Tag: banana

MengK 1500W High-Speed Professional Blender REVIEW & A Dragon Fruit Smoothie RECIPE

MENGK BLENDER REVIEW & A Dragon Fruit Smoothie RECIPE by GIVE IT A WHIRL GIRL

Today I would love to share my experience with you that I recently had with my new blender in this MengK blender review. This blender is quite simple to use and it is built like a professional blender. When I received my blender I was astonished by how professional the model looked and I was excited to give it a whirl with a dragon fruit smoothie bowl recipe. My hopes for this blender were that it would be capable of blending up frozen fruit because I am a huge smoothie fan and every blender I have ever owned prior was a big letdown to me. Keep reading this MengK blender review to find out how it performed in my test.

First impression of the MengK 1500W blender

Let’s kick off this MengK blender review with my first thoughts when I unboxed the blender. My first impression with this blender was the massive footprint it has on my countertop! This blender is a beast! Now, this can either be a positive or a negative for you. If you don’t have much storage space in your kitchen or home this blender might be an issue. This MengK blender couldn’t be any simpler to use either! If you look at the blender you will see one dial on the face of the blender and this determines the speed at which you will operate your blender. Big tasks call for dialing up on the knob for more power and speed.

Professional Blender MengK 2000W Peak Horsepower Electric High Speed Blender REVIEW
Professional Blender 1500W MengK 2000W Peak Horsepower Electric High-Speed Blender

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links. I receive a commission from items purchased through these links with no extra cost to you.


What can the MengK blender do?

If you are in the market for a blender that is versatile, MengK has you covered with this blender! You can use it for smoothies, nice creams, soups, milkshakes, hummus, alcoholic beverages, homemade nut butter, baby foods, and more. This MengK blender features a very well-constructed 67oz professional blender jar. Please note that this blender jar is not a glass blending jar, it is made out of some very heavy duty, thick, plastic. The blending jar for the MengK blender is BPA-free.

MengK blender motor

The MengK blender has a whopping 2.6 HP-2000 watt motor, and this commercial blender can reach a rotational speed of up to 27,000 r/min. This powerful motor makes it possible to crush ice, fruits, and vegetables.

The controls on the MengK blender are simple
The controls on the MengK blender are simple

You might also enjoy this post: Mindblowing Smart Home Products For Your Kitchen

The MengK blades

This powerful blender features 6 stainless steel, sharp blades for maximum blending power. The MengK blender crushing blades make it possible and perfect for ice crushing, blending, pureeing, and controlled processing.

The 6 blades on the MengK blender are razor sharp
The 6 blades on the MengK blender are razor sharp

My experience with the MengK blender

The first experiment with this high-speed blender was to see how well it would process and blend frozen fruit. I placed two frozen bananas, a cup of frozen dragon fruit, and a bit of milk in the blending cup. I was really excited to try this out because I have not had much success with frozen fruit in any blender I have ever owned.

The capability of blending frozen fruit is top priority to me. I need a blender that can do this.

I turned the blender onto medium with the dial. I then turned it on. The blender was loud and I could tell it had a powerful motor. The blades efficiently chopped up my frozen fruit and blended it up with the almond milk. After a few short moments, I had a delicious smoothie bowl waiting for me.

I performed one other smoothie test with my MengK blender. For that test, I used a fresh banana, frozen dragon fruit, and frozen mango with a splash of some unsweetened nut milk. The blender performed wonderfully and as expected. In a very short time, without any hesitation, I had a delicious, tall smoothie waiting for me!

Overall, I am quite pleased with this MengK blender and I am excited to try more smoothie recipes with it.

A dragon fruit & mango smoothie drink
A dragon fruit & mango smoothie drink


The MengK blender is simple to clean

Cleaning the MengK blender is simple and easy to do! All you need to do is add a bit of soap and warm water to the blending cup. Turn the blender onto a mid-high speed and it 30-60 seconds the cup and blades will be clean. Rinse after cleaning and carefully dry.

Satisfaction guaranteed from MengK

If for any reason you are not satisfied with your MengK blender purchases, MengK offers a money back guarantee and a warranty on their product.

3-month warranty on commercial Cups and a 6-month warranty on household cups, unified TWO years warranty about this pedestal, and 30-day refund guarantee.

Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowl

Take a trip to paradise with this dragon fruit smoothie bowl. You will feel like you are transported to a tropical place with this exotic fruit smoothie bowl recipe.

