Monday Morning Vitamins

Somehow, I bought too many groceries this weekend. It happens from time to time. Normally, I have no idea when I'm going to cook and eat all of this stuff. This time, I was at a loss as to where to put it all. Most of the stuff was frozen but an unpleasant by-product of work stress last week was the purchase of an obscence amount of ice cream, which resulted in a lack of freezer space. There were things that had to go. The bananas I was saving for banana bread: gone. The bag of berries that I am yet to turn into smoothies: your time has come.

Banana Berry Boost
1 frozen banana
1/3 c mixed frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries, currants, strawberries)
1/2 c orange juice
3 Tbsp mint
2" piece of ginger, peeled
1/3 c cooled white or green tea

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend. Pour into glasses, garnish with any extra mint you may have.

I have a funny feeling I'll be drinking these for the next few days, which isn't all that bad. It keeps me away from the ice cream.

Banana, Be Gone!

I thought I was going to use my bananas for some smoothies. I guess I was right, but this was more of an emergency situation: I've been noticing fruit flies & I want to eliminate any potential habitat. I have this theory that fruit flies bite. They're so little that no one would really notice. They don't have vampire fangs or anything.

Every now & then, I buy fruit. I don't really know why. It's good for me, it's full of vitamins, but I'm more of a vegetable girl. The fruit I buy sits on the counter & looks very pretty & gives guests the impression that I've grown out of my university years, when the diet consisted of Dr. Pepper & Mr. Noodles. (Why, if I was so well acquainted with them, were we never on a first name basis?) Often the fruit simply waits until it's time has come, in a painful, real-life sort of 17th century painting. A reminder of the passage of time. That sometimes leaks.

It was to be the deforestation of my kitchen counter. The bananas and the mango were about to go. I had some ginger, a whole lot of mint (that lives outside & is allowed to have as many fly friends as it likes) and a little bit of white tea leftover from breakfast.

Banana Mango Smoothie
2 ripe bananas
1 ripe mango
2 thumb sized pieces of ginger, peeled & cut into chunks
7-8 ginormous mint leaves (or more, if your mint is not a mutant like mine)
1/4 cup cool white or green tea
10-15 ice cubes

Mix everything in the blender. Pour into glasses. Garnish with more mint.

As I tried to photograph the drinks, a big bee-like insect came out by & hovered nearby. I think I'm better off without this insect attraction. I'm certainly better off for having actually eaten my fruit, instead of having an artistic reminder of the passage of time on my counter.