Lemon Pick-Me-Up

I have been on a major smoothie kick lately.  It's my favorite thing for breakfast this week.  This smoothie was just delightful.  It's very refreshing and invigorating.  Plus, it's low in calories and fat while still having a good flavor.  (I don't know about you, but I'll take a little more fat and cal-babies to have a better flavor.  Why waste the calories, if it doesn't at least taste good?)  This is a perfect light snack, mini-meal or great for after a workout. 

Lemon Pick-Me-Up

Ingredients:
3 milk ice-cubes (Fill an ice-cube tray with milk. Freeze 3 hours or until solid.)
1 container (6-ounce) plain fat free yogurt
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Additional lemon zest for garnish

Directions:
1.  Combine all ingredients in electric blender.  (If your blender is not powerful enough to blend in the milk ice cubes, crack the cubes before hand by placing the ice cubes in a sealed ziploc bag and smashing with a mallet or rolling pin.)  Whirl until smooth.  Spoon into serving glass and garnish with lemon zest. 

Makes: 1 serving; Calories: 210, Protein: 11 g, Fat: 0 g, Fiber: 0 g

Recipe Source:  Naturally Delicious by the Washington State Dairy Council

Sparkling Mango Lemonade

We've finally been getting some sun rays here in the Pacific Northwest!  Hallelujah!  I've been seeing all these lemonade recipes popping up all over blogs and decided it was time to partake of this delicious summertime beverage.  I decided to pair the lemonade with one of my favorite fruits of summer.  The Mango!  Oh how I love them and could eat them everyday of my life.  This lemonade was perfect.  Not too sweet.  Not too tart.  The mango flavor is very subtle.  Even if you don't care for mango, I'd bet you'd like this because the mango adds just enough to be there, but it doesn't overwhelm.  We loved this!   

Sparkling Mango Lemonade

Ingredients:
For the mango syrup:
1 heaping cup sliced mango
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. cold water
Pinch of salt

For the lemonade:
1 cup very hot water
2/3 cup sugar
1¼ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
4½ cups cold sparkling water or seltzer

Directions:
To make the mango syrup, combine the mango, sugar, lemon juice, water and salt in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth.
To make the lemonade, combine the hot water and sugar in a pitcher or glass bowl. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Mix in the lemon juice and water. Stir in the mango puree.

To serve, rub a wedge of lemon or one of the spent lemon halves around the rim of a glass and then dip in sugar. Fill with ice if desired and then lemonade. Garnish with sliced lemon or mango. Serve immediately.
Yield: 6-7 cups

Recipe Source:  Adapted from Annie's Eats

Linked to:  Blue Cricket Design, This Chick Cooks, Sweets for a Saturday

Witches' Brew

We made this for a Halloween Party last night. It was a hit! So many people wanted the recipe. Seriously, the easiest recipe and so, so good.

Ingredients:
1 quart lime sherbet
1 container (12 oz.) frozen limeade, thawed
1 bottle (2 liter) ginger ale

Gummi worms (if desired)
Lime slices (if desired)

Directions:
In punch bowl, mix sherbet, limeade and ginger ale. Garnish punch bowl or individual cups, if desired. Serve! We just mixed ours up in a pitcher and served it without garnish. It was great!

Recipe Source: Pillbury Halloween Fun booklet

Picture Source: http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/witches-brew/b1d7e750-1260-4f37-9aaa-a10ceb94d4ec/

Mormon Slush

I just made this for a group of teenage girls, and they loved it. They were asking for the recipe. It really is delicious!

1 1/4 cups orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 crushed bananas
2 cups pineapple juice
3 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 bottle gingerale

Mix all ingredients except for gingerale. I blended the banana with the pineapple juice to make it nice and smooth before mixing with the other ingredients. Freeze mixture. Take mixture from freezer about an hour before ready to serve so it becomes a slush. Mix the slush with gingerale and serve. This serves about 20-25 people. (It filled a large punch bowl.)

Snowbird Mocktails

3 cups pineapple juice
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (6 oz.) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
½ tsp. coconut extract
1 bottle ginger ale, chilled

Combine pineapple juice, sweetened condensed milk, orange juice concentrate and coconut extract in a large pitcher; stir well. Refrigerate covered (you can use it for up to one week). To serve, pour ½ cup of pineapple juice mixture into individual glasses (over ice if desired). Top off each glass with about 1/3 cup ginger ale (more or less if you like). Great topped with whipped cream and/or fruit for garnish. Makes 10 servings.