eat at a much earlier age than I was.

The things I did:

• Cut the butter for the frosting into cubes
• Monitored HRH around Watson (our KitchenAid)
• Helped HRH measure powdered sugar
• Measured vanilla extract
• Sliced off "the green part" of the strawberries
• Washed all the fruit
• Monitored the quantity of frosting onto the pretzels
• Whipped the cream (well, Watson did most of the work here)
• But water into the star ice cube trays and threw them in the freezer (still currently under construction as of this posting, but they are ice cubes in the shape of stars, so I'm sure you get the idea)

The things HRH did:

• Added the powdered sugar to the cream cheese icing
• Cut up the strawberries (with a kid-friendly knife, but a real knife) into bite-size pieces
• Put all the berries into the bowls
• Spooned the whipped cream over the berries
• Added the sprinkles to the whipped cream (she's a student of the Kat School of Sprinkle-ology)
• Applied frosting to the pretzels
• Applied sprinkles to the frosting'd pretzels
• Ate copious amounts of frosting and sprinkles (like I said, she's a Kat protege) 

This might not be my favorite thing for HRH to make and eat, considering the horrendous ingredient list on the pretzels (it's not easy to find more naturally made pretzel rods) and that both items had their fair share of sugar, but it's a step in the right direction (I am also terrified of the sprinkles ingredient list, but we wont go into that right now).  What I bear in mind is that this does some healthy foods, too, and as this is a holiday, I'm going to hold my tongue rather than give a dissertation on Red Dye #40.

She's not going to be eating Pad Thai, prosciutto-wrapped figs, or zucchini gratin any time soon, but that HRH was excited to eat some blueberries shows me that she's starting to realize that not all good tasting foods are not chicken nuggets and French fries.

This week, naturally, there's not a class due to the holiday, but I'm looking forward to finding out what treats we'll be whipping up soon.

Favorite Food Friday - Black Rice Summer Salad

It might not officially be summer, according to the calendar, but once we hit 100° here in Phoenix, it's summer.  Period.

Summer means many things to many people: lemonade, picnics, maybe vacation.  A few of the things it means for us is "Ugh, what can I make that doesn't involve the oven?" and "I guess I can make something on the stove if it doesn't take too long."  

Of course, with The Husband working late some nights, summer also means for me "What is fast and easy and not that messy but that I don't have to heat up the house to make?"

Enter summer salads.

This particular beauty was inspired by Kat, who, for several days this past month, was texting us about her "regular" lunch of strawberry, mango, and avocado salad.  My mouth was watering, and I knew that would be a perfect starting point.  When I realized that I still had some delicious black rice in the pantry, I had a winning combination.

This salad is ridiculously simple, and it's easy to change up the ingredients as you have them.  And unless you want to add a sprinkling of feta (which I have twice in the five times I've made it), this healthy recipe is vegan as well as gluten-free.

Black Rice Summer Salad

• 1/2 cup black rice (you could probably sub any long grain rice if you can't get the black rice)
• 1 ripe mango (or a ripe peach/nectarine - also amazing)
• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 green onions (or a shallot or red onion)
• red wine vinegar
• olive oil
• salt
• cracked black pepper

Cook the rice according to package directions.  If you need to, drain out any remaining water before tossing with the onions, chopped fairly fine, and the oil and vinegar (to taste - I only used about 2 Tbsp of each).

Cut up the avocado and mango into bite sized pieces and toss in with the rice.  The rice should still be a little warm, which will make the avocado get a little melty.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately or chill for later - this recipe serves one as a meal or two as a side.  It's delicious any way you try it.

One Kitchen, Many Hearts - Spring Fever

Ahhhh.... spring.  When the flowers are in bloom, the birds are constantly chirping, and it's already 95 degrees in Phoenix.
Thank goodness for air conditioning and great friends.

This month's OKMH box came, like all the others seem to, at the perfect time.  Last week was rough for the country, and as the end of the semester picks up, things have gotten even crazier round these parts.  Kirsten's completely overstuffed USPS boxes (two of them!) were the perfect pick-me-up for both HRH and me.

Behold, The Goods.

Do you see all of those gorgeous hand-written labels on those jars?  The threats of horrible repercussions should The Husband even think about looking at them were being composed the second I unearthed the first beautiful bit of homemade deliciousness.

