Strawberries, blueberries and grapes paired with vanilla organic yogurt...perfect for a snack.

Almost everyone I know LOVES fruit.

The medical assistant at the doctor’s office was telling me how much fruit she eats daily–peaches, apples, strawberries, grapes, you name it. She matter-of-factly told me that strawberries do not stick around in her refrigerator. Sometimes she buys them, and the next day when she’s home from work, the strawberries are all gone. Sometimes I feel like there’s a fruit monster on the prowl at our house.

Snacks are something it seems I’m always running low on, especially with two young, growing kids in my house! And since spring has sprung (at least here in Florida) my kids are begging me for a variety of fruit.

We tend to always have apples on hand (Gala, mainly), and bananas, of course. But we can’t keep enough navel oranges on hand to satisfy. Red grapes are always popular. Strawberries are their go to treat when oranges aren’t on hand.

My kids love fruit. They see peaches, nectarines and pears at the grocery store, and want it all. We buy organic apples and strawberries when we can. Of course, fruit salads and smoothies are very popular in our house! What I love doing is bringing a fruit salad to a potluck or a barbecue….that’s always a winner on the buffet!

What is your favorite fruit?

Photo by Kelly Estes

Do you have overripe bananas sitting in your kitchen? Two very ripe bananas were begging for my attention yesterday, so I set out a stick of butter after I drank my coffee, and got out my handy immersion blender.

Using 7 strawberries, a banana, some plain organic yogurt and 2% milk, I whipped up a breakfast smoothie for my kids. I confess I had a couple sips myself — there was a little left over after I had poured their smoothies. Talk about refreshing and delicious! My 3-year-old drained his smoothie right away, and then set to work on his breakfast.

Next I procured a bread recipe very similar to banana bread but adding a twist using a couple apples and a banana, some butter, the usual sugar, eggs, and some walnuts. I then casually asked my husband if he could help me make Apple Banana Bread.

“Sure,” he said, as he sat at the kitchen table eating his bagel, and reading the news.

“Can you make this apple banana bread recipe for me today? I’ve got to take our daughter to the Valentine’s party this afternoon.”

My husband almost choked on his bagel, and then started laughing. “It’s your word choice that struck me so funny,” he was finally able to gasp out. “You went from asking me to help you to asking me to do it all myself.”

Of course, he agreed to make the bread after lunch. He’s good like that.

The aroma in the house after the bread came out was absolutely wonderful. He used reduced fat sour cream instead of the regular sour cream as suggested in the recipe. It’s a very easy recipe to do with a mixer, my husband tells me.

My children love the taste of the apple banana bread, and since they’ll be doing most of the eating of the bread, their taste is what matters most in this instance. Next time, I would spice up the bread a little to suit my tastes more, but the recipe is very well done for children, who tend to have a more, shall we say, demanding palate?

My overripe bananas have been used, my kitchen smells wonderful, and we have homemade breakfast bread in the house. What a great way to start the week!

What is your favorite way to use up ripe bananas?

Photo by Kelly Estes

The thing I don’t like about buying a smoothie (other than the high price tag) is being unable to control the taste, if I want a lower fat drink.  So often, I’ve ordered a light smoothie with no sugar, except for the natural sugar of the fruit used, and it just doesn’t taste that good.

So don’t waste your money!

This just underscores the mantra I often heard growing up; that many times, the best tasting food is what you can whip up in your own kitchen.

Make Your Own Smoothie

Armed with a wonderful tool, an immersion blender with 16 ounce cup, some fresh (or frozen) berries, a banana, some low-fat or fat-free plain yogurt, and some 2% or fat free milk, I can mix up a delicious smoothie in less than five minutes. Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Berry Good Smoothie

Makes 16 ounces; easily makes 2 servings

Ingredients

• ½ cup blackberries
• ½ cup pineapple
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice (often found in the bottom of the fresh pineapple container)
• 1 small banana
• ½ cup plain, fat-free organic yogurt
• 8 ounces organic 2% or fat-free milk

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Serve and enjoy.

What is your favorite kind of smoothie?

Photo by Kelly Estes