Homemade Seasoned Salt

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Homemade Seasoned Salt — this is so much better than any store-bought variety.

I’ve listed the very basic ingredients below, but you can create many variations depending on your particular taste (I included optional ingredients as well).

Give my recipe a try.  I think you’ll like it. 🙂
 

Homemade Seasoned Salt

spice blend

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch (prevents clumping)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground marjoram (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon dill (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

Directions:

  1. Mix all the ingredients together. Store in a resealable plastic container or jar, or place in a salt shaker. This mixture keeps for several weeks.
Posted in SAUCES & SEASONINGS, Spice Blends

Homemade Taco Seasoning

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Homemade Taco Seasoning — it’s better than store-bought!

This recipe makes the equivalent of one packet of commercial taco seasoning mix.  Use it to season ground meat for tacos or as a rub for grilled meat.

Give my recipe a try.  I think you’ll like it. 🙂

 

Homemade Taco Seasoning

spice blend

Ingredients (Version 1):

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon masa harina (corn flour) (or use cornstarch if you don’t have any corn flour)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
  • 1 cube chipotle bouillon (optional, but if you add this, decrease salt to 1/2 teaspoon)

Ingredients (Version 2):

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika (I like using smoked paprika)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Accent (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

  1. Mix all the ingredients together.  Store in a resealable plastic container or jar.  This mixture keeps for several weeks.
  2. To season 1 pound of ground meat, first brown the meat then add the seasoning mix above.  Stir in 3/4 cup of water and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
  3. Omit the cayenne pepper, pepper flakes and/or chipotle bouillon if you don’t want your seasoned meat spicy.
Posted in SAUCES & SEASONINGS, Spice Blends

Green Smoothie Recipes

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Green smoothies are not only nutritious but delicious as well.  Don’t let the color fool you — these can easily turn into purple, orange, pink, or red smoothies as well, depending on the ingredients you add.

Are you turned off by the thought of adding vegetables to your smoothie?  Well, don’t be!  Read my post here about making these nutrition-packed drinks more palatable.

These recipes are very adaptable to the fruits and vegetables you have in season.  Just use your favorite ones and you’ll be good to go.

Leave me a comment below to let me know which of the following recipes are your favorites, or whether you’ve modified them and how they turned out.  I’d love to hear all about it! 🙂

 

All the recipes below are from SimpleGreenSmoothies.com.  My personal addition to each recipe would be to add 2 scoops of protein powder.

 

Blending directions:
1. Use at least one frozen fruit to chill your smoothie.
2. Blend leafy greens and liquid together first (this helps avoid leafy chunks).
3. Once it’s nice and creamy, add remaining ingredients and blend again.

Each recipe below makes 2 servings.

 

Berry Cherry Jubilee
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup pitted cherries
  • 1 cup mixed berries
  • 1 banana

Berry Cherry Jubilee Smoothie

 

Cilantro Limeade
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 lime, peeled
  • 1 banana
  • 1 inch fresh ginger

Cilantro Limeade Smoothie

 

Citrus Crush
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup pineapple
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup grapes

 

Kiwi Tango
  • 2 cups fresh kale, stems removed
  • 2 cups coconut milk, unsweetened
  • 2 kiwis
  • 2 cups strawberries
  • 1 banana

 

Ginger-licious
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 2 cups almond milk, unsweetened
  • 2 bananas
  • ½ inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
  • 2 apples

 

Sweet Jubilee
  • 2 cups fresh kale, stems removed
  • 2 cups almond milk, unsweetened
  • 2 cups grapes
  • 1 apple
  • 1 orange, peeled

 

Tropical Breeze
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 2 cups coconut milk, unsweetened
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • 2 cups pineapple
  • 1 banana

 

Banana C Monster
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 bananas
  • 1 orange, peeled
  • 1 cup strawberries

 

Popeye’s Fruit Punch
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups grapes
  • 1 apple
  • 1 cup strawberries

 

Purple Power
  • 2 cups fresh kale, stems removed
  • 1 cup apple juice, unsweetened
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups blueberries
  • 2 bananas

 

Dino-Machine
  • 2 cups fresh kale, stems removed
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup pineapple
  • 1 cup strawberries

 

Chunky Monkey
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 2 cups almond milk, unsweetened
  • 2 bananas
  • 1 pear
  • 2 tablespoons almond butter
  • 2 tablespoons cacao powder

 

Almond Joy
  • 2 cups fresh kale
  • 2 cups almond milk
  • 1 banana
  • 2 pears, ripe
  • 2 tablespoons coconut flakes
  • 2 tablespoons cacao powder

