Smoothies

While there are many drink recipes to make, smoothies are probably one of my favorites. They're usually cold, taste great, and have all sorts of nutrients in them, depending on which fruits, juices, and yogurts (sometimes) you use.

True, there are plenty of bottled smoothies and probably as many pre-packaged smoothie bases you can use, but you'd pretty much have to read the nutritian lables to see what is added to these. They might have extra vitamins, etc. added, but do they also have sugars and other things in them that you don't want?

Meanwhile, if you grab your blender and whip up a batch of smoothies, you'll find that it might be cheaper in the long run, as well as without all the added stuff in them. Check out the Strawberry-Raspberry Smoothie, Purple Haze Smoothie, and all the rest of today's smoothie recipes. Enjoy!

EASTERN SUNRISE SMOOTHIE

It seems that bottled smoothies have hit it big in stores over the past few years. And while many of them are, no doubt, good, and even healthy, there's nothing that quite compares with fresh-made smoothies. The only thing holding one back are one's imagination and the fruits available.

The fruits used in in this smoothie are from the eastern U.S.: orange juice and strawberries from Florida, cranberries from Massachusetts. Top that off with a beautiful pink color. It’s a yummy way to start the morning.

Ingredients

1 C orange juice

1/2 C yogurt

4-6 frozen strawberries

1 T wheat germ

1/2 C frozen cranberries

Directions

Blend juice and berries. Add yogurt and wheat germ and blend about 15 seconds more.

PURPLE HAZE SMOOTHIE

Variation on a theme. You can make smoothies out of almost any fruit and/or juice (or milk). Experiment; use any juice to your liking: apple, cranberry, orange (my favorite), whatever, then add whatever fruits you have around. If none of the fruits are conducive to freezing (berries work best), add a few ice cubes, or better still, frozen juice cubes.

This one is similar to the above smoothie. The blueberries give it a pleasant taste and a beautiful color.

Ingredients

1 to 1-1/2 orange juice (see note)

1/2 C frozen blueberries

4 frozen strawberries (optional)

1/2 C yogurt

1/2 C frozen cranberries

1 T wheat germ

Directions

Blend orange juice and berries. Add yogurt and wheat germ, blend for 5-15 more seconds.

NOTE: If adding strawberries, add the extra 1/2 C orange juice. Or use 1 C juice and 1/2 C soymilk.

BANANA-BERRY SMOOTHIE

This comes from MyRecipes, and begins, "Frozen mixed berries and dry milk help keep cost and preparation to a minimum for this anytime smoothie. Blend with banana, yogurt, sugar, and orange juice for a citrus accent. Substitute other frozen fruits, like peaches, for fun variety."

Yield: 3 servings; serving size: 1 cup

You can view this online at https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/banana-berry-smoothie-0.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups calcium-fortified orange juice

1-1/4 cups frozen mixed berries (such as Cascadian Farm Harvest Berries)

1 cup sliced ripe banana

1/2 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt

1/3 cup nonfat dry milk

1 tablespoon sugar

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.

Chef's Notes

Sip this power breakfast which boasts more than 300 milligrams of calcium while getting ready for work or on your way there. A scoop of powdered milk boosts the calcium contributed by the yogurt and the calcium-fortified orange juice. Additional nutritional benefits come from potassium-rich banana and antioxidant-rich berries. Frozen berries ensure a thick, creamy consistency, but you can also use fresh ones. Other frozen fruits, such as peaches or mangoes, work well, too.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving: 204 calories; calories from fat 3%; fat 0.6g; saturated fat 0.2g; mono fat 0.1g; poly fat 0.2g; protein 6.6g; carbohydrates 45.6g; fiber 3.3g; cholesterol 2mg; iron 0.6mg; sodium 71mg; calcium 327mg.

CHERRY SMOOTHIE

This comes from Yishane Lee in the July 2012 issue of Runner’s World, page 48. I couldn’t find a link for it…

Ingredients

1 cup pitted cherries

3/4 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons honey

3/4 cup ice

Preparation

Place ingredients in blender and blend. Yum!

