Smoothies with #BreakfastEssentials (#PMedia #ad)

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Nestle, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia  #BreakfastEssentials http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

I don't think anyone would accuse me of being a morning person.

Oh, I can do and early morning, but I'm not friendly with it. I'm not quite a vampire ... but "night owl" fits pretty well.

As you might guess, I'm not a huge fan of breakfast. It's not that I don't like breakfast food, but I'm more likely to make eggs for dinner than I'm likely to make them first thing in the morning.

I'm just not awake enough to tackle anything as complicated as a frying pan when I first wake up.

Breakfast, if I eat it, might be something pre-made or leftover. I'm looking at you, cold pizza. Or it has to be incredibly simple. Like ... uh ... well ...

Hmmmm...

Something in a blender is good.

So I thought I could have some fun with Carnation Breakfast Essentials. I bought the variety pack of the powdered drink mix, so I could try different flavors and see which I liked best.

First, I blended some stuff.

Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Banana Smoothie

1 package dark chocolate Carnation Breakfast Essentials
3/4 cup milk
1 banana
2 tablespoons peanut butter.

Blend, pour, drink.

If you want a thicker smoothie, you can freeze the banana ahead of time and blend it frozen.

Then I brainstormed. 

Maybe it's just me, but I think this next idea is genius.

I mixed up a packet of the Carnation Breakfast Essentials as though I was making the standard breakfast drink (1 packet plus 1 cup of milk). And then I froze it in ice cube trays.

Then I popped the cubes out of the tray and put them into plastic bags for easy access.

Then it got really fun.

First, I blended frozen blueberries along with some frozen cubes. I added a splash of milk, and it was thick and super-creamy. Like, spoon-worthy.

It tasted like I used ice cream instead of milk. I thought it could have used just a teeny bit of sugar, but that was an easy fix. I added about a half-teaspoon of sugar and stirred it in. Oh yeah!

Then I started thinking about non-fruity uses for those cubes. Like, have you ever made some coffee to go, and it's way too hot to drink from your travel mug? Yeah, a couple cubes adds a great cream flavor and cools the coffee so you don't burn your lips off when you sip.

Or keep them on hand for your morning coffee, even when you aren't on the go. I mean, why not?

Or add a lot more cubes, to make iced coffee. Hint: Let the coffee cool a bit before pouring it over the cubes, for a chillier drink!

Or, how about a coffee smoothie? 

Mocha Malt Coffee Smoothie

1 cup strong brewed coffee
3/4 cup milk
1 package chocolate malt Carnation Breakfast Essentials
Flavorings*, optional

The night before, or several days in advance: 

Freeze the coffee in an ice cube tray.

Combine the milk and chocolate malt Carnation Breakfast Essentials. Freeze in and ice cube tray.

When you want your smoothie:

Blend the frozen coffee cubes, the Carnation Breakfast Essentials cubes, and any additional flavorings until there are no large chunks remaining. At this point it will be the consistency of a granita or a really, really, really thick slushy. If you want it drinkable right away, add a splash of milk, coffee, or water to get it melting a bit and continue blending to your desired consistency. Or, scoop the thick icy mixture it into a glass, add a straw, and let it melt slowly.

Serve.

*You could flavor your smoothies with cinnamon, allspice, pumpkin pie seasoning, flavored syrups, peppermint extract, or just about anything else you can think of. Might as well have some fun!

Hint: This would make a refreshing dessert for coffee lovers - just scoop the frozen slush into a martini glass, top with some whipped cream and chocolate shavings, and serve.

For more recipe ideas, you can check the Carnation site. Nutrition information is here.

Speaking of "Ready to Go"

Using frozen cubes of the Carnation Breakfast Essentials along with frozen fruits and other frozen ingredients results in a thicker smoothie than if you start with non-frozen ingredients. So why not measure out the ingredients for smoothies and have them packed in zip-top bags or freezer containers?

I mean, really, doesn't that make sense?

In the morning, all you need to do is grab the pre-measured ingredients, put them in the blender, and press the button.

It makes mornings sooooo much easier when I don't have to think too hard about what I'm tossing into the blender. Because, yes, some mornings I am that slow.

This would also be great for kids, so mom could have the ingredients measured and ready to go, and the kids could blend their own morning drink or after-school snack. For a really easy morning, the Carnation Breakfast Essentials line also includes pre-made drinks and bars - I haven't tried them, though.

I bought the Carnation Breakfast Essentials from my local Safeway store; I am being compensated for writing this post.

Whole Foods Feasting: Peach Salsa!

Stone fruits are getting more plentiful in the produce section, and after I've had my fill of eating them as-is, I start using them in recipes. This time around, I decided to have some fun with peaches.

Whether you peel the peaches or not is up to you - the peels add some texture and color. Personally, I prefer to peel the peaches.

