A delicious and healthy strawberry smoothie with spinach!

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients: 

1 cup milk
1 large handful of fresh spinach leaves (about 3oz.)
1 tablespoon sugar or xylitol (optional)*
1 small banana (optional)**
6-8 frozen strawberries
Whipped cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions: 

1. Whirl milk, spinach, and sweetener in blender on high until foamy and green.

2. Add banana if using; whirl until smooth.

3. Turn blender on high and add frozen strawberries, one at a time, until smoothie reaches desired thickness.

4. Pour smoothies into glasses. For a luxurious treat, add a dollop of whipped cream and stir before serving!

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A quick ice-cold homemade strawberry drink!
Yield: 

1 serving
Ingredients: 

1/2 cup hot water (140 degrees or hotter)
1-2 tablespoons sugar, xylitol, or sweetener of your choice
a pinch of citric acid*
Frozen strawberries**
Instructions: 

1. Place hot water in blender, along with sugar and citric acid.

2. Turn on blender and add frozen strawberries one at a time until a slushie consistency is reached. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A cool and creamy mocha frappuccino that takes just minutes to make! Includes instructions for a dry mix (just add milk)!
Yield: 

1 large serving (2 1/2 cups)
Ingredients: 

2 cups milk*
2 tablespoons Dutch process baking cocoa (unsweetened)**
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons sugar or other sweetener (we use granulated xylitol)
Optional ingredients: See additional notes below
Instructions: 

1. Pour milk in a blender.

2. Add remaining ingredients and blend first on low and then on high
for 1-2 minutes, until ingredients look uniform and combined. (A longer
blending time will make a more frothy drink.)

3. Pour into a glass and serve!

Using 2 cups of milk will make about 2.5-3 cups of frappuccino after
blending. Since it uses baking cocoa, the cocoa does tend to fall to the
bottom of the drink after a bit. We use a straw to stir/drink.

You can also make this ahead and store in the fridge in a bottle/jar with a lid. Shake briefly before drinking. 🙂

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A pre-made dry mix for hot cocoa; just add hot water and enjoy!
Yield: 

15 servings
Ingredients: 

2 cups nonfat dry milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1/2 cup dry non-dairy creamer*
dash of salt
Instructions: 

1. Combine all ingredients and stir well to mix. Store in an airtight container.

To serve, add 1/4 cup of mix to 8 ounces of hot water, adjusting to taste. Stir and enjoy!
Additional Notes: 

*The non-dairy creamer is optional, though I prefer some kind of creamer added; so if you leave it out, consider adding a splash of heavy cream to your hot cocoa before drinking! 😉

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipe.

A spicy fragrant homemade chai tea
Yield: 

4 servings
Ingredients: 

1-2 cinnamon sticks (3-4 inches long), broken
1 teaspoon whole cloves, crushed
1/2-1 teaspoon cardamom seeds, crushed (or 2 teaspoons green cardamom pods, crushed)
8-10 whole allspice berries, crushed
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
1/2-1 teaspoon ground ginger*
4 cups water
1 tablespoon loose leaf black tea
1/4 cup heavy cream (or milk to taste)**
Honey or brown sugar, to taste

Instructions: 

1. Combine spices and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and stir in the tea leaves. Allow to brew for 3-5 minutes.

3. Strain tea into cups or a tea pot. (If using a tea pot, pre-heat
the pot with boiling water first.) I use a fine mesh strainer to
strain.***

4. Add cream and sweetener to taste. I prefer dark brown sugar and heavy cream in my chai, but you can use any sweetener you like, and substitute milk or half and half for the cream.

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A quick, easy, and frugal sparkling grape juice (or whatever flavor you wish), made from 100% juice concentrate and club soda!
Yield: 

60 ounces
Ingredients: 

2 liters club soda (carbonated water), chilled
12 ounces frozen grape juice concentrate (or other fruit juice concentrate)
Instructions: 

1.
Pour frozen juice concentrate into a 2-quart pitcher. Refill the can
from the concentrate 4 times with club soda (48 ounces, or 6 cups of
club soda) and pour into the pitcher. Stir.