STRAWBERRY-RASPBERRY SMOOTHIE

This recipe and the next (Strawberry-Banana Smoothies) were found in an article on Prevention, titled “20 Scrumptious Strawberry Recipes.” Click here to see the article and all twelve recipes.

PREP TIME: 5 min

TOTAL TIME: 10 min + freezing time

SERVINGS: 4

Ingredients

1/2 lb strawberries, trimmed and hulled (about 1 3/4 c)

6 oz raspberries (about 1 C)

3/4 C fresh orange juice

1/2 C 2% plain Greek-style yogurt

2 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp hulled hemp seeds

2 Tbsp ground flaxseed

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

Directions

Line small sheet pan with wax paper or parchment. Arrange berries on pan in even layer. Freeze until completely frozen, about 3 hours. Transfer to I blender with remaining ingredients and puree until smooth.

NUTRITION (per serving) 164 cal, 6 g pro, 26 g carb, 5 g fiber, 18 g sugars, 5 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 12 mg sodium

STRAWBERRY-BANANA SMOOTHIES

SERVINGS: 2

Ingredients

1 C strawberries, halved

1 small sliced banana

1 C ice cubes

1/2 C 1% milk

2 tsp agave nectar or honey

Directions

Blend all ingredients together. Pour into 2 chilled glasses and top each with a strawberry.

NUTRITION (per serving) 124 cal, 3 g pro, 27 g carb, 3 g fiber, 1.5 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 33 mg sodium

Going Bananas

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Banana.

Banana who?

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Banana.

Banana who?

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Orange.

Orange who?

Orange you glad I didn't say banana again?

Okay, I'm sorry, but I had to go there, as today's post deals with banana recipes. Check out the Sour Cream Banana Bars, the Banana Chocolate Tacos (yes, you that right), along with the other banana recipes. Enjoy!

ALMOND FUDGE BANANA CAKE

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Makes 16 servings

Ingredients

3 extra-ripe, peeled medium Dole bananas

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup margarine, softened

3 eggs

3 tablespoons amaretto liqueur, or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup Dole chopped almonds, toasted, ground

BANANA CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

1 pureed, extra-ripe small Dole banana

1 ounce (1 square) melted semisweet chocolate

Ingredients

Mash bananas (1 1/2 cups). Beat sugar and margarine until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, liqueur and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients. Stir in almonds. Add to beaten mixture alternately with bananas. Beat well. Turn batter into greased 10-inch bundt pan. Bake in 350 degree F. oven 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out nearly clean and cake pulls away from sides of pan. Cool 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan to wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle glaze over top and down sides of cake.

BANANA CHOCOLATE GLAZE: With a wire whip, beat pureed banana into melted chocolate.

BANANA-STRAWBERRY SORBET

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 cups frozen (unsweetened) strawberries

1/2 cups apple juice

Directions

Cut the bananas into quarter-inch slices, coat with the lemon juice, place on a cookie sheet, and freeze.

After the bananas are frozen, puree them with the remaining ingredients in the appliance of your choice (my cuisinart had to work pretty hard, but it was very entertaining for the son to watch strawberries become sorbet.)

Serve immediately in chilled cups. Leftovers don't freeze well, but they make a nice flavoring for homemade yogurt.

Lots of substitutions are possible.

SOUR CREAM BANANA BARS

This also comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup Sugar

1 cup Sour cream

1/2 cup Butter, softened

2 Eggs

1 1/2 cup Bananas, mashed, 3 large

2 tsp Vanilla

2 cup Flour

1 tsp Baking soda

1/2 cup Nuts, chopped

Directions

Mix sugar, sour cream, butter and eggs in large mixing bowl on low speed, scraping bowl occasionally, about 1 minute. Beat in banana and vanilla on low speed, 30 seconds. Beat in flour and baking soda on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 1 minute. Stir in nuts. Spread dough in greased and floured jelly roll pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes in preheated 375F oven. When cool, frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. Cut into bars.

Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat 3 oz pkg cream cheese, 1/3 cup butter, 1 T milk and 1 tsp vanilla until creamy. Stir in 2 cups powdered sugar until smooth.

BANANA-BERRY SMOOTHIE

This comes from MyRecipes, and begins, "Frozen mixed berries and dry milk help keep cost and preparation to a minimum for this anytime smoothie. Blend with banana, yogurt, sugar, and orange juice for a citrus accent. Substitute other frozen fruits, like peaches, for fun variety."

Yield: 3 servings; serving size: 1 cup

You can view this online at https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/banana-berry-smoothie-0.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups calcium-fortified orange juice

1 1/4 cups frozen mixed berries (such as Cascadian Farm Harvest Berries)

1 cup sliced ripe banana

1/2 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt

1/3 cup nonfat dry milk

1 tablespoon sugar

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.

Chef's Notes

Sip this power breakfast which boasts more than 300 milligrams of calcium while getting ready for work or on your way there. A scoop of powdered milk boosts the calcium contributed by the yogurt and the calcium-fortified orange juice. Additional nutritional benefits come from potassium-rich banana and antioxidant-rich berries. Frozen berries ensure a thick, creamy consistency, but you can also use fresh ones. Other frozen fruits, such as peaches or mangoes, work well, too.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving: 204 calories; calories from fat 3%; fat 0.6g; saturated fat 0.2g; mono fat 0.1g; poly fat 0.2g; protein 6.6g; carbohydrates 45.6g; fiber 3.3g; cholesterol 2mg; iron 0.6mg; sodium 71mg; calcium 327mg.

DOLE AMBROSIA

Here's another recipe from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. This ended with "This has 22% fat with the almonds, and 12% without," though it doesn't say if the fat percentages are for the entire recipe, per serving, or what.

Ingredients

1 can Pineapple chunks in juice (20 oz)

1 can Mandarin orange segments (11 oz)

1 Banana, peeled and sliced

1 1/2 C Seedless grapes

1 C Miniature marshmallows

1/2 C Flaked coconut

1/4 C Almonds, chopped/optional

8 oz Carton Nonfat vanilla yogurt

Directions

Drain pineapple and oranges. Use juice as a beverage. Combine pineapple, oranges, banana, grapes, marshmallows, coconut and almonds. Fold in yogurt. Chill.

BANANA CHOCOLATE TACOS

Chocolate? Bananas? On tacos? Sure, why not? This one is from the May 2016 issue of Runner’s World, and begins, “This taco is a smart dessert choice as research shows dark chocolate can improve brain functioning. Each bite also has the carbs needed to restock your muscles after a spirited run. Plus, ricotta is rich in whey protein to make it easier to build stronger muscles.”

This can be found here.

Ingredients

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

2 Tbsp. almond butter

1 Tbsp. maple syrup

1–2 tsp. orange zest

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 oz. chopped dark chocolate

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

4 small bananas, sliced into 1/2" pieces

4 small (6") whole-wheat tortillas, heated according to package

1/4 cup unsweetened toasted coconut flakes

Instructions

Stir together ricotta, almond butter, syrup, orange zest and vanilla.

Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until chocolate is melted. Stir in cinnamon.

Spread ricotta mixture on tortillas and top with banana. Drizzle chocolate sauce over top and sprinkle on coconut flakes. Serves 4.

Nutrition Information: Calories per serving: 439; Protein: 14 g; Carbs: 54 g; Fiber: 13 g; Total fat: 20 g; Saturated fat: 9.5 g; Sodium: 342 mg.

Oh, You Smoothie

While there are many drink recipes to make, smoothies are probably one of my favorites. They're usually cold, taste great, and have all sorts of nutrients in them, depending on which fruits, juices, and yogurts (sometimes) you use.