  • 2 Bananas (Frozen and chopped)
  • 1 cup Dragon Fruit chunks (Frozen of fresh)
  • 1 Kiwi Fruit (Sliced)
  • 1 Star Fruit (Sliced and seeds removed)
  • 2/3 cup Unsweetened nut milk of choice

  1. Place the frozen bananas, dragon fruit, and milk in the blender and process until smooth.

  2. Pour the smoothie mixture into two bowls.

  3. Top the smoothie with fresh sliced kiwi fruit and star fruit.

  4. Serve, eat, and enjoy!


Dragon Fruit Smoothies created with the MengK Blender
Dragon Fruit Smoothies created with the MengK Blender
Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowls topped with kiwi fruit and star fruit
Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowls topped with kiwi fruit and star fruit

MengK 1400W Blender

If you want to get yourself a MengK blender that is a little more friendly on your budget there is a 1400W model on Amazon.

There is also a clippable coupon to save on this model!

MengK 1500W Blender

The blender that I reviewed is currently available on Amazon.

 

Final thoughts

The MengK blender is a lot of bang for your buck! For this price point, you are getting quite the powerful blender. I am hoping that this MengK blender will stand the test of time. I have a great feeling that it will be outperforming the last blender that I owned prior to this one. I took a chance with this off-brand name and I am very pleased with it.

It is not a Vitamix or a Blendtec but for the price you are paying for this one you are getting a powerhouse blender. If you are like me and dream of owning a fancy blender like a Vitamix, this blender makes a great clone of one and you will save yourself a ton of money going with the MengK.

The MengK blender makes a delicious smoothie in seconds!
The MengK blender makes a delicious smoothie in seconds!

Question Time! What will you be using the MengK blender for first? What will you create with this powerful blender?

 


Find out more about MengK and their other products

MENGK BLENDER REVIEW & A Dragon Fruit Smoothie RECIPE by GIVE IT A WHIRL GIRL

Disclosure: I was sent this product in exchange for a review. All opinions stated here are my own.

 

Other posts at Give It A Whirl Girl that you might enjoy!

 


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Let’s Celebrate 100 Posts With Paleo Balsamic Raspberry & Chocolate Balsamic Fudge Ripple Nice Cream

Balsamic Raspberry & Chocolate Balsamic Fudge Ripple Nice Cream

Wow, gals and guys! Can you believe that in the past 4 1/2 months I have been blogging here at Give It A Whirl Girl and this is a milestone post? 100 posts have been drafted and published as of today! I figured the best way to celebrate my hard work was with a bowl of Balsamic Raspberry & Chocolate Balsamic Fudge Ripple Nice Cream! No champagne bubbles flowing here, just some paleo and (almost vegan… I did use raw honey) nice-cream for my daughter and I to share.

Blogging has just been a fantastic journey and experience for me. I feel blessed that I am able to work from home and combine my passion for cooking, baking, and writing. I am learning new things as the days go by. There is also never a shortage of things to do. I am consistently keeping myself busy and occupied. With blogging, there is always a lot of behind-the-scenes work.

I love being able to sit down and write each morning while I am sipping on my coffee. Once the caffeine kicks in I am ready to start drafting up a post to share with my readers. I am really looking forward to seeing where I will be on June 6th of 2019 when I will hit my one-year blog milestone. I can already see in the four short months I have been blogging, how much improvement I have already made from the beginning. Thank you to all who take the time to read my posts. I love and appreciate each and every one of you!

Now onto the balsamic nice-cream that I created last night. I am going to tell you all about it!

Balsamic Raspberry & Chocolate Balsamic Fudge Ripple Nice Cream
Balsamic Raspberry & Chocolate Balsamic Fudge Ripple Nice Cream
Balsamic Raspberry & Chocolate Balsamic Fudge Ripple Nice Cream
Balsamic Raspberry & Chocolate Balsamic Fudge Ripple Nice Cream

The story behind the balsamic vinegar

This all just started out as a wild and crazy idea. I had some bottles of flavored balsamic leftover from an adult onesie party that I had for my birthday. I picked these up at Devries & Company 1887 in Eastern Market down in Detroit, MI. Back in February I stocked up on Groupons and went and did a little shopping there. They had numerous flavors of balsamic vinegars to sample and several different oils as well. For the vinegars, I ended up bringing home a bottle of raspberry, chocolate, and espresso. These vinegars pair so well with fruit.

