Summer Lemon - Berry Smoothie Recipe

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon this lemon-berry smoothie recipe as a result of getting creative with ideas for using lemons.  In my first Bountiful Basket I ended up with four or five large lemons.  Now I LOVE lemon water but that need would be fulfilled with one of my lemons.  I also love all things lemon.  Lemon Cake, Lemon Meringue Pie, Lemon Squares, Lemon Fluff, Lemon Cookies... you get the idea.  However most of those recipes call for a lot of refined sugar, butter, and other unhealthy ingredients.  At the time I was in search for more healthy ways in which I could use my excess fruit.  This lemon-berry smoothie recipe was the product of that brainstorm.

Summer Lemon-Berry Smoothie  

Ingredients: (Makes enough for 2-3 people)

1/2 - 3/4 cup raspberries (frozen or fresh)
1 cup strawberries (frozen or fresh)
1/2 of a lemon
1/2 of an apple
1/4 of a cucumber (optional)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
4-5 large ice cubes

I cut my pieces of apple and cucumber into smaller portions because my blender is not too high tech and sometimes struggles.  However, the instructions are simple.  Place all your ingredients in the blender, mix, and serve.

The health benefits of lemons are extraordinary.  In a quick online search I found these claims:  Lemons help to boost the immune system and fight off bacteria including those that cause acne and canker sores.  They also help fight off infections such as the common cold and flu.  Lemons are a digestive aid and cleanse your body of toxins and encourage easier bowel movements.  Even just the smell of lemon can help with anxiety and dizziness.  While lemons contain citric acid they are actually alkalizing to the body.  Some believe that some diseases including cancer thrive on acid.  Therefore it is thought that perhaps lemon can help regulate the pH levels in our body.

Add the other fruits and veggie to the equation and you have one refreshing drink that is great for your skin, bones, and you overall health.  It certainly hit the spot on a warm summer night.

What is your favorite smoothie recipe?

Patriotic Wreath Tutorial

No shock the inspiration for this wreath tutorial came from Pinterest.  How did we ever live before this wonderful site? A few months back I had come across a wreath tutorial using striped straws only it was for a Christmas wreath.  As soon as I saw the straws I immediately thought of fireworks and knew I wanted to create a wreath using this method but for the Fourth of July.

Supplies Needed:

- 1 foam wreath form (you need one with a flat front, I found mine at the dollar store)
- Yarn or Fabric to wrap around the wreath form
- Muslin Strip to hang the wreath
- Approximately 70 striped straws (I ordered mine from Amazon)
- 3 stars of various sizes (Michaels)
- Blue and Silver Glitter Paint
- Hot Glue

Step 1:  Wrap your wreath form in yarn or fabric.  You'll notice I used leftover yarn from my summer wreath.  This part is what took the longest.

Step 2:  Cut approximately 1 inch off half of your straws.  I would have a few extra of each size so about 35-40 straws in each size.

Step 3:  Glue your muslin strip to your wreath form, glue the front and back.  I did this because I ended up gluing my straws on top of the muslin.  Make sure you measure the muslin strip to make sure the wreath hangs at the right length.  

Step 4:  Glue your striped straws around your wreath form alternating between your two sizes.  You want the ends to touch at the center of the form.  A flat front wreath form is ideal because it gives you more surface in which to glue your straws to.  

Step 5:  Paint your stars and glue them onto the top of the straws.

That's it.  It's an easy wreath tutorial and can be done in an hour or two depending on how long it takes you to wrap your form.  The straws give the wreath a fun texture and shape, something a little different than most other wreaths.  It's patriotic and can be used for Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July, and even Labor Day.

I'm really excited with how it turned out.  How do you decorate for any of these holidays?  What tutorials  have you found or created?

Tasty BBQ Salmon Marinade

We have a salmon dinner on a fairly regular basis in our house.  One day last year I decided I was tired of the same old recipe and decided to get a little creative, the product is my new favorite BBQ Salmon Marinade.  The first time I attempted this BBQ Salmon Marinade my husband thought I had lost my marbles, "You want to put WHAT together?"  Hence the reason I usually try to cook when he isn't looking:)  It's easier to try new things and yes sometimes even slip in a healthy substitute here and there.  Shh don't tell him.  This recipe is perfect for a summer BBQ or even just cooking it in the oven.  

