Smoothies make a great quick breakfast or snack…and my kids love them! Plus, they’re a great way to get extra fruit into your diet! So fire up those blenders and get to it!!! Enjoy!

Rise ‘N Raspberry Smoothie
-recipe from The Little Black Book of Smoothies by Ruth Cullen

Makes 2 10-ounce smoothies or 1 big smoothie.

You can’t go wrong with this tangy-sweet, berry blend. Add 1 tablespoon rolled oats or wheat germ for added texture and taste.

1 cup chilled orange juice
1/2 cup non-fat raspberry yogurt
1/2 frozen banana*
1-1/2 cups frozen raspberries

Pour orange juice into blender and add yogurt, banana, and raspberries. Blend at high speed until smooth.

*Buy golden yellow bananas without any visible bruises, and prepare for freezing by removing peel and slicing. (One cup of sliced banana is approximately 1 whole banana.)

Tags: Breakfast, raspberry, smoothie, snack

I love fried eggs, scrambled eggs, hard-boiled eggs…just about any kind of eggs. I saw this recipe for One-Eyed Jacks in one of my Foster’s Market cookbooks and thought it would be a fun way to eat eggs and toast. They’re great for breakfast and as a snack.

Depending on heat setting and what your pan is made of, the bread may take longer to brown in the skillet. I let the first side get lightly browned before cracking the egg in the hole (for a runny yolk).

If making the One-Eye Jacks for a crowd, you’ll definitely want to use an electric griddle. My BroilKing electric griddle is perfect for cooking stuff like this when a frying pan will only let you make one or two at a time (pancakes, grilled cheese, etc.).

I spread the bread round (the part you cut out to make the “eye”) with butter and fried that, too, and used it to dip into the egg yolk while eating it. The parsley garnish isn’t necessary but does add color to the plate. Enjoy!

One-Eye Jacks
-recipe from Fresh Every Day: More Great Recipes From Foster’s Market by Sara Foster

These are made one at a time and served hot out of the pan to each guest; just multiply as needed. Fry the cutout circles in the skillet with butter to dip in the egg yolk, or toast and serve with butter and jam. Serves 1.

1 slice bread (such as brioche, challah, whole-wheat, or whole-grain)
1 teaspoon unsalted butter, or more as needed
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large egg
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, chives, or basil

Use a cookie or biscuit cutter (or the rim of a glass) to cut a 2- to 2 1/2-inch round from the center of the bread slice.

Melt the butter and olive oil together in a medium skillet over medium heat. Place the bread in the skillet and turn it over to coat each side. Cook the bread for about 1 minute on one side, until it is light golden brown. Crack the egg so that it falls into the hole in the center. Fry the egg in the bread for 1 minute longer. Flip the egg and bread and fry the other side for 1 minute or longer, depending on how done you want the egg. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the fresh herbs, and serve immediately.

Note: If the pan is dry when you flip the bread and egg, add a little more butter (about 1 teaspoon) to the pan.

Tags: Breakfast, eggs and toast, fried egg, kid food, one-eyed Jack, snack

This refreshing tropical smoothie has just a hint of lemon flavor and is a perfect summertime snack or quick breakfast. The frozen banana and mango chunks make it thick without watering down the flavor like ice does.

Morning Mango Smoothie
-from the Little Black Book of Smoothies

The perfect breakfast for mango lovers!
Makes 1 smoothie.

1 cup chilled mango juice
3/4 cup low-fat lemon yogurt
1/2 frozen banana
1 cup frozen mango chunks

Pour mango juice into blender and add yogurt, banana, and mango. Blend at high speed until smooth.

Tags: beverage, Breakfast, mango, smoothie, snack

Husband LOVES salty snacks so I wasn’t surprised when he gave this recipe his approval. It’s a twist on traditional party mix using fishy crackers, oyster crackers and Old Bay seasoning (among other ingredients). It’s a salty, crunchy and slightly spicy snack that is a cinch to throw together. I substituted pretzel sticks for the pretzel fish and wheat ”snack stix” for the melba toast rounds. Old Bay seasoning contains a boat-load of salt so I recommend adding it to taste. Stir about half the amount into the  party mix then taste it. You may find that you don’t need the whole tablespoon of Old Bay.   

Fisherman’s Friend Party Mix
-recipe from Cook’s Country Magazine

Makes about 10 cups

5 cups Corn Chex or Rice Chex cereal  
2 cups oyster crackers  
1 cup Pepperidge Farm Cheddar Goldfish   
1 cup Pepperidge Farm Pretzel Goldfish   
1 cup Melba toast rounds  
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 
2 tablespoons hot sauce (see note) 
1 tablespoon lemon juice  
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning  

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Combine cereal, oyster crackers, Goldfish, and Melba toast in large bowl. Whisk butter, hot sauce, and lemon juice in small bowl, then drizzle over cereal mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Old Bay and toss until well combined.

Spread mixture over rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until golden and crisp, about 45 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Serve. (Mix can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.)

Tags: party mix, snack

Some mornings I just don’t have time to make a big deal about breakfast. That’s why I love smoothies. You make it, slurp it down, then you’re on to the next thing. Husband bought me The Little Black Book of Smoothies several years ago and I’ve enjoyed trying many of it’s smoothie concoctions. The Strawberry Sunrise Smoothie is one of my favorites. The ingredients can be found at just about any grocery store and are easy to keep stocked up on. The recipe calls for wheat germ, which is loaded with vitamins and minerals including folic acid, iron, zinc and vitamin E (among others); while bananas are a good source of potassium and fiber.

Strawberry Sunrise Smoothie
-from The Little Black Book of Smoothies by Ruth Cullen

Buy golden yellow bananas without any visible bruises, and prepare for freezing by removing peel and slicing. A half cup of sliced banana is approximately a half banana.

1 cup chilled orange juice
1/2 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt
1/2 frozen banana
1 tablespoon wheat germ
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Pour orange juice into blender and add yogurt, banana, wheat germ, and strawberries. Blend at high speed until smooth. For extra sweetness, add 1 tablespoon honey. Makes approximately 2 servings.

Tags: banana, Breakfast, smoothie, snack, strawberry, wheat germ