Peanut Butter Banana Smoothies

Smoothies are one of my favorite treats. They are definitely my favorite way to get my fruit serving. Yes, there is sugar (blah blah blah) but what better way to get your vitamins while getting a treat at the same time!? This treat is like cheating the system!

Ingredients:
2 cups milk (or milk substitute; almond milk tastes pretty good in this recipe)
1 banana
3-4 Tbsp sugar (less if your milk substitute is sweetened (I used my homemade vanilla sugar for more flavor))
3 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp chocolate syrup
dash of cinnamon
3 cups ice

Put all of the ingredients in a blender that can handle ice like nobody's business (we have a Vita-Mix and it is a beast). Blend on high until the mixture is smooth and the ice is very fine. Wah-lah! A delicious smoothie that you didn't have to spend 5 dollars on and you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home.  It makes about 2-3 servings.

Tip: This smoothie freezes very well. If you want to save it for later, put it in the freezer immediately. Or if you have a popsicle mold, poor the mixture into it and let it freeze over night. Now you have several treats for later!

Sausage Soup

So I have had a few requests for this recipe. It is much like the last soup recipe, but with some differences. There are many, many varieties of soup you can make with this soup base. All of the ingredients listed are measured in approximation. Feel free to add more of, or less of according to your own tastes. I came up with this one, again, by what I had available to me last Sunday afternoon.

Ingregients:
1 lb of ground sausages, turkey or pork, the hot flavor
4-5 small red potatoes, or 2-3 large, diced
3-4 carrots, sliced
1/2-1 white or yellow onion, diced
1/4 head of cabbage
1/2 Tbsp chicken bouillon
1-2 Tbsp basil
A dash of rosemary
A dash of thyme
A dash of sage
Dash of oregano
salt and pepper to taste
As always, I like to turn up the spice a bit with crushed peppers
2 scalllions, chopped
1 cup frozen french green beans (I cut them in half first)
1 can of corn
1-2 cups of heavy whipping cream
thickening agent (I used the flour and water method, 3Tbsp flour)

Fill a gallon size pot about half full of water and put on the stove on high. While its heating up you can add the potatoes, carrots, half of the chopped onion, cabbage, and all of the spices and herbs and bouillon. While that is coming to a boil, brown the sausage in a separate pan with the rest of the onion.  Once the soup has come to a boil and the veggies are tender, add everything else including the browned sausage and bring it back to a boil. Once the soup is thickened, serve!