Tropical Morning Smoothie

My garden and yards are growing. I love as spring runs into summer, and the plants start filling out. And I know what will most likely make it, and what probably isn’t doing so hot. My sunflowers though are looking great!

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Our bee baths got even prettier. Walker and I added glass stones, the kind sold for using in vases, to them for a color pop. A tube that was about $5 was enough for all 3 baths. The baths must be working, I am seeing so many more butterflies as well in the gardens. Anything to help my friends!

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Walker enjoying his seat in the back yard. I find it funny/sad that after years of claiming I wouldn’t./…I planted a row of roses along this fence. But I realized…the one thing we left after buying the house on this side was a rose-bush. I needed plants that wouldn’t get “big” and were attractive yet could be mostly ignored. And yeah…roses filled the bill. Just seems like an old-person hobby. Kirk snickers and mentions how I must be getting old ;-) And how my getting garden clogs cinched that deal as well…..

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But onto the recipe for today – a smoothie for breakfast or anytime you want to sit and feel cheery. Especially if you have a yard to sit in and be mellow….

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I have included both vegetarian and vegan versions:

Tropical Morning Smoothie

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup milk (cow or unsweetened non-dairy, such as coconut)
  • 1 6 ounce carton vanilla yogurt (cow or coconut)
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1/3 cup frozen pineapple
  • 1/3 cup frozen mango
  • 1/3 cup frozen papaya
  • 2 Tbsp roasted coconut chips (or natural shredded coconut)
  • 2 Tbsp sunflower butter (or favorite nut/seed butter)

Directions:

Add ingredients to a high-speed blender (such as a Vitamix). Blend on high until smooth, tamping as needed.

Makes 2 drinks, each about 12 ounces. Serve immediately, with wide straws.

~Sarah

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Buckwheat Shortbread Cookies

Shortbread cookies might be fattening, but they are pretty easy to make and who can resist a crunchy, buttery cookie? This takes a simple concept and gives it the deep flavor/color of buckwheat flour along with a sprinkling of chocolate.

Buckwheat

Buckwheat Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup Buckwheat Flour
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 sticks Earth Balance Buttery Stick (or 2 sticks butter), room temperature
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Whisk flours and salt together in a small bowl, set aside.

Add buttery stick (or butter) and sugar to a large mixing bowl, beat on medium-high speed of a hand mixer for about 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Reduce to lowest setting, add in flour mixture. Beat on low until combined (it will be crumbly). Add in vanilla extract and chocolate, beta on medium until dough comes together.

Knock out on a work surface, knead dough gently a few times till smooth.

Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper, transfer dough onto it. Roll out to about 12″ long with hands, wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to a day.

Preheat oven to 325°, place oven racks in top and bottom third positions. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Slice cookies about ¼” thick, placing half on each baking sheet.

Bake for 8 minutes, switch trays positions, bake for another 7 to 10 minutes (for 15 to 18 minutes total). Let cool, the cookies get crisp upon cooling.

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage, shortbread cookies taste great frozen I might add…..

Makes about 40 cookies.

~Sarah

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Sunflower Chocolate Chip ‘Ice Cream’

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With our heat wave finally receding I had a lot of bananas ripening too fast on the counter. Whenever this happens I peel, slice and freeze them for latter, since I often add them to my morning frappes. My mind was wandering a bit and I went back into my blog archives for the banana […]

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