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The Easiest Strawberry Milkshake Recipe Turns Out to be the Best Strawberry Milkshake Recipe

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Strawberry Milkshake v

Quick & Easy Strawberry Milkshake

Some of my favorite things in live involve fruit.. so much so that I’ve always said if there ever were a fruit shortage, I’d be in a world of hurt…

I live for:

Strawberry Sundaes

Blueberries in Oatmeal

Blackberries on Pancakes

Strawberry Sundaes

Banana Smoothies

Strawberry Smoothies

.. and, last but not least, the obsession that brings us here today – Strawberry Milkshakes. I have been tinkering over the years with them for several reasons. I love them and couldn’t possibly survive a week without one. Have I ever tried? Heck no… who’d want to tempt that kind of fate?! I don’t order Strawberry milkshakes from restaurants because some milkshakes have gluten in them and I’m afraid of cross-contamination. Soooo, that has left me to my own devices – well the devices of me and my blender (Hamilton Beach Power Elite on Amazon).

I’ve tried milkshakes with vanilla, without vanilla, with added sugar, without added sugar, with all forms of vanilla and/or strawberry ice cream, with frozen strawberries, with fresh strawberries… oh, you name it, I’ve experimented with it. And loved every strawberrylicious sip!

The one I made recently was at the end of a very, very, very busy day (and, given that it’s 2020, it was of course a very emotionally charged and stressful day… 2020’s aesthetic). All I wanted was a basic glassful of strawberry comfort.

I  took 12 large strawberries, washed them and chopped them into chunks. I threw them into my blender and added 2-1/2 cups vanilla ice cream and 2 cups whole milk. The blender did its magic and the result was a knock out milkshake. As you can see, I didn’t even add whipped topping to the top followed by the obligatory “food blogger’s slice of strawberry on top.” Heck, I’m lucky my tired self even remembered to take a picture at all!

Who knows, maybe next time I’ll top it all off with a little whipped cream and position a big beautiful strawberry wedge on top. Maybe I’ll order special “milkshake glasses” by then. We’ll see. If 2020 gets its act together, I’ll do the same!


Lemon Miso Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe (Vegan, Keto)

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Vegan Keto Lemon Miso Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Lemon Miso Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe from Fresh N’ Lean!

In the coming days, weeks, months (time has no meaning these days), I’ll be adding a lot more keto, vegan, and gluten-free recipes to the food blog. While I have to eat gluten-free, I find that a lot of vegan and even keto recipes are simply delicious. After all, you don’t have to strictly adhere to a diet to enjoy its recipes and any extra healthy meals you inject into your weekly menu plans is a positive thing.

I also want to apologize for the lack of regular updates lately. In all honesty, I simply fell behind in all of my web publishing and wasn’t sure how or where to jump back in and get back into the swing of things. The pandemic touches us all in different ways – and, frankly, it makes me not want to do much beyond spending time with my family & cats, cooking, flower gardening, and watching old movies.

I’m trying to fight out of the rut… but, let’s face it some ruts are harder to leave behind than others. This one’s been so sweet, pulling away from it seems akin to throwing away a piece of peanut butter fudge.

At any rate, here is where the regular recipes, food reviews, and other babbling kicks back in with regularity.

Why not start things back off with a delicious recipe featuring a newfound obsession, Brussels Sprouts?! This is an outrageously tasty, easy, and beautiful dish. Enjoy!

The delicious recipe is from Fresh N’ Lean!

You can find Red Miso Paste on Amazon.

Easter Lovelies for the Kitchen: Dishes, Cake Stand, and Towels to DYE For (Sorry Not Sorry)

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I was browsing around Amazon earlier (always a dangerous sport for me) – looking for Easter dishes and new Easter cloth napkins. I’ve had a deep purple for years now and, while they’re lovely, I want to add some extra colors to the table.

I got so sidetracked by lovelies galore that I almost forgot my napkins! The first thing I saw, the too-cute-for-their-own-good, Mr. and Mrs. Rabbit Dish Towels are pictured on the right.

See how guilty they look? That’s because they made me forget everything but my own name.

There’s no easy way to show them all to you – so I’m just going to roll them out, one at a time. Each link is, of course, an Amazon link. I mean, is there really any better place to shop??

First up, the Sweet Bunny 16 Piece Dinnerware Set (pictured to the left).

For years, I have used the same beautiful white dinnerware set for Easter and Thanksgiving but this year I’d really like to give each wonderfully special holiday its own chance to bask in the spotlight.

These precious “sweet bunny” dishes are really tempting me to buy a few sets. I haven’t found any I like nearly as well and our grand babies will love these for years and years to come.

As far as that goes, I’m pretty sure our daughters and sons-in-law will love them just as much!

The gorgeous 16 Piece Set includes: 4 Each 11″Dinner Plates, 8. 5″ Salad/Dessert Plates, 20 oz. Mugs, 6″ Ice Cream/Dessert 26 oz. Bowls.

If you have Amazon Prime, delivery is free with these dishes.

Second of all, I found these ADORABLE (sorry to yell, but they’re worthy of all caps)

They would be absolutely adorable with the plates shown above or with white dishes for that matter. They’re available in many different colors – there is an orange and black that would be ideal for Halloween and a gray and white that is so great-looking I want them for everyday. If you click through, be sure to check out the image they have using the gray and white napkins.

It looks so stylish and gorgeous!

Features:

  • 100% Cotton
  • Imported
  • PACK OF SIX – Napkins measures 20×20″
  • EASY CARE – 100% cotton machine washable gentle cycle tumble dry low. Low iron if needed.

Third of all, there’s the gorgeous Ceramic Pastel 3-Tier Cake Stand (or cookies, deviled eggs, sugar cubes, candies… whatever you want to put on it).

It comes in silver or gold and both are absolutely gorgeous. The stand comes with free little tongs (for picking up sugar cubes or small treats).

When you look at the stand from above, you can see the embossed flowers as well as lovely little butterflies. When you click through, you can take a much closer look.

  • Diameter of Platters: 6”, 8”, 10”. 14.5″ tall
  • Material: High quality fine china, 100% LEAD FREE
  • Use as a cupcake stand, dessert stand or serve for fruit and other sweet treat. It can be used at all types of events and parties such as tea party, baby showers, graduations, weddings, Christmas, thanksgiving or for home decor.
  • Embossed porcelain design

I love that this stand can take you all through spring and summer (much like the checkered napkins above).

I have quite a few more Easter-themed gift ideas and kitchen gadgets as well as recipes in the works, so stay tuned!

I hope your weather is as beautiful as it is here in Kentucky. Hang in there, everyone, spring is almost here!

 

 

Tangy Southern Coleslaw: Fast, Easy, and Oh So Delicious!

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Tangy Southern Coleslaw

Tangy Southern Coleslaw

One of my biggest culinary obsessions is coleslaw – it goes with so many things.. and those few things it doesn’t conceivably go with?

I make it go!

The only drawback to loving a particular food so much is it makes you hyper picky when you order it in restaurants (or, worse yet, when a family member makes some and it tastes like a movie prop!). Let’s be honest, really truly wonderful coleslaw is a work of art and not many people pass for artists.

This particular easy, but delicious southern coleslaw is spot on – a work of art that’ll make you a Picasso.

My personal favorite coleslaw is usually vinegar-based, but I wanted to add some creamy tanginess to the mix (literally), so  I opted to sort of combine a creamy coleslaw and a vinegar coleslaw. That’s where the buttermilk comes into play. It may sound unusual, but it really does make things interesting.

And delicious!

Notes:

  • I specify Duke’s Mayonnaise simply because it’s the one I always buy and use in my recipes. I simply think it’s the best. However, using Hellman’s will not alter the recipe. In fact, it’s pretty much the same… don’t tell my beloved Duke’s that though.
  • This is outrageously delicious on or beside a chili dog or pork sandwich.
  • One of the things that makes “Southern Coleslaw” in fact “Southern Coleslaw” is the sweetness. Our capacity to eat sweet food is unequaled. If you want to add a little less sugar, feel free to cut back a tad. However, a certain amount is very, very necessary to balance the acidity of the vinegar.


“Candy Cookies” – No Bake Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Cookies (With Gluten-Free Option)

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Candy Cookies or No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

Over the years, I have baked, sliced, cut, and molded every kind of cookie imaginable. Given that I am the human equivalent of Cookie Monster who also happens to love to bake – this is completely understandable. Expected, even.