True, there are plenty of bottled smoothies and probably as many pre-packaged smoothie bases you can use, but you'd pretty much have to read the nutritian lables to see what is added to these. They might have extra vitamins, etc. added, but do they also have sugars and other things in them that you don't want?

Meanwhile, if you grab your blender and whip up a batch of smoothies, you'll find that it might be cheaper in the long run, as well as without all the added stuff in them. Check out the Strawberry-Raspberry Smoothie, Purple Haze Smoothie, and all the rest of today's smoothie recipes. Enjoy!

EASTERN SUNRISE SMOOTHIE

It seems that bottled smoothies have hit it big in stores over the past few years. And while many of them are, no doubt, good, and even healthy, there's nothing that quite compares with fresh-made smoothies. The only thing holding one back are one's imagination and the fruits available.

The fruits used in in this smoothie are from the eastern U.S.: orange juice and strawberries from Florida, cranberries from Massachusetts. Top that off with a beautiful pink color. It’s a yummy way to start the morning.

Ingredients

1 C orange juice

1/2 C yogurt

4-6 frozen strawberries

1 T wheat germ

1/2 C frozen cranberries

Directions

Blend juice and berries. Add yogurt and wheat germ and blend about 15 seconds more.

PURPLE HAZE SMOOTHIE

Variation on a theme. You can make smoothies out of almost any fruit and/or juice (or milk). Experiment; use any juice to your liking: apple, cranberry, orange (my favorite), whatever, then add whatever fruits you have around. If none of the fruits are conducive to freezing (berries work best), add a few ice cubes, or better still, frozen juice cubes.

This one is similar to the above smoothie. The blueberries give it a pleasant taste and a beautiful color.

Ingredients

1-1 1/2 orange juice (see note)

1/2 C frozen blueberries

4 frozen strawberries (optional)

1/2 C yogurt

1/2 C frozen cranberries

1 T wheat germ

Directions

Blend orange juice and berries. Add yogurt and wheat germ, blend for 5-15 more seconds.

NOTE: If adding strawberries, add the extra 1/2 C orange juice. Or use 1 C juice and 1/2 C soymilk.

BANANA-BERRY SMOOTHIE

This comes from MyRecipes, and begins, "Frozen mixed berries and dry milk help keep cost and preparation to a minimum for this anytime smoothie. Blend with banana, yogurt, sugar, and orange juice for a citrus accent. Substitute other frozen fruits, like peaches, for fun variety."

Yield: 3 servings; serving size: 1 cup

You can view this online at https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/banana-berry-smoothie-0.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups calcium-fortified orange juice

1 1/4 cups frozen mixed berries (such as Cascadian Farm Harvest Berries)

1 cup sliced ripe banana

1/2 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt

1/3 cup nonfat dry milk

1 tablespoon sugar

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.

Chef's Notes

Sip this power breakfast which boasts more than 300 milligrams of calcium while getting ready for work or on your way there. A scoop of powdered milk boosts the calcium contributed by the yogurt and the calcium-fortified orange juice. Additional nutritional benefits come from potassium-rich banana and antioxidant-rich berries. Frozen berries ensure a thick, creamy consistency, but you can also use fresh ones. Other frozen fruits, such as peaches or mangoes, work well, too.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving: 204 calories; calories from fat 3%; fat 0.6g; saturated fat 0.2g; mono fat 0.1g; poly fat 0.2g; protein 6.6g; carbohydrates 45.6g; fiber 3.3g; cholesterol 2mg; iron 0.6mg; sodium 71mg; calcium 327mg.

CHERRY SMOOTHIE

This comes from Yishane Lee in the July 2012 issue of Runner’s World, page 48. I couldn’t find a link for it…

Ingredients

1 cup pitted cherries

3/4 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons honey

3/4 cup ice

Preparation

Place ingredients in blender and blend. Yum!

STRAWBERRY-RASPBERRY SMOOTHIE

This recipe and the next (Strawberry-Banana Smoothies) were found in an article on Prevention, titled “20 Scrumptious Strawberry Recipes.” Click here to see the article and all twelve recipes.

