Smoothie...deliciously good for you!

Nearly two years ago I set out to improve my health. For the most part I have made excellent changes, such as; no caffeine...gone are the Diet Cokes, I rarely have a soda, but if I do it is Squirt or Mug root beer. I increased my water consumption to about 12 glasses per day. I eat way more produce and though sugar is a weakness I consume way less than in the past. One simple way I found to increase produce in my diet is by making a smoothie. The ingredients I have chosen are high in anti oxides and high on the ORAC scales. They are nutrient dense foods that fight disease and improve your skin. The Greek yogurt is packed with protein with no fat and good calcium. The flax seed provides Omega-3's and fiber.

Here is what I put in mine:

2 large hand-fulls of organic baby spinach

1 cup strawberries

1 cup blueberries

1/2 - 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 Tbsp ground Flaxseed

a little Stevia for sweetness without carbs and calories

First, I blend the spinach with about 1 cup water. I put the blender on high for just a minute or until the spinach has turned to liquid. The bright green color just screams nutritious!
Next I add everything else. Just dump each ingredient in and cover with the lid. Blend until smooth. You may need to add more water, but I also had several cups of ice to create more volume....I want this to fill me up.

The final product. I usually end up with about 32 ounces.

Since becoming a smoothie drinker I have rarely gotten sick. I might get the beginning signs of a cold or sore throat, but within a couple hours it is gone. I have way more energy and I know I am doing something great for my health.

Homemade Greek Yogurt...beyond easy!!

What you need:
Time (without much effort)
Cheesecloth (about $3, can be purchased at WalMart in the kitchen gadget dept)
Food thermometer (about $7 at WalMart)
A whisk
Large strainer (I have a mesh one)
Large pot
1 gallon of milk (I used skim so there is no fat)
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature (this is where your active culture comes from)

Directions:

1. Pour 1 full gallon of milk into a large pot. Set over medium heat uncovered.

2. Whisk milk frequently to heat evenly and prevent scorching on the bottom.

3. Continue heating until milk comes to 185 degrees. It has to reach this temperature for the process to work.

4. Remove milk from heat and cool down to 110-120 degrees...must be exact!

5. Whisk in 1/3 cup of plain Greek yogurt.

6. Cover pot with tight lid. Wrap it in towels or blanket. The milk must stay warm and undisturbed for the next 10-12 hours.

7. Pour finished yogurt in a strainer lined with cheesecloth and sit it over another large bowl. Place in fridge to drain.

Notes: I warmed a large metal mixing bowl that has a plastic lid and put the milk into that to sit for the 10+hours. Since my house wasn't too warm I warmed up my oven, just enough to take the chill off. I put my bowl of milk in there. The bowl was sitting on top of a towel and then wrapped in a towel. I checked it after 10.25 hours and it was ready. I put it in the strainer and immediately several cups of liquid drained off. After about 30 minutes I had "regular" yogurt...at this point I could have just put it in containers and used it that way. I'm guessing, but I would say the yield on this stage of yogurt was about 8-9 cups. However, I let it drain all night long in the fridge and ended up with the thickest, richest Greek yogurt. The one gallon of skim milk yielded 5.5 cups of Greek yogurt. When I compare prices it becomes a huge savings. The cheapest Greek yogurt I can find is at WalMart and is $4.98 for a four-cup container. With milk on sale here in Arizona frequently at $1.57 per gallon that makes my yogurt $1.16 for four-cups. What a huge savings! I did handwash the cheese cloth and will use again and again. You will need to keep 1/3 cup of this yogurt set aside if you plan to make another batch and do that each time.