What isn’t understandable or expected, however, is the fact that one of my absolute favorite cookies is one of the simplest.

What’s more, it doesn’t even have to be baked. No need to turn the oven on for these guys!

Most people refer to this type of cookie as “No Bake Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Cookies” or “Haystacks.” When my daughters were little, I would actually shape them into little haystacks because they got such a kick out of how they looked.

Today, however, I just drop them by a tablespoon onto parchment paper and allow them to spread. I have always referred to them as “Cookies that are Really Candy,” I recently began calling them Candy Cookies. By gosh… that’s what they are after all!

Below is the easy as it gets recipe.

Notes:

  • For gluten-free cookies, use gluten-free oats. I use Quaker Gluten-Free 1 Minute Quick Oats… available online or in just about any store.
  • If you want “haystacks,” use a teaspoon when you drop onto the paper. As the mixture cools, shape the cookies into cute little haystacks.
  • For the “Candy Cookies” pictured here, use a tablespoon to drop the mixture onto the parchment paper.
  • Keeping the ingredients for these cookies on hand at all times is always the right thing to do – especially during the months leading up to Christmas. You never know when you’ll need to whip up a batch of something delicious to give as a “Well.. of course I got you something too!” gift. Been there, cooked that.

I preach a lot about parchment paper and it’s many, many, many, many wonders but, when it comes to candy and cookies, it is all but downright necessary. I give a lot of my candy and cookies to family members and having parchment paper on hand to put between layers makes my life easier and everything neater for those who dive right in!

Seriously, once you start using parchment paper regularly, you’ll wonder how in the world you ever got along without it.

Easy Christmas Cookies

Protein Sources for Vegans (Infographic)

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When my beautiful middle daughter, Brittany, was 12, she decided she no longer wanted to eat meat. It actually began to nauseate her to even look at meat. I thought it was adorable when she announced that she never wanted to eat anything “…that once had a face.” I said, “Fair enough!” and launched into in-depth research of healthy eating for vegetarians and vegans (assuming that could be a future choice). My main concern was protein because, let’s face it, we all associate protein with meat and meat with protein.

I was delighted (then and now) that there are so many sources of protein that never had a face.

I began making and buying black bean burgers, nuts by the pound, and even more vegetables than I already did. Brittany’s vegetarianism, in my opinion, helped make me a better (and healthier) cook. What some may have viewed as a “problem” or “headache” was actually a positive for our family. She has stuck with her vegetarianism and I have stuck with a very healthy obsession with vegetables!

You can most certainly have a healthy diet if you are a vegetarian or even a vegan. You simply have to make certain you are as conscientious and passionate about what you INCLUDE as you are about what you EXCLUDE.

The wonderful infographic below, from Snap Kitchen, sums it up beautifully. It also has made me pretty darn hungry for a great salad with chickpeas and nuts… so I’ll just wrap things up…

Infographic Source: Snap Kitchen


A Wonderful Gluten-Free and Vegetarian Cookbook: Whole Bowls by Allison Day

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Whole Bowls Cookbook by Allison Day

Whole Bowls Cookbook by Allison Day

When I had to quit eating wheat and gluten (as well as cooking, baking, smelling, and dreaming about them), I had to adopt and adapt. Adopt a new way of eating, cooking, and serving meals and adapt to every single change or be a miserable cuss.

I have no intention of being a miserable cuss… so adapt, I did!

One of my favorite sanity savers and means of serving meals became (and remains) “Bowls.”  Some call them Buddha Bowls and others call them even fancier names. Me.. well I’m a simple gal from Kentucky, so Bowls suits me just fine.

My middle daughter, Brittany (who happens to be a beautiful vegetarian – more on that in a minute), knew how much Bowls mean to me and gifted me with the gorgeous cookbook you see here, “Whole Bowls: Complete Gluten-Free and Vegetarian Meals to Power Your Day.” This cookbook could not be more up my alley! Not only are there MANY (countless, really) great gluten-free recipes but they’re ALSO vegetarian, meaning I can make them for Brittany to enjoy as well.

Only fair, right? After all, she bought the book!

