Cooling Off with Smoothies

It's hot. Really hot.

Although I squeezed in some June baking, I spent most of the month trying to cool off from hot days on the farm. Instead of heating up the kitchen with a hot oven, I have been snacking on cold, crispy cucumbers and carrots, and drinking smoothies. Smoothies are like granola. You can hardly ever mess up and can make something delicious from whatever you have in your cabinets (or in this case, the refrigerator). Below are two of my favorite go-to drinks.

My summer office and classroom.

Kale and Mixed Berry Smoothie

1/4-1/2 c. fruit juice (orange, cranberry, lemon, etc.)

1 c. berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries)
1 medium banana

small handful of kale or spinach

1 c. Greek yogurt OR a handful of ice

Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

Kale and Mixed Berry Smoothie

Cheese Crackers

Things I don't like: spiders, getting out of a hot shower, spicy food.

Things I like: sunshine, vegetable gardens, cheesy snacks.

Maybe it seems crazy to make your own crackers, but how wonderful to be able to count the ingredients in this recipe on one hand. You can't do that on a Goldfish box. These crackers are great to make with kids on a rainy day or lazy Sunday afternoon. They are also great for you, if a multi-step recipe often ends in disaster.

The crackers puff up nicely, so don't be shy about rolling the dough thin. I didn't have any problems with the crackers burning. Have fun with cookie cutters, or simply cut the dough into squares with a pizza cutter. Or even spell out a cheerful message to your best friend when they're feeling blue (cheese has healing powers).