smoothie: chocolate-banana

This has become our go-to after school snack. A sweet treat full of nourishing ingredients to power the kids until dinnertime.

Chocolate-Banana Shake

(make about 4 cups)

• 2 ripe bananas
• 2-4 pitted Medjool dates (to sweeten)
• 2-4 heaping Tablespoons nut butter (I tend to use almond)
• 3-4 cups almond milk (or other non-dairy or dairy milk, of choice; our favorite is Calafia coconut-almond milk)
• 1-2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (or you could use a scoop of chocolate protein powder, if you have one you like)

Combine everything in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Store any leftovers in the fridge and simply shake or whisk before serving if the smoothie separates. 

smoothie: probiotic berry-banana

A favorite before school breakfast, or after school snack. 

Probiotic Berry-Banana Smoothie

(makes about 4 cups)

• 2 ripe bananas
• 2 cups kefir (sweetened or unsweetened, plain or flavored, your choice)
• 1 cup non-dairy or dairy milk (I usually use hemp or almond milk)
• 1 cup organic strawberries (or mixed berries)
• optional - 2-4 pitted dates to sweeten

Combine all ingredients in a high-powered blender. Blend until smooth. Store any leftovers in the fridge, and simply shake or whisk before serving if the smoothie separates. 

smoothie: "peanut butter and jelly"

Packed with protein to fuel my kiddos through sports, playing in the yard, and homework.

"Peanut Butter and Jelly" Smoothie

(makes about 6 cups)

• 2 cups non-dairy or dairy milk (our favorite for smoothies is vanilla hemp or almond milk)
• 2 cups whole milk kefir (we like these ones from Lifeway)
• 1/2 cup nut butter (I use almond butter)
• 2 cups frozen organic mixed berries
• optional - you can add maple syrup, honey or a few pitted dates for sweetness, though this probably won't be necessary

Combine all ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. My kids like their smoothies thick, but you may add water if you want to thin the smoothie out. Store any leftovers in the fridge and give them a shake or whisk before serving if the smoothie separates. 

easy clean eating: banana-walnut chia pudding

Whipped this up to rave reviews this week...

As one commenter said on the Facebook page, "I love chia pudding  But I think you have to like tapioca pudding to deal with the texture. Just my opinion….." and I'd totally agree. We happen to love it around here.

As you can see, I had some ripe bananas just begging to become a wholesome snack, so this go round, I decided to make the chia pudding banana-flavored… but then at the last minute I added walnuts too for some extra good fat. If you have nut allergies, you can absolutely omit the walnuts, no problem, and you can use whatever milk your family enjoys-- be it dairy, seed, soy or nut.

OK, so the preparation is super simple-- first you blend 2 cups of milk {whichever type your using} + 2 bananas + 1/2 cup walnuts {optional} + 1 Tablespoon vanilla + 1 teaspoon cinnamon {or more, to taste-- I like our cinnamon-y so I added as much as a Tablespoon} + a dash of ginger {optional, start with a scant 1/2 teaspoon and go from there til you get to desired taste}. Once this mixture is smooth...

you'll simply pour it over 2/3 cup of chia seeds, then either stir well-- or shake-- and place the bowl into the fridge overnight. In the morning you'll have a thick pudding to enjoy for a protein-packed breakfast, or a special after school snack.  

Banana-Walnut Chia Seed Pudding

{makes 6 servings}

2 cups of milk {dairy, nut, seed, or soy-- your choice}

2 bananas

1/2 cup walnuts {optional}

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon {or more, to taste}

a dash of ginger {optional}

2/3 cup chia seeds

Blend all but the chia seeds until mixture is smooth. Place chia seeds in a bowl or jar large enough to hold whole batch of pudding. Pour banana mixture over the chia seeds and stir-- or shake-- to combine. Place container in fridge overnight. 

simple clean eating smoothie: blueberry-almond with ALOHA daily good greens

Please note that this post contains affiliate links. Same price of goods to you, but I am compensated for recommended products that my family and I genuinely enjoy. Thank you, in advance, for considering purchasing through these links and keeping The Full Plate Blog out of hobby status!

