Fast & Fresh: Blackberry Smoothie

What's more refreshing for breakfast on a hot day than a smoothie?

I need to slow down on my smoothie making...I'm becoming a smoothie monster!

With all the fresh summer fruit, what's a girl to do I say???  And don't get me started on the berries...oh my oh my oh my!  Love me some berries...just sayin'.

So today I have a wonderful batch of blackberries, fresh from the farmer's market.

See how purty?

So let's put these tart little gems to use and make some breakfast!  Oh, it's also good for a snack, lunch, or even dessert too!  Oh, and a smoothie is so good for your, all the vitamins and nutrients from the fruit, the calcium from the dairy...well you get it!

So remember, as I've told you in my previous smoothie posts, it's all about the ratio.  Just don't add too much liquid, or a fruit that has a lot of liquid, and you'll get a nice thick smoothie every time!


Smoothie time!!!

So take your blender and add 1 container of vanilla lite yogurt.  I use Vanilla Chai flavor a lot cause I like the spice...but you can use plain vanilla.  It's a great base.

Add one small or a half of a medium banana.

Add about 1/3 cup of milk.  I use 2%, but anything will do.

Add about 8-10 blackberries, and about 1 cup of ice cubes.

Give it a whirl, crushing the ice please....

Now you've done it!  Look, it's a wonderful purple colored smoothie!

Now that's what I call Fast & Fresh!



Blackberry Smoothie

Serves 2

1 container of lite vanilla yogurt
1 small or 1/2 of a medium banana
1/3 c. 2% milk
8-10 blackberries
1 cup of ice cubes

Put all ingredients in order of recipe in the blender.  Turn on and whirl until all fruit is blended and ice is crushed.  Serve!

Fast & Fresh: Southwestern Chicken Salad

I love salads...especially in the summer!  

They are light, satisfying, full of variety, and easy to make!

Well, this post is actually a modified "Product Review".  Dole has been advertising these new salad kits and I decided to try one.  They are quick right?

So I picked the Southwestern Salad Kit. It's made with iceberg and romaine lettuce, sharp white cheddar cheese, taco ranch dressing, sour cream, and tortilla strips. 

This would make a great lunch but, I decided to dress it up a bit for a dinner entree with some sliced grilled chicken.

This dinner needs no recipe.  I just butterflied a chicken breast, and marinaded it in Brianna's Santa Fe Blend Salad Dressing!!  So YUMMY!

Grill your chicken on the indoor grill pan, or outdoors, like I did.

Cut up your cooked chicken in slices.

Prepare the salad, and top with chicken!

Simple....and delicious!  Love the taco ranch dressing, and the chicken is so moist!

This great for a quick meal.  I would say that Dole's salad kit serve 2-3 people as an entree, and 4 as a side salad.. I hope you will try one of Dole's salad kits, they're quite tasty!

What's your favorite prepared salad??

Fast & Fresh: Grilled Pita Pizza

It's hot out, I'm hungry...and I don't want to deal with the heat in the kitchen!

To solve this dilemma I'm keeping it light, using fresh ingredients, and keeping the heat to a minimum...the kitchen heat that is!

So I bring to you a summer series of recipes that I call,

"Fast & Fresh"

• Simple ingredients
• Fresh and healthy
• Easy prep
• Delishhhh taste!

First up, is my Grilled Pita Pizza.  These are a low carb individual pizzas that you whip using pita bread.  This makes for a light and crispy crust, which reduces the amount of total carbs. 

It's summer, go light and enjoy the different variations of crusts that you can utilize.

By using the outdoor grill you reduce that hideous kitchen heat! Yeah! 

Using ingredients such as freshly grated mozzarella cheese and fresh basil helps give this pizza a flavor that's tasty and light.  

These individual pizzas are great for lunch, or as your main dish at your next BBQ.

Let's make grilled pita pizza!

Heat your gill to medium high heat.

Place your pita breads flat on the grill rack and toast each side for about 2 min or until it is toasty brown .  Remove from grill.

Now, the fun part!  You can have each person create their own pizza using various toppings.  We were craving pepperoni pizza so that what we used.

Top your pita breads with pizza sauce.  You can use fresh tomatoes, pureed into a sauce with Italian herbs added. YUM!  or you use your favorite store bought sauce...whatever works! The key is to get a great sauce with a flavor you love.

Add fresh shredded mozzarella cheese.  Top with turkey pepperoni (tastes really good and keeps the fat content down!)

Place the pizzas back on the grill.  Grill with the cover down about 5 min until cheese is melted and the meat is heated through.

Add fresh basil on top! Smell that fragrance??

And voila!  Your pizzas (masterpieces) are done.

Sorry but MGG and I have to try this NOW!

Grilled Pita Pizza

serves 2

Ingredients:

2 pita breads
1/2 cup pizza sauce (homemade or store bought)
3/4 cup shredded fresh mozzarella
turkey pepperoni
basil leaves

Directions:
Heat your gill to medium high heat.

Place your pita breads flat on the grill rack and toast each side for about 2 min or until it is toasty brown . Remove from grill.

Top your pita breads with pizza sauce. Add fresh shredded mozzarella cheese. Top with turkey pepperoni.

Return to grill and cook with the lid down about 5 min, until cheese is melted and meat is heated through.  Add fresh basil and serve.

Linked to:  Your Recipes My Kitchen