Some peaches are easier to peel than others, but if you have a lot of peaches to deal with, a quick dip in boiling water will loosen the skin.

If you prefer, you can use nectarines instead of peaches - whichever looks more appealing when you're shopping.

Peach Salsa
Makes 1 cup

1/2 peach
1/4 onion*
1 jalapeno
1 teaspoon lime juice
Pinch of salt
Few grinds white pepper

Peel and pit the peach, and dice it. Add it to a small bowl. Dice the onion, and add it to the bowl. Dice the jalapeno finely and add it to the bowl. add the lime juice, salt, and pepper.

Stir to combine and serve. You wan also make this in advance and refrigerate until needed.

*Sweet onions, like Vidalias, are preferred for their milder flavor. You can use other onions, however. A quick rinse in cold water will remove some of the sharpness.

Straw-nana Smoothie

Here's a quick smoothie for you - taking advantage of some strawberry yogurt.

I love bananas, and they're a perfect smoothie ingredient since they thicken the smoothie so well. And, if you've got a banana that's a little beyond perfectly ripe, it's perfect for smoothies.

Straw-nana Smoothie

1 cup strawberry yogurt
1 cup milk
1 banana
Pinch salt
Splash vanilla extract

Add al the ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth.

Chocolate naner smoothie

You might notice that I don't use sugar or any other extra sweeteners in most of my smoothies ... but I do sometimes add a pinch of salt.

It's not that I want a salty smoothie, but salt counteracts bitterness. You might say that your food isn't bitter, but there are hints of bitterness is a lot of foods, and by adding that teeny pinch of salt, the bitterness disappears and the drink seems sweeter. Magically. Without added sugar.

And, of course, salt enhances flavor. So if you're using the right amount of salt, your food should taste more like itself. But it shouldn't taste like salt.

I don't add salt to every smoothie I make. Some of them don't need it. Others do.

Of course, if you're watching your salt intake, maybe you don't want that teeny pinch of salt. It's totally up to you. My theory is that since I use so few processed foods in my cooking, we're way ahead of the game in terms of regulating salt.

I saw a chart once that showed that for most Americans, the salt they add to food, either in cooking or at the table, is about 20 percent of their intake. The other 80 percent is from dining out (with fast food being a huge culprit) and processed foods. That's something to think about.

This chocolate banana smoothie benefited from that little pinch of salt in two ways. First, chocolate is inherently bitter, so the salt smoothed that out a bit, which made the drink seem a little sweeter. And second, it brought the chocolate flavor alive a little more. I tasted this without the salt first, then added it and felt that the difference was impressive enough to suggest using it in the recipe.

The cocoa I used was from Ingredient-Supply.com, and I used their Bergenfield Rosewood cocoa. You'll be hearing more about their cocoas in future posts.

Chocolate Banana Smoothie

1 banana
1 tablespoon cocoa
Teeny pinch of salt
1 cup Greek-Style yogurt
1 cup milk

Blend until smooth and a little frothy.

Slurp.

This would also be good as an evening indulgence with a bit of coffee or chocolate liqueur. Or both.

Mocha-Nana-Smoothie - it's lighter than you think #lighticedcoffee

This drink reminds me of a lovely cocktail served onboard a cruise ship ... ah, I can remember the tropical breezes. And the sunburn. Ouch.

That on-board cocktail was only served poolside, because that's where the ice cream drinks were made. Yup, it was almost a milkshake. Thick, rich ... and it required quite a few laps around the deck to work off.

This one is much lighter since it's not made with ice cream, and the light iced coffee has fewer calories than the original version. Good deal, right?

If you wanted to, you could make this a more adult beverage with the addition of some coffee or chocolate liqueur, and maybe even serve it in pretty cocktail glasses for an after-dinner treat. But as it is, it's a great morning smoothie or an afternoon refresher.

Have you ever made a smoothie and wondered why you end up with chunks of ice, no matter how long you blend it? The trick to getting a smooth smoothie using ice cubes is to blend the ice cubes first, all alone - then add the liquid and other ingredients. If the ice comes to the party last, you're more likely to end up with bits and chunks of ice, rather than a smooth, thick drink.

I thought this was perfect with the mocha-flavored iced coffee, but the vanilla would be just as nice.

Mocha-Nana Smoothie

1 cup ice
1 cup International Delights Mocha Light Iced Coffee
1 banana, peeled and cut in chunks

Place the ice cubes in your blender and blend until you have "snow."

Add the banana and International Delights Iced Coffee and blend until the banana is obliterated and the mixture is smooth and frothy.

Serve immediately. A straw would be appropriate. Little paper umbrella isn't required.

With fewer calories and less sugar, International Delight Light Iced Coffee lets you enjoy MORE of what you love! For more fun ways to break up your day, visit ID's new online games today for a chance to win sweet prizes and coupons to use on your next purchase.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.