Snow day and Daniel Fast smoothies!

This morning I woke up to gently falling snow, and it was absolutely beautiful. With my Bible open, I sat near the hearth, relishing the warmth from the fire and a few moments of solitude. It wasn't long before Isabelle, my 7-year-old, crept into the living room and whispered, "Mom, God answered my prayer. I asked him for 1 1/2 inches of snow. Look outside!"

Several inches later, the snow is still coming down, and more is forecasted to come.Since the girls are out of school because of the weather, we are enjoying a snow day at home! Here is a shot from my front porch:

A few minutes ago we had our mid-morning snack - smoothies! Since the first of the year, we have been having smoothies on a regular basis. I would challenge you to do the same. They're so tasty and filling!

Now, before you shake your head "no way" and run out of the room when you see the color of today's smoothie, give it a fair chance. Let me assure you that the sweetness of the banana and pear completely mask any the spinach taste. Trust me! Even though it took some convincing to get my daughters to try it the first time, now they are hooked.

Be daring and bold, and try this healthy green smoothie for a change of pace. I guarantee you'll be pleasantly surprised. Drink up! :)

(Note: You don't have to add the flaxseed meal, kelp, and spirulina to your smoothie. You may not eve have an idea what they are! See the Recipe Notes below for details. All three are often used to boost the nutrition content in smoothies.)

Sweet Spinach Smoothie

1 cup water
1 Bosc pear, unpeeled, cored
1 cup fresh spinach leaves, packed
1 frozen banana
1 tablespoon flaxseed meal, optional
1/2 tablespoon kelp powder, optional
1/2 tablespoon spirulina powder, optional

Yield: 2 servings (serving size: about 8 ounces or 1 cup)

Recipe Notes

• To freeze bananas, remove peels before placing in freezer. Put in a plastic zip-top bag until completely frozen.
• Substitute spinach with kale leaves.
• Use an Anjou, Asian, or Bartlett pear instead of a Bosc pear.
• Flaxseed meal is a powder made from ground flaxseeds. It is high in fiber and a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids.
• Kelp is a sea vegetable that is a concentrated source of minerals, including iodine, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and iron.
• Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids (antioxidants that can help protect cells from damage). It contain B complex vitamins, beta-carotene, vitamin E, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, selenium, and gamma linolenic acid (an essential fatty acid).