Green drinks

Green fruit smoothies seem to be a big hit right now.

You can make many kinds. A good basic is 2-3

cups water and ice, 2-3 cups greens (spinach,chard,

kale, beet greens, etc.) one thin slice lemon, half an

orange, peeled, and anything else you want to put

in it. I usually add 1/2 cup yogurt, any flavor to

it as well. Sometimes a couple of strawberries, fresh peach

or whatever is on hand. Blend on high.

If you are not used

to seeing "Green" in your glass, don't worry. They really

can taste good. Remember that it doesn't have to be

sweet to be good for you and still taste good. Be creative

and see what you like best. This is a lot of fiber and so

you may need to start with a cup a day and work up to

as much as a quart a day. Spinach and chard seem to be

the mildest, in my opinion. If you have a touchy stomach,

try bringing your greens to a boil, boil gently for 60 seconds,

drain and then blend them. Some folks have a tough time

with the acid that is in spinach. This will help. Happy drinking!

Vita Mix and Blend Tech blenders are definitely the best,

but you can do it still in a regular one on high for a couple of

minutes. It may be a little chunkier, but that's ok too.

Gardening

Summer is finally here! Cherries are just about gone and apricots will be on soon.

Just a note. If you haven't already figured out, the birds are back again this year.

To save what's left of your strawberries and the raspberries, blackberries,etc.,

make sure you put a net over them. It's a pain for us sometimes, but sure saves

a headache in the long run. Remember to keep your plants watered (strawberries etc)

even when they are finished producing so they will stay alive for next year. A good

garden fertilizer is good as well. A fertilizer that is good for your garden is: 16-16-8.

Happy gardening and canning. Leave me a comment or question if you have one and

I will post the answer here.