~*Welcome to*~
Today is the first day of our Spring-filled link-up with me and Jo of Jo, My Gosh! There were supposed to be 2 more of my blogger besties joining our little party as hostesses, but real life stepped in and made that impossible for them, so we're planning another link-up hopefully this fall for all of us to host together (I can't wait!). For now, though, Jo and I have an amazing week planned for you all! I hope you will all join in the festivities and link-up below, too (rules below)! :)
Now, today is not only the first day of our link-up, it is also my middle kid's 9th birthday, y'all (Happy Birthday, Sean!! Mommy loves you!!)! So, to honor his birthday and let him know that he is oh, so special, I let him choose what type of recipe I made for today (dessert/main dish/side, flavor profile, etc.), and he decided that he most definitely wanted a smoothie, but not just ANY smoothie. Oh, no. He wanted something banana...and berries...with a chocolate option! I mean, talk about pressure! Don't worry, all, this momma came through, and it's allergy-friendly to boot, of course (soy (if you use all soy-free ingredients) fish, nut, wheat, egg and can be milk-free (see variations))! May I present to you:
Sean's Banana Berry Birthday Smoothie!
(with chocolate option)
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| Sean's Banana Berry Birthday Smoothie made with mixed berries and Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips |
Sean's Banana Berry Birthday Smoothie
1 to 2 frozen bananas
1 Cup frozen berries (strawberries, mixed berries, blueberries - whatever your preference)
1 to 2 Cups milk
1/2 to 1 teaspoon vanilla
dash of salt
1/4 to 1/2 Cup soy-free chocolate chips (optional)
1 Tablespoon sugar (optional)
- Place all ingredients using in a blender and blend until desired consistency, adding more milk if it is too thick, more berries or banana if too thin as you go. (Note: I recommend adding all but the sugar, tasting the mixture and then deciding if it needs extra sweetness or not before adding in the sugar. The amount of bananas is based on personal preference as well as thickness, so start with the lesser amount and work your way up. The amount of milk is based on how thick you want the smoothie, too, so start with less and add more as you go. The amount of chocolate chips is based solely on preference, as is the vanilla.)
- Fill glasses and enjoy.
Makes around 3 servings (1 Cup size) or so.
Variations (Please keep your particular allergen needs in mind when using substitutions!):
- Milk-free: Use a non-dairy milk (such as SoDelicious) in place of the milk and dairy-free chocolate chips (such as Enjoy Life) in place of the chocolate chips (if using). You can even use juice in place of the milk if you wish, though you will probably want to omit the vanilla and salt and may want to leave out the chocolate chips if you do that, depending on your personal tastes.
- No Banana/No Berries: If you do not like bananas or berries, you can use all banana or all berries. You could even use another type of fruit like peaches or mango or whatever else you think would taste good. You will need around 2 Cups or so of frozen fruit total.
- No Vanilla or Salt: If you don't like the vanilla or don't want to use the salt, feel free to leave either or both out, though I think they add a nice flavor.
So what was the verdict? Did I succeed in fulfilling the birthday boy's expectations? Let's ask him!
Hooray! :) Hopefully the little (and big) people in your life will agree!
What is your favorite birthday treat?
~*~*~*~
Now It's Your Turn!
Grab A Badge!
(This
recipe was originally posted on my original site, Natural and Free.)
Thanks for hosting girl!!! Can't wait to see the linkup grow. BTW, Happy Birthday to your son too! Hope he has a great day
ReplyDeleteThanks, Stacey! Thanks for linking up! :) I wish you were hosting with us, but I understand how crazy things get, and I look forward to the one in the future when we can all host something together! Will be a blast! :D
DeleteI'll pass on the birthday wishes to my now 9 year old. He's so thrilled to have a treat named after him. LOL :)
Take care, and thanks again for stopping by and joining in the fun!
Of course I will join in!! Just so you know, you are the ONLY blog that I join link-up parties ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Laurrie! I had to re-do your submission because you didn't link-up a direct link, but it's all good now. :) Thanks for linking up, and I'm so glad that you joined, even if it was just for me. :) I appreciate it!
DeleteOh, I LOVE a berry and banana smoothie. EXCELLENT!! Happy Birthday, Sean! Hope 9 brings you many more delicious smoothies and lots of happiness! :) --Lisa
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad, Lisa! :) He was very pleased with the results, and I hope you will be, too. My oldest, who is not so fond of banana, even said it was pretty good, so I call that a win-win. :)
DeleteThanks for stopping by and for wishing Sean a Happy Birthday, too! :)
I don't typically like smoothies (I think it's the texture), but that looks really delicious! Once I get a blender, I'm going to have to try it!!!
ReplyDeleteWell, maybe it will be the smoothie that converts you. I'm a big texture person, so I totally get it. There are things that I absolutely love in flavor but cannot stand in texture. If you don't like it, though, I won't hold it against ya. Promise. :)
DeleteOh, I like this! It looks SO inviting!! Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! :)
ReplyDeleteCindy from vegetarianmamma.com
Thanks, Cindy! :) My oldest who doesn't care for banana even liked it enough to finish the glass. I took that as a win! :)
DeleteThanks for stopping by and for the Twitter and Pinterest love! :)