Detox Juice Recipe

Juicing is a great way to rid your body of unwanted toxins.....and after four days in Las Vegas, I think it's safe to say I am in need of a good cleanse!  Below is my go-to Detox Juice Recipe along with the detoxing benefits of all the ingredients.

**Please consult with your doctor before starting any type of detox or cleanse**

Ingredients:

2 Apples (Red apples juice better than green apples.)
2 inch Chunk of Pineapple (Skin removed)
1/2 Cucumber
1 Stick of Celery
1 small handful of Spinach
1 small handful of Parsley

Directions:
Wash, clean, and cut all your fruits and veggies.  Put them all through the juicer.  Pour over ice and enjoy!

Here's the breakdown of all the ingredients and their detoxing benefits:

Apple juice is rich in flavanoids and polyphenols, which are both strong antioxidants and can help detoxify the body of harmful substances.

Pineapple juice contains the enzyme bromelain.This enzyme also promotes good digestion by helping the body break down proteins.

Cucumbers are about 96 percent water and when they are turned into juice you are basically left with vitamins in a pure liquid state. Because cucumber juice has high water content, it is perfect for cleansing.

Celery juice has a high content of vitamin C, beta-carotene and manganese.  It is abundant in phytonutrients with powerful anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties.

Spinach comes out at the top of the ranking list for nutrient richness in term of vitamins and minerals.  It is concentrated in health-promoting phytonutrients such as carotenoids and flavonoids to provide body with powerful antioxidant protection.

Parsley serves as a diuretic and is beneficial to the kidneys. Its additional efficacy as a laxative doubly assists the body’s elimination of toxins. People who take diuretic medication should be cautious when adding parsley juice to the diet, as it may enhance the drug's effect.

Have any fruits and/or veggies you would like to add to the list?  Let us know in the comment section below!

Sparkling Mint Lemonade

This is one of the most refreshing summer time drinks I have had in a long time!  It's the perfect combination of Mint and Lemon.  Spike it with a little vodka or rum and you've got yourself an amazing little cocktail, too....perfect for your next summer party!

Sparkling Mint Lemonade

1 cup fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
8 fl. oz. simple syrup (directions below)
1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice
6 cups cold water
Ice, as needed
2 cups sparkling water
Lemon slices and raspberries for garnish

Simple Syrup Directions:
Mix 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water in a saucepan.  Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens slightly, then let it cool before using.  Note: This makes slightly more than the 8oz required for this recipe.

Directions:
In a pitcher, combine the mint leaves and the 8oz of simple syrup. Using a wooden spoon, gently muddle the mint leaves. Stir in the lemon juice and cold water. Add ice and the sparkling water just before serving.  Garnish with lemon wheels, a few raspberries, and mint leaves. Makes 12 drinks.

For the adult version:
Add 18oz of a citrus vodka and a few ounces of Grenadine (optional) to the lemonade.  It will complement the taste of the fresh lemon juice fabulously.  If you’re a mojito fan, add rum to the lemonade instead, for a unique twist on the original.

Caramel Coffee Popsicles

Cool, refreshing AND packing a little kick?  Oh, yeah!  You'll be quite the hit at your next Summer BBQ if you offer up these sweet treats to the crowd!  You can even substitute a Sugar Free Torani Syrup so that it's all caffeine buzz, without the sugar buzz, if you like.  Enjoy and stay cool this Summer!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup strong coffee or espresso, chilled
1/2 cup milk
3 1/2 tbsp Torani Caramel Syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups ice

Directions: 

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until mixture is smooth, frothy, and slightly thick.

Fill popsicle molds or small Dixie cups with the blended mixture. Quickly place popsicle sticks in the center of each mold or cup.

Place cups in freezer and freeze until completely frozen, about 4 hours.

** These popsicles can be made with just about any Torani Syrup flavor.....um, chocolate here I come!  What would be your favorite syrup flavor to add? **

Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

This is by far the BEST Whole Wheat Banana Bread recipe ever! And I can validate this statement by my tweaking and re-tweaking....tasting and re-tasting of recipes over the past 10 years.  Finally, a banana bread recipe so yummy and moist that you would have no idea it was made with 100% whole wheat flour.  I'm not kidding, folks....I never kid about banana bread. ** :-] ← Serious face **  And, the second best part about this recipe is that it was so easy to whip up.  I got it done and in the oven during the little's nap time and even had plenty of time to spare, sitting with my feet up, a hot coffee and a good book in hand!  (How does that happen, right?)  Try it out and tell me what you think!  Better yet, invite me over so I can enjoy it with you. ;-)

Ingredients:

2 cups white whole wheat flour
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3-4  large, ripe bananas, mashed well
¼ cup whole plain yogurt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract


Directions:


1) Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease muffin tins or line with paper cups.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla until well blended. Gently fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula just until combined. Batter with be thick and chunky.

