Cosmic Rhino

A few weeks ago, we bought this great dip at Wild Oats. After about 2 minutes and with the help of baby carrots, I demolished the whole tub. I had to make more for myself.

I was happy to learn that A) I had most ingredients on hand and B) it was very easy, once I figured out what I was doing. The first attempt was watery, the second attempt bland, but the third attempt was just right according to my diligent taste-testers, Todd and Joanne (she’s the adorable number shown here).

Ingredients:

I have but perhaps one claim to fame and that is my friendship with Floyd, the founder of Big Orange Landmarks (a sweet website dedicated to discovering the historical landmarks of Los Angeles, one by one).

Recently, Floyd got braces and eating solid food has been a struggle, so this smoothie recipe is dedicated to him. May you not go hungry, Floyd!

Ingredients:

• 2 large carrots, washed and chopped into 1″ chunks (for ease of blending) or about 12 baby carrots
• 1 cup frozen pineapple
• 1 cup frozen mango chunks

My mom, sister and nieces have a huge vegetable garden in Washington and the tomatoes are just about ripe, so I offered to jump in with recipe ideas. After a trip to Wild Oats, I decided to try a creamy-ish herby tomato soup.

Before I give you the recipe, here’s a note on peeling tomatoes: As I’ve mentioned, I am very much a rookie cook, so I had to refer to the Joy of Cooking on how to peel a tomato as I’ve always cooked with canned tomatoes (sad, but true). Fortunately, it was easy. Click here from a very brief wiki-how lesson on peeling a tomato.

I get tons of arugula from my CSA - we’re talking a huge batch a week and a little bit goes a long way. I was tired of arugula salad so I got the idea to make pesto out of the arugula.

Alas, this was not an original idea. After two seconds of digging, it turns out many have made arugula pesto. But it is delicious, nonetheless.

CR Mom wants another smoothie recipe and I must oblige. She’s me mum, after all.

This berry smoothie is a great way to get veggies, especially if the recipients (kids, boyfriends, husbands, little sisters, etc.) do not like veggies. Blueberries, flax seed, kale…you can’t ask for  more super-foods in a smoothie! It tastes good, too.

Ingredients:

• 1 large carrot
• 2-3 leaves of kale (lacinato version shown above). Can also use chard, or even a few heads of broccoli.
• 1 cup cold water or orange juice (OJ works best when you’re trying to mask the flavor, but it does add calories)

A kale smoothie is the perfect solution when you know you simply have not had enough dark leafy greens in your diet and your body is screaming for them. Isn’t it pretty?

Let me start by saying that you’ve got to go into this one thinking of it as medicine, which is precisely the advice my friend Cathy gave me when I tried it the first time. If you are expecting a Berry Pizazz Smoothie at Jamba Juice, it’s not going to work. So try the medicine approach like I did and the truth is I actually like it!