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

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

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.

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

Place the frozen bananas, dragon fruit, and milk in the blender and process until smooth.
Pour the smoothie mixture into two bowls.
Top the smoothie with fresh sliced kiwi fruit and star fruit.
Serve, eat, and enjoy!

Dragon Fruit Smoothies created with the MengK Blender

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!

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

Website

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

About Nino Salvaggio

Nino Salvaggio is the go-to place in the area if you want some perfect and flawless ingredients in your food. It’s not just fruits and veggies though! Nino Salvaggio also has a deli and meat counter. They also have a great little grocery section with some very cool, unusual ingredients. And you just have to see the gorgeous bakery at Nino Salvaggio. I get my chocolate cassata birthday cake from Nino Salvaggio every single year. And speaking of birthdays, mine is next month and I will be enjoying that cake soon! Yippee!

Nino Salvaggio has four convenient locations in Michigan to serve you. They are located in St. Clair Shores, Troy, Clinton Township, and Bloomfield Township. You can find out more about Nino Salvaggio and their mission HERE. This is a store that is highly committed to providing high quality foods.

I visited Nino Salvaggio this past weekend to pick up some exotic fruits. I knew ahead of time that I wanted to pick up a couple passion fruits (one of my all-time favorite fruits). The dilemma was that I really was not quite sure what I wanted to combine it with for my smoothie bowl. Then I saw the guava and I knew that would pair well with the passion fruit so I took home one of those.

Gorgeous produce at Nino Salvaggio's — Gorgeous produce at Nino Salvaggio’s

Exotic fruits that intrigued me at Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace

The exotic fruits section at Nino Salvaggio is the most interesting place to shop, for me anyway! This is the spot in the store where you can get brave and muster up the strength to try something new!

Passion Fruit

So this is the fruit that I was really going after with my trip to Nino Salvaggio. Passion fruit just might be one of my all-time favorite fruits to chow down on. With the passion fruit, you get the wonderful combination of sweet & sour. If you don’t like the texture of tapioca you probably won’t like this. It does, to me, have a tapioca texture. It is slimy and seedy but the taste blows my mind. Using this as the star of my smoothie bowl was a wise choice!

Passion fruit is a nutrient-dense fruit that has a great amount of Vitamin C in it and it is great for the immune system. The passion fruit also has some fiber, Vitamin A, potassium, and a bit of iron. It is a small fruit and contains around 17 calories per serving. You can learn all about the health benefits of the passion fruit HERE.

Passion Fruit at Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace

Guava

Guava is the second fruit that I ended up going with for my smoothie bowl. These guavas are oh so yummy but they are pricey! I only took home one small guava. One turned out to be just enough for the flavor that I was going after.

As far as nutrition goes with the guava fruit, you are going to find some antioxidants, Vitamin C, fiber, and beta carotene in the fruit. There are 8 wonderful health benefits of the guava fruit and you can feed your brain with knowledge over here.

Guava at Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace

Rambutan

Now here is an interesting piece of fruit! This is a rambutan and it sort of reminds me of lychee fruit. I was really tempted to get more of these but the steep price deterred me and I only purchased one! Me and my daughter, Chloe, split the rambutan in half and we each tried a small piece. It definitely does have a taste reminiscent of lychee. The flesh was soft and also reminded me of grapes. I would give this a whirl again. We really enjoyed the experience of trying this unique fruit.

Quince

Quince is a new-to-me fruit too. Never ever had one in my life had quince! These tart fruits are grown in Chile and you can eat them raw, but it is advised to cook these if you want the best flavor to come through.

Ya Ya Pear

The ya ya pear is a pear that originates from China. This white pear’s flavor can best be described as a cross between a rose and a pineapple. The ya ya pear is crisp and sweet, but not overly sweet. Just the right amount of sweetness!

Passion Fruit / Guava Smoothie Bowl RECIPE

For this Passion Fruit/ Guava smoothie bowl I used two frozen bananas, two passion fruits, one guava, coconut milk, chia seeds, and coconut flakes. This tropical smoothie bowl makes a fantastic treat for breakfast!

Passion Fruit & Guava Smoothie Bowl

Want a smoothie bowl with exotic flavor?

Give this tropical passion fruit and guava smoothie bowl a whirl!

2 Bananas (Frozen)
1/4 cup Full fat coconut milk
2 Passion Fruit
1 Guava
2 tbsp Coconut flakes
1 tbsp Chia seeds

Place two frozen bananas, 1 passion fruit, 1 guava, and 1/4 cup of coconut milk in the blender. Use your smoothie mode if your blender has one.
Once blended up pour the smoothie mixture into a large bowl. Soup bowls work well.
Top your smoothie bowl with some shredded coconut flake and chia seeds. And now you can use your other passion fruit to top the smoothie.
Eat and enjoy! Hope you love it!