3) Spoon the batter into muffin tins. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 20 -22 minutes.

4) Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.  Makes approximately 16 muffins.

**FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES CLICK HERE** 

Salted Caramel Coffee Creamer

Do we have any Salted Caramel fans out there?  If so, then you (AND your wallet) are going to LOVE this recipe.  It is the perfect blend of caramel and salt.  Trust me, your taste buds will be doing back flips for this one!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups half-and-half

Instructions

1. Add the water and the sugar to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a slow boil and stir until it thickens to a syrup consistency (This is called a simple syrup).  Remove from heat.  Measure 1 cup of your simple syrup and put into a storage container. (A mason jar works well!) To the 1 cup of syrup whisk in the vanilla and salt. Allow the mixture to cool and then add 2 cups of half and half. Mix well.
    
2. Keep creamer sealed in it's container in the refrigerator. Shake before each use.

**FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES CLICK HERE** 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Waffle Sandwich

If you need something quick, easy, nutritious, and yummy to add to your repertoire of breakfast items, then this one is for you! What started as a way to get nutrition into my kiddo at a speedy rate before school, has easily become a family favorite in our house.  Loved by all of us (even us big kids!).  And?  For all us coffee addicts...It goes fabulous with a hot cup...can't beat that, right?!

Here's all you'll need:

Two frozen waffles (Whole wheat will make it an even healthier option!)

All Natural Peanut Butter 

Semi Sweet Baking Chocolate Chips (Remember, the lighter the chocolate, the more sugar you add!)

Toast the waffles in the toaster.  Spread peanut butter on one waffle and then add a few chocolate chips on top of the peanut butter.  Lookin' good so far, right?! ↓↓↓↓↓↓

Top with the other waffle and give the warmth a minute or two to melt the chocolate.  That. Is. It.  And, it is so warm....and gooey....and just FABULOUS that I had to share!  Enjoy!!

**FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES CLICK HERE** 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cake

Who can resist the beautiful combination of peanut butter and chocolate? I know I can't! That's why it was crucial, for the sake of my hips butt and thighs, that I come up with a healthy...healthier...way to consume this irresistible duo. Below you will find a mouthwatering, yet EASY recipe to satisfy your need (yes, I just said need!) for this classic combo.

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/4 C. All Purpose Flour
• 1 C. White Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 C. Light Brown Sugar (or equivalent substitute-I used 1C. of Splenda Brown Sugar)
• 1 C. All Natural Creamy Peanut Butter (I like Jif because it is also low in sodium)
• 1/2 C. Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1 C. Milk
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 3 Eggs
• 1 C. Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9in x 13in baking pan with cooking spray.

Using an electric mixer, combine both types of flour, brown sugar, peanut butter, and butter.  Mix well.  Remove 1 cup of the mixture and set aside.

Mix in the baking powder, baking soda, milk and vanilla.  Add eggs, one at a time and mixing well in between.

Pour the batter into the baking pan.  Sprinkle the top with the reserved flour mixture and the chocolate chips.  Bake 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

There it is in all it's glory! ;-)  Now tell me, what type of beverage do you think would be PERFECT with this tasty little treat?

**FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES CLICK HERE**

St. Patrick's Day Punch

A St. Patrick’s Day celebration wouldn’t be complete without a fizzy green punch the whole family can enjoy!  This tasty little concoction from Family Fun got two thumbs up from the toughest critic around....my five year old son!

Ingredients

1/2 cup milk
1 scoop of vanilla ice cream (I used Frozen Yogurt)
4 drops mint extract
2 ice cubes
2 drops of green food coloring in a blender
Frosted 16-ounce glass
Splash of seltzer water
Dollop of whipped cream

Grab your blender and toss in the milk, ice cream or frozen yogurt, mint extract, ice cubes, and food coloring.
Mix until smooth. Pour into glass. Add a splash of seltzer water and top with a dollop of whipped cream.  Voila!  Picture perfect punch....Enjoy!  

**FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES CLICK HERE** 

The Classic Irish Coffee

Well, here it is....my first V-log. With all the random thoughts racing through my brain like - "Why didn't I stand up straighter?", "OMG, I totally should have sucked in my gut?", or "What is that little jig I am doing...stand still for cryin' out loud!!"- I'm sure you are wondering why on earth I posted this for the whole triple "W" to see.  Well, I'll tell you why....because this video contains such deliciousness that it would be a sin NOT to share-  regardless of my fidgety feet or belly pooch!  So, go ahead, take a peek....This, you don't want to miss.

A little background:

Irish Coffees originally began as a Christmas Eve tradition in my family.  After the dinner was all cleaned up and the desserts began to be passed around....out came the fixin's for Irish Coffees.  But as I grew older (and wiser, I might add!) I realized that these tasty little concoctions are good ALL YEAR LONG!  So, from my family to yours....ENJOY!

The final product!

Ingredients:
1 Cup of Freshly Brewed Hot Coffee
1 Tablespoon of Brown Sugar
1 1/2 ounces Irish Mist Liqueur
1/2 Cup Melted Caramel
Whip Cream

Directions:

Rim glass mug with melted caramel. Pour hot coffee into glass until it is about 3/4 full. Add the brown sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Blend in Irish Mist. Top with a dollop of the whipped heavy cream. Serve hot.

Tell us what you think of this tasty little treat in the comment section below!

**FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES CLICK HERE** 

Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole

My husband and I have a very interesting little quirk....we both LOVE the idea of a hot, hearty breakfast on the weekends, yet neither of us actually wants to cook it!  This?  This is the answer to all our problems....a super easy Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole. Are you ready?  Let's rock this recipe out!


Ingredients:

1 bag 26 oz. frozen hash browns
12 eggs
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
1 16 oz. roll sausage
Salt and pepper
16 oz. bag shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

The most important thing you need to do before you start throwing things into your crock is to spray it with some Pam....trust me, you don't want to be the one who has to clean it afterward if you don't.

After it's thoroughly sprayed, go ahead and empty the bag of frozen hash browns to the bottom.


Cook and drain the sausage and then add it to the hash browns.

 

Throw the cheese in next and mix it all together.

In a large mixing bowl whisk the eggs, milk, ground mustard, salt, and pepper.

Pour the egg mixture evenly over everything....use a spoon to even it out if necessary.  Turn the crock pot on low for 8-10 hours and stumble your way up to bed!  When you wake up, it will be to this deliciousness!!!! 

It was A-mazing!  The only downside was when I woke up at 3:30am, to the wonderful smells wafting through the house, and my stomach began to growl.  That was tough, but so worth it in the end.

Enjoy!!

**FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES CLICK HERE** 

Mini Strawberry Pies

Before I even begin to share this recipe, I have to send a great big "Thank you" to the amazing Rachael, from Adventures in Wunderland, for posting her recipe for Muffin Tin Apple Pies!  Without it, I would not have been inspired to whip up a batch of these tasty little treats.  As soon as I saw her Facebook post I immediately went to my kitchen to check out how many apples I had available.  Just one....ONE...which is almost completely unheard of in my house.  We almost always have an overabundance of apples.  Before I got too discouraged, I decided to rummage through the refrigerator and see what else I could come up with.  That's when I found the strawberries...and, I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said they were on their last leg.  Perfect for pie, right?!  So, I tweaked Rachael's Muffin Tin Apple Pie recipe and made Mini Strawberry Pies instead.  You really can't go wrong with either of these delicious morsels, so make sure to take a peek at Rachael's recipe and leave a comment letting her know Creative Travel Mugs sent you!  She'll love it. ;-)

Ingredients:

1 Quart of Fresh Strawberries
1 box Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Dough
3/4 Cup of Sugar
3 Tbs of Cornstarch (I used Rice Flour)
3/4 Cup of Water
Whip Cream (Optional)


Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Mini Pie Crusts:
Unroll one of the refrigerated pie doughs on a floured surface.  Using a biscuit cutter (or cup) with a 4-5 inch diameter, cut circles into the dough.  Place each circle into muffin tins and then prick multiple times with a fork to prevent bubbling.  Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and cool.

Filling:
Wash and slice the strawberries.  Fill each cooled mini pie crust with the sliced strawberries. (Note: not all the strawberries slices will fit into the cups.)

Put the remaining strawberries into a saucepan, mash them up and mix in the sugar. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Gradually stir cornstarch mixture into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat and simmer mixture until thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Spoon mixture over berries in pastry shell. Chill about 1 hour before serving. 

