Chocolate Cherry Berry Smoothie, Banana Spelt Muffins, Roasted Root Vegetable Soup

Cheryl tried this smoothie recipe and loved it. A healthy alternative to a chocolate shake. This came from Blendtec, the Orem company where Kyle works.

Chocolate Cherry Berry Smoothie 

10 oz. vanilla coconut milk
2 c. spinach leaves
1 banana
2 ½ T. cacao or cocoa powder
¾ c. frozen blueberries
¾ c. frozen cherries

Add ingredients to blender jar in order listed and secure lid. Blend until smooth, then serve.

Note: Use a ripe banana to add a little more natural sweetness to the smoothie. As the banana ripens, the enzyme amylase begins to break down starch which leads to the formation of sucrose, aka table sugar.

Nutrition info per serving:
Servings 2
Serving Size 12 fl oz
Calories 200
Fat 4.5 g
Saturated Fat 4 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 45 mg
Carbohydrates 41 g
Fiber 8 g
Sugar 25 g
Protein 5 g

Cheryl made these Banana Spelt muffins and liked how they turned out.

She added three handfuls of oats to the mix.

Banana Spelt Muffins
1 egg
¼ c. butter or coconut butter, softened
3 ripe bananas
¾ c. granulated sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
1½ c. wholegrain spelt flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
½ t. salt

Preheat oven to 375°F. Add first 5 ingredients to blender jar and secure lid. Press “Pulse” 4-6 times. Add dry ingredients to jar and secure lid. Press “Pulse” 4-6 times until dry ingredients are barely incorporated. Pour batter into a greased muffin tin or a tin lined with paper cups. Bake 15-18 minutes until done.

For a little spice, try adding ¼ teaspoon each of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg.

For a little crunch, try adding ¾ C walnuts to the first addition of ingredients. As the wet ingredients blend and the blender blade mashes the bananas, the walnuts will be chopped.

Note: All-purpose flour may be used in place of wholegrain spelt flour.

Nutrition Info:
Servings 12
Serving Size 1 muffin
Calories 170
Fat 4.5 g
Saturated Fat 2.5 g
Cholesterol 30 mg
Sodium 260 mg
Carbohydrates 29 g
Fiber 2 g
Sugar 16 g
Protein 2 g

by Cheryl, Barbara's daughter

Roasted Root Vegetable Soup 1 celery root, peeled and cubed 1 large parsnip, peeled and thickly sliced 1 large carrot, peeled and thickly sliced 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed 1 medium onion, thickly sliced 4 garlic cloves, peeled 3 T. olive oil 5-6 C chicken or vegetable broth 1 ½ t. white wine vinegar 1/16 t. cayenne pepper Salt and pepper to taste  Preheat oven to 400°F.  Add prepared vegetables, onion and garlic to 9x13-inch pan and drizzle with olive oil.  Toss vegetables in olive oil and bake for 45 minutes until roasted and tender.  Add 3 cups of broth to blender jar and roasted vegetables and secure lid.  Select “Smoothies”.  Pour remaining broth into large saucepan and add pureed soup. Taste and adjust salt as necessary and add black pepper, if desired and serve warm. For a creamy touch, try adding ½ cup of half and half or full-fat coconut milk before serving or garnish with a dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream.  Serve with a sprinkling of paprika, cumin or fresh herbs of your choice. Nutrition info per serving: Servings 9 Serving Size 1 cup Calories 100 Fat 4.5 g Saturated Fat 0.5 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 380 mg Carbohydrates 13 g Fiber 2 g Sugar 4 g Protein 2 g

by Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott