Several New Things

So, "recently," I've tried several new things.  The picture on the left was stage one - a preliminary but momentous event.  Stage one included making Choffy and keeping a good supply in the refrigerator so that I didn't have to clean that french press everytime I wanted a cup!  (This idea, as well as the knowledge that you can unscrew the bottom of the press part to clean it is owed entirely to Eileen.)  Also, I finished off a bag of quinoa, cooking it just in plain water and crushed red pepper.  It was pretty good.  I also ended up adding to it some of the Trader Joe's low sodium chicken stock goo that I got when I went there with Sharon.  It was fantastic, and I still have several packets left and they don't expire until next year!

Finally, the most momentous part of all of stage 1 - discovering and cleaning the BLENDER!  We have had a blender this whole time!  Oh my gosh!!  Of course, I didn't have any berries yet nor did I quite know how to use the thing, but it was a good find.

Picture 2, Stage 2: Mastering the Blender.  It turns out that if you are trying to blend frozen berries and ice cream instead of yogurt, they both have to be warmed up a little first.  This was my fourth go at it, I was an expert at this point.  The bags of frozen mixed berries say they contain 4.5 servings, so I open a bag and split it as evenly as I can estimate into two freezer ziploc bags.  So hopefully over two servings of fruit in each bag.  Then I leave one bag in the fridge overnight before I make the stuff.  The next day I put a big bowl of ice cream in the fridge for 30-45 minutes.  Then I blend them together and split that mixture in two, eating one immediately and putting one in a cup in the fridge for the next day.  The "pint" shown is the whole shebang, two days and two servings worth.  The first time I made it I had reservations about the taste - I thought I might have to use chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla.  But now I really like it!  In fact, when I ate this batch I thought, "I can really taste the vanilla in this - I could use even less ice cream."  Also, I've been adding a teaspoon of chia seeds to the mixture when I eat it.  A good way to up the intake without making that gel too thick to drink.  I think it also helps the smoothie stick with you longer.  That is all I have for now, enjoy!