Fruits that I used in my Passion Fruit & Guava Smoothie Bowl

Close-up of the passion fruit and the guava

Passion Fruit & Guava Smoothie Bowl topped with coconut and black chia seeds

A spoonful of Passion Fruit & Guava Smoothie Bowl

Final thoughts

Sounds strange (maybe??) but I sure do get excited about taking a little trip to my favorite fruit & veggie store- Nino Salvaggio! If you are looking for top-notch produce you will find whatever it is you are looking for at Nino Salvaggio. Definitely make sure you visit the exotic fruit section of the store. What you need to do next is get brave and try some of these unusual fruits and vegetables. My blog is all about trying new things and eating with an open mind. I hope this inspires you to eat with an open mind. There is an entire universe full of unusual food and it is just waiting for you to give it a whirl!

Question time! Have you ever been to Nino Salvaggio? Leave me a comment and let me know what you think about this incredible place to shop!

Find out more about Nino Salvaggio

THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. I DO RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISSION IF ITEMS ARE PURCHASED THROUGH THESE LINKS (no extra cost to you). ALL OPINIONS STATED HERE ARE MY OWN.

January 22, 2019 12

Fun & Unique Breakfast Cereal – Amazon Shopping Guide

Welcome to my Fun & Unique Breakfast Cereal shopping guide over here at Give It A Whirl Girl. Amazon is chock full of some very wild and crazy breakfast cereals that you just aren’t going to find on the shelf at your local Kroger grocery store. I did the work for you and am posting the best of the best! Some of these breakfast cereals are absolutely hilarious and would make an unforgettable Christmas gift.

I also included some other neato cereal-related items to this gift guide. We have some Funko pops, clothing, a card game, some Christmas ornaments, and more!

Poop Like A Champion – Highest Fiber Breakfast Cereal – 100% of daily fiber in 1.6 servings

Looking for a breakfast cereal and colon cleanser all-in-one? Poop Like A Champion delivers! One half-cup serving of this cereal has a whopping 16 grams of fiber! This is unheard of and totally intriguing to me! And a bonus? It is also gluten-free! One thing to note here though is that this cereal is not made to taste great. It is made with a purpose and that is to clean the gunk out of your guts and insides. Let’s face it… sometimes it needs to be done.

This breakfast cereal would also make for one tremendous gag gift!

Poop Like A Champion - High Fiber Cereal — Poop Like A Champion – High Fiber Cereal

If you are going to Poop Like A Champion you are going to need a giant 24 oz. poop emoji bowl!

KOVOT Poop Bowl - 24 Oz Ceramic Poop Emoji Bowl — KOVOT Poop Bowl – 24 Oz Ceramic Poop Emoji Bowl

Limited Edition, Kellogg’s UNICORN cereal – Two 10oz Boxes

Here is a super adorable cereal for all of the unicorn lovers out there! I know you are out there too because nowadays unicorns are all the rage. It is a trend and I never want it to die out! This cereal was created by Kelloggs and it is a limited edition. I have a feeling that you have a little girl in your life that would be over the moon thrilled to have a bowl of unicorn cereal for breakfast.

WWE Booty O’s Breakfast Cereal 11.5oz

Here is a fun breakfast cereal for Y’all! This is a sweet oat cereal with marshmallows that are in the shape of unicorn horns, trombones, & booties! Booties??? OMG! This is one box that you are going to want to keep and save. It also has a “booticorn” mask on the back.

Clark Griswold Funko’s Cereal – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Multigrain Breakfast Cereal with Pocket Pop Figure – FYE Exclusive

This Clark Griswold Christmas Vacation breakfast cereal from Funko is perfect for the holiday season. Christmas Vacation is hands down my all time favorite Christmas movie. I can watch it once a week leading up to Christmas and not get sick or tired of it. The film is a classic and it is sure to make anyone laugh and smile. This is a limited edition FYE exclusive cereal but I was able to locate in on Amazon.

Chocolatey Winter Lucky Charms 12 oz. Box – Limited Edition (1 Box)

Here is a limited edition Lucky Charms breakfast cereal that is chocolate flavor. Lucky Charms were a fave when I was growing up. I have a feeling that this chocolate flavored box of them is sure to delight any Lucky Charms fan!

Continue reading “Fun & Unique Breakfast Cereal – Amazon Shopping Guide” →

November 19, 2018 8

Cacao, Coconut, Granola, and Collagen Smoothie Bowl – RECIPE – Let’s Talk About Cacao!

In this post I will discuss how I made a collagen smoothie bowl with cacao, coconut, and granola. Hope you enjoy!

