Love’s Blush Smoothie

This is unusual but thoroughly delicious smoothie. The recipe is for 2.

  • 6 oz. cooked beets (yes, really)
  • 1/2 cup chilled orange juice*
  • 5 tbsp. plain yogurt, chilled
  • 1/3 cup chilled mineral water – NOT FIZZY
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • touch of honey
  • orange slices for decoration

First and foremost, place the beets in the blender and  puree until smooth. Now add all ingredients, except the orange slices and process all until really smooth.

Pour into chilled glasses and decorate with orange slices.

If you can, use blood oranges and blood orange juice if they are in season *

Note:  

This recipe is from my cookbook “The B & B Cookbook”.

Nut and Chocolate Delight Smoothie

With Spring finally here and summer close behind, this is a delightful and best start to anyone’s day. Give it a try!

  • 2 bananas
  • 3 tbsp. smooth peanut butter
  • 5 tbsp. vanilla yogurt
  • 2 scoops Chapman’s chocolate ice cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup whipping cream
  • chopped salted peanuts for garnish

Place the peeled bananas in a blender. Add peanut butter, yogurt, ice cream and milk, processing until smooth. Add whipping cream and blend for a few seconds.

Pour into chilled glasses, top with some peanuts. Add a small straw and serve immediately. It is delicious to serve on a warm morning on the deck.

In a word – YUM.

Note: This recipe serves 2 and is from my cookbook “The B & B Cookbook”.

Pistachio Smoothies For Breakfast

Wracking your brain for something utterly delicious but no one has ever had before? This is a goodie. It is not in my B & B Cookbook, so you are getting it here now.

 

  • 2 1/2 cup plain yogurt (NOT GREEK)
  • 1 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cups pistachios (salted, in shell)
  • 1 tsp. ginger syrup
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream

Spend a couple of minutes and shell the pistachios and coarsely chop.

In a blender put all the ingredients, except the whipping cream and blend until completely smooth. Add the whipping cream and blend a few seconds until a nice, thick consistency (not too thick like a milkshake).

Pour into pretty, chilled glasses and top with some crushed pistachios.

Serve with croissants, butter, slices of melon, coffee….yummmmm What a way to start the day. Our guests would have loved this one. They will probably want more – make them wait until the next time around.

Summer Berry Smoothie

I love smoothies, but I have never served a ‘diet’ smoothie. Nope, not this one either.

  • 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
  • 1 cup fresh raspberries
  • 1/2 container raspberry yogurt
  • 1-2 tbsp. honey
  • 1-2 tbsp. orange juice
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Place all but the whipping cream in a blender and puree. Add the whipping cream and blend for a few seconds (don’t want butter, just thicker)

Pour into two glasses, add a dollop of whipped cream and a fresh raspberry and blackberry.

It doesn’t get any yummier than this.

Fresh Peach Smoothie

What a way to start the day.  Fresh, ripe, juicy peaches …mmmmmm

 

  • 8 large peaches, ripe of course, peeled and chopped
  • Juice of 2 large oranges (not Seville)
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 650 g of peach yogurt (whipped)
  • 1/2 cup or more of whipping cream

In a blender, puree the peaches until smooth.  Add the orange juice and mix really well.  Add the honey and now blend completely.

Add the yogurt and mix until well blended;  add the whipping cream.  Whip this for about 15-20 seconds until it thickens up a bit.  Pour into 6 glasses or 4 larger size glasses.

As a garnish, add a tsp of chopped peaches gently on the top. You will definitely be the Queen of the breakfast fare with this.

 

 

 

Pink Sky Smoothie

We serve this when it is a new Bride and Groom or Anniversary celebration. It is pretty to look at and has an ilusive flavour.

 

Serves 2

  • 1/2 cup natural yogurt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1  1/2 cups whipping cream
  • 1 tbsp. rose water
  • 3 tbsp. honey
  • 1 ripe mango, pitted and diced
  • 6 ice cubes
  • edible rose petals (if you can find them at a specialty store)

Pour yogurt, milk and whipping cream into food processor or blender and process until combined. Add the rose water and again, blend until combined.  Add the mango along with the ice cubes and beat until completely smooth,.

Pour into your prettiest stemware. Add a couple of rose petals and serve immediately.

Listen to the oohs and ahhs…..

 

* This is in my B & B Cookbook

 

Boxing Day Breakfast For The Weary

You worked hard getting dinner ready yesterday and the cleaning up afterwards. You should be rewarded and I can’t think of a better way except for this two fisted start to the day.

 

Nectarine Melt

Serves 2

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 cups lemon sorbet
  • 2 ripe yellow mangoes, pitted and diced
  • 2 ripe nectarines, pitted and diced

Pour the milk in the blender and add one half of the sorbet.

Blend together and when smooth, add the remaining sorbet. Again, blending until smooth. Now add the fruit and process until smooth.  Serve immediately with a dollop of fresh whipped cream on top.

 

Chocolate Crepes – Makes 8-10 crepes

 

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 tbsp. baking cocoa
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 cup half and half cream
  • 2 large oranges, peeled and segmented
  • 6 oz. best quality dark chocolate, chopped
  • 3/4 cup whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 3 oz. best quality white chocolate. grated
  • 1 1/2 cups blueberries

After sifting the flour and cocoa together, make a well in the center and gently whisk in the sugars and milk until smooth and no lumps. Cover this for 30 minutes and set aside.

Peel the oranges into segments with no pith, saving the juice. Keep the segments and juice in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate.

Heat an 8″ crepe pan or non sticking fry pan over medium heat and brush with melted butter.  Pour a couple of tablespoons of batter in and swirl the pan around to cover with the pan.  Cook for only a minute and turn over to cook the other side.

Remove, and cover with a tea towel For the remaining layers, use parchment paper between each one so they don’t clump together and keep the towel covering them all.

To make the sauce, drain the orange segment and combine the juice and chocolate and cream in a saucepan.  Over low heat, stir until the chocolate has melted.

To plate….put a spoonful of sour cream on one quarter of the crepe. Sprinkle white chocolate over and fold into a wedge.  Spoon sauce over it and spread the blueberries and orange segments over the top.

Sit back, eat slowly and remembering the last couple of days, shout for all to hear “Damn I Did It!  Congratulations.

Pumpkin Smoothie

This smoothie is little different….it is packed with vitamins and is really scrumptious. Did I say “non-fattening?” I don’t think so.

 

  • 1/4 cup pure pumpkin
  • 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
  • 1 small banana
  • 1 tsp. creamy peanut butter
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • dollop of whipped cream
  • sprinkle of cinnamon

In a blender, mix 1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin and vanilla yogurt. Add a small banana and a spoonful of creamy peanut butter and a tbsp. honey. Blend well.

Now add a handful of ice cubes and about 1 cup of whipping cream until you get the desired consistency. If it is too thick, thin with a little milk. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and cinnamon.

All who try this always ask if there is more.

Nectarine Melt Smoothie

This will make enough for 2 servings

Very special with the use of lemon sorbet

  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups lemon sorbet
  • 1 ripe mango, pitted and diced
  • 2 ripe nectarine, pitted and diced

 

Pour milk and one half of the sorbet into blender and process GENTLY until well combined. Add remaining sorbet and process until smooth. When entirely blended, add the mango, netarines and process until smooth.

You can add a dollop of whipped cream on top after you have poured this into a tall glass. Add a short straw and serve immediately.

Kiwi Dream Smoothie

THIS IS A VERY REFRESHING SMOOTHIE FOR A SPECIAL BREAKFAST OR JUST A LAZY START TO SUNDAY MORNING.

 

This serves 2

 

  • 2/3 cups milk
  • juice of 2 limes
  • 2 kiwi fruit, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 cup whipping cream
  • 2 cups vanilla premium ice cream
  • lime peel strips

 

Pour milk and juice in a blender and process until combined.  Add fruit and sugar and process gently.  Add whipping cream and ice cream processing until smooth. Pour into stemmed glasses and place lime strips on top.  Serve immediately.

 

Taste Rating: 8.9

Nut and Chocolate Smoothie

This is a different smoothie but the kids will love it (provided they don’t have allergies). It could also serve as breakfast if you slept in and are in a rush to go to work. You? Nah.

  • 2 bananas
  • 3 tbsp. smooth peanut butter
  • 2 scoops premium chocolate ice cream
  • 5 tbsp. vanilla yogurt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup whipped cream
  • chopped, salted peanuts for garnish

Place peeled bananas in blender.  Add peanut butter, ice cream, milk and cream processing until smooth.  Pour into chilled glasses, top with chopped peanuts, and add a small straw.  Serve immediately.

This is very good if it is totally smooth and will remind you of the peanut butter and banana sandwich days.  Enjoy!