Continue reading “Let’s Celebrate 100 Posts With Paleo Balsamic Raspberry & Chocolate Balsamic Fudge Ripple Nice Cream” →

3
Fighting for the Chocolate On Chocolate Paleo & Vegan Nice-Cream

Sorry readers… no recipe here. I really should have taken measurements and gotten out my pen and paper. I still, however, would like to share the details on how I created this scrumptious and healthy-ish bowl of paleo and vegan double chocolate nice-cream! As you can see in the photo below there are three spoons in that little Fiesta bowl fighting for a bite of this frozen treat! I was a little short on ingredients so I worked with what I had and ended up with one lone bowl. Oh well, better than nothing right? If you love chocolate then you are in for a real treat. Continue reading to find out how you can make your own healthy ice-cream at home with a few simple (and affordable) ingredients!

Fighting for the Chocolate On Chocolate Paleo & Vegan Nice-Cream
Fighting for the Chocolate On Chocolate Paleo & Vegan Nice-Cream

If you are an addict to chocolate it is time to listen up here! There is this thing, a superfood, called cacao. Not cocoa, but cacao, and there is a difference in the way that the two are processed. Raw cacao is achieved by a cold-press method with the beans. Cacao is chocolate in its purest and most natural state. Cacao is filled with enzymes that are beneficial to your body and those enzymes are lost in cocoa.

Continue reading “Can We Just Talk About This Chocolate On Chocolate Paleo & Vegan Nice-Cream?” →

1

Cactus Pear Nice Cream RECIPE With Pomegranate & Enjoy Life Foods Protein Bites – (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

Cactus Pear Nice Cream RECIPE with Pomegranate and Enjoy Life Foods Protein Bites

Wondering how I naturally obtained this lovely shade of hot pink in my bowl of nice-cream (vegan ice-cream)?? Easy! I owe it all to the cactus pear, also known as the prickly pear. The flesh of a cactus pear, when combined with a banana, will give you this gorgeous magenta hue. This cactus pear nice cream recipe is a healthy dessert that will most definitely make your child excited for a yummy treat that is naturally sweet from nature with no added sugars. Other ingredients in this frozen treat are frozen pomegranate, two frozen bananas, some coconut milk and Enjoy Life Foods Dark Chocolate Raspberry Protein Bites. This is a much healthier alternative to traditional ice-cream and I always enjoy creating this and serving it at home. Super simple and easy to do too!

Nice-cream is the vegan and paleo version of ice-cream. It is dairy-free and lactose-free.

Cactus Pear & Pomegranate With Enjoy Life Foods Protein Bites Nice-Cream
Cactus Pear & Pomegranate With Enjoy Life Foods Protein Bites Nice-Cream

Affiliate disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I receive a commission if items are purchased through these links with no extra cost to you.

A good food processor comes in handy for making vegan nice-creams at home. You will also want to prepare in advance for making this by freezing two sliced up bananas overnight. Also, chill a can of full-fat coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight for best results. If you have a can of coconut cream on-hand that makes for even better results, a lot more creamy, but coconut cream is usually around $4 a can and coconut milk works just fine.

The Enjoy Life Foods Dark Raspberry Protein Bites were a wise choice here as a nice-cream topping. I chopped them up small and placed them on top. The dark raspberry flavor is actually my favorite flavor of all the Protein Bites and it paired nicely with the flavors of the cactus pear and pomegranate. It also gave this bowl of nice-cream a boost in protein, which is always welcome, especially if you are following a vegan diet.


Ingredients used to make Cactus Pear & Pomegranate With Enjoy Life Foods Protein Bites Nice-Cream
Ingredients used to make Cactus Pear & Pomegranate With Enjoy Life Foods Protein Bites Nice-Cream (Protein Bites not shown in this photo)

Cactus Pear Nice Cream Recipe

Cactus Pear Nice Cream RECIPE With Pomegranate & Enjoy Life Foods Protein Bites

This simple and easy to do gluten-free and vegan nice cream recipe results in the prettiest of pink nice creams you have ever seen.

  • 2 Bananas (Frozen)
  • 1 Cactus Pear
  • 1/2 cup Pomegranate (Frozen)
  • 6 Enjoy Life Foods Dark Raspberry Protein Bites
  • 1/2 cup Full-fat organic coconut milk (Chilled overnight in fridge)

  1. Place the frozen bananas, cactus pear, pomegranate, and chilled coconut in the food processor.

  2. Blend until smooth.

  3. Remove cactus pear nice-cream from food processor bowl.

  4. To the nice cream with small chunks of Enjoy Life Foods Protein Bites. I used the Dark Raspberry.

  5. Divide into two bowls. 

    Serve, eat. and enjoy!