Not only did Kirsten send me a jar of Wickles "Wannabes" (I've never had the real thing), strawberry jam made from strawberries picked by The Sons, a barbecue glaze that I MIGHT let The Husband use, should he fancy grilling, and some sweet and spicy zucchini pickles that I know I'm either going to have to eat all in one sitting or hoard after labeling it "My Precious," Kirsten also sent a jar of strawberry-rhubarb jam from her friends at Friske's Farm Market.  I can hardly stand it - I love love love rhubarb.  We had a big plant when I was growing up, and summer wasn't summer without rhubarb pies and rhubarb sauce (delicious over vanilla ice cream) and other rhubarb stuff.  The Husband also adores it, so this one is going to get its own safe.

I would have been happy to surround myself with these five new friends, but she had to go further and send me some gorgeous colors - blue and yellow, my two absolute favorites - to action on the mitts and paws ASAP, a so soft (like "it's so fluffy I could die" soft) scarf, also in blue, an "adult juice box" (AKA margarita in a squeeze bottle), and some Max-Freeze for those days when I feel my age after a morning run (we call those days "weekdays).

All of this in one cardboard box, friends.

But apparently, even this wasn't enough.  I think that now we have spent over a year getting to know one another, we've come to think of one another's families as our own.  Kirsten and HRH had an instant bond when we met up in Michigan last November; Kirsten got to spend some time with a pink-loving girl, and HRH got to get her favorite thing ever: attention.  It was a relationship made in heaven. Since then, we've been in discussions for an OKMH betrothal between HRH and one of The Sons.  

To sweeten the deal, HRH received her own OKMH-in-training package, containing a bazillion sheets of construction paper (we got through a lot of construction paper in this house), nearly the same number of sparkly Disney princess stickers, a few princess-themed markers, and some sparkly pink nail polish for her own mitts/paws situation.

HRH lost no time Stickering All the Things.

I call this one "More is More is More."

When I say everything got stickered, I mean everything.

The most wonderful aspect of receiving this package every other month isn't the contents thereof; it's the friendship that has evolved and flourished in these last 18 months among the seven of us.  We are all so very different people, but we have become close in spite of - or perhaps because of - these differences.  We complement - and often compliment - each other well.  And there's not a USPS shipping container big enough to hold the joy I have found in making these friends.  Thank you, Kirsten, for the lovely gifts and the even lovelier thoughts behind each one of them.

Now, I'm especially excited for you to see what I sent to Beka (Kvetchin' Kitchen) this month.  It was my first box of mostly homemade stuff, and I may have had more fun making them than she did unpacking them.  Although from the video that Megan sent me, she pretty much lost her (expletive deleted).

But also check out what Beka sent to Megan (Wanna Be a Country Cleaver), although since they live so close to each other, I'm not sure actual shipping was involved.

And you need to see what Megan sent to Mads (La Petite Pancake).

And also what Mads sent to Jeanne (Inside NanaBread's Head).

And don't forget to see what Jeanne sent to Kat (Tenaciously Yours,).

Or what Kat sent to Kirsten (Comfortably Domestic).

What's been in your mail lately?

Holy Crepe Week, Batman! Vegetarian Roasted Red Pepper, Mushroom, and Goat Cheese Crepes (Plus a Bonus!)

Well.  If you've been following the #CrepeWeek hashtag on Twitter, you'll know that it's been a whirlwind week round these parts.  We've got 12 bloggers, 4 cookbook giveaways, and one can't-miss crepe recipe.  Winning-er than winning, if I do say so myself.
If you haven't been in the reindeer games, let me bring you up to speed:
America's Test Kitchen has kindly worked with us this week as we all played with their fabulous, can't-possibly-screw-up-it's-that-easy crepe recipe (Don't believe me? Click the link to watch the video - you'll be sold.  And while you're there, I encourage you to sign up - ATK has amazing, time-tested recipes that you will want to use again and again).  All of us used this recipe as our base while filling the crepes with all sorts of amazingly drool-worthy recipes.  ATK has also provided four of their cookbooks as fabulous (Seriously - they are FABulous!  You want all of them!) giveaway items.
But more on the cookbooks in a minute.  First, the crepe recipes.
We paired a savory and sweet crepe each day, providing you with a litany of possible meal combinations.  It's up to you to determine which one you have to have today, and which one can wait until later today:

• Comfortably Domestic and Wanna Be a Country Cleaver kicked things off on Monday with, respectively, Tuscan crepes and Grand Marnier berry crepes.
• Tuesday, we were served up some southwestern crepes with cilantro pesto by Tenaciously Yours, as well as Inside NanaBread's Head's lemon cream crepe cakes for two.
• On Wednesday, pork belly and wild mushroom crepes by Climbing Grier Mountain and blueberry ginger crepes à la mode (because why would you NOT want ice cream?) from Munching in the Mitten were on the menu.

(Are you dying yet?  Because I am.)

• Bakeaholic Mama brought us "The Vermonter," a beast of a crepe with Vermont cheddar, Vermont ham, apples, and sage, and The Hill Country Cook made an amazing blackberry orange crepe with cream cheese and mascarpone filling on Thursday.
• Friday nearly finished off the week with The GromMom's prosciutto and asparagus crepe with a (screaming this part) MANGO CREAM SAUCE (plus a bonus - don't miss it!) and La Petite Pancake's strawberry crepes au lait.

Yes.  Our dinner parties would be EPIC.  It's pretty much a given that we need to all get together somewhere with a huge kitchen and basically throw down.  And then hibernate for 6 weeks while we recover from said food fest.

And don't forget to enter to win any or all (you want all) of these amazing books from America's Test Kitchen:

• Baking Illustrated (offered over at Comfortably Domestic)
• Cook's Illustrated (offered over at Wanna Be a Country Cleaver)
• Weeknight Faves (offered over at Climbing Grier Mountain)
• ATK Family Baking (offered over at The Hill Country Cook)

And that brings us to today.  I've paired up with our newbie, Ann at From My Sweetheart, and boy, oh boy, do we have some goodies for you.  Seriously.  I can't even begin to tell you about Anne's red velvet crepes with sweet mascarpone cream.
I screamed a little bit lot while typing that.  And maybe peed a little.  I'm pretty excited.  OK, a lot excited.  Actually, I had to be stopped from buying a plane ticket to go to her place for dessert.
This is clearly one of those Run-Don't-Walk-Eat-Dessert-First situations.  I mean, I like my crepes a whole lot, but we're talking red velvet here.  That's a completely different level.

Once you've snarfed those babies down, I've got a twist on one of my favorites.
When The Husband was finishing up his master's, he had a fellowship with the city of Washington, DC.  While I stayed in Michigan that last year, he was down there in a postage stamp sized apartment.  I love DC for all that it has to offer, especially the food.
Mere blocks from the apartment was L'Enfant's, a Belgian crepe bar.  We went there fairly regularly when I would come to visit, and the roasted red pepper and goat cheese was always a go-to when I wasn't sure what I wanted.  For my version, I beefed it up with a bit of mushroom.
And for heaven's sake, don't forget the Hoegaarden!

Roasted Red Pepper, Mushroom, and Herbed Goat Cheese Crepes
(serves 2)

• 2 organic red peppers, washed, cut in half, and seeded
• 2 Tbsp coconut milk (or organic whole milk)
• Oregano (preferrably fresh), to taste)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 pound mushrooms, any variety, chopped
• 1/2 onion, any variety (I prefer red onion here), chopped
• 5 oz herbed goat cheese (or plain goat cheese that you have mixed with your favorite herbs)
• Cooking oil (your choice)

Put your sweetie to work making those amazing ATK crepes.  The Husband is Official Crepe-Maker (hehe - crepe-maker!) in our house, so I took the opportunity to share a snap of him.

On a hot grill or under the broiler (or actually on a stovetop burner), roast the peppers, turning to ensure that the skin gets evenly charred. Remove and immediately place into a plastic zip-top bag; allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.  Remove peppers from the bag and peel off/discard the skins.
(Sorry I don't have a pic of this - my hands were covered in red pepper skin, and TH was chasing HRH around the house to keep her away from the kitchen)
Place 1 1/2 pepper along with the coconut milk, oregano, salt, pepper, and lime juice into a food processor and blend until  smooth.  Set aside, but keep warm (not hot).
Chop the remaining 1/2 pepper
In a large saute pan, heat 2 Tbsp of your favorite cooking oil (this recipe works well with canola, olive, and coconut oils) over medium-high heat.  Add mushrooms, onions, and the remainder of the red pepper and saute until the mushrooms and soft and the onions are translucent.