Serve each mini strawberry pie with a dollop of whipped cream or a sprinkle of powder sugar. (optional)

Now tell us, in the comment section below, what kind of beverage you think would pair perfectly with this mouth watering dessert, then go and  ENJOY!!

**FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES CLICK HERE** 

Mini Cannolis

The great taste of homemade Italian Cannolis without all the hard work!  This has easily become one of my favorite dessert recipes of all time.  And, not only was it super easy to whip up, but it paired very nicely with a bold, smooth Cabernet Sauvignon....just sayin'!


Ingredients

For Cups

• 1 refrigerated pie crust
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

For Filling

• 1 (15oz) container of whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Filling:

In a large bowl with an electric mixer combine the ricotta cheese, confectioners sugar, white sugar, and vanilla extract.  Place the filling in a 1-gallon plastic storage bag and chill while you make the cups.
Note: Filling is best when allowed to chill overnight.

Cups:
Heat oven to 425°F. Unroll the pie crusts onto a lightly floured surface and sprinkle the top of each crust with the sugar and the cinnamon. Lightly press the cinnamon sugar into the pie crust with either your fingertips or by gently rolling over it with a rolling pin.

With a 3 inch round biscuit cutter or cookie cutter, cut out circles and lightly press them inside an ungreased mini muffin pan to create a pastry cup.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until cups are golden. Remove from oven and allow cups to cool. Once cups are cool they can be removed from tin and filled.


Remove filling from refrigerator, cut one of the bottom corners off the bag and squeeze about a tablespoon of filling into the cooled cannoli cups.  Top with mini chocolate chips, dust with additional confectioners sugar and serve!

**Cups should be filled shortly before they are eaten so the don’t get soggy.**


So, what do YOU think these tasty little treats would pair great with?

**FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES CLICK HERE** 

Coffee Milkshake

The weather is getting hotter which means the drinks are getting colder!  Are you looking for a refreshing, summer afternoon treat to cool you down and give you a little energy boost? Look no further...This Coffee Milkshake is a breeze to make and is super tasty too!  Now, put your feet up and ENJOY this little taste of heaven....

Ingredients

1 cup strong coffee, cooled to room temp
6 big scoops coffee ice cream
2-3 tablespoons chocolate covered espresso beans (optional)
1/2 cup half & half or milk

Directions

Place coffee in a blender with ice cream and half & half or milk.

Add in a handful of chocolate covered espresso beans (optional). Blend until smooth and serve immediately.


What are some of your favorite flavored Milkshakes?

**FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES CLICK HERE**

Mocha Chocolate Chip Frappe

It's that time of the year when the temperature is getting hotter and the drinks are getting colder.  So, this weekend, I was on a mission to make the perfect Frappuccino to cool me down.  It all started with pouring our cooled, left over brewed Espresso into ice cube trays and freezing. (Any coffee brewed strong will work!) These little cubes are perfect for Iced Lattes too, so be sure to freeze your left over coffee every day and you will have a nice stash ready to go all Summer long! 

This weekend, though, I was all about the Frappe....and chocolate (of course!) so I started by blending the following ingredients: 6 coffee cubes, 2 large moderate scoops of chocolate ice cream, 1/8 cup of dark chocolate chips (or a small handful), and 2/3 cup of milk.  Blend well and then pour into a glass.  I topped with a few extra chocolate chips and Voila!  The most amazing Mocha Chocolate Chip Frappe!

Next time I might try adding caramel chips instead of chocolate...maybe even switch up the ice cream too!

Do you also make your own homemade coffee treats?  If so, what are your favorite flavor combinations?

**FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES CLICK HERE** 

Homemade Sugar Free Coffee Creamer

Do you like all those yummy flavored coffee creamers on the market, but hate how expensive they are? Or how much sugar they put in them? Well, lucky for you, I decided to experiment with a few homemade sugar free coffee creamer recipes this past weekend and I'm going to share them with you!

First, let's talk about the sweetener.  I opted to get a little crazy and try out an all natural sweetener by making a date paste....something I remembered reading about on the triple "w" a while back.  It worked beautifully, but it does add the extra step of straining the creamer through a fine mesh sieve before storing in the refrigerator.  Feel free to diss my suggestion use whatever sweetener you feel most comfortable with, just make sure you taste as you add to be sure it has just the right amount of sweetness for your taste buds. 

So, let's start with the paste!  This was so super easy to make....

