We all crave sunshine at this time of the year. This recipe provides lots of sunshine in a glass. This spicy-sweet smoothie recipe is layered with dynamic flavors, a blend of tastes bordering between a Pina Colada and a turmeric-ginger juice.
The star ingredient of this smoothie, pineapple, is one of the top fruits used in many juice cleanses for its detox benefits. That’s because it contains the enzyme bromelain, which helps in digestion and reduces inflammation. (Bromelain is also a great skin-care exfoliant, and has even been researched as an anti-cancer agent.) I recently published some variations on the green Pina Colada theme, but this recipe is different.
Turmeric has become a trendy ingredient, and not just in your curry. More than 20 current studies on its anti-inflammatory benefits make it worth sipping. (It might lend you a helping hand with allergy symptoms, skin issues like psoriasis, and even shedding a few pounds, since excess weight is also inflammation.)
Ginger adds a delightful tanginess to this smoothie. Quite surprisingly (for me), ginger has become one of my favorite ingredients in smoothies lately. (If you asked me last year, I never used ginger in any of my recipes, and I would even tell you that I didn’t care for it.) It really makes this smoothie different from anything you ever tried and provides a super-dose of anti-inflammatory properties and a circulation-boosting buzz just when you need it. Coconut water adds electrolytes for an extra punch of hydration and a hint of sweetness.
The Early Spring Sunshine Booster Smoothie
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup coconut water
1 inch fresh ginger
1/4 tsp turmeric
Top with a squeeze of lime
Blend all ingredients in your blender, sip, and smile!
(recipe via Wellnesswire)
If you are looking for a healthy carrot cake recipe, look no more.
I found this recipe in the Tofu 1-2-3 cookbook by Meribeth Abrams and I decided to give it a try. It turned out very tasty, although a bit too sweet for my taste. Next time I will use a bit less sugar/syrup. I’m also going to experiment with less oil.
Carrot Cake Squares
Servings: 24 squares
Carrot Cake: Dessert Squares Recipe (Dairy Free, Vegan)
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup silken tofu (I used Nigari from Trader Joe's - this stuff is amazing! I heard Nasoya is also excellent)
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup or agave syrup
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup soy, rice or almond milk
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (skip it if using vanilla milk)
- 3 cups shredded carrots (about 6 medium or 4 large carrots; I used my food processor to do the job)
- ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- ½ cup raisins (she recommends golden, but I didn't have them, so I used dark)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Prepare a 9 x 13-inch baking pan by spraying it with non-stick cooking oil (I don't have a spray, so I just used some coconut oil to moisten the pan.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, sugar and salt.
- In a blender, combine the tofu, syrup, oil, vanilla extract and non-dairy milk and blend until smooth.
- Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
- Mix in the carrots, walnuts, and raisins and stir well. The mixture will be thick and sticky.
- Transfer the dough to the baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes our clean.
- Remove from the oven, cool and cut into squares and serve as is.
3.1
https://greenreset.com/carrot-cake-dessert/
To make coconut frosting for the cake (optional):
8 ounces silken tofu
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon coconut extract
3/4 cup dried unsweetened coconut flakes
What to do:
Blend tofu with maple syrup and coconut extract, and until smooth. Stir in coconut. Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. Decorate with coconut flakes, walnuts and raisins.
The carrot-tofu-mixture was so delicious I literally licked the bowl. It had no raw eggs, so that was safe!
Who would have thought that a dessert may contain so much of a healthy stuff and still be delicious!
Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
If you have a favorite recipe, why not submit it here in the comment section of this smoothie recipes blog for others to enjoy too!
I also welcome any comments, questions and suggestions. Thanks!
This mango lassi inspired drink is absolutely delightful – smooth, creamy, sweet, with a hint of tartness. Guaranteed to make you happy.
Silky, ripe mangoes and a combination of creamy milk (please use vegan milk) are the keys to getting the decadent texture of this drink just right. You can use any non-dairy milk in this recipe, or you can use raw cashews to make it into a delicious vegan mango lassi sensation.
Mango is actually a good substitute for bananas in smoothies. It’s just as sweet and creamy and many people actually much prefer the taste of it to bananas.
Both these mango drink recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, soy-free, using five ingredients or less.
Ingredients
Instructions
- If using cashews, start by blending them with water until smooth.
- Add all ingredients to your blender, and blend until creamy.