Add mushroom mixture to a bowl where the goat cheese is already waiting and mix. thoroughly.  Adjust seasoning to taste.

To assemble crepes:
Spoon 2-3 Tbsp of the filling into each crepe and roll up.  Drizzle red pepper sauce over crepes just before serving.

For an added kick of pepper, you can add cayenne or hot sauce to the red pepper sauce and put inside the crepe with the filling as well as on top.  Which is what we did.  Because we go big.

Note - these crepes are not a looker - it's my experience that anything that is mixed with a soft cheese or  various gravies usually look blobby.  But don't you fret.  These babies might not be that photogenic, but they don't disappoint on the trip to Flavor Town.

Of course, in the Philistine house, we can't just have one kind of crepe.  Whenever we have crepes for dinner, we have to have them for dessert, too.  I'll be honest - that there were leftover crepes for my breakfast the next morning was a complete anomaly, one that I took measures to ensure would not repeat itself at lunchtime.

So here's a special bonus crepe recipe, just for you!

Pineapple Mango Crepes with Coconut Cream and Macadamia Nut Drizzle
(serves 2)

For the crepes:

• 1 large red mango (or two yellow mangoes), roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple (or chunk pineapple, chopped to be a bit smaller), drained
• 2 Tbsp pineapple juice
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch or tapioca flour

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and bring just to a boil.  Simmer 10 minutes and then remove from heat.  Allow to cool slightly, but the filling should remain warm.

For the coconut cream:

• 1/2 cup coconut milk (full fat only, please!)
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch or tapioca flour
• 1/3 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
• 1/3 cup toasted coconut or dried coconut flakes
• In a small saucepan, bring the coconut milk, syrup, and cornstarch just to a boil and reduce to simmer.  Simmer until the mixture has reduced and thickened; set aside so it stays warm.

To assemble crepes:
Add 3 Tbsp filling to each crepe and roll up.  Drizzle the top with the coconut cream, and then top with macadamia nuts and coconut.  Try to breathe between bites.

We are huge fans of tropical fruit in our house, and we especially liked this recipe because it was fruit sweet but not overly sweet.  By adding just a touch of sweetener to the coconut cream, we balanced out the acidic sweetness of the pineapple with the creaminess of the drizzle.
And then we licked the plates clean.

I hope that you enjoyed Crepe Week as much as we all did.  A huge thanks to America's Test Kitchen for helping us throw this party - the crepe recipe is amazing and easily adaptable, as you've seen, to both sweet and savory crepes that are perfect for any meal of the day!

***Disclaimer: all opinions expressed in this post are my own.  I was not remunerated by ATK for it in any way, but I just really like the show, the books, and the website, and I think you will, too!

Smoothie Sunday - Colourful Smoothie Challenge Week 2

It was my first week back at work.  I miss vacation already.  Especially since work was combined with HRH's soccer camp, trying to ready the house for my mom (who came into town on Saturday), and trying to unpack completely from San Diego (still a slow process).
But I did at least get my smoothies taken care of.

Some winners:

• Charissa's carrot cake "shake," although I'm not sure I'm a fan of protein powders yet.
• Straw-nana (I had it Sunday AND Monday)
• Tropic Thunder from 24 Carrots Juice Cafe here in Chandler.  

And a Not Ever Going to Be a Winner - the green smoothie up there (bottom right) that utilized some coconut water that HRH didn't like (failed attempt at a homemade "Gatorade") - everything was chilled, but I didn't use anything frozen, and it tasted warm.  Considering I took it to soccer... ewwwwww.

Note to self - always include Something Frozen.

My go-to, in case you were curious, is frozen berries (any assortment), a half a frozen banana or frozen avocado (more than half a banana makes anything too banana-y - ewwwww), some water, some flax seed, and kale.  I'll add some sweetener if I feel it needs it in the form of maple syrup, honey, or agave.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Smoothie Sunday - Colourful Challenge Week 1

We went to San Diego over the weekend, and it was absolutely delicious to run along the boardwalk in the cool morning.  There was a fitness convention going on at the same time, although I suspect that over half of my new running buddies were more regular visitors to the beach fronts.  

