triple berry protein shake

i decided to treat my kids to "ice cream" for lunch today and came up w/ this. it turned out really well!

4-6 frozen strawberries
6 fresh raspberries
20 fresh blueberries
1/2 banana
1/4 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tblsp sugar
1/2 scoop vanilla or plain protein powder (i used vanilla whey powder)

throw it all in a blender, blend till smooth, and enjoy! serves 1.

strawberry pie

1 c sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarck
3 tablespoons strawberry jello mix
2 c fresh strawberries (NOT frozen)
baked pie shell
whipped cream

in a pan, mix sugar, cornstarch, and jello together. slowly add 1 c water and stir to make sure there are no lumps. boil and stir 5 minutes until thick. let cool. add berries. spoon into pie shell. top w/ whipped cream and refrigerate 3 hours before serving.

chocolate ganache

this is a collaboration of recipes i found on allrecipe.com. i think it's awesome, but you can be the judge of that for yourself!

2/3 c heavy cream
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips (i'm sure any kind will work, this is just what i used)

heat cream over meium-high heat till surface quivers - DO NOT BOIL! pour over chocolate chips and whisk, starting in the center and working your way out. cool to desired consistency - pourable or spreadable - and use to frost cake. cool completely in fridge before serving.

artichoke heart and walnut pasta

thanks to julie for this recipe!

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon black olive paste (tampanade)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 6oz. jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained and diced

4 oz. shelled walnuts, crushed/diced (I smash them in a ziploc bag)

1 lb. linguine

fresh parmesan cheese to taste

cook the pasta. while it's cooking combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. when the pasta is done toss it in the bowl with the rest of the ingredients, and either serve it hot (my favorite) or cool it in the fridge and serve as a cold dish. grate fresh parmesan on each individual plate before serving.

mediterranean quinoa salad

thanks to julie for this recipe!

4 cups vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa (i prefer red quinoa)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 cloves minced garlic

juice from 1 lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced

1 red onion, diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained and diced

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

in a medium saucepan, cook the quinoa in the vegetable broth until tender, about 15 minutes. let cool. in a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and garlic. toss quinoa w/ remaining ingredients (except feta). drizzle w/ olive oil mixture and sprinkle w/ feta.