The first step is cut up some vegetable of your choice.  This will usually depend on what is on sale that particular week and I've stocked up on.  At minimum I usually always use zucchini but we love zucchini in this family.  Above is pictured; zucchini, yellow squash, sweet onion, and orange bell pepper.  Set your cut up vegetable aside as we work on the marinade.

BBQ Salmon Marinade Ingredients (Per Fillet):
     - Aluminum Foil    
     - Lemon Juice
     - Dried Minced Onion
     - 2 Teaspoons BBQ Sauce
     - 1-2 Teaspoons Italian Salad Dressing
     - Lemon Pepper
     - Montreal Steak Seasoning

*If you are cooking this in the oven preheat your oven to 375 degrees. *

Step 1:  Tear off  a piece of aluminum foil big enough for your fillet and vegetables.  Sprinkle lemon juice on the bottom of the foil.  Next sprinkle your dried minced onion on the bottom in the same fashion.  These ingredients will help season the fillet as well as your vegetables so don't be too shy.

Step 2:  Place your fillet in the center of your foil (if you are using frozen salmon make sure to thaw it first).  Place 1 teaspoon of your favorite BBQ sauce and use a brush to spread it across the top and sides.  Repeat this process with 1 teaspoon of Italian salad dressing.

Step 3:  Sprinkle lemon pepper and the Montreal Steak Seasoning on top.  You can use the photo above to judge approximately how much I used; not too  little, not too much.

Step 4: (Optional)  Flip your fillet over and repeat steps 2 and 3.  I don't always use the second teaspoon of Italian dressing for the other side.  One is usually enough for my taste.  Thus for this side I use the BBQ sauce, lemon pepper, and Montreal Steak Seasoning.

Step 5:  Place your vegetables on both sides of your fillet.  The more you use, the longer your cook time will be.  Wrap up your fillet and veggies with your foil.  It should look like a foil packet.  If you wish, you can let the marinade set for a few hours in the fridge but you don't have to.

Step 6:  Throw it on the BBQ for 15- 25 minutes or place it in the oven for 25-35 minutes.  Make sure it is cooked all the way through before eating it.    

I like to serve this meal with rice.  If I'm cooking it on the BBQ I might also throw on some pineapple kabobs.  Overall it is a pretty healthy meal and the taste is AMAZING.  Like I said, the husband thought I was going crazy when he first saw me assemble this BBQ salmon marinade.  That lasted until he took his first bite.  It was love at first bite!

There have been times when I went to make this BBQ salmon marinade and didn't have Italian dressing.  Thus you can try substituting it with  different dressings such as a balsamic vinaigrette or Catalina dressing.  The amount is so small that it won't throw off you health points too much:)

Who's ready for summer?  What is your favorite salmon dinner recipe?

Summer Yarn Wreath

I did it, I made my first yarn wreath!  I think this is my first wreath period and I love how it turned out.  Honestly the hardest part was trying to decide on colors.  Do I make it match my interior?  Do I use the same style?  Do I go completely different?  Do I make it seasonal?  So many questions.  Ultimately though the lack of color choice for the felt flowers helped me make a final decision.  While the colors in my house are a little more subdued I think that I was able to mix my overall design style with fun summer colors to make the perfect outdoor yarn wreath.

Supplies:
1 skein of yarn
1 foam wreath
3 pieces of dark purple felt
3 pieces of yellow felt
1 piece of lt grey felt
1 piece of dk grey felt
1 piece of medium purple felt
1 piece of lt purple felt
1 piece of linen for a tie
Glue gun

I wanted a yarn that had some texture so that it didn't have the "yarn" look as I wrapped it around the wreath (I know it's kind of ironic since I was making a yarn wreath).  What can I say... sometimes I don't understand my own thought process.  I found this neutral color as JoAnns.  It's Lion Brand and the color is Pearls.  It  kind of reminded me of wool and it was on sale!

I found various felt flower tutorials for my yarn wreath on Pinterest.  All were fairly easy.  The yellow flower was the most time consuming but it was my statement piece.  Again I wanted varying textures.  Some of the flowers had more dimension then others.

After I had finished all of my felt flowers I played around with the placement and hot glued them on.  The final touch was my linen tie at the top.  Do you recognize my the linen strip from another one of my projects?  

This yarn wreath was rather inexpensive.  I think I made it for right around $10.  It was a project I worked on with my mother-in-law and we had a blast creating it.  Do you have a yarn wreath or any wreath you made for the matter?  I would love to stop by and see your latest creations.  Happy Monday!