You may remember my Tassimo brewing system review last month. I love having our Tassimo for a quick and fabulous latte in the morning but I also wanted to try out some recipes to add some variety to my routine. And isn’t it just fun to try out new coffee drinks? Here are of few of my favorites that I tried recently. Hope they add some excitement to your morning and kick start your day!

ICED CHAI OASIS

1/2 cup milk

1 t. honey

1 Twinnings Chai Tea Tassimo T- Disc

Ice

Directions:

Mix honey and milk together in 8 oz mug then brew Chai T-Disc and serve over ice.

My husband who loves iced coffees suggested instead to brew the Chai Tea in a glass with the honey and add the milk after it brews so the honey has a chance to mix into the hot liquid versus cold. For comparison purposes I made it according to directions and without a doubt his tasted better.

MOCHA MADNESS

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp chocolate syrup

1 Gevalia Expresso T-Disc

1 tsp whipped cream

Directions:

Pour milk and syrup into 8 oz mug.  Prepare T-Disc in same mug. Stir and top with whipped cream.

CAPPUCCINO CRUSH

1 Jacobs Expresso T-Disc

1 Tassimo Cappuccino Milk Creamer T-Disc

1 tsp sugar

1 tbl whipped cream

ground cinnamon

Directions:

Prepare both T-Discs in 8 oz mug. Stir in sugar. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon.

LATTE MACCHIATO

Prepare one Tassimo Latte Milk Cream first in a clear heatproof glass. Then prepare one Tassimo Maxwell House Espresso in the same glass and watch the dark espresso layer flow into the rich, steamed milk layer. Yum!

Buy it: Tassimo systems and T-discs can be purchased from Amazon,directly from Tassimo or check the Tassimo store locator for a retailer near you.

Disclosure: I received samples to make some of these recipes but no monetary compensation was received. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.

Hello Hello!

Since I’m new here, I want to slightly introduce myself more through sharing some basic things I love. And what not better to share than a CRAZY healthy and yummy Power Smoothie.

This is such a basic recipe that can be transformed however you choose to swing your taste buds for the day. They say that all blenders aren’t created equal, and knowing people with amazing blenders (Vita-Mix) I believe that. I have a typical blender and it works just fine for this recipe! So any blender should do.

I love this smoothie and often will eat this for breakfast, though it also makes for a great snack. I will make my daughter one first, typically. We have a fairly dairy-free household, my daughter is all dairy-free and I seem to be on the wagon except when ice cream or yogurt calls my name! For my daughter I use either Silk Soy Yogurt or a Coconut Milk yogurt, and I use soy or rice milk for all of our smoothies since that’s what we drink in our house. But for my smoothie, I have become an addict of Greek yogurt!

If you haven’t tried it yet, do it! And if you have, you know what I mean! The biggest difference in Greek-style yogurt is that it is strained, meaning that some of the liquid (whey) has been removed from it, resulting in a yogurt that is much thicker, milder, and richer-tasting, as well as significantly higher in protein and calcium. This means that compared to other yogurts with the same fat content, the Greek-style yogurt tastes richer. I will also often eat a small bowl as dessert – its that yummy! Before using Greek-style, I would use Stonyfield – Bannilla which went well with this type of smoothies.

I always use banana as a base for whatever kind of smoothie I make as well. Any kind of fruit is simply lovely; berries are a must in mine. Freezing the berries and other fruit overnight adds great chill and froth to the smoothie as well.

POWER SMOOTHIE

Basic ingredients:

1 banana

1 c. yogurt

½ c. soy milk (rice, almond, cow- depending on what your household does)

Add additional ingredients

Blend and Enjoy!

Make sure to pour into small fun glasses for those little ones in your life!

Additional ingredients: (This is the fun part! Mix and match and change it up)

Fruit- raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, mango, nectarine, kiwi, pear, apple or oranges. Berries seem to be the simplest if you aren’t too familiar with smoothies- they are still really some of my fav ingredients. Mix of fresh and frozen fruit add a nice texture.

Greens- These are great for adding calcium and goodness to your body! Spinach, collards, kale, and chard are great. This may be for those looking for an adventure in smoothie-land, sort of the next step up after the basics.

Almonds (or other nuts)- Make sure to soak these overnight so they blend well. Almonds are high in fiber and they say eating almonds in moderation promotes lower cholesterol levels, prevents heart disease and can help with weight loss. It also helps boost energy.

Flaxseed, hempseeds- Flaxseed is one of those power foods that is amazing for your body. I found this great info on flax seed:

* Omega-3 essential fatty acids, “good” fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects. Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s.

* Lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. Flaxseed contains 75- 800 times more lignans than other plant foods

* Fiber. Flaxseed contains both the soluble and insoluble types.

Flaxseed and Hempseed are also a complete protein. I’ve also heard of people adding oatmeal which I have yet to try.

I hope you try this smoothie and simply banana, milk, yogurt, and a handful of frozen berries will be a delicious and healthy start! And little ones will love this too! I promise!!

Oh and a mama heads up- make sure to rinse the glasses or fill glass with water after done drinking- the smoothie makes for a hardened headache if left too long empty! I know this from experience!

Please, comment if you tried this smoothie and what ingredients you like to add to your smoothies. Have you made smoothies before? What’s your specialty?