Cactus Pear & Pomegranate With Enjoy Life Foods Protein Bites Nice-Cream in the food processor. Do not add Protein Bites at this time!
Cactus Pear & Pomegranate With Enjoy Life Foods Protein Bites Nice-Cream in the food processor. Do not add Protein Bites at this time!
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Enjoy Life Foods Dark Raspberry Protein Bites chopped into small pieces
Cactus Pear & Pomegranate With Enjoy Life Foods Protein Bites Nice-Cream
Cactus Pear & Pomegranate With Enjoy Life Foods Protein Bites Nice-Cream

Final thoughts on the cactus pear nice cream recipe

I do believe that you will love this hot-pink cactus pear nice cream recipe if you do decide to give it a whirl. It is super unique in its flavor and unlike anything I have ever tried! I am extremely happy with the results of mixing these ingredients together. I was not sure what the outcome would be, but I got brave in the kitchen and I have no regrets!

If you are looking for a healthier alternative to ice-cream that is dairy-free and contains no added sugars, you should try making vegan and glutern-free nice creams at home. They are very versatile and you can get creative by whipping them up and experimenting with different ingredients. As a base, I usually use two frozen bananas and make sure I have a can of chilled coconut milk (it must be full-fat and not light coconut milk) on-hand to make this. This will result in approximately 2-3 servings. Most often it is just my daughter and I sharing but sometimes my hubby wants some too.

You can read more about the Enjoy Life Foods Protein Bites on a previous blog post:

HERE

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Have you ever tried vegan nice cream? How do you like to create yours? Leave me a comment and let me know.

 

Here are some other posts you will enjoy!

 

Want to find out more about Enjoy Life Foods?

 

 

 

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8

Enjoy Life Protein Bites REVIEW – A Vegan & Gluten-Free Snack Available In A Variety Of Flavors!

Enjoy Life Foods Protein Bites REVIEW by Give It A Whirl Girl

I was given a care package of Enjoy Life Protein bites and I am loving each flavor of these little chocolate morsels. As you may already know, I am a big fan of the Enjoy Life Foods Brand. They create and produce food that is free of common allergens that anyone can eat. You will not find gluten (wheat), dairy, peanuts, soy, egg, tree nuts, among other food allergens in any of their products. You can have peace of mind with this brand because they only use quality ingredients and their products are REAL FOOD. If you are following a gluten-free diet or vegan diet this brand has a ton of great products available to you. Today I am sharing my Enjoy Life Protein Bites review with you. I am a huge fan of these healthy snacks and I think that you will be too! Keep reading to find out more!

Allergy Friendly Enjoy Life Protein Bites
Allergy Friendly Enjoy Life Protein Bites

Affiliate disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I receive a commission from items purchased through these links with no extra cost to you.

Enjoy Life free from common food allergens info
Enjoy Life free from common food allergens info (Image courtesy of https://enjoylifefoods.com/)

They come in a variety of four flavors:


Continue reading “Enjoy Life Protein Bites REVIEW – A Vegan & Gluten-Free Snack Available In A Variety Of Flavors!” →

1

Homemade Pizza Night & A Couple Of Smoothies To Wash It Down

Yesterday was an enjoyable day spent with family. We went to the beach, had from-scratch pizzas, and had a couple of smoothies for dessert. It was another full day in the kitchen making things for my family to gobble up.

The day kicked off with my paleo and vegan version of Unicorn French Toast for my family. I promise I will do a recipe post on this in the future. I just need to tweak my recipe a bit. I had an unfortunate situation happen with my loaf of bread when I got it out of the pan. My bread broke into pieces. I was determined not to let it go to waste so I just ended up dipping the chunks of bread into the batter and cooked it up that way. This was my first time ever using candy sprinkles from Mr. Sprinkles. I sure do love the fun bottle that they are contained in. I am, and have always been, down with clowns!

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Unicorn French Toast with Mr. Sprinkles

I had quite an amazing lunch too. I really had a hankering for apples. I don’t know about you but I am ready for fall! I want hoodie weather, apple picking, and Halloween to hurry up and get here soon! For lunch, I tried out a new salad dressing. I used Hilary’s Apple Fennel Dressing. For my salad, I used baby spring mix as a base and topped it with grilled chicken, thin Honeycrisp apple slices, and walnuts. This salad was exactly what I needed yesterday. I think I will be loading up on some apples with my next shopping trip.