PREP TIME: 5 min

TOTAL TIME: 10 min + freezing time

SERVINGS: 4

Ingredients

1/2 lb strawberries, trimmed and hulled (about 1 3/4 c)

6 oz raspberries (about 1 C)

3/4 C fresh orange juice

1/2 C 2% plain Greek-style yogurt

2 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp hulled hemp seeds

2 Tbsp ground flaxseed

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

Directions

Line small sheet pan with wax paper or parchment. Arrange berries on pan in even layer. Freeze until completely frozen, about 3 hours. Transfer to I blender with remaining ingredients and puree until smooth.

NUTRITION (per serving) 164 cal, 6 g pro, 26 g carb, 5 g fiber, 18 g sugars, 5 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 12 mg sodium

STRAWBERRY-BANANA SMOOTHIES

SERVINGS: 2

Ingredients

1 C strawberries, halved

1 small sliced banana

1 C ice cubes

1/2 C 1% milk

2 tsp agave nectar or honey

Directions

Blend all ingredients together. Pour into 2 chilled glasses and top each with a strawberry.

NUTRITION (per serving) 124 cal, 3 g pro, 27 g carb, 3 g fiber, 1.5 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 33 mg sodium

Drinks

I can almost hear someone thinking, Drinks? Are you kidding? You're posting drinks?

Yes, today's post deals with drinks, since having the same-old-same-old can get pretty boring. Today's drinks include Fuzzy-Navel Smoothies and Spice Tea. Enjoy!

CREAMY VEGAN HOT CHOCOLATE

This came from Genevieve Ko at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Genevieve wrote, "For a vegan hot chocolate that rivals even the creamiest dairy-laden variety, add a few tablespoons of nut butter like almond, sunflower or peanut to the nondairy milk, chocolate chips and cocoa powder. Whisking is also essential here; nondairy products tend to contain stabilizers that keep them emulsified, so they can separate when boiled. If you keep whisking the mix as it heats and remove it from the stove when it’s nice and steaming, but before it boils, you’ll end up with perfectly smooth hot chocolate. Don’t worry if it breaks: You can simply blend it with a whisk or immersion blender over low heat to bring it back together."

Yield: 2 cups; Time: 5 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019960-creamy-vegan-hot-chocolate.

Ingredients

1/3 cup vegan semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 ounces)

3 tablespoons vegan unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tablespoons creamy nut or seed butter, such as almond, sunflower or peanut

Pinch of kosher salt

1-1/2 to 2 cups unsweetened nut or grain milk, such as macadamia, walnut, almond, cashew, hazelnut, oat or rice milk

1 to 3 teaspoons granulated sugar (optional)

Preparation

Combine chocolate chips, cocoa powder, nut butter, salt and 1/2 cup nut or grain milk in a small saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth, about 1-1/2 minutes.

Whisk in 1 cup nut or grain milk in a slow, steady stream, and continue whisking until cocoa is steaming, about 1-1/2 minutes. Don’t let it come to a boil or the cocoa will separate.

Taste a spoonful. (Be careful: It’s hot.) If you prefer a thinner hot cocoa, add up to 1/2 cup additional milk. If you prefer it sweeter, add a teaspoon of sugar at a time, tasting after each addition. Divide among cups and serve hot.

BERRY-BANANA SMOOTHIE

This comes from Joy Bauer at TODAY. She wrote, "This sweet smoothies features a secret green veggie that kids won't be able to taste or notice. Each satisfying sip contains good-for-you ingredients that provide a nice dose of fiber, calcium and nutrition. My recommendation: keep this recipe in your back pocket at all times — it's a huge hit at my house."

To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/joy-bauer-s-berry-banana-smoothie-recipe-t163943.