I know, from working with Dr. Hyman on the launch of his 10 Day Detox, that a well-made smoothie sustains me until lunchtime, leads to glowing skin, and gets my day off on a good note-- setting a pattern for healthy eating the rest of the day. This week, I am sharing a favorite of mine. If you have some ALOHA Daily Good Greens on hand, this is a perfect way of "sneaking" them in. 

Blueberry-Almond Smoothie with ALOHA Daily Good Greens

(makes about 4 cups)

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup water (or more to reach desired consistency)
1 cup frozen or fresh organic blueberries
1 or 2 packet(s) ALOHA Daily Good Greens 
1/4 cup raw almonds
hearty handful organic spinach (about 2 cups)
optional - 1 banana (if you like your smoothies sweeter)
optional - 1/4 avocado (if you like your smoothies creamier)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until desired consistency. 

Looking for other smoothie ideas? Here are a few more favorites:

• Avocado-Mango Smoothie
• Green Machine Smoothies
• Ginger-Cucumber Smoothie

homemade gift: simple grapefruit-orange-clementine marmalade

I know you're probably in a gift-wrapping frenzy when this post arrives in your inbox, but trust me, I must send this recipe along. It deserves to be immortalized here, so that the next time I need an amazing hostess gift, homemade teacher gift, or easy weekend cooking project with the kids, I know where to find it.

Marmalade. You either love it or hate it. I happen to love it. I didn't always love it though; it took a really good jar of marmalade to convert me. And I think that as many of us are bundling up, trying to stay cozy these next few months, marmalade just might be the ticket to happiness on those cold, dark, nippy mornings. Tart and sweet, brightly colored, and just a few ingredients. This one's a keeper.

Simple Grapefruit-Orange-Clementine Marmalade

(makes about 3 cups)

2 grapefruits

8 oranges

6 clementines

1 1/2 cups sugar, or more to taste 

pinch of salt

Zest the grapefruit into a medium saucepan, then cut away the peel and pith (white part) of the grapefruit, oranges and clementines. Rough chop all of the citrus (removing any seeds), and add it to the saucepan. Pour the sugar over the citrus, add a pinch of salt, and give everything a stir. Simmer the citrus-sugar mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes-1 hour, or until juices are thickened. Cool and store in glass jars in the fridge for up to three weeks. 

P.S. It is exceptional served over coconut-rice pudding, after a day of sledding… and it would be equally decadent over the eggnog bread pudding we're having Christmas morning. Mmmm.

grilled cheese sandwiches with savory roasted apples + roasted sweet potato wedges

Last night, I made a dinner so good that even the babysitter asked for the recipe.

It started with (leftover) savory roasted apples. Each month, I am hired to create a recipe for our local market, Walter Stewart's. In addition to running into a handful of friends every time I shop there (making grocery marketing a-- dare I say it, fun-- social outing as well as a necessity!), I agree to do this because I know the family-owned market takes pride in stocking and showcasing seasonal-- and often local-- ingredients.

This month, I whipped up a batch of savory roasted apples to highlight local apples. It was a variation on a recipe I concocted back in 2011, when we had a glut of apples from a weekend apple-picking adventure, and I was trying to use them up in every possible form. This super easy side dish has now become one of our go-to's in the Fall because it's so easy, and my children LOVE it. (Another favorite apple side is Cider-Braised Cabbage and Apples.)

OK, so back to the sandwiches! As you all know if you read my blog, I've kind of been a cooking maniac this week, squeezing all of the recipes that will be spread over my 3-week Kitchen Coaching Program into a few days of testing them all-- and then some that didn't make the cut-- one more time before a test group of busy parents gives them a whirl. (They get 3 weeks to leisurely stock their freezers... I gave myself 2 days.) So, you'd think that I would have just hauled one of those meals out of the freezer for the sitter and kids to enjoy while I was at Middle School Parent's Night, but no....when I opened my fridge and saw a big bowl of leftover savory roasted apples, I knew I should use them up. And so, it was the incarnation of a gooey, sweet and savory sandwich...

And they were a hit.

I assembled them before running to pick up at after school activities, then baked them in 10 minutes so they were ready when the sitter got there.