One of my favorite Thunderbird Bars is the Cacao + Hemp + Walnut. I am a sucker for anything chocolate and this bar wins me over big time! This bar is paleo and vegan friendly. Thunderbird Bar does not mess around with any crap ingredients. What you get in a Thunderbird Bar is REAL FOOD.

I will tell you the ingredients so you can see for yourself:

Dates
Hemp seeds
Walnuts
Coconut shreds
Cacao
Cacao nibs
Chia seeds
Mint
and Himalayan sea salt

But how on Earth can something like chocolate be good for you? Chocolate gets a bad reputation often and gets classified as junk food. If you consume chocolate in it’s purest form it is surprisingly great for you!

I am going to talk about the health benefits now:

Cacao is chock full of antioxidants. Antioxidants combat cancer invasion and can be used as a preventative measure of cancer. It can help prevent a decline in the aging process.
Cacao is an iron powerhouse. Of all the plants in the universe, cacao has the most iron. If you are anemic cacao can be used to boost iron intake.
Cacao is high in magnesium
Cacao is high in calcium (more than cow’s milk!)
Cacao is known to be a mood elevator and can help lift you out of a bad day
Cacao has fiber. The brand that I used has 2g of fiber per tablespoon.
Cacao is free of sugar!
Cacao contains vitamin C. The cacao that I had has 10% of your daily value.

Continue reading “Cacao, Coconut, Granola, and Collagen Smoothie Bowl – RECIPE – Let’s Talk About Cacao!” →

August 20, 2018 3

Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel – Smoothie RECIPE – Tried It Tuesday

For the past couple of days I have been trying out this Primal Kitchen Vanilla Coconut Collagen Fuel. I am really loving this mix and it goes well stirred into coffee, mixed with unsweetened almond milk in a smoothie, or it makes one hell of an awesome smoothie bowl as I will explain below. The taste is incredible as well, which is sometimes hard to come across with a protein powder. Today I will be talking about Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel and how versatile it is.

First off a little bit of info on Primal Kitchen’s Collagen Fuel. This product contains healthy fats from the coconut and it promotes healthy hair, skin, nails, joints, and also helps repair muscle. This Collagen Fuel is also packed with a whopping 10 grams of protein per 1 scoop serving. If Vanilla Coconut is not your jam they do offer the Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel in a delicious chocolate flavor. Each tub of Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel will give your 24 individual servings.

Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel Smoothie Bowl

Many protein powders on the market contain whey. This mix does not contain any whey, soy, or dairy and it is perfect for those on a paleo diet. You know you are getting a quality product from Primal Kitchen because they only source ingredients from cows that are grass-fed.

The great thing about this Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel for me is that it helps promote a healthy gut. It had prebiotic fibers in it. I have been doing more research on health and I am hearing more and more about how important our gut health is and that a gut that is off balance can through your whole system out of whack.

I hope you enjoy this delicious and nutritious smoothie bowl recipe that I came up with for you. This was perfect for a Tried It Tuesday post because not only is the Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel new to me but so was the guava. This past weekend was the first time I ever brought home a guava fruit.

Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel Bowl w/ Dragon Fruit and Guava

RECIPE (makes two servings)

Ingredients:

2 frozen bananas
1/2 of a dragon fruit (I used a golden pitaya in mine)
1 guava
1/3 cup full fat coconut milk
1 scoop Primal Kitchen Vanilla Coconut Collagen Fuel
Dragonfruit & kiwi fruit slices to top
Unsweetened coconut flakes to top

Frozen banana, dragonfruit, and guava fruit

1 scoop of Collagen Fuel Vanilla Coconut

Recipe:

Place frozen banana, 1/2 of your dragon fruit, the flesh of the guava, and your full-fat coconut milk and blend until smooth
Pour smoothie mix into 2 bowls and top with unsweetened coconut flakes, kiwi fruit slices and dragon fruit slices.
Eat and enjoy!

Primal Kitchen Collagen Bowl w/ Dragon Fruit and Guava

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Let me know if you try the recipe!

Are you familiar with Primal Kitchen Foods? What would you love to have from their online store? Leave me a comment and let me know what you are crushing on!

If you would love to save some money on your next Primal Kitchen purchase please use my

Primal Kitchen coupon code GIVEITAWHIRL10

during checkout.

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!

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

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.

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.

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

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!

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. ANY COMMISSION I RECEIVE IS USED TO BETTER YOUR BLOG EXPERIENCE HERE.

August 5, 2018 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!

37697111_10156518991034420_6636608170431086592_n — 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.

37772613_10156519053229420_295658517795176448_o — 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

Place all of the ingredients in your blender.
Blend until smooth.
Serve, eat, and enjoy!

37746566_10156518976374420_8763659834370293760_n — Cactus Pear Raspberry Smoothie

37700487_10156518991104420_7947507913738682368_n — 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:

July 24, 2018 2

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!