 

Gorilla Punch
  • 2 cups fresh kale
  • 2 cups almond milk, unsweetened
  • 2 bananas
  • 1 apple
  • 2 tablespoons cacao
  • 2 tablespoons almond butter

 

Banana Berry Blast
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 2 cups almond milk, unsweetened
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 cup raspberries
  • 2 bananas

 

Quick Pick Me Up 
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ cup grapefruit
  • 2 oranges
  • 1 cup pineapple
  • ½ avocado

 

Morning Sunshine
  • 2 cups fresh kale
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 banana
  • 1 orange
  • 1 cup pineapple
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds

 

Shauna’s Sangria
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 pear
  • 1 apple
  • 1 cup strawberries
  • ½ cup grapes

 

Side-by-Side Citrus Breeze

GREEN SIDE:
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup pineapple, frozen
  • ¼ cup mango, frozen
  • ½ banana
  • ½ orange, peeled
YELLOW SIDE:
  • 1 cup water
  • ¾ cup pineapple, frozen
  • ¾ cup mango, frozen
  • ½ banana
  • ½ orange, peeled

 

Creamy Sunrise
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 oranges, peeled
  • 1 banana, frozen
  • ½ avocado
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

 

Jen’s Coconut Twister
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 cup coconut water
  • 2 oranges, peeled
  • 1 cup pineapple, frozen
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds

 

Coconut Dream
  • 2 cups fresh kale, stems removed
  • 2 cups coconut milk, unsweetened
  • 1 cup mango
  • 1 cup pineapple
  • 1 banana
  • 2 tablespoons coconut flakes, unsweetened

 

Peachy Cobbler
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 2 cups almond milk, unsweetened
  • 2 cups peaches
  • 1 apple
  • 1 banana

 

Dreamsicle
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 oranges, peeled
  • 2 bananas
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
  • 2 cups fresh kale, stems removed
  • 2 cups almond milk, unsweetened
  • 2 cups strawberries
  • 2 bananas
  • 3 tablespoons cacao powder

 

Pink Flamingo
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 2 cups almond milk, unsweetened
  • 1 cup strawberries
  • 2 cups mango

 

Emerald Green Smoothie
  • 2 cups spinach, fresh
  • 1⁄4 cup mint
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups green grapes
  • 1 cucumber
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds

 

Kiwi Berry Punch Green Smoothie
  •  2 cups spinach, fresh
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 cup mixed berries
  • 1 banana
  • 1 kiwi
  • 1/2 avocado

 

Coco-Banana Green Smoothie
  • 2 cups kale, fresh
  • 1 cup coconut water
  • 1 orange, peeled
  • 1 green apple
  • 1/2 banana
  • 1/4 cup coconut flakes, unsweetened

 

Southern Swiss
  • 1 cup swiss chard, fresh
  • 2 cups kale, fresh
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup strawberries
  • 1 peach
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil

 

California Dreamin’
  • 3 cups spinach, fresh
  • 2 cups coconut water, unsweetened
  • 2 granny smith apples
  • ½ avocado
  • 2 tablespoons almond butter

 

U-Pick Me Up
  • 2 cups spinach, fresh
  • 1 cup collard greens, fresh
  • 2 cups green tea (brewed and chilled)
  • 1 cup raspberries
  • 1 cup blueberries

 

Razzy Granny
  • 1 ½ cups spinach, fresh
  • 1 ½ cups kale, fresh
  • 2 cups coconut water, unsweetened
  • 1 cup raspberries
  • 1 granny smith apple

 

Tree Fruit
  • 3 cups kale, fresh
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 peach
  • 1 pear
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil

 

Peaches ‘n Cream Popsicle (this one is frozen into a popsicle)
  • 1 ½ cups spinach, fresh
  • ¼ cup coconut milk, unsweetened
  • ½ cup banana, frozen
  • 2 cups peaches, frozen
TIP: Don’t have popsicle molds? You can use an ice cube tray with toothpicks, or small cups with popsicle sticks!

 

Pumpkin Spice
  • 2 cups spinach, fresh
  • 2 cups almond milk, unsweetend
  • 1 cup plain canned pumpkin, unsweetened (or fresh pumpkin)
  • 1 banana, frozen
  • 1 cup mango
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

Pear-Mango Tango
  • 2 cups kale, fresh
  • 2 cups coconut milk, unsweetend
  • 2 pears
  • 1 cup mango, frozen
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds (soaked overnight)

 

Sweet Tang
  • 2 cups kale, fresh
  • 2 cups fresh orange juice (about 6-8 oranges)
  • 2 cups blueberries, frozen
  • 3 kiwis, frozen
  • 3 tablespoons chia seeds (soaked overnight)
*You can juice your oranges and add as your liquid base, or you can also blend your oranges first and then add your kale. If it’s too thick, add a little bit of water. 