Above, I referred to the recipes in this cookbook as “countless.” Obviously, the actual recipes can be counted – I’ll tell you why I insist on calling them countless! Each and every recipe in Whole Bowls can be tweaked and switched up to your individual tastes. For example, “Loaded Baked Potatoes with Baked Beans and the Works” (page 157), calls for russet potatoes, you can easily use sweet potatoes. If a recipe calls for quinoa, you can use brown rice.. if a recipe calls for white rice, you could use cauliflower rice… and on and on. I would recommend making each recipe exactly as given – but, after that, get creative. It’s your Bowl, after all!

There are also recipes for out of this world sauces that can be incorporated into the bowls they’re recommended for as well as other bowl recipes (whether in or out of this particular cookbook). A few of the sauces are Pumpkin Seed Sauce, Homemade Mayonnaise, Balsamic Glaze, and a Chive Oil (page 109) that is extraordinary on just about anything and everything. In fact, I have a special glass bottle in my Amazon cart I’m buying solely for keeping some of this oil made up and handy.

I love that author Allison Day has made Whole Foods such a gorgeous cookbook (they’re somehow more enjoyable to use, aren’t they?) and that the recipes are completely gluten-free. I also love that they’re basic – deliciously creative, but yet “doable.”

{Continued Below…}

Other AMAZING Recipes Include:

  • Mac and Cheese with Smoked Tofu and Baked Tomatoes
  • Mediterranean Pasta with Arugula, Peas, Yellow Tomatoes, and Feta
  • Roasted Pears with Whipped Goat Cheese and Maple Pine Nut Brittle
  • Hummus
  • Coconut Dreamy Whip
  • Homemade Nut Butter
  • Spring Rice Bowls with Chive Oil
  • Holiday Bowls with Stuffing, Sweet Potato Latkes, Brussels Sprouts, and Balsamic Glaze
  • Greek Mushrooms Stifado with Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
  • Miso Meal in a Bowl
  • Black Beans with Butternut Squash, Black Rice, and Chimichurri
  • Three Bean Garden Salad with Asparagus and Coconut Dressing
  • Curried Falafel with Kale Salad
  • Winter Chopped Salad
  • South of the Border Bowls with Walnut Meat and Grilled Avocado
  • And many, many, many more creative, delicious, and nutritious recipes.

About the Author


Whether you choose to eat gluten-free or the choice has been made for you, you will absolutely love Whole Bowls. For that matter, you’ll love it if you eat gluten with wild abandon! This is just a fun, exciting, and delicious cookbook. I highly recommend it to everyone.

{A few more words about Bowls below the picture…}

Bowl

A few tips I’ve picked up along the path of my relationship with Bowls:

  • If you’ve given up wheat/gluten for health reasons, to cut calories, or because you’re on a particular “diet,” you don’t have to give up flavors because of it. Get creative! Sloppy Joes, for example don’t have to have buns – they can just as easily be served over potatoes (baked, mashed, roasted..) in a bowl with pickles and onions on the side. Same with Pulled Pork or any other “sandwich” you need to deconstruct. Even Egg Rolls can be deconstructed and presented, beautifully, in bowls.
  • We all know how nutritious vegetables are or us. I won’t insult your intelligence or bore you unmercifully by going into their virtues. One of the wonderful things about Bowls is that you can “sneak” beautiful, colorful, and healthy vegetables in to the mix without compromising the taste. I love to keep avocados on hand because they add SO MUCH to bowls. They look great, taste great, and are healthy to boot.
  • Spiralized vegetables aren’t just beautiful in Bowls, they’re also filling and fun to eat. Kids, especially, love different sizes, shapes, and textures.
  • Roasted vegetables are also fun to throw into Bowls – they give a delicious contrast in flavors alongside cooked or raw vegetables and grains.
  • Bowls are IDEAL for those of us who keep and insist on using leftovers. Leftover corn is one of my favorite things to pop into bowls.
  • A “mock” KFC Chicken Bowl technique I love – Put Mashed Potatoes into the bowl(s), top with cooked yellow corn, chicken (omit if you choose), and brown gravy. I love to make and add a little vinegar coleslaw to the side, too. It’s outrageously good.
  • When buying bowls for… well… Bowls… look for wide-open bowls, usually called pasta or salad bowls.  Bowls can make a gorgeous presentation – I like to use white bowls, often, but have also fallen in love with colorful ones.
  • Bowls are ideal for breakfast, lunch, and supper. Breakfast bowls are another favorite. Potatoes, bacon or sausage, eggs, broccoli, and cauliflower bowls make a breakfast that’s worth getting out of bed early for even on a Saturday.
  • Once you go down the Bowls rabbit hole, you’ll wonder what took you so long! Again, Whole Bowls is a wonderful source for inspiration and countless ideas.