- You may need to add a bit more water or milk, depending on how thick you want your lassi to be.
- Pour into a glass, sip, and smile!
3.1
https://greenreset.com/mango-lassi/
Enjoy!
Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
If you have a favorite recipe, why not submit it here in the comment section of this smoothie recipes blog for others to enjoy too!
I also welcome any comments, questions and suggestions. Thanks!
This deliciously sour cucumber soup (zupa ogórkowa) is a traditional Polish dish, very popular in Poland. The soup is quite unlike any soup you’ve ever tasted, with a unique flavor that’s very fresh and refreshing.
It’s an easy-to-make recipe but it requires brined cucumbers (i.e., cucumbers preserved in water with garlic, dill and spices), NOT the ones pickled in vinegar. It is this brine that makes the soup special. The process of natural fermentation in brine is how the cucumbers develop their sour taste – no vinegar is involved.
Now I promise it’s not what you think. The tanginess of the pickles combined with cream and fresh dill gives it a very refreshing flavor, making it a perfect recipe for a spring or summer meal.
In any case, I urge you to try the Polish cucumber soup and post a comment to let me know what you think.
Polish Cucumber Soup
Ingredients:
- 6 cups of water
- 1 onion, diced or 1 medium leek, white and light-green parts, rinsed well, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large carrots (peeled and finely diced)
- 1 parsnip (peeled, trimmed and finely diced), optional
- 1/2 medium celery root (celeriac), peeled and finely diced, or 2 celery stalks, trimmed; chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 potatoes (peeled and cubed)
- 8 large pickled cucumbers (pickled in brine as opposed to vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons Earth Balance or other vegan margarine (optional)
- A handful of fresh dill
- 1/4 cup of raw cashews (optional)
Method:
- Place onion and garlic in a large stock pot and cook for 2-3 minutes in 2-3 tablespoons of water.
- Add 5 cups water, a bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and allow to cook for around 15 minutes, or until all the vegetables are cooked. You may add some pepper, but I wouldn’t add any salt at this point, as the brine is quite salty on its own.
- Meanwhile, grate or process (but not too finely) the pickles. In traditional recipes, the cucumbers are peeled, grated and fried in butter before being added to the pot. You can do that by using vegan butter substitute, such as Earth Balance. What you can do, instead, is just blend the cucumbers whole in brine in my Vitamix. I used all of the cucumbers and all of the brine from the package. I like to add quite a lot of the brine to the soup as I really loved the sour taste, but you may choose to add a little less and see how you like it first. Add the grated or blended pickles (including the juice) to the soup.
- Now, make the cashew cream (this is the secret ingredient to cholesterol-free creamy soups, such as this cream of asparagus or cream of celeriac soup). In the Vitamix, blend the cashews with 1 cup water on high until very smooth. Add to the soup.
- Taste the soup and adjust the flavors to your liking. The soup should have a pleasantly sour taste. If you saved part of the dill pickle juice/brine and you want the soup to be more sour, add some more brine to the soup. If you want a thinner soup, add a little water. Mash or blend some potatoes and veggies if you want a thicker soup.
- Ladle your soup into your serving bowl and garnish with a sprinkling of fresh dill. Serve with a piece of crusty bread.
This works better if you use homemade sour pickles, but good sour dill pickles will do.
When I was growing up, brined cucumbers were always present in my home. My father used to make them in the summer when fresh cucumbers are readily available (with lots of dill and garlic; in Polish these are called ogórki kiszone, in English often referred to as Polish dill pickles). We would save some in jars for winter, but we also used to buy them at the farmer’s market from a wooden barrel.
If you have a Polish store in your neighborhood, you can try to find Krakus brand, but others will do just fine. In New Jersey, where I live right now, there is a big Polish population, so you can find them in many stores. Even my farmer’s market sells them in brine from a big wooden barrel.
This cucumber soup is a great make-ahead dish. The soup (minus the dill) can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
For all my blending recipes I use Vitamix. If you don’t already own a VitaMix, I strongly encourage you to check out what this machine is capable of! For more information about VitaMix you can go directly to the VitaMix website. You may also want to read my post about the Best Blender.
I LOVE my VitaMix and highly recommend investing in one if you are ready to make serious changes to your diet. I have had mine for almost 5 years and use it daily!
If you decide to purchase Vitamix – be sure to use Promotional Code 06-004554 to get free shipping.