 

Cream Machine Bowl
  • 2 cups spinach, fresh
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ avocado
  • ½ cup frozen mango, frozen
  • ½ cup frozen banana, frozen
Serve in a bowl with fresh berries. You will need a spoon for this bowl of green smoothie thickness!

 

Orange Jewels
  • 2 cups spinach, fresh
  • 1 ½ cups almond milk, unsweetened
  • 1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 banana
  • 2 oranges, peeled
  • 1 cup pineapple
  • 2 teaspoons spirulina, optional

 

Fallin’ for Apples
  • 2 cups spinach, fresh
  • 1 ½ cups almond milk, unsweetened
  • 2 apples
  • 1 pear
  • 1 banana
  • 2 teaspoons probiotics, optional

 

Great Ginger Zinger
  • 2 cups kale, fresh
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • ½ inch piece ginger, peeled
  • 2 oranges
  • 2 pears
  • ½ avocado

 

Berry Cold Fighter
  • 2 cups kale, fresh
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup pineapple
  • 2 cups mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries and raspberries)
  • 2 teaspoons elderberry extract, optional

 

Basil Orange Blast
  • 2 cups spinach, fresh
  • 2 cups almond milk, unsweetened
  • ¼ cup basil
  • 2 oranges
  • 1 pear
  • 1 cup grapes

 

Zingy Green Skin Cleanser Green Smoothie
  • 1 1⁄2 cups kale, fresh
  • 1 cup coconut water
  • 1⁄2 cup cucumber
  • 1 cup pineapple
  • 1⁄2 avocado
  • 1 green apple, cored
  • 1⁄2 inch fresh ginger, peeled

 

Watermelon Splash
  • 2 cups spinach, fresh
  • 3 cups watermelon
  • 1 nectarine
  • 1 apple
  • 1 banana

 

Cantaloupe & Coconut Cream
  •  2 cups spinach, fresh
  • 1 cup coconut milk, unsweetened
  • 8 ice cubes
  • 1 whole cantaloupe, rind removed
  • 1 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, unrefined

 

Melon Mixer
  • 1 cup spinach, fresh
  • 1 cup kale, fresh
  • 1 cup coconut water
  • 1 cup watermelon
  • 1 cup honeydew
  • 1 cup cantaloupe

 

Skin Refresher
  • 2 cups kale, fresh
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 cups watermelon
  • 1 cup cucumber
  • ½ cup mint
  • 1 lime, squeezed

 

The Summer Green Cooler (by Joy Widgeon)
  •  2 cups spinach, fresh
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 ½ cups watermelon
  • 1 cantaloupe
  • 1 banana
  • 1 mango
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds

 

Plum & Apricot
  • 2 cups kale, fresh
  • 2 cups coconut water
  • 2 plums
  • 2 apricots
  • 1 banana

 

The Peachy Keen
  •  1 cup spinach, fresh
  • 1 cup kale, fresh
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 peaches
  • 2″ ginger, fresh

 

Honey-Kissed Nectarines
  • 2 cups spinach, fresh
  • 2 cups coconut water
  • 2 nectarines
  • ½ honeydew melon

 

A Sweet Date
  • 2 cups spinach, fresh
  • 2 cups almond milk, unsweetened
  • 2 cups cherries, pitted
  • 2 dates

 

Apricot Ginger Bliss
  • 2 cups spinach, fresh
  • 2 cups almond milk, unsweetened
  • 6 apricots, pitted
  • 1 banana
    1″ ginger, fresh

 

Citrus Breeze
  • 2 cups spinach, fresh
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • ½ cup mango
  • ½ cup pineapple
  • 2 naval oranges, peeled
  • 1 banana

 

Kale + Kiwi Lime
  • 2 cups kale, fresh
  • 2 cups coconut water
  • 2 kiwi
  • 1 lime, peeled
  • 1 avocado

 

Lava Guava
  • 2 cups kale, fresh
  • 2 cups orange juice, fresh squeezed
  • 2 guava, peeled
  • 1 cup mango
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil

 

Pina Colada
  • 2 cups spinach, fresh
  • 1 ½ cups almond milk, unsweetened
  • ½ cup coconut water
  • 3 cups pineapple
  • 2 tablespoons coconut flakes, unsweetened

 

Spinach Papaya Smoothie
  • 2 cups spinach, fresh
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 ½ cups papaya
  • 1 banana
Posted in BEVERAGES, HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES, Healthy Alternatives ~ Recipes, Smoothies

The Green Smoothie Secret

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It seems like drinking Green Smoothies or Shakes are all the rage these days.