Chicken Salad with apples and Hilary’s Apple Fennel dressing
Chicken Salad with apples and Hilary’s Apple Fennel dressing

After lunch, we packed up the beach bag and got Stormy ready to head out to Metro Beach for a day of fun and relaxation. Chloe and Joe went to the pool and Stormy and I made our way along the lake and got our steps in yesterday. My focus was on fitness because I have been somewhat slacking on meeting my step goal lately.

It was a very hot day yesterday and thank goodness for the little bit of breeze coming off of the water. Stormy and I had a great time together and I know that Chloe definitely had a blast in the big pool and slide with her daddy.

I must be getting old because yesterday I wore an inspirational shirt and I think that maybe old people do that?? LOL! I am 37 years old and I whine about aging quite a bit. Anyway, I sure do love the shirt. I got it from Nordstrom and it is gray with pink lettering on it. The shirt is by the brand Desert Dreamer.

I feel that the shirt really speaks volumes to me at the moment. It says, find what you love and do that”.  I started this blog up on June 6th so my 2 month anniversary is approaching and let me tell you this~ I absolutely LOVE blogging! I really wish I would have gotten into this years ago when I first set out on my cooking and baking expedition. As many of you know, cooking and baking are hands down my #1 passion in life. I am always in the kitchen and I am always researching ways to better my food and technique.

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Me and Joe at Metro Beach
Me and Stormy at Metro Beach
Chloe and Joe at Metro Beach
Stormy at Metro Beach

After our little day-trip to the beach, it was time for me to crank out dinner for the fam. I will let you in on a little something, my pizza is in high-demand! Joe and Chloe absolutely love my homemade pizzas. They are a lot of work but totally worth the time and effort when I hear ooo’s and ahh’s at the dinner table.

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Just me playing with my balls

I created two pizzas last night. One was made for myself and the other for Joe and Chloe. They prefer a more traditional pizza with pepperoni on it. I have never been a fan of pepperoni but I sure do love to have mushrooms in every single bite of my pizza.

I had a little carton of shiitake mushrooms to work with. I figured I would be better off with some sort of white sauce rather than a tomato sauce. I searched a bit online for a good recipe and came across one from Primal Palate. It was a dairy free sauce that used full-fat coconut milk as the base. Honestly, you would never know the sauce was made with coconut milk! There is not one hint of coconut flavor in that awesome sauce recipe. The recipe also called for some nutritional yeast, which I did add because it lends a taste of cheese to the sauce.

For my pizza I used some grilled chicken pieces and the entire carton of shiitake mushrooms. I sauteed the mushrooms in a bit of olive oil with some Italian seasonings. I have never had a pizza with this type of mushrooms and I am pleased to say that the taste of this pizza was glorious! Every single morsel of that pizza was thoroughly enjoyed by me!

For both pizzas I used the Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Crust Mix once again. I used it last week and it produced a phenomenal crust! I am trying to eliminate as much gluten as I can from my diet but Joe and Chloe really don’t want to be on-board with a gluten-free diet. It is like hitting the jackpot when you come up with a gluten-free dinner that can win over anyone.

Shiitake mushroom and grilled chicken pizza
Shiitake mushroom and grilled chicken pizza
Shiitake mushroom and grilled chicken pizza
Gluten free pepperoni pizza
Gluten free pepperoni pizza

For dessert I really had a craving for some froyo, it’s been awhile and I’m dying for a heaping cup of it. But we have a bevy of beautiful fruits over here in the Give It A Whirl Girl kitchen so instead of froyo I ended up making a couple of smoothies for me and Chloe to share.

The first smoothie I made had a golden dragonfruit in it, a banana, and a splash of full fat coconut milk. The second smoothie that I made had strawberries, raspberries, a baby banana, splash of coconut milk, and I also used a scoop of acai powder. Hard to say which smoothie won the battle of being best. It was like comparing apples to oranges, they were two completely different drinks.

The weekend isn’t over. Joe’s two days off from work are over though and he had to go in today. Me and the Pearl Girl have an exciting day ahead of us in the kitchen so stayed tuned because you can bet your booty I will be blogging about my day today!

Did you do anything exciting this weekend? What’s cooking in your kitchen that you are proud of? Leave me a comment and let me know because I love reading comments from my beloved readers!