At the end of my run - it was probably only 65°.
Did you hear that "ahhhhh..."?
That was me. It was just lovely to run there.

It's going to be hard to take that first run back here in the Arizona heat.  Really, really hard.

The Colourful Smoothie Challenge that I'm participating in over at Colourful Palate proved to be more difficult than I thought it would be while we were gone.  Almost immediately upon our arrival, I checked with the concierge about any nearby smoothie locations. When I clarified that I wanted a place that was more of a juice bar than a place that passes off glorified ice cream as a smoothie, I pretty much knew I was going to be out of luck!

His response: "Unfortunately, there is nothing nearby."

By "nearby," he meant anywhere within at least a three-mile radius.

Which would have perhaps been more easily attainable had HRH not gotten sick the first night we were there.

And the second night.

Because NOTHING is more fun than having a puking preschooler in a hotel room.

I did what I could, but I'll be honest; nothing beats a homemade smoothie.  I know exactly what goes into my blends, I don't have to make special requests, and I can inhale them without any worry that someone might look at me as if I'll eat them next.

I can't find one photo, so I'm missing Day 7 (I'll have to ask TH tomorrow if it's on his phone or camera).  That being said, so far I'm pretty happy with the tasty concoctions that Cato and I have whipped up (and one whipped up by some blender whose name I never got - it was a smoothie one night stand).

Clockwise from left:
tropical-honeydew, cherry-chocolate-almond, cherry-cherry-cherry,
kitchen sink, cherry vanilla, orange-carrot-peach

Of course, since we were headed out of town, several of last week's offerings were kitchen sink-worthy - that big yellow one with the honeydew garnish up there had (I think) kale, honeydew, peach, mango, kiwi, and coconut milk, while the really awful pic of the blender contained cucumber, kale, cherries, and heaven knows what else (I literally cannot remember what else was in there, but I know there was something).

So - a few things I have learned this week:

• Oranges are not the best tasting thing ever in a smoothie; they can taste a bit a lot pithy.  To his credit, The Husband drank that pithy concoction like a champ.  He only complained after I said it was awful.
• Since cherries have been in season and readily available, I've been consuming them like a woman possessed, and they are amazing in smoothies.  I guess this is something that I really didn't learn.
• Cucumbers are pretty refreshing in smoothies, but I'm not a fan of cucumber melon all the time, so it's nice to put them in with less watery fruits to add liquid.
• Smoothies can make a crummy day a little bit better; before we left for San Diego, The Husband came across a teeny kitten on his walk with Zooey.  We tried to save it (TH named it Monte, since that was the name of the street where he found it; I named it Sammy, since one eye seemed to be gone), but when I got to the vet, I was told there was nothing that could be done - it was too far gone (I had tried to bring its blood sugar up with some agave and rehydrate it with a straw and some water; I even said a quick prayer to St. Francis).  Enter an absolute ton of tears; when I got back, the cherry vanilla smoothie and a pedicure made me feel better and remember that I at least gave Monte-Sammy some love in its short life and peace at the end.  RIP, bitty kitty; you were loved, even if only for a few hours of your too-short little life.
• I could probably OD on coconut milk if I let myself, so I need to be careful - lots of calories and fat in that stuff!  Maybe I should look into coconut water so I can get my fix in more often (without the regret)!

I'm not sure if I've lost any weight (although I'm pretty sure that if I did, I totally pissed that away with the pizza we ate our last night in San Diego), but I'm loving my smoothies regardless.

The good news is that we are home (well, I am - TH is in Chicago for a training class - lucky dog!), and I have Cato working hard for me.  Additionally, there are plenty of smoothie places and juice bars (that make real smoothies) close by, so I will be anything but bored.

I just have to get to the grocery store; I'm pretty sure an acorn squash smoothie will taste TERRIBLE.

What's your favorite smoothie ingredient?

What is a smoothie or juice combo that didn't work (read: was terrible)?

Veggie-fruit combo, or one at a time?