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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.

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!

July 21, 2018 0

Epic Exotic Fruits Smoothie Bowl & How I Created It With Knowrish Well Blue Dream

Epic Exotic Fruit Smoothie Bowl & How I Created It

If you read my last post you would see that I stocked up on some interesting fruits at Meijer through the Instacart grocery delivery service. I ended up getting some nice produce delivered: bananas, dragon fruit, kiwi, starfruit, passion fruit, papaya, and a kiwano horned melon. I had the ultimate exotic fruit smoothie bowl already planned out in my mind. What I came up with did not disappoint!

How I created the Epic Exotic Fruit Smoothie Bowl

To make a great smoothie bowl you need to have some frozen bananas. I will usually use two bananas in my bowl. I love to work with Knowrish Well freeze-dried fruit powders to infuse my smoothie bowls with an extraordinary flavor and a color that is pleasing to the eyes! I was going to use the Knowrish Well pitaya (dragon fruit) powder but then realized that I was out. So I ended up using the Blue Dream powder which is another great flavor enhancer. Not only does this powder give your smoothie an incredible flavor but it is also loaded with nutrients. It is made of butterfly pea flower and contains the following superfoods: maca, inulin, lucuma.

The other ingredients in this epic smoothie bowl were 1/2 a dragon fruit (inside of the smoothie) and I topped it with some sliced star fruit, kiwi fruit, a blob of passion fruit, and used more dragon fruit.

Having these fruits is a really a special treat for me. The cost of a dragon fruit is pretty ridiculous. I wish they were as cheap as something like apples and oranges! I also have a big passion for passion fruit. The taste can be described as a bit sweet and a bit tart. It is more sour than sweet so I have no clue how they came up with the name of this fruit. It also has a strange appearance and texture. I love it though! The star fruits are just fun to eat purely because of their incredible shape. I didn’t get a chance to try one until I was an adult, and I remember begging my mom to buy me one when I was a little girl.

The overall taste of this bowl was mindblowing delicious. Also, I believe this big fruit smoothie bowl would be chock full of nutritional benefits. Aside from the natural sugar content, I was feeling pretty good about this being a healthy bowl of yumminess. I don’t eat smoothies like this all of the time (anymore) so I am not too concerned about the naturally occurring sugars in the fruit. I often say YOLO (you only live once) so if you want the fruit~ eat the fruit!

The greatest part about this smoothie bowl was seeing how much my 8-year-old daughter, Chloe, loved it! She has always been my #1 fan of my smoothie bowls. I used to make one almost daily last summer. She proclaimed that this one was my best yet and I wholeheartedly agree with her. Hearing that definitely put a smile on my face.

Have you ever had an exotic fruit smoothie bowl? How do you enjoy your smoothie bowls? What are some of your favorite toppings? Leave me a comment below.

THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. I DO RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISSION IF ITEMS ARE PURCHASED THROUGH THESE LINKS (no extra cost to you). ALL OPINIONS STATED HERE ARE MY OWN.

July 18, 2018

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

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:

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.
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.
Remove the banana and coconut mixture from the blender cup and place in a bowl.
Top your smoothie bowl with the toasted coconut flakes, slivered almonds, and the chocolate chips.
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.

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.

June 27, 2018 2

First impression of the MengK 1500W blender

What can the MengK blender do?

MengK blender motor

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

The MengK blades

My experience with the MengK blender

The MengK blender is simple to clean

Satisfaction guaranteed from MengK

Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowl

MengK 1400W Blender

MengK 1500W Blender

Final thoughts

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

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About Nino Salvaggio

Exotic fruits that intrigued me at Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace

Passion Fruit

Guava

Rambutan

Quince

Ya Ya Pear

Passion Fruit / Guava Smoothie Bowl RECIPE

Passion Fruit & Guava Smoothie Bowl

Final thoughts

Question time! Have you ever been to Nino Salvaggio? Leave me a comment and let me know what you think about this incredible place to shop!

Find out more about Nino Salvaggio

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Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel Bowl w/ Dragon Fruit and Guava

RECIPE (makes two servings)

Are you familiar with Primal Kitchen Foods? What would you love to have from their online store? Leave me a comment and let me know what you are crushing on!

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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. ANY COMMISSION I RECEIVE IS USED TO BETTER YOUR BLOG EXPERIENCE HERE.

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Cactus Pear Smoothie Recipe

Cactus Pear Smoothie Recipe With Raspberries

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Please do research on how this may benefit or impact you.

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.

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How I created the Epic Exotic Fruit Smoothie Bowl

Have you ever had an exotic fruit smoothie bowl? How do you enjoy your smoothie bowls? What are some of your favorite toppings? Leave me a comment below.

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

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Disclaimer – The Fine Print