Gluten-Free Bean Burritos, Enchilada-Style!

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Refried Bean Burritos Enchilada Style.

Refried Bean Burritos Enchilada Style

Needless to say, even though these Enchilada-Style Refried Bean Burritos are gluten-free, you can certainly make them with all the gluten your heart desires. Simply replace the gluten-free flour tortillas with regular tortillas (when you do, you’ll certainly save money!).

These bean burritos are delicious, as well as quick and easy to make. You can customize them to suit your family’s taste, of course. They’re wonderful topped with chopped avocado, chopped green onions, and/or cilantro – I kept them simple in the picture at the top because I was making them for a group of family members and you know how that goes – this one doesn’t like onion, that one doesn’t like avocado, the other one (silly goose) thinks cilantro tastes like soap.

He’s wrong, of course!

I like to serve these with mini bowls of

Southern Green Beans

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Southern Green Beans

Southern Green Beans

Southern green bean recipes differ from cook to cook – often in the same family! For example, if my grandmother or mom had known I’d one day grow up to put chicken broth in my green beans, they’d have passed out Old-Hollywood-style.

But, what can I say? Years ago, when I saw how much FLAVOR adding chicken broth to rice created, I began experimenting and, lo and behold, it adds a beautiful flavor to almost anything.

Including green beans.

Naturally, if you want to go with all water (as opposed to half water/half broth), go for it. They’re your beans, after all!

I love to add a little dash of red pepper flakes toward the end – if you go easy, the heat is barely noticeable. It adds a new level of flavor without setting your tongue on fire. I’ve never tried this recipe with canned beans, so I have no idea how they’d turn out. Buying fresh takes a little more time (since they don’t snip or snap themselves), but it is SO worth it.

Southern Green Beans


Gluten-Free Black Bean Burgers

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Gluten-Free Black Bean Burgers and an “Olive Garden” Style Salad

One of my three beautiful daughters is a vegetarian, so I’m more than a little familiar with protein patties and “fake” hamburgers. In fact, I used to love them almost as much as she does! However, when I had to give up gluten/wheat, it meant giving these up as well.

Thankfully there are some outstanding gluten-free breadcrumbs on the market, so I can make my own black bean burgers anytime I feel the urge… which is often because I am addicted to them.

I make black bean burgers differently almost each time I make them, but the recipe below (the way I made them this afternoon) is my favorite. It has the most flavor and I love the  combination of bell pepper and red onion. The Worcestershire sauce (use Lea & Perrins if you have to eat gluten-free) also adds a little extra something something.

{Below is the recipe, if you simply want to see it! More about gluten-free black bean burger options below the recipe, if you’re interested…}

While most people prefer black bean burgers on buns, toasted bread, or in wraps, I prefer mine alongside soup or a salad. For whatever reasons, I’m just not a big sandwich person – but soup or salad? ALL DAY!

For my black bean burgers (and meatballs and salmon patties, too, for that matter), I always use Kroger’s Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs (the original version for black bean burgers and salmon patties, the Italian Seasoning for meatballs.). If you don’t have a Kroger near you, there are other gluten-free breadcrumbs on the market. If all else fails, make your own!

When I make black bean burgers, I never saute the vegetables beforehand, simply because I like the crunch and texture. If you had rather your vegetables be softer, saute them first. Your burgers, your call, by gosh. Speaking of which, feel free add or subtract the vegetables and even seasonings I’ve used. This combination, in my opinion, makes the most flavorful black bean burgers – and, trust me, you don’t get heat from the hot sauce… just flavor.

One final thought about black bean burgers – they’re an EXCELLENT go-to burger if you’re trying to completely give up meat or simply trying to eat less meat. When you add the toppings you normally would to a burger, black bean burgers almost always satisfy the “meat cravings” people normally experience.