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2

Cactus Pear Smoothie RECIPE With Raspberries- Tried It Out Tuesday

Cactus Pear Smoothie RECIPE by Give It A Whirl Girl

I went shopping at Nino Salvaggio’s International Marketplace this past weekend and that is my go-to place for unusual fruits and vegetables. They carry the mainstream and also the more obscure. If you are looking for beautiful produce, Nino’s is the place to be. You can tell that they are super picky about what kind of produce is allowed to hit the shelves because it all looks beautiful and perfect! This past weekend we went to the exotic fruit section and decided on bringing home a couple cactus pears, also known as a prickly pear cactus. Imagine my surprise when I sliced into it and discovered that it is a vibrant hot-pink, magenta color. I had no idea this cactus pear had such a gorgeous interior! I was thinking hmmm maybe cactus pear smoothie? Keep reading to find out how you can make this delightful pink drink with my cactus pear smoothie recipe!

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Nino Salvaggio’s

This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a commission from items purchased through these links with no extra cost to you.

I did a bit of research before eating the cactus pear. I sliced the skin off and I noticed that it had quite a few hard seeds inside. They are not something you can bite into but they are safe to swallow. When I blended this up in a smoothie the seeds got ground up in the blender.

So the taste? Super sweet like candy, a cross between juicy watermelon and bubble gum!

Here is a recipe for a cactus pear smoothie that you can have all to yourself or share with a loved one! I shared mine with my adventurous eater, Chloe Pearl, who is 8 years old and loves trying new things with me.


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Cactus Pear Smoothie

Cactus Pear Smoothie Recipe

cactus pear
cactus pear diced

 

unsweetened almond milk
banana
fresh raspberries

Cactus Pear Smoothie Recipe With Raspberries

This delightful hot pink smoothie drink not only looks incredible but it tastes great too and it is a healthy choice to make!

  • 2 Cactus pears (Peeled)
  • 1 Frozen banana
  • 1 handful Raspberries
  • 1/3 cup Unsweetened almond milk

  1. Place all of the ingredients in your blender.

  2. Blend until smooth.

  3. Serve, eat, and enjoy!

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Cactus Pear Raspberry Smoothie
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Chloe enjoying her cactus pear smoothie

 

Tidbits of info on the cactus pear:

  • Cactus pears grow on the Nepales Cacti and these plants can be found in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Egypt, and Morrocco
  • Cactus pears contain potassium, calcium, vitamin C, iron, and beta carotene.
  • Cactus pears can be used to make smoothies, candy, syrups, jams/jellies, wine, juice, pies, and more! Get creative!
  • They have anti-inflammatory benefits and also have anti-viral perks
  • High in fiber and rich in antioxidants
  • Can be used to lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetics
  • They can help strengthen hair and nails
  • The average cactus pear has 60 calories, 14 g of carbohydrates, and 5 grams of fiber.
  • The fiber in the cactus pear can help with weight loss since the fiber makes you feel full longer.
  • Do not consume large amounts at first. They have been known to have side effects so please research before consuming large amounts. This does not affect everyone but some may get side effects.
  • Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Please do research on how this may benefit or impact you.

I hope that this cactus pear smoothie recipe will inspire you to give it a whirl! This hot pink concoction is simple and easy to do with your blender and home and it is a fantastic smoothie recipe that you will want to incorporate into your morning smoothie regimen.

 

 

So have you ever tried a cactus pear? How did you eat yours? If you have not tried it yet does this look like something you would try? Leave me a comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts.

 

You might also enjoy these posts:

 


 

 

 

2

Fat Stack of Gluten-Free Pancakes With Enjoy Life Foods – Product Review, Recipe, & Giveaway – CLOSED

Yesterday and the day before were both dreary, overcast days in Michigan. I really needed a plateful of something to cheer me up. In times of need, we often turn to comfort food. Pancakes, for me, definitely fit the bill for that! I also decided to inject some color to them for added smiles! I have been opting for more gluten-free food products in my diet. I have been feeling a whole lot better both physically and mentally. I have been keeping track of my diet and I have come to the conclusion that gluten somehow affects my mood and I often feel run down and fatigued. So for now I am just doing my best to avoid it and keep my gluten intake at a minimal amount.

I am a big fan of Enjoy Life Foods products. I am currently obsessed with the dark chocolate chips and it is the only brand I buy now. They offer a line of gluten-free, vegan, products that are free from several other allergens (wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, casein, soy, egg, sesame, sulfites, lupin, mustard, fish, shellfish & crustaceans). Their products are created in an allergen-free facility. You can enjoy their foods with confidence that they will do your body good.

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I tried out the Enjoy Life Foods pancake and waffle mix a couple times before and my daughter and I loved the finished product. They don’t hold up well for waffles but they do make a wonderful pancake. The taste of these pancakes was on point! I would never even know they were gluten-free because they taste just like regular pancakes.

