Tropical Mango Smoothie

It's a staple at my house.  We live on them...sort of. :)

These are really easy to make, if you have the ingredients on hand.

All that's needed is:

A blender

2 small bananas

1/2 can of coconut milk

2 cups of mango chunks

2 cups of pineapple juice

(okay, I never measure...I just totally made those measurements up.  Use your best judgement, you really can't go wrong.)

Blend together and serve in pretty glasses.  You can serve with a dollop of whipped cream if it strikes your fancy.

Bon Bon

BLUEBERRY LEMONADE

Blueberry Lemonade
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 cups water
1 pint fresh blueberries
1−1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about
10 big lemons, including pulp but not seeds)
.
First make a simple syrup by combining 1 cup sugar and water in a saucepan
over medium heat, stirring until the mixture boils. Lower the heat and allow
the syrup to simmer for another minute. Remove from heat and let cool. In a
blender or food processor, puree the blueberries with 2 tablespoons of
sugar. In a pitcher, combine the cooled syrup, lemon juice and blueberry
puree. To serve, pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of base into a glass and fill with
water. Makes base for 12 servings.

Bottoms up, TRULY

Frozen (virgin) Margaritas

In honor of Cinco De Mayo we made these YUMMY drinks...

2 tablespoons kosher (coarse) salt

1/2 lime, cut into 4 wedges

1 can (6 ounce size) frozen limeade concentrate, thawed

1/4 cup orange juice

4 cups ice cubes

**********

Place the salt in a shallow dish. Rub the rim of each of 4 margarita glasses with a lime wedge and dip the rims into the salt; set the lime wedges aside. In a blender, blend the limeade, orange juice, and icecubes on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes, or until well blended and the ice cubes are crushed. Pour evenly into the glasses and garnish with the lime wedges. Serve immediately.

**********

Bon Bon

Strawberry Agua Fresca

Strawberry season is almost upon us, can you believe it? Here is a yummy smoothie after coming home with those fresh, juicy strawberries. It's DELISH!

Strawberry Agua Fresca
blend water, fresh strawberries, lime juice and a little sugar.

4 cups water

1/3 cup sugar

6 cups hulled strawberries

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

Bon Bon

Pina Colada

Do you guys love pina coladas? I do and I have tried all sorts of non-alcoholic drink mixes and haven't really found one that I love. Tonight folks, I think I found THE ONE! It's actually really easy and it doesn't have all the preservatives in it either. (quit laughing Rachael!) Anyway, I hope you guys try it out - it would be a great drink to serve at your next game night!!!

2 cups of pineapple juice (chilled)

8 oz Goya cream of coconut

12 scoops of vanilla ice cream (small scoops)

1 cup crushed ice

Blend all of the ingredients together and garnish with fresh pineapple - YUM!!! BON V.

Spinach Smoothies

Okay...before you all judge me people, you HAVE to try this smoothy. My kids BEG for it all the time. Stevie is sitting here with me while I type and she wants me to share with you that you don't taste the spinach. This would be a perfect month to try it on your kids because it is St. Patty's day. They don't even have to know there is spinach in it. (as a bonus it's another way to get a great vegetable into your kids)

1/2 pkg of baby spinach

2 slightly brown bananas

pineapple juice

frozen fruit

Blend baby spinach and pineapple juice until well blended - you should not see any signs of baby spinach. Add the bananas. Add the frozen fruit until you get the thickness that you like. (with the frozen fruit I find that the medly from Schwan's is the best - it has manderin oranges, strawberries, pineapple, mangos and peaches.) Go ahead, I DARE you!!! Chef Bon

PS: Stevie also picked the new background...she was feeling a little "Springy"