Going Green

I saw this recipe on the Vita-Mix website and knew I had to try it. It has all of my favorite things in it! I've made it a few times already and not only is it delicious, but it is quite filling. It's also packed with antioxidants and if you are having any digestive issues at all, this is great for that.

a few ice cubes
1/2 cup water
handful of spinach
a few pineapple chunks
1/2 apple with skins on
handful red seedless grapes
1/2 banana
1/2 an orange (peeled)
1/2 a peach (I peel this)

I put the ingredients in the order listed. I've also added kiwi and strawberries in replace of some I might not have had above. A good blender should be able to mix just as well, just make sure it mixes for a few minutes to make sure all the big chunks are gone.

Easy Manicotti

I made this Manicotti the other night and I forgot just how easy it is and how much my kids love it. Even the picky-eaters asked for seconds and literally licked their plates clean. The key to making Manicotti easy is to not cook the noodles beforehand. I just used the recipe on the back of the American Beauty noodle box, with some of my own variations:

Cheese-Filled Manicotti

Part-skim ricotta cheese (approx. 2 cups)
1 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 26 oz. jar spaghetti sauce (plus 1 cup water)


Grease 9 x 13 pan. Spread thin layer of sauce on bottom of pan. Make cheese filling and, with a spoon, stuff into uncooked noodles. Place stuffed noodles in pan. Pour the remaining sauce over noodles. Cover with foil. When ready to cook, keep covered and bake at 375 for 40 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle about 2 cups of cheese (I use mixed cheeses) over top and bake for another 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and serve.





This meal is great when coupled with the Quick and Easy Breadstick recipe. This time I've included some pictures!