I wanted to amp it up a bit so I swapped out the water and used Bolthouse Farms Unsweetened Plant Protein Milk instead. An 8 oz serving of this milk is a whopping 10 grams of protein. I also used a mashed banana in the mix to add in some fiber. A banana has approximately 3 grams of fiber.

I also added some Simple Truth natural food coloring to the pancake mix. I am not a fan of artificial dyes in my food so I wanted to give this a whirl. Unfortunately, the colors are not as vibrant as the artificial ones but they are still fun to eat. Next time I make these I will experiment more with the amount I use (probably needed to use more). The batter was colorful and bright but when the pancakes were cooked the color faded. Perhaps you will have more luck with the colors!

Stack of Enjoy Life Foods natural color pancakes with rainbow sprinkles

Now let’s get busy with the recipe!

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Products I used to make the banana protein Enjoy Life Foods pancakes.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups Enjoy Life Pancake & Waffle Mix
  • 1 1/2 cups Bolthouse Farms Plant Protein Milk
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1/2 mashed banana
  • Simple Truth Natural Food Color
  • Pure maple syrup (optional)
  • Candy Sprinkles (optional)
Bowls of the pancake mix with natural food color added
Simple Truth Natural Food Color
I was able to put 3 pancakes in the skillet

Recipe:

  1. Prepare your batter by placing the mix, milk, and oil into the bowl and stir until no lumps remain.
  2. Mash 1/2 of a ripe banana and then incorporate this into the mix.
  3. Using 6 bowls, place a small amount of batter into each bowl and add food coloring to each bowl until you have red, orange (red & yellow combined), yellow, green (blue & yellow), blue, and purple (red & blue).
  4. Warm up a tiny bit of coconut oil in a pan, just enough to give it a thin non-stick coating.
  5. Place the batter into the skillet or griddle one color at a time. You may have to do a couple batches to get all 6 pancakes cooked. I used two large skillets simultaneously with 3 colors in each pan.
  6. Cook the pancakes on a medium setting. Flip the pancakes when the edges are noticeably formed. After flipping continue cooking until thoroughly cooked.
  7. Remove pancakes from pan and top with maple syrup and/or candy sprinkles. Enjoy!
Stack of Enjoy Life Foods natural color pancakes with rainbow sprinkles
Stack of Enjoy Life Foods natural color pancakes with rainbow sprinkles
Stack of Enjoy Life Foods natural color pancakes with rainbow sprinkles
Stack of Enjoy Life Foods natural color pancakes with rainbow sprinkles

Hope you enjoy this fun recipe for Enjoy Life Foods gluten-free pancakes! What Enjoy Life Foods product do you think you would enjoy? Check them out RIGHT HERE!

Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter to win a $15 Amazon gift card so you can purchase some Enjoy Life Foods products!

CLICK HERE —> http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b7225bc83/?

Use the Store Locator to find Enjoy Life products near you.

You can purchase this pancake and waffle mix on Amazon.

You can find Enjoy Life Foods on the following social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I receive a commission if items are purchased through these links with no extra cost to you. I purchased these products and all opinions are my own.
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Papaya Smoothie For My Pearl Girl

My daughter, Chloe Pearl, loves when I bust out the blender to whip up a smoothie or smoothie bowl for her. We have an abundance of fruits and veggies over here right now and I am loving every minute of it. This morning we shared a delicious papaya smoothie. Papaya is a fruit that I do not normally have on hand so she was super duper excited when she saw me slicing the papaya and scooping out all of those seeds.

We used half of a papaya, 1 whole banana, a handful of Simple Truth frozen mango, and a handful of Simple Truth pineapple. I used approximately 2/3 cup of Bolthouse Farms Plant Protein milk (unsweetened). We have been using that particular milk for a while now. Ibotta currently has a $2.50 cash-back offer on each bottle that you buy, and Kroger also had it on sale. So I consider that a win!

My daughter really enjoyed her morning smoothie. I had a bit of it as well and I can certainly say that it was quite yummy. I am quite sure that tropical fruits rank pretty high as my favorite.

