Cold Rescue - Green Smoothie Recipe

This is a combination of a couple of recipes I found online and just using what I had at home.
I was all sniffly, sneezie and congested and I wanted a green smoothie to help my body fight off whatever was attacking.
This did the trick.

It was soothing and I knew that all of the goodness in these ingredients would be hard at work fighting evil!

Cold Rescue Green Smoothie

1 Ripe banana
2-3 handfuls of frozen green grapes
2 large kale leaves, with the stems
2 handfuls of butter lettuce (or any other leafy green you like)
Finely grated fresh ginger to taste (ginger is strong so start with a little and build up)
Just enough water to make your blender work

Blend it all until smooth and pour it in a pretty, colorful cup to lift your spirits!

Apple Pie (Green) Smoothie - Recipe

So, it's fall in New England and I have been craving apples!

Tonight I wanted something simple...something that had greens but wasn't a salad. I was also thinking about apples. I went online to look up apple smoothie recipes for inspiration and ended up creating this one.

It was yummy. So yummy that I drank almost all of it before I could take a picture!

I liked it just the way it was...room temperature and creamy but my husband and son said they would prefer it cold. So they put theirs in the fridge.

Let me know what you think.

Apple Pie "Green" Smoothie

2 apples, rough chopped (I used red apples)
4 pitted, soft dates

1 cup rice milk, vanilla or plain

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

a pinch of sea salt

2-3 tablespoons agave syrup

1 tablespoon Lecithin (optional)

3 generous sprinkles of "apple pie spice"

1/2 of a peeled cucumber, rough chopped

1 extra large hand full of romaine

Blend it all in a high speed blender (I use a K-tec) and enjoy!

* it made two large glass fulls!

Vegan Spinach Dip - Recipe

At Last!

I have always loved creamy, gooey, rich spinach dip.

We used to make it for parties and it was always such a treat.

After giving up most dairy, I just sort of forgot about it but today I decided to create a vegan version of our beloved dip. I was inspired by some vegan recipe books I have been reading to expand our food repertoire. They all have some type of creamy spinach dip...sometimes with stuff added like artichoke hearts.

Some are cold...some are hot.

Below is what we did...just try it and see if you can tell that there is no dairy or eggs!

Simple and Safe Vegan Spinach Dip

1 box or bag of frozen spinach, thawed, with the water squeezed out

1 container of vegan sour cream (12 oz.)

1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise (you can add a little more if you want it creamier)

1 can drained and chopped water chestnuts

1 package of dried vegetable mix

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl making sure to break up the clumps of squeezed spinach.

Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours or so (if you can wait to dive in) to bring out the flavors.

We have used this as a dip with veggies and chips or you can use it to stuff tomatoes or olives.

Serve it in a pretty bowl, a martini glass or a scooped out loaf of bread.

Palm Greens Cafe - Restaurant

A great find on one of our trips to visit my parents.

When we travel, I always google the area for new healthy restaurants and cafes...places we can eat with our personal food choices and multiple food allergies.

I have spent many, many years in Palm Desert and Palm Springs but this was a new find for me.

Lunch at The Palm Greens Cafe was such a treat that we went back two days later for dinner!

There were many organic/vegan/vegetarian/gluten and dairy free options...from stir-frys to wraps to blueberry pancakes. I was even able to have have pizza! The best part was an amazing vegan ranch dressing that would fool anyone.

If you are ever in the area...I highly recommend it. It is a small unassuming place and the food was really good.

Palm Greens Cafe

A Natural Alternative

611 South Palm Canyon Drive, #6

Palm Springs, California

760-864-9900

www.palmgreenscafe.com