Ingredients

1 banana, fresh or frozen

2 cups sliced strawberries, fresh or frozen

1/4 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

1 cup fresh kale, stems removed

1/2 cup milk of choice (if using frozen fruit, may need to add a dash more milk)

3 to 5 ice cubes (optional; omit if using frozen fruit)

Preparation

Place all the ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth.

FUZZY-NAVEL SMOOTHIES

This comes from Susie Lilly Ott at MyRecipes. Yield: 2 servings; serving size: 1 cup

This can be viewed online at https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/fuzzy-navel-smoothies.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups frozen sliced peaches

1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate

1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk

1/3 cup sliced ripe banana

1 teaspoon sugar

Dash of salt

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender; let stand for 15 minutes, and process until smooth. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving: 223 calories; fat 1g; saturated fat 0g; mono fat 0g; poly fat 0g; protein 5g; carbohydrates 50g; fiber 3g; cholesterol 3mg; iron 1mg; sodium 33mg; calcium 90mg.

BANANA-BERRY SMOOTHIE

This comes from MyRecipes, and begins, "Frozen mixed berries and dry milk help keep cost and preparation to a minimum for this anytime smoothie. Blend with banana, yogurt, sugar, and orange juice for a citrus accent. Substitute other frozen fruits, like peaches, for fun variety."

Yield: 3 servings; serving size: 1 cup

You can view this online at https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/banana-berry-smoothie-0.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups calcium-fortified orange juice

1 1/4 cups frozen mixed berries (such as Cascadian Farm Harvest Berries)

1 cup sliced ripe banana

1/2 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt

1/3 cup nonfat dry milk

1 tablespoon sugar

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.

Chef's Notes

Sip this power breakfast which boasts more than 300 milligrams of calcium while getting ready for work or on your way there. A scoop of powdered milk boosts the calcium contributed by the yogurt and the calcium-fortified orange juice. Additional nutritional benefits come from potassium-rich banana and antioxidant-rich berries. Frozen berries ensure a thick, creamy consistency, but you can also use fresh ones. Other frozen fruits, such as peaches or mangoes, work well, too.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving: 204 calories; calories from fat 3%; fat 0.6g; saturated fat 0.2g; mono fat 0.1g; poly fat 0.2g; protein 6.6g; carbohydrates 45.6g; fiber 3.3g; cholesterol 2mg; iron 0.6mg; sodium 71mg; calcium 327mg.

SORREL DRINK

From Vegetarian Times; June 2008, page 78. The recipe reads, “Red hibiscus flowers are a common ingredient in ruby-hued herbal tea bags, such as Celestial Seasonings' Red Zinger.”

Ingredients

Sorrel Drink:

3 C dried sorrel or red hibiscus flowers, or 5 Red Zinger tea bags

1 4-inch cinnamon stick

10 whole cloves

1/4 tsp. crushed allspice

2 3-inch pieces peeled fresh ginger

Simple Syrup:

1 C sugar

1 C water

Directopms

To make Sorrel Drink: Bring all ingredients & 4 cups water to a boil in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low & simmer 10 minutes. Cool, strain & chill.

To make Simple Syrup: Bring sugar & water to a boil in small saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugar & simmer 1 minute. Cool.

Pour Sorrel Drink over ice. Serve with pitcher of Simple Syrup for guess to sweeten drinks to taste.

Per 1-cup serving: 33 cal; 0 g protein; 0 g total fat (0 g sat. fat); 8 g crab; 0 mg chol; 0 mg sod; 0 g fiber; 8 g sugars; vegan

SPICE TEA

I used to make this every year for Christmas presents; it was quite popular. Unfortunately, life got a little hectic...As simple as this is, though, I may be reigniting this as a present!

8 oz loose tea

3 orange rinds/peels

Ingredients

1 1/2-2 sticks cinnamon

2 T chopped cloves

Directions

Cut orange peels into small pieces. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring occaionally. Let cool, add to loose tea, along with broken cinnamon sticks & cloves. Store in tight containers.

I'll post some single-serving drinks in a later post. In the meantime, enjoy!