At the beginning of January, I was feeling a bit run down – most likely due to excess sugar consumption over the holidays! I had three intense weeks of recording preparation ahead of me and with 18 other singers in the group, none of us could afford to get sick. One of the Sisters made me this super smoothie to help boost my immune system. I’m always a bit hesitant to try “trendy’ drinks, but because she was being so kind, I thought I should give it a whirl. Wow! It was refreshing, light, tasty and really did up my game in the energy department. I started drinking this as a part of my daily routine. It takes discipline to eat healthy, but after 3 weeks of eating a low sugar and low carb diet, I feel so much better and haven’t gotten the flu!
This recipe makes two large drinks – one for you and one to gift (or save it for later). You can use any combination of fruits you like (3 cups in all). It’s packed with antioxidants and a quick on the go meal with no nasty taste – Enjoy!
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Super Smoothie with Super Taste
SERVINGS2servings (32 oz)
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COOK TIME0mins |
PREP TIME5mins |
READY IN5mins |
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh spinach packed, (or other leafy green)
- 2 cups water coconut water, coconut milk, or almond milk - whichever you prefer
- 2 cups fruit mango, pineapple, berries, oranges, peach, pear, apple, grapes
- 1 banana or a cup of other fruit if you don't like banana
Instructions
- Blend leafy greens and liquid base together in a blender until smooth
- Add fruit and blend again until smooth
- Boost it with chai seeds, almond butter, flax seeds etc
**If you want your smoothie to be extra chilly use frozen fruit and not ice.
There are certain tastes and flavors that never leave our memories no matter how much time may have passed since we first experienced them. Such is the case with me and the aromatic Greek rice my mother so often made for our family when I was growing up.
As with almost all of her cooking, she seldom, if ever, referred to a recipe. She simply relied on an innate sense that never seemed to fail her. One of my favorite foods she frequently made in this manner was this garlic flavored rice. Here’s what she did: Into a favorite skillet she simply poured some olive oil, heated for a minute or so, added some dry rice, few cloves of fresh garlic, let it sizzle, then a few cups of water pinch of salt and a generous fistful of fresh chopped parsley, lowered the heat, put the lid on, and left it alone till she was ready to serve it to us.
We loved this with lamb which we often had, and also enjoyed having it as the stuffing for a whole roast chicken.
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Savory Greek Rice
SERVINGS6-8people
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COOK TIME30-40mins |
PREP TIME20mins |
READY IN50-60mins |
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in skillet until hot, add dry rice and stir until it becomes slightly golden.
- Add garlic cloves and let cook until softened, crush with fork; add water, and parsley.
- Cover tightly and let slowly simmer till desired doneness. Add pepper to taste.
Above the sounds of car doors opening and closing, luggage being loaded, and 30 women exchanging “goodbyes and well wishes,” comments regarding their retreat could be overheard. They were all very positive, especially those regarding their meals. Many of these women love to cook, and are very attentive to—and appreciative of—what they are served.
From what I overheard, their final dessert was the ultimate perfection, and had made quite an impact, sending them off on a high, happy note. As I thought on all of this someone quietly appeared offering me a luscious looking lime creation garnished with a fresh mint leaf and whipped cream on a crystal clear glass dessert plate. Suddenly I was reminded of a favorite verse of scripture in the Old Testament where God in referring to prayer says: “Before they call, I will answer.”
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Luscious Lime Tart
SERVINGS8servings
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COOK TIME8mins |
PREP TIME40mins |
READY IN3hrs |
Ingredients
Instructions
Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
- Add graham cracker crumbs and sugar to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until blended. Transfer to a medium bowl and add coconut flakes and melted butter. Toss to combine completely. Pour the crumbs into an 8-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of the pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until browned. Set aside to cool completely.
Filling:
- In a large bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk and lime juice. Stir until thick and well incorporated. Set aside.
- Place the gelatin in a small bowl and cover with water. Let stand two minutes to bloom. Microwave in 10-second bursts until gelatin is dissolved. Cool the gelatin to near room temperature, but do not let it set—very important.
- Add the whipping cream to the bowl of a stand mixer. (If you don't have a stand mixer use a large mixing bowl and a handheld mixer.) Whip the cream for one minute on a medium speed. Slowly add the sugar to the cream. Turn off the mixer and check to see that the gelatin has cooled, but not set. Add the gelatin and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Separately reserve about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of whipped topping for garnish.
- Spoon about 1/2 cup of whipped cream into the key lime filling and lightly stir to combine. Add the rest of the whipped cream and fold completely into the mixture, careful not to deflate the cream too much.
- Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust and smooth over with a spatula.
Topping:
- Garnish with whipped cream and thinly sliced lime as desired. Refrigerate for at least two hours for a cloud like dessert. For a frozen tart, freeze at least two hours.
- To serve, remove the tart from the freezer and let it sit out on the counter for 10-15 minutes to soften a little before slicing it.
Now that the warmer weather is definitely here, most people are wanting lighter meals and a menu that includes more salads. With this in mind we wanted to come up with a light “Warmer Weather” salad dressing. This was a first attempt that most of us felt succeeded at doing just that.
First we chose a light olive oil and a mild rice vinegar as our base. To this we added a touch of spring from our herb garden by blending in a bit of fresh mint and several tender young green scallions. Into this, a little onion salt, some frozen orange juice concentrate, and just a hint of lemon zest gave our mixture just the right touch of brightness we were hoping for.
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Spring Citrus Mint Vinaigrette
SERVINGS1.5cups
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COOK TIME |
PREP TIME5minutes |
READY IN5minutes |
Ingredients
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients together. Toss with your favorite salad greens and veggies.
“Who wants to take on care of the rhubarb patch?” This question went out a few days ago to the sisterhood from the sister in charge of our vegetable gardens. Before the day was over the question had been answered, the patch had been watered, and the fertilizing process begun.
We love our rhubarb patch. We love to watch it come into fruition producing its rich beautiful leaves and stems. We love to see it harvested and prepared for the many different ways we use it.
For this year’s Easter dinner various sisters volunteered to make a variety of very special desserts. There were several decadent chocolate wonders. There were tortes and trifles piled high with tantalizing toppings. There were brand new gourmet creations anyone of which could have taken a prize, and then there were a number of humble pies. So…which dessert do you think was most requested? You’re absolutely right. It was our old-fashioned, flavorful strawberry rhubarb pie. Unfortunately, some had to go without!
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Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
SERVINGS8 people
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COOK TIME45-50mins |
PREP TIME30mins |
READY IN1 hr20 mins |
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit.
- For the pie crust: Combine the salt and flour together.
Cut the shortening into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter until it is about pea-size pieces.
- Add the water to the flour a little at a time using a fork to lightly mix it. Continue to add the water until the dough just comes together – don’t over work the dough or it will become tough.
- Shape the dough into a flat disk, cover it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Once it is ready divide the dough in half and roll out the bottom crust and place in a pie dish.
- Combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, flour, and salt.
Turn into the unbaked pie shell.
- Roll out the top crust and place over the filling. Crimp to seal edges and make a few slits along the top.
Brush with egg white wash and garnish with large granule sugar.
- Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
Decrease temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling starts bubbling.
Note: Rhubarb is tart. The strawberries provide sweetness but, depending on your taste, you might want to add more sugar.