Orange Julius {With Kefir}

Temperatures are cooling and the sick season is upon us. I've been trying to be vigilant about giving myself and my kids kefir every day to help them fight off the germs that they are surrounded with. This is one of our favorite ways to get our daily dose of kefir.

This Orange Julius is so easy to make and so yummy. We love to have it for breakfast, but it works with any meal or as a snack. The Orange Julius in my pictures might look a little more frozen then yours will turn out if you follow my recipe. I actually made it for my kids for breakfast that morning and didn't have time to snap any pictures so I stuck it in the freezer for about a half hour before I took the pictures. It crystallized just a little and turned out really yummy. Kind of like a frosty.

If you don't have kefir milk and still want to make this recipe, you can substitute regular milk. It will work great. Make sure you read up on kefir though. It's really good for you. We use the kefir to make sure we get all the wonderful probiotics (especially this time of year) that our bodies need.

Orange Julius {With Kefir}
Printable Recipe

*Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups kefir milk
1 Cup orange juice (freshly squeezed is really yummy, but any kind will work great)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 Cup honey
2 Cup ice cubes

DIRECTIONS:
Combine kefir milk, orange juice, vanilla and honey in blender and blend for about a minute until honey is dissolved. Add ice cubes and blend until frothy. Serve immediately.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Fresh Mango Slushie

I don't think I've told you of my new obsession with mangoes lately, have I? Oh my. They've become the thing around here lately. They are pretty much my lifeline to happiness. Just ask my family. I don't know why. Maybe it's because my husband took off on a business trip to Samoa last month and I didn't get to go. But ever since I've been dreaming of sitting on a beautiful beach sipping coconuts and eating fresh mangoes. Not really, but it sounds nice, right?

Well the other day I had this grand idea that I could great the perfect mango slushie much like this strawberry slushie of yesteryear. Don't you love that word yesteryear? It sounds like I've popped out of the 1800's or something. Well anyway, I've been just dying to experiment with it and guess what? You're in luck because I finally did. Summer has hit and it's been warm (I can't say hot because I know July will hit and I'll eat my words). This slushie is so cool and refreshing. And yes it has no processed sugar. Yay for healthy summer treats! The mint leaves are the secret ingredient. You can leave them out if you absolutely have to, but oh my, they add just the right amount of freshness. They take this slushie a step up from amazing to superb.

So maybe I can't go to Samoa and sip coconuts and eat fresh mangoes, but now I can definitely make a mango slushie and sip it under a shade tree while watching the kids frolicking peacefully in the sunshine. Sounds dreamy right? If only, if only... Happy Summer!

Fresh Mango Slushie
Printable Recipe

*Makes about 4 1-cup servings

INGREDIENTS:
Juice of 1 medium lemon or 2 small limes (fresh is best, I like the lemon slightly better)
1/4 Cup honey or Xagave
2 large mangoes, peeled and seeded
4-5 fresh mint leaves, plus more to garnish
2-3 Cups ice

DIRECTIONS:
Add lemon or lime juice, honey or Xagave, mangoes, and mint leaves to blender and blend until pureed. Then add the ice and blend until mixture reaches a "slushie" consistency. Add more ice if needed to reach desired consistency. Then taste and add more sweetener if needed. Serve immediately.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Refreshing Pineapple-Basil-ade

Are you loving summer? Keeping cool enough? Brandon has been going crazing with making green, refreshing drinks this summer. He's experimented with tons of different combinations that are so good! Unfortunately, he's known for not following a recipe and not writing down his recipes, so most of the time I can't replicate them...but...yesterday I followed him around while he made this one. I wrote down the ingredients so I could share it for you to enjoy too! YUM! It is definitely a winner. I'm calling it Pineapple-Basil-ade! Enjoy!

Pineapple-Basil-ade
Printable Recipe

*Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups Water
1/8 Cup fresh basil (must be fresh!)
1-1/2 tsp. fresh ginger root, chopped
1 20-oz. can of undrained pineapple (any style) *see note
1/4 - 1/2 Cup white sugar, to taste (or use alternative sweetener)
2 Cups ice

*Note: If you want to give yourself an even better treat, use 1/2 of a fresh pineapple, peeled and roughly chopped, plus the pineapple core.  

DIRECTIONS:
In a large, high-powered blender, combine the water, basil, fresh ginger root and pineapple and blend well. Add the white sugar (or alternative sweetener) to taste and puree well. Add the ice and blend for a couple of minutes until smooth and frothy. Serve immediately and enjoy immensely!

Variation:
If you add a handful of spinach or chard in the blender first and blend it up with the first ingredients, it adds nutrition, doesn't compromise flavor, makes it a little greener, and it's REALLY good!