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Dates, pitted
1 Cup of hot water

Directions:
Place Dates in a food processor.  Turn processor on and slowly add the hot water.  Then let the machine run for about 1 minute and you will end up with a very smooth date paste.

Now we'll move on to the flavors!  I'll start with my riskiest flavor combination first...Chocolate Peanut Butter...inspired by the hubster who is obsessed with Reece's Peanut Butter Cups!  Why NOT add that delicious flavor to your morning cup of joe, right??  I wasn't sure how this one would turn out in the end with the peanut butter possibly being too thick of a consistency.  I thought it might just sink to the bottom, only to be left with a big gloppy mess after the coffee was slurped down.  BUT, it turned out fabulously!  I think the key to getting the correct consistency was melting it all together over the stove.  In full disclosure, I found that I did have to add quite a bit of the creamer to my coffee to get the desired taste.  But sticking my finger in sampling this creamer before I added it to the coffee was a wonderful taste of heaven!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Creamer

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Cream

1 1/2 Tablespoons of Cocoa Powder

1/3 Cup of Date Paste (or your own sweetener, added to taste)

1 heaping spoonful of all natural Peanut Butter (yeah, sorry, not an accurate measurement! lol)

Directions:

Place cream and Cocoa Powder in a medium saucepan.  Heat over medium heat and whisk until cream begins to steam. Then add Peanut Butter and whisk until smooth.  Turn off heat and whisk in Date Paste or other sweetener. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. (Not necessary if Date Paste is not used.)  Will store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for about a week.

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Now, on to a much more basic, yet, Über popular flavor.....French Vanilla!  This turned out simply fabulous....and I'll just leave it at that.  I know, I know....that is hard for me to do.

French Vanilla Creamer

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Cream

1/3 Cup of Date Paste (or your own sweetener, added to taste)

1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.  Strain through a fine mesh sieve. (Not necessary if Date Paste is not used.)  Will store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for about a week.

Lastly, another slightly off the wall flavor, but SO worth the risk....Cinnamon Streusel!  Yup, you read that correctly.  This one was my absolute favorite!  All the flavors blended so perfectly together that I just wanted to drink the creamer straight from the jar.  Not such a pretty picture, I know.  But, you know you would be tempted too!

Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Creamer

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Cream

1/3 Cup of Date Paste (or your own sweetener, added to taste)

3/4 Teaspoon ground Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

1/2 Teaspoon of Almond Extract

Directions:

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. (Not necessary if Date Paste is not used.) Will store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for about a week.

  

And there you have it!  Which one would you love to try?  Or, perhaps this will inspire you to come up with another crazy coffee creamer concoction!  Let's us know in the comment section below!

**FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES CLICK HERE**

Espresso Coffee Truffles

Let me just start by saying, Holy Mother of Goodness!! These little tasty treats are sinfully good with the perfect combination of espresso and dark chocolate.  I have to admit, my first batch didn't turn out...at all! But the espresso chocolate "sauce" that I was left with made great dipping for strawberries and I was able to thoroughly enjoy every last bit if it.  For my second attempt, I decreased the fluids ever so slightly and it worked out very nicely...hence the additional 5 (ahem) couple of pounds when I stepped on the scale this week!  How great would these truffles be in a Mother's Day gift basket paired with a Creative travel Mug, some gourmet coffee, and some Biscotti!?! Mom's Mother's Day Gift....done and DONE!!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 cups hot espresso coffee

29 ounces dark chocolate

Cocoa Powder, for coating

Directions:

In a saucepan slowly bring the cream to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the coffee and chocolate. Stir with a whisk until the mixture becomes smooth and the chocolate has melted. The liquid should become slightly lighter and shinier. Pour into a bowl and leave to cool for about 2 hours or until it has come down to room temperature.

Beat the mixture with an electric beater for about 1 minute or until it changes color.

Line a square plastic container with baking paper and pour the chocolate mixture into it. Leave to set in the refrigerator for 2 hours. You can test this by pressing the top with your fingers. Run a spatula around the edges and lift the chocolate on the baking paper out of the dish and swiftly cut it lengthwise into even strips of about 2/3-inch. Then cut these into cubes. Put cocoa powder into a flat dish and roll the cubes in it, making sure that they are well coated.

The truffles can be kept for about 2 weeks. 

We would love to hear what you think of these Espresso Coffee Truffles!  Is there anything you would add?  Please tell us in the comment section below!

**FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES CLICK HERE**