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Tidbits of info on the papaya fruit

  • A medium sized papaya comes in around 120 calories.
  • Papayas can aid in digestion. Papayas have an enzyme in them that helps move things along, and they also have a high water and fiber content.
  • There are two types of papayas: Hawaiian and Mexican. Hawaiian papayas are small (apx 1lb), while Mexican are large. The Mexican papaya can weight in as heavy as 10 pounds!
  • The seeds of a papaya are, in fact, edible. The seeds have a very strong mustard & peppercorn taste. You can add some honey to them to make them more palatable.
  • Papaya is often consumed raw but it can be used in recipes to make a sweet sauce.
  • Papayas have beta-carotene (an antioxidant) in them which can help prevent cancer.
  • Papayas have a good amount of potassium and vitamins that can help prevent heart disease.

I have been increasing my intake of fruits and veggies and trying to rid my diet of processed foods. There are so many health benefits in these foods it just makes sense to eat them. I have a big weakness for candy. If there is a bag of Sour Patch Kids in front of me I often lose my willpower and eat them. I feel guilty afterward even though I enjoyed them. My point is that it is just best to reach for fruits and veggies when a hunger pang hits. Instead of having a bowl of Fruit Loops for breakfast why not just make yourself a smoothie. They are both filling and nutritious. Your body will thank you for it!

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Simple, Easy Vegan and Paleo NICE Cream: RECIPE that anyone can do!

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Simple! Easy! Healthy! Vegan + paleo friendly nice cream! This is naturally sweet and does not contain any added sugars!
It is so simple to whip up your own small batch of ice-cream at home that is healthy and good for you! This ice-cream has the consistency of soft serve and will make about 2-3 servings.

You will need:

  • 2 frozen bananas
  • 1 chilled overnight can of cream of coconut or full-fat coconut milk (the cream of coconut will be creamier)
  • 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
  • and any toppings you desire.
  • a food processor of blender

Place your frozen bananas in a food processor or blender along with the cream of coconut or coconut milk (CAUTION: do not use any liquid from the can just the coconut), and a teaspoon of vanilla. Blend this up completely. This may take awhile with the frozen banana chunks. Also serve immediately. If you decide to freeze your batch the texture will get a bit icy so I prefer to serve right away.

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Here I have my vanilla nice-cream topped with a blackberry & wine reduction sauce. You can find the recipe on my blog (just swap out the raspberries for blackberries).

Other examples of what you can do with this recipe are shown below. Get creative!

If you have a craving for chocolate use some about 1 tablespoon of cacao powder.

Fruit craving? No problem! Add any fruit you desire. In the photo below I used fresh strawberries. My favorite fruit mix in is dragon fruit (also known as pitaya. Those fruits can get a bit pricey so try a powder. A little bit goes a long way and still has incredible health benefits.

Does your diet need a boost in fiber? Try chia seeds in your next batch of nice cream.

Wanna pack in some protein? Top it with a nut butter. Try this one from Nuttzo.

You can add in any other mix-ins you want and top it any way that you want. The possibilities are endless here! Enjoy! Please be sure to share this post with your friends and let me know in the comments if you enjoyed this recipe.

 

 

 

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I do receive a small commission if items are purchased through these links. All opinions stated here are my own.

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Almond Joy (Coconut, Chocolate, and Almonds) Smoothie Bowl – RECIPE

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I love to start my day with a nutritious and filling breakfast. This one is naturally sweetened and has no added sugar. If you love the Almond Joy chocolate bar you gotta give this smoothie bowl a whirl! This a great, healthier alternative.

Ingredients:

  • 2 sliced and frozen bananas
  • 1 cup Trader Joe’s Just Coconut Chunks
  • 3/4 cup Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon of extra virgin coconut oil (I use Nature’s Way coconut oil)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (I use Simple Truth organic from Kroger)
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds (I use Simple Truth organic)
  • Small handful of Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips or make it a large handful if you love lots of chocolate!

Recipe: 

  1. Place the 2 frozen bananas, coconut chunks , and coconut milk into the blender. Blend on smoothie mode until ingredients are well blended. Add more coconut milk if necessary.
  2. In a saute pan melt down the coconut oil. Place the coconut flakes in the pan once the coconut is melted. Use a medium heat setting for this. Continue to warm up the flakes until they are nicely toasted and have a golden color.
  3. Remove the banana and coconut mixture from the blender cup and place in a bowl.
  4. Top your smoothie bowl with the toasted coconut flakes, slivered almonds, and the chocolate chips.
  5. Enjoy your Almond Joy smoothie bowl without too much guilt! Makes 1-2 servings so you can enjoy it all by your sweet self or share with a loved one.

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What kind of breakfast do you like to enjoy in the morning? Sweet or savory? 

Let me know in the comments.

Disclaimer:

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I do receive a small commission if products are purchased through those links.

Marley Spoon

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