Grilled Cheese with Savory Roasted Apples

(makes 4 sandwiches)

8 slices of your favorite bread
16 slices of your favorite cheese (I made 1/2 with brie and 1/2 with a smoked cheddar)
1 cup savory roasted apples
non-stick baking sheet

Preheat oven to 400. Place 1 slice of cheese on each slice of bread. Top with about 1/4 cup of savory roasted apples. Then, place another slice of cheese and second slice of bread on top of that. Bake for 5-7 minute, then flip, and bake for another 5-7 minutes, until bread is toasty and cheese is melted. Serve warm or room temp.

I also had a sweet potato in the pantry, so as a side dish, I quickly made:

Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges

(serve 4)

1 large sweet potato
canola oil spray
cinnamon
chili powder
cumin
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Cut sweet potato (skin on or off, your choice) into 1" wedges. Spray rimmed baking sheet with a bit of canola oil, place a single layer of sweet potatoes on baking sheet, sprinkle with spices, salt and pepper. Give the baking sheet a shake to distribute everything a bit more evenly. Roast for 10 minutes, turn the wedges over, and roast another 10 minutes. Sweet potatoes should be fork tender, meaning a fork pierces the sweet potatoes easily. Serve warm. 

Like I said, the meal was a total hit. So much so that the sitter asked for the recipe before she went home! Hope your family enjoys this casual Fall dinner as much as mine did.

annual apple crisp making

It's that time of year...

Given that no one wants to hold my hand at cross walks anymore, I am relishing the fact that the Johnson boys are still keen to spread some start-of-the-school-year cheer. May they never been too cool for this happy tradition.

mmm, summer in a dish: apricot-blueberry clafoutis

Have I got a treat for you!!

I recently shared one of my all-time favorite summer desserts, Apricot-Blueberry Clafoutis, with our local market. Click here for the recipe!

This is one of those recipes that looks fancy, but is so, so easy. With just a few ingredients, you make a batter in your blender, pour it over some fresh fruit, pop it in the oven.... and voila! It makes a perfect summer dessert, brunch or potluck recipe. I hope that your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine does!

Avocado-Mango Smoothie

Having just taught a cooking class on "clean eating" to a bunch of friends + full plate blog readers, I am totally inspired to do my own 7-day clean eating gig. I've looked at the calendar, and next week looks as good as any. Check back with me afterwards... I'll be the one with the fabulously glossy hair, clearer skin, stronger nails and perhaps smaller backside. (Whether the smaller bottom is actually the case or not, all that self-care has me feeling like it is the case... which, in a happily cyclical way, makes me want to continue to take care of myself... resulting in a smaller backside. Get it?)

Anyway, this morning I concocted a smoothie worthy of sustaining me through one school meeting, two hours of vigorous tennis, and a grocery marketing run-- and I felt content and energetic. It's one I'll definitely incorporate next week:

Avocado-Mango Smoothie
(makes 4 servings)

1 ripe avocado, cut into chunks
1 banana
1 cup mango, cut into chunks
1/2 cup pineapple chunks (frozen)
3 large handfuls baby kale (about 4 cups)
coconut water, added until desired consistency
juice of 1 lemon

Blend everything until desired consistency. 

after school snack - super green machine smoothies

Our after school activities have picked up... more often than not, my kids get off the school bus, play for a half hour or so, have a snack, and then we're off to an activity.

Lately, I have been making a green smoothie for myself in the morning, then tucking two glasses away for them as part of their after school snack.

I know what you're going to ask.

The answer: One of my kids (in the photo above) will happily try anything I offer up. And each day's smoothie is "really good!". Sometimes it's even, "the best one ever!".  My other child? It's all about an opaque glass, and an appealing (to a Kindergartner) name. And so, with that in mind, here's our latest go-to green smoothie recipe:

Super Green Machine Smoothies

(makes about 4 cups)

1 banana
2 cups fresh pineapple, rough chopped
3-4 ounces organic baby spinach
2 Tablespoons chia seeds
2 Tablespoons organic ground flaxseed meal
enough water (or coconut water) to reach desired consistency
juice of one lemon, optional (cuts the "green" taste)

Place all ingredients into your blender. Serve in a glass, or opaque, cup! 

Note that the chia seeds will make the smoothie thicken, if you're making it ahead... so, you may need to add more liquid and re-blend it right before serving, if it gets too thick for your tastes!

back on track smoothie

back on track smoothie:

frozen organic spinach + banana + pineapple + fresh mint + water

goes perfectly with a morning of decluttering / organizing