The Making of Cream of Celery Soup: Inside of my Vitamix
Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
If you have a favorite recipe, why not submit it here in the comment section of this smoothie recipes blog for others to enjoy too!
I also welcome any comments, questions and suggestions. Thanks!
I’ve been experimenting lately with easy, no-bake desserts, such as chocolate mousse with tofu and chocolate mousse with avocado. Since I had a bag of frozen strawberries and a package of silken tofu, I thought “Why not try this combination?”
Turns out, this strawberry-tofu combination produces another winning dessert (or snack) that’s rich in protein and low in sugar.
Here is what you’ll need:
Strawberry Mousse Recipe
1/2 cup tofu, silken, firm or extra-firm
1/3 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons agave nectar (or to taste)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (orange juice can be used too)
a dash of vanilla extract
a dash of salt (optional)
Blend all ingredients until very smooth in a blender, food processor, or using a hand blender. Refrigerate for at least two hours or until chilled and transfer to a serving bowl or individual dishes. Serve topped or layered with more strawberries and garnished with chocolate curls, or let your imagination run wild. Makes 2 servings.
Note: You can reduce the sugar even further in this recipe by reducing agave nectar or substituting it with stevia (the herb).
Many mousse recipes that you will find online contain lots of eggs and heavy cream. This recipe contains neither, resulting in a much healthier desert (for humans, but especially for hens and cows).
On its own, silken tofu has almost no flavor (or, tastes slightly chalky, depending on the variety and whom you ask;-)), but blended (or cooked) with flavorful ingredients, it can take on a myriad of flavors.
By the way, you might have read various scare articles on the Internet about soy (usually based on misleading articles from the Weston A. Price Foundation) but they’re misinterpretations of science. Soy is a healthy food, just like other beans and legumes, and most people can eat it safely (some people are allergic to it). I eat soy in moderation and try for whole soy in natural forms (tofu, tempeh, soy milk). Just make sure you buy organic or GMO-Free soy products.
I added a splash of soy milk into my blender, which resulted in less thick dessert than I would like, but it was still delicious.
Although the pumpkin and cinnamon flavorings are generally associated with autumn, they made for an excellent two-day muffin party in February. Last week, I created a batch of these delicious, healthy treats for my house… and they disappeared shortly thereafter.
Filled with cholesterol-reducing organic oats (I bought as organic as possible to get the best results), the multifaceted superfood flax, and mixed with almond milk, containing plenty of calcium and vitamin E, these were an amazing combination. They also contain cinnamon, which has its own benefits on top of being tasty, like regulating blood flow and circulation.
They tasted perfect, were extremely moist, and were an ideal meeting of a few of my favorite qualities in food: sweetness (but not too sweet) and nourishment.
This recipe makes 12 muffins, and you can play around and add or subtract or modify as you see fit. I made mine on the thicker side, with more oats for texture, but you can use the recommended amount below if you like a lighter muffin.
Cinnamon Pumpkin Muffins Recipe: Simply Delicious and Oh-So-Good-For-You
Ingredients
-
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
-
- 1/2 cup old fashion oats (more for topping)
-
- 1/2 cup raw sugar
-
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon
-
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
-
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
-
- 1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
-
- 1 flax egg-replacement (1 tablespoon flax meal, 2 1/2 tablespoons water)
-
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-
- 1 cup almond milk
-
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Fold a paper towel and add a drop of oil, then prime the muffin pan. Warm oven to 375F.
- Mix the flax egg in a large bowl. Combine almond milk, pumpkin, oil, vanilla extract, and raw sugar to the same bowl.
- Delicately combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a sifter and add to wet ingredients, then whisk together until well blended.
- Spoon batter into muffin pan until each cup is filled to the top. (Go just above if you want larger muffins.) Add oats to the tops if desired.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes (depending on oven power and batter thickness - mine took 25) or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool and store in air-tight glass or plastic.
3.1
https://greenreset.com/vegan-cinnamon-pumpkin-muffins/
Although the pumpkin and cinnamon flavorings are generally associated with autumn, they made for an excellent two-day muffin party in February.
Cinnamon Pumpkin Muffins: Simply Delicious
This guest post is provided by echealthinsurance.com/wellness/eat-well/recipes/. Visit their website to absorb some more healthy, organic and delectable food ideas you can make at home.