Serve cold and enjoy your delicious sparkling juice!

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A spicy, sweet, and creamy chai tea latte you can make at home that tastes almost exactly like Starbucks chai tea lattes!
Yield: 

12 ounces
Ingredients: 

10 ounces boiling water
2 teabags of Celestial Seasonings India Spice Chai tea
1 tablespoon “Sugar in the Raw” or organic sugar*
3 tablespoons real whipped cream** Instructions: 

1. In a large mug (14 ounces), place the 2 tea bags and boiling water. Steep 3-5 minutes, squeeze out tea bags, and discard teabags. Stir in the sugar until dissolved. Add whipped cream and stir. Enjoy hot!

A creamy orange smoothie with milk and a hint of vanilla
Yield: 

2 servings
Ingredients: 

3 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup milk*
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 banana, optional
6 regular-sized ice cubes (or until desired consistency)
Instructions: 

1. Blend together orange juice concentrate, milk, water, sugar, vanilla, and banana (if using) for 1 minute.

2. Add ice cubes to blender, one at a time, blending after each one until smooth. You don’t want chunks of ice in your orange julius! 🙂

Potato wedges tossed with seasonings and oil and baked
Yield: 

4-6 servings
Ingredients: 

6-8 medium potatoes
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons chili powder

Optional ingredients:

cayenne pepper
chives
dried parsley
grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions: 

1. Scrub potatoes and rinse under cold water. Pat dry.

2. Cut potatoes into wedges or thin steak fries (about 6-8 wedges per potato).

3. Using a large mixing bowl, toss potatoes in oil. Or, put oil and
potato wedges in a gallon-sized ziplock bag, seal, and shake to coat.
(Or, use a large bowl with a tight-fitting lid, and shake to coat.)

4. In a small bowl, mix dry ingredients thoroughly. Pour over
potatoes and toss to coat. Or, add seasonings to bag, seal, and shake to
coat.

5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread potatoes in a single layer on an ungreased non-stick* baking sheet.

6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until potatoes test done with a fork. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.

A thick swirled cheesecake with rich chocolate and creamy vanilla
Yield: 

16 servings
Ingredients: 

Crust Ingredients:

1 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar

Cheesecake Ingredients:

6 ounces semisweet (53% or 62%) chocolate, coarsely chopped (or chips)
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 eggs, at room temperature
8 ounces sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions: 

1.
Combine crust ingredients and press into the bottom of a greased*
8-inch springform pan.** Wrap the outside of the springform pan with
aluminum foil to make it water-proof. Set foil-wrapped pan inside a
large roasting pan.

2. Start making the cheesecake filling by first melting the chocolate
in a double boiler or in the microwave (1 minute on HI). When melted,
stir until smooth. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, stir cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch until
creamy. (An electric mixer on low speed can be used, but it tends to
incorporate air into the batter which increases the risk of cracking on
top after or during baking.) Add eggs one at a time, stirring gently
after each addition. Blend in the sour cream and vanilla, scraping the
sides of the bowl as needed.

4. Add 3 cups of the cheesecake mixture to the melted chocolate and
stir until smooth. Dollop both kinds of batter over prepared crust.
Using a knife, gently swirl batters together until marbelized, being
careful not to over-mix.

5. Transfer to an oven which has been preheated to 325 degrees. Pour
hot water into the roasting pan, to come halfway up the side of the
springform pan.***

6. Bake at 325 degrees for 70 minutes, or until set. Remove cheesecake from water and remove foil. Loosen the sides of the springform and cool cake on a wire rack. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 6 hours or overnight before serving. When cutting cheesecake, use a sharp knife and wash knife between cutting each slice.

This recipe is from Tammy’s Recipes.