Making: Smoothies

        This past week I have noticed quite a bit of discussion centering around the old family favourite the smoothie- mainly amongst my own friends but also online. The smoothie is the perfect way to pack a belly full of nutrients into a little one at the start of the day. My Littles are not big breakfast people- when The Boy started going to pre-school we fell back into our routine of smoothies for breakfast in an effort to get something- anything- into his tummy.

     We love a good smoothie and usually just grab for whatever is in the fridge and freezer- recently we have been switching things up a bit as The Boy has something going on- either allergies or just an aversion to dairy- he gets very "snotty"- for lack of a better word- I had a similar experience as a kid- so I think it is seasonal allergies. At any rate he has been off of milk the last little while- we had found a substitute in Almond Milk but darn if the organic stuff isn't pricey!

    Enter in my friend Michelle from the blog Mint Green Apron- this gal has got it going on- a plethora of meal and snack ideas- as well as accolades from my boyfriend Jamie Oliver no less! Michelle posted a recipe for Quinoa milk last week on the Mint Green Apron Facebook page- the perfect solution for expensive store bought milk alternatives- much less packaging-  bonus points for the kids loving making and drinking it!

    OK this is where my extensive story all comes together- the bit where the smoothie comes together with the Quinoa milk! I thought I would share both our favourite smoothie recipe and Michelle's Quinoa milk recipe. 

Quinoa Milk: soak Quinoa over night- I used about a cup or grains and two cups of water- in the morning cook Quinoa- once cooled place into blender with water to thin out- again I did about a one to two ratio - blend- strain through a sieve. Favour to taste- I used a dash of Maple Syrup and some nutmeg.Voila Quinoa Milk- Thank you Michelle!

Favourite Smoothie Recipe: 1 banana, 1/2 avocado, 1 cup frozen berries, 1/2 cup frozen spinach, tablespoon peanut or almond butter, 1 cup plain yogurt (The Boy can still tolerate yogurt) and 2 cups Quinoa milk- blend- enjoy through a re-usable straw!

Tip: double your batch of smoothie and freeze half in popsicle molds! Yes my popsicle molds are from the 1980's- yes they are the original Tupperware- handed down from my Mom- and yes they smell weird- but they work great! These are perfect for breakfast on the go- no need to worry about spilling on our way to school!

  

     Friends it is Friday again- this week went by so fast- I don't even feel like there were enough days! This weekend we are just chilling out- a little Farmer's Market action- a little Monsanto demonstration at the Vancouver Art Gallery starting at 11:00 am- find a protest in your area and get involved- just say NO to GMOs! Much love and happiness going out to all my Friends and Family this weekend!