Super Fruit Smoothie

Hi kids!  How are you?  No kidding!?  I know, it's been a while.  I will pretend that you have missed me terribly, and that you are dying to know what is in my crazy mind that will explode into a post today.  SPOILER ALERT: I've been busy being a super mom to my two little devils.  Shocking, I know.  And yes, they have been little devils.  Gorgeously delicious little devils... but devils none-the-less.  This summer (with the kids in camp at least a half day) I have decided to dust off my website and stop neglecting it so much.  I am also moving away from using Instagram and will be focusing on my Twitter account more.  So, if you are on Twitter, come find me and follow @abbienourmel!

Today's post is a recipe.  Those of you who follow me on Instagram already know that I am a bit of a foodie.  This picture received so much attention (on both of my social media accounts) that I decided to post the recipe on my blog.  It's been getting hotter and hotter these days, and my super fruit vegetarian smoothie is just the right treat to cool you down and replenish those vitamins.  :)  It's not only delicious but it supplies you with a host of vitamins and immune boosters.   It is best to use organic, non-gmo, and raw ingredients (if you can find them) to lessen your intake of pesticides and maximize the vitamin benefit.  Enjoy, and let me know what you think if you end up making it yourself!

Super Fruit Smoothie/ Sorbet

Equipment:
* Blender with shake or ice cream setting
* Spoon

* 1 banana
* 1 - 1 1/2 cups of frozen strawberries
* 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries
* 1 cup of pineapple chunks
* 1/2 - 1 cup of coconut milk (I use Silk brand coconut milk)
* 1 - 2 TSP chia seeds (white or black)
* 2 TBSP of dried raw mulberries
* 2 TSP of lucuma powder
* 1 TSP of camu powder
* 2 - 4 TBSP of raw honey (for vegan you can substitute with maple syrup or sugar)

Blend until all ingredients are smooth and creamy.  Try really hard not to give yourself a red mustache.  :)

Footnote: The less liquid you use (and the more frozen fruit) results in a thicker smoothie, and it becomes a sorbet or gelato consistency.  You can switch out fruit if you want, but I happen to like this little mix of fruit together.  I made mine to the sorbet consistency and topped it with fresh basil leaves, but you can just enjoy it straight from the blender.  It saves well in the fridge for a few days, and is EXCELLENT mixed with tequila or rum.  I mean, I have heard that it is? 

New Webster's dictionary words (part deux)

"Out of the mouths of babes." - Psalms 8:2

In its traditional meaning, the above quote refers to children saying statements which are prematurely insightful or wise.  For today's post, I'll be using a less than traditional interpretation of the phrase.  Especially since these are words my toddler has regurgitated and I'm finding a way to twist that into something crass, dark and witty.  I'm such an excellent mother.  Anyway, these two little gems popped out of my toddler's mouth the other day.  I was lucky enough to have my phone's notepad ready to record these little verbal diamonds.  Since many words have multiple meanings, I have also provided multiple inappropriate definitions for your amusement. 
I think it's pretty obvious where I am going with this, so don't act all surprised and shocked.

TRAMPION 
/Tram-pee-uhn/  (noun)
1) A person (non-gender specific) who takes sleeping around to a sport like level; competitions are optional. 
2) An avid trampoline jumper who has advanced their levitating skills to a "champion" like ability.

HO-CANO
/Ho-kay-noh/  (noun)
1) A fierce explosion of promiscuity that hits you when you approach a brothel, seedy bar, or randomly at the ice machine of a Super 8 motel. 
2) A dizzy, spinning, inspirationally explosive sensation that overcomes you whilst perusing around your favorite DIY store garden tools section (similar to experiencing a volcanic eruption and a tornado at the same time).  This sensation is usually followed by an intense need to purchase the entire row of garden tools, starting, of course, with the hoe.
3) The overwhelming, uncontrollable onset of explosive gardening tool mouth diarrhea.  Most often, this affliction attacks the overknowledgable employee in the gardening section, with whom you randomly run smack into with your mouth dropped wide open in an "I don't know what I'm looking for?" look on your face.

