Superhero Antioxidant Smoothie

Wonder Woman Antioxidant Smoothie 

I’ve been drinking 2-4 cups of this smoothie for almost a year and I never get sick anymore! My family comes down with a cold and the virus just passes me by. The secret ingredient is my hibiscus elderberry tea. I brew it in large 4-8 cup batches at the beginning of the week to have on hand for my daily smoothies so that it’s fast and simple. Mix up the veggies every day if you can to get a variety of vitamins and you will be feeling fierce and alive in no time! Notes: I think a vita mix blender is worth the money if you can swing it but the recipe can be scaled back for a bullet blender also (which is what I use when I travel). You can pack it in your carryon, but know that they will for sure pull aside your bag and swab the mother of the blender to make sure it’s nothing crazy. I usually double this recipe and feed it to my four boys when they get home from school. Lastly, I think it’s worth going organic on your produce. Costco has the best prices on organic frozen fruit.

Hibiscus Elderberry Tea

4 cups boiling water
4 rounded Tbsp loose leaf hibiscus tea (buy on Amazon or your local Vitamin Cottage Grocers)
4 rounded Tbsp dried elderberries ((Amazon or Vitamin Cottage)
1/2 cup raw unfiltered honey
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
Pure Liquid Stevia drops
32 oz French press (I bought a stainless steel one off of Amazon for $22 that works well)
1 quart mason jar for storing
1 16 oz mason jar for storing

1. Start heating the water to a boil (I love my electric kettle because it’s so fast). Put the Hibiscus and elderberries in the French press.

2. Pour the boiling water into the French press and cover for 5-10 minutes.

3. Press the tea down and pour into your mason jars leaving room at the top for the lemon and honey

4. When the tea is almost cool stir in the lemon, honey, and add stevia to taste. The tea is very concentrated so if you want to drink it iced throughout the day you will need to dilute it with more water. I like to brew it concentrated so that it takes up less room in the fridge, and then add the water later as I use it. Store with a lid in the refrigerator for up to seven days.

For the smoothie

1 cup hibiscus elderberry tea
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups veggies (power greens, summer squash, cucumber, sweet potato, you name it)
1 1/2 cups frozen fruit (I usually do a strawberry , raspberry, wild blueberry combo)
1/2 inch square of fresh peeled ginger (optional)
Lemon juice 3 Tbsp approximately is helpful to add if you need to cover up strong flavors like Arugula or celery
Pure liquid stevia 2-10 drops
Mason jar with lid
Manuka Honey for an extra antibacterial kick or wildflower honey to taste. Maybe 2 Tbsp to start with.

1. Combine the tea and water in your blender. Push your veggies down into the water until you reach the 4 cup mark on your blender (that way you know you got two solid cups of veggies without measuring.

2. Top with fruit, lemon juice, and honey, and two drops stevia. Blend until smooth and then taste test for sweetness. You might need a little bit more water if the blender is struggling. Add more stevia if needed. Drink immediately for maximum vitamin content. Pour extras into into mason jars with lids and store for up to two days.

Texas Sheet Cake Cinnamon Coffee

I can’t believe I never tasted a Texas sheet cake until a few years ago! It’s classic and addictive. I added cinnamon and coffee to this recipe which is optional, but oh so good. The coffee flavor won’t come out unless the coffee is extremely strong. I doubled the coffee grounds for this cake but I think I might triple them the next time. The cake is usually thinner than my picture because I doubled the recipe and crammed it in a larger pan. I wanted to taste the flavors side-by-side. The cinnamon coffee version next to the plain chocolate. The cinnamon coffee was hands-down my favorite, but they are both amazing! This recipe is perfect for a crowd and will not disappoint!

Texas Sheet Cake Cinnamon Coffee

For the sheet cake 

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli)
1 cup very strong coffee (or water if you don’t like coffee)
2 cups flour
2 scant cups sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cups toasted pecans (optional)

1. In a medium saucepan bring butter, cocoa powder and coffee to a boil, whisking occasionally. Once it reaches a boil and the cocoa is dissolved, remove from heat.

2. In a mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

3. In a separate bowl whisk together the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla.

4. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture until combined, and then slowly start adding the cocoa mixture until well combined and there are no lumps.

5. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease the bottom of your 18 x 34” pan and pour the batter in it. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. It’s usually ready by 15 minutes.

For the frosting 

1/2 cup butter
6 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar sifted

1. In a medium sauce pan bring the butter, milk, cocoa powder to a boil and whisk together. Take off heat.

2. Sift powdered sugar into a mixing bowl and then add the cocoa mixture and beat until all the lumps have dissolved.

3. If you’re adding the pecans, scatter them over the baked cake first. Pour hot frosting onto the hot cake and let it set for 15-30 minutes.

Mexican Quinoa Toss

This is one of my favorite lunches to have on hand during a busy week. It’s a perfectly delicious and healthy high protein meal or snack. It also makes a great quesadilla filling!

Mexican Quinoa Toss

1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
1 large tomato or two small diced
1 small avocado chopped
1/3 cup lime juice
1/2 red onion diced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 small jalapeño finely diced
1 clove garlic finely diced
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
3 dashes Trader Joe’s chili lime seasoning (optional)

1. Bring the chicken broth to a boil and then add the quinoa. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes until tender.

2. While the quinoa is cooking chop your avocado and toss it in the lime juice in a medium sized bowl to keep the avocado from discoloring.

3. Add the tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, black beans, jalapeño, garlic, cumin, pepper, salt, and chili lime seasoning and toss to coat evenly.

4. When the quinoa is done cooking spread it out on a heat safe place and set it in the freezer for a couple of minutes to cool it down if you need to eat in a hurry. Otherwise wait till it cools and then toss it together with your veggies, and keep it refrigerated until ready to serve.