I must admit, I’ve hopped on that bandwagon, and I don’t regret it one bit.

There are some green vegetables that I just don’t like adding to my smoothies, however.  Among them are romaine lettuce (or any kind of lettuce) or bitter greens.  I have to get used to the taste of raw kale, but I found that if I remove the stems from the kale leaves, it’s more palatable.

My absolute favorite green vegetable to add to smoothies are fresh baby spinach leaves.  Add about two handfuls to your smoothie.  You can’t really taste it, in my opinion.

To kick up the nutrition content of your smoothie, try adding protein powder, some fruit — not too much fruit, though, because of all the natural sugar it contains — and unsweetened almond milk.

 

Here are some general guidelines for making nutritious and delicious green smoothies.

Blend together:

  • 2 handfuls of leafy greens
  • 1 frozen fruit
  • 1 cup liquid (see tips below)
  • 1 scoop protein powder
  • Optional: 1/2 cup ice cubes

Here are a few great tips:

  1. FREEZE your fruits to make thick, cold, slushy smoothies.  You don’t have to add ice (which will eventually dilute your smoothie).
  2. Make smoothie packets ahead of time.  Place all of your ingredients (minus the liquid) into a freezer-safe zip-lock bag and freeze.  Take out the bag and mix it up when you’re ready.
  3. Use any number of liquids — almond milk, soy milk, low/non-fat milk, and one of my favorites — coconut water.  Unsweetened black coffee is also good with a combo of cocoa nibs and frozen bananas.
  4.  To avoid bloating, try not to eat anything 30 minutes before and after you drink your green smoothie. 
  5.  Make a green smoothie a meal by adding protein powder and a “good fat” such as avocado or coconut oil.

 

Give it a try.  I think you’ll be surprised at how good a green smoothie tastes. 🙂

Click here for some tasty green smoothie recipes from SimpleGreenSmoothies.com.

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Posted in Healthy Eating Tips

Mandarin Delight Pie

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I first tried this pie years and years ago, when one of my sisters made it for our family.  It’s since been one of our favorite desserts.  It’s quick and easy to make; in fact, if you’re looking for something delicious to make for dessert, add this to your menu.   It’s a delicious dessert to take to potlucks too!

For a low-calorie / lightened version of this recipe, use a low-fat crust, fat-free cream cheese, low-fat or fat-free sour cream, lite Cool Whip, sugar-free pudding mix, and mandarin oranges packed in juice instead of syrup.

Give my recipe a try.  I think you’ll like it. 🙂

Mandarin Delight Pie

Mandarin Pie - 13

Ingredients:

  • 1 graham cracker pie crust
  • 1 package (8‑oz) cream cheese
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 small tub (8‑oz) of Cool Whip
  • 1 small (3.4 oz) packages of French Vanilla instant pudding mix
  • 2 cans (15‑oz) mandarin oranges (reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid; drain the rest)

Directions:

1.  Heat your oven to 250 degrees. Place the graham cracker crust into the COLD oven, at the same time you turn it on to pre-heat.  (In the time it takes to pre-heat your oven, the crust is toasting.)  Once the oven reaches 250 degrees, take the crust out of the oven.  You should smell the toasting crust by this time– when you start to smell the crust as it bakes, it’s probably ready to take out of the oven. Remove the crust from the oven.  Let the pie crust cool completely before adding the filling.

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2.  In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy.

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3.  Mix in the sour cream.

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4.  Mix in the cool whip.

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5.  Add the instant pudding and 1/2 cup reserved mandarin juice to the cream cheese mixture.  Mix well, or just until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

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5. Spread half of the cream cheese filling into the pie crust.  It should just come halfway up the side of the crust.  Layer one can of mandarin over the filling.

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6.  Gently spread the remaining filling over the mandarin.  Layer the second can of mandarin over the top of the filling.

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7.  Refrigerate the pie for at least 30 minutes to allow the filling to set.  Slice, serve, and ENJOY!

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Try my recipe for Blueberry Cheesecake too! 🙂

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Posted in DESSERTS, Healthy Alternatives ~ Recipes, Pies tagged with
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