I should start my own Abbie Nourmel dictionary. 
All the people would buy it. 
I'm not narcissistic, but thanks for putting that thought out there. 
I think I'm onto something here...  :D

Poopy Ice Cream cupcakes

Oh yes, yes I did.  I made these.  I made them specifically to celebrate my little 3 year old going poopy in the potty, but whatever floats your boat.  Hey, you could make them for the same reason.  Why not?  Maybe if I celebrated myself more with poopy cupcakes then I would have more of an enlightened soul.  Chew on that one Ghandi.

Ok, since I've had a few requests now on how to make these, here you go.  It is much, much simpler than you think, and it's very tasty.  I cheated on a few ingredients making my life easier, but not necessarily following the mantra I typically adhere to: organic "real" ingredients... but, whatever.  It tasted really good.

Serves 6-12

Need:
- 12 count cupcake baking pan
- 1 pkg of foil cupcake liners

Ingredients:
- 1 qt of Ice cream (I used Vanilla, but you can use your favorite flavor)*
(This can be made non-dairy as well using coconut or tofu ice cream)
- 1- 2 containers of Hershey's Shell Topping (or your favorite chocolate melted to room temp)
- 1 pkg of your favorite mini chocolate chips
- 1 pkg of mini marshmallows (I used large ones, lesson learned)
- 1 container of your favorite sprinkles

Optional:
- Crumbled Graham crackers
- Oreo cookies or Ginger Snap cookies (depending on your flavor vision)
- Candied Ginger pieces
- chopped pretzel pieces (especially yummy mixed with Caramel flavored anything)
- Fresh fruit or fruit preserves (if you are not using the Oreo cookies)
- Snow caps (or even fancier, Non-Pareils for top garnish)
- Whipped cream


How you make it:

Start with 6 cupcake foils, pour enough of the hard shell chocolate sauce into the bottom of the liners (roughly about 1-2 TBLSPN's).  Make sure you tilt the liners and rotate enough so that the chocolate sauce whirls around and up all the sides of the liners.  It doesn't have to be perfect.  You want to make sure there is a substantial bottom to hold the weight of all the layers, and enough on the sides to support it like a cupcake.  If you want to add any cookie crumbles, this is the time to sprinkle that on top of the bottom chocolate layer before chilling.  Place chocolate glazed liners into a cupcake baking pan for support, and into refrigerator for 5 minutes* (if you are using fresh melted chocolate chips instead of the hard shell mix, then place in freezer until hardened).

Take out the ice cream, and scoop out 1-2 large spoonful(s) of ice cream per liner into a bowl (depends on how high you want to make the cupcake).  The ice cream can be hard to manipulate when just out of freezer, so you may want to scoop out a bunch into a bowl then let it soften a little to the point where you can manipulate ingredients into it easily (but not melted!).  This is also a point where you can play with mixed in ingredients - merge fruit or cookies or whatever into the ice cream (honey, caramel, etc.) - but quickly as you don't want the ice cream to get to a melted point.  Next, place it into cupcake liner and gently press into the shell lining up to 1/4" below liner rim.  You can add another layer of chocolate (and cookie crumbles) and hard shell on top if you like making it a parfait type cupcake.  I added a layer of chocolate chip sprinkles.  Yum.  Place both the semi-made cupcakes and bowl of softened ice cream in freezer for 5-10 minutes or until hardened.  Take cupcakes back out, and add another scoop of the bowl hardened ice cream on top, to create a risen cupcake batter height.  Quickly place a mini marshmallow on top for a garnish (or a Snow Cap, or whipped cream - the possibilities are endless!), then drizzle in zigzag pattern more hard shell topping to affix it to ice cream.  Before it hardens dash some sprinkles on it, and throw back into freezer.  VOILA!

If you aren't going to eat them right away, you may want to transfer them to a freezer safe container or wrap them to avoid freezer burn and/or picking up other freezer smells into the ice cream tastes.Salmon flavored Vanilla ice cream is not really my cup of tea. 

TRUST ME, your kids (or you?) will LOVE THESE.  You just take them out, peel the liner off, and place in a shallow bowl.  The kids got slap happy over this, and I think, will probably want this every time little kid has a poopy.  LOL.

Happy eating!

~ Abbie