A New Spin On the Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

So what does a person do if they run out of cocoa powder?! Make something totally new and maybe even better!!!

This smoothie is creamier and more refreshing than the traditional Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie.
So here is what I did...
In a blender or tall cup for an immersion blender add:

• 1-2 frozen bananas
• 1-2 Tablespoons natural (sugar free) peanut butter
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• dash of cinnamon
• 8 ice cubes (you may need more or less depending on what consistency you are going for)
• 1/4 cup liquid

I add in small handfuls of ice as I go as well as adding small amounts of liquid until I get the consistency that I am looking for.
You may be asking yourself "what liquid should I use", great question! I used water, but if I had vanilla almond milk it would make this smoothie even better.  Water worked just fine, milk or soy milk would also work great.   Yum! This smoothie was SO good that just writing about it make me want some right now!

Check out the smoothie mustache!

Chayim also loved this smoothie as much as I did.

Cheaper Substitute for Water Chestnuts

Turnip is a great cheap substitute for water chestnuts. Just slice the turnip into thin slices and saute it with oil for a few minutes, then add a little salt and water, cover and let cook until soft, then you can add them to any asian dish or eat them as a side dish. They remarkably taste like water chestnuts. 

Thai cabbage stir fry

Thai cabbage stir fry is a staple in our home.

This recipe is based off of my Asiany Stir Fry but the main ingredient is white cabbage.  This stir fry, like the Asiany Stir Fry has tons of veggies and you can really add whatever veggies you want.  After sauteing the onions, garlic, ginger, and carrots add in the chopped cabbage and once it starts to cook add in the other veggies.  Continue to cook, stirring frequently and then add coconut milk and chopped fresh basil and cilantro, and continue to cook and stir until done. YUM!

Serve over brown rice.

Black Bean Soup with Chipotle Chiles

This black bean soup is super yum and healthy!

I make my own chipotles in adobo using those long skinny green spicy peppers that you can find any where.  If you can't find limes because it isn't the two months of the year that we can get limes here, then you can just use lemon or try a young green lemon, its not quite a lime, but more lime-like.
I find that this recipe needs more spices so just add more in as you like, overall this is an awesome and quick prep recipe.
You can also try sour cream instead of yogurt, add green onion and a few tortilla chips as a topping, or let people add their own fixings.