Super Smoothy

My sister gave me this idea, and I tried it today. It is really good, and full of health benefits.

Ingredients: (serves one)

• 1 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries (or any fruit of equal quantity)
• 1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 1/3 cup of organic yogurt
• 2-3 cups greens, such as spinach or romain
• 1-2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup (or any sweetener such as stevia, honey, or just leave this out)

Prep: Put all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Note: I actually didn't measure anything when I made this. You can pretty much tweek it to use what you have on hand, and use the above as guidlines.

Health benefits: Blueberries are an excellent source of antioxidants and fiber, the flaxseed adds Omega-3 fats and fiber, the yogurt adds protein and probiotics (good bacteria), and the greens are for enzymes, antioxidants, and minerals. I used maple syrup because 1)I had it on hand, and 2)it is a good source of mineral. It is also sweet, and I have a sweet tooth!

Mediterranean Feta Dip

I have never made this recipe (yet), but my sister absolutely raves about it.

Mediterranean Feta Dip

Ingredients:
· 1 ½ cups feta cheese crumbles, plain or with Mediterranean herbs
· ½ cup whole milk
· ½ cup toasted walnut pieces
· 3-4 sprigs fresh oregano leaves, stripped from stems
· 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
· 1 teaspoon lemon juice
· 1 teaspoon hot sauce
· 1 roasted red pepper, chopped, for garnish
· ½ cup kalamata olives, chopped, for garnish
· Sliced seedless cucumbers, for dipping
· Crispy flat breads such as lavash, for dipping

Preparation:
In a food processor, combine feta cheese, milk, walnuts, oregano, pepper, lemon juice and hot sauce until smooth and creamy. Garnish and serve with cucumbers and/or bread.

Stevia

Stevia is an herb, used for many years before its entry into the American market as a sweetener and herbal supplement. It is all natural, has no calories, and comes in a variety of forms. But for some strange reason the FDA did not approve it as a sweetener, so while it is allowed to be marketed and sold in the US, it must be labeled as a supplement. If you look closely at the packaging you will notice that nowhere does it say anything about its ability to sweeten anything, although that is the primary purpose people buy it for.

In its concentrated form, 1/3 of a teaspoon of stevia equals one cup of sugar. But don't be fooled. Stevia is tricky to bake with, and if you are so restricted in your diet that you can't even use pure maple syrup or something similar, you probably shouldn't be eating baked products anyway.

My favorite use for stevia is in tea or coffee, yogurt, smoothies, or on top of oatmeal. You can get it in packets, much like Splenda, concentrated powder, or liquid. The liquid form is my favorite, and you can get flavors; the best one is dark chocolate. The best place I have found to buy Stevia is http://www.azurestandard.com, and the best brand is Sweet Leaf. They have the best prices and good selection.

There are also a number of stevia cook books and recipes online, but I cannot think of any names off hand. I will have to do that later.

Be adventurous-try using stevia in your tea instead of sugar next time.