Tangerine Dream Smoothie

Our local grocery store (Alfalfa’s) has a smoothie bar and every once in a while they’ll set out samples. Recently they had not one but three flavors to sample, and I debated which brightly-colored mini cup to take. I finally landed on tangerine, even though orange is not typically my favorite flavor. Immediately, I was reminded of a story about Orange Julius I post to this blog years ago. It was creamy, with citrus punch and a touch of vanilla. It was a throw-back, a reminder of orange cream soda and orange creamsicles and childhood. It was nostalgia. But, flavor-wise, even better, because it was made with tangerines at peak citrus season. So, I took that inspiration and ran with it, adding a little coin of ginger because I couldn’t help myself.

Tangerine Dream Smoothie

Published February 20, 2020 by Caitlin Sherwood

   Print This Recipe

Serves: 1-2   |    Active Time: 10 minutes

---

Ingredients:

2 tangerines, 2 minneola tangelos, or 1 sumo citrus, peeled

1/2 cup plain yogurt or vanilla yogurt

1/4 cup milk of choice

1 banana, peeled and roughly chopped

5-6 ice cubes

1 nickle-sized slice of ginger

Optional: 1 scoop plain, unsweetened collagen or whey protein powder

Optional: 2 tablespoons unsweetened desiccated coconut

Optional: Small drop vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in the blender and secure lid on blender jar. Puree until completely smooth.
2. Pour into serving glasses and enjoy cold. 

Raspberry Popsicles with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

Poison ivy and raspberry bushes—when I was a kid, these were the two plants my dad always pointed out to me on camping trips. This summer, as we hiked through Big Elk Meadows (which is not a meadow and there were no elk), the wild raspberries were copious. The dry creek was spotted with small bushes, each of them ripe with red gems. Those wild berries were far better than the ones growing in my own backyard, and not just because we were eating them outside. They were juicier and sweeter. We ate the ripest ones and left the others for the birds.

These popsicles are an end of summer hoorah! A sweet-tart cool down for mid-afternoon.

Raspberry Popsicles with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

Published September 10, 2019 by Caitlin Sherwood

   Print This Recipe

Serves: 6   |    Active Time: 20 active minutes

---

Ingredients:

12 ounces fresh raspberries

1/4 teaspoon lemon or lime juice

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips

Optional: 1-2 tablespoons raw sugar or coconut sugar

Equipment: Popsicle molds and popsicle sticks

Directions:

1. Place raspberries in a blender and purée.
2. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a sauce pan, and pour raspberry puree through sieve in order to remove seeds. All of the juice should go through the sieve (into the pot), and you should be left with just seeds in the sieve. Discard of seeds.
3. Place raspberry purée on stove over low heat and stir in lemon juice. Bring to a slow simmer, and add sugar to taste. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Allow mixture to cool, about 10 minutes.
4. Pour raspberry mixture into popsicle molds with popsicle sticks and freeze for 8 hours, until frozen solid.
5. When popsicles are frozen, prep the chocolate: melt chocolate in microwave (at 30 second increments, stirring in between each until smooth), or in a double boiler.
6. Remove popsicles from molds, and drizzle with chocolate. Allow chocolate to set. Serve immediately, or store in air-tight container until ready to eat.

Grilled Swordfish with Fresh Herb Sauce & Shishito Peppers

Herbs, herbs on everything. That’s been the mantra lately, out of necessity (but also appetite for fresh, bold flavors). Last night it was something like this pork noodle salad from NYT Cooking. The night before it was magic green chicken Nom Nom Paleo-style. But even before that—when the weekend was still young—it was this grilled swordfish with fresh herb sauce.

Need a side? Slice zucchini lengthwise (I know you have plenty of zucchini!), brush with EVOO, salt, and toss on the grill. The herb sauce in this recipe (which you will have plenty of) goes great with grilled veggies, too. Simple white rice adds bulk but also soaks up extra juices—a welcome addition!

Grilled Swordfish with Fresh Herb Sauce & Shishito Peppers

Published August 20, 2019 by Caitlin Sherwood

   Print This Recipe

Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 20 minutes

---

Ingredients:

1 pound sword fish fillet

10-12 Shishito peppers (optional)

Large pinch of salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Zest of 1 lemon

Sprinkle of cracked black pepper

Herb sauce:

1/2 cup fresh chopped herbs (I use a mix of equal parts parsley, thai basil, mint, and oregano)

1 shallot

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pepper

Directions:

1. Light a grill and set to high. Close lid and allow grill to heat.
2. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, cut the fish cubes (about 1-2 inches each).
3. Skewer fish pieces, along with shishito peppers if using. Sprinkle with salt, and allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
4. Use a brush to coat fish with olive oil, covering both sides. Then, zest lemon over fish, and sprinkle with pepper.
5. Place fish on hot grill, and cook for 3 minutes on each side, with the grill lid closed.
6. While fish cooks, make the fresh herb sauce: mince the shallot, and place in a small bowl with lemon juice. Mince herbs, and add to bowl, along with salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Pour enough olive oil into the bowl to coat all of the herbs. Stir.
7. When fish is done cooking, remove from heat and set on serving plates. Spoon herb sauce over top, and serve hot.