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Minute Maid Smoothies

The Curious Thing About Curiosity

July 3, 2014 By Lena

Before I became a mother, I associated curiosity with many positive traits: growth, intellect, analysis and inquisition. To me, curiosity represented a willingness to learn, better oneself, and most importantly, be cognizant of the wonderful world around us. I admired those who challenged the status quo by becoming curious about things, people and places that matter.

Of course, after I had children, my interpretation of the word shifted just slightly.

Now, curiosity means sticky fingers and broken electronics. It means a glass figurine pulled from a top shelf; a centipede trapped under a bowl, a melted crayon found on white berber carpet. And that’s just scratching the surface. My home has been taken over by amateur scientists, hell bent on discovering who, what, when, where and WHY – sigh, always why. Does everything need a reason?

Yet as I type this, I realize how short-sighted I’ve been. I’ve let my petty frustrations mask the true joy of raising curious children. Because for every shattered glass figurine, there’s an appreciation for how fragile life can be. For every trapped insect, there’s respect for our living ecosystem. And for every melted crayon, there’s a lesson in science – namely, coloured wax + expensive carpet = mom furiously scrubbing with a bucketful of chemicals while muttering obscenities under her breath. Okay, so maybe there’s a lesson in science and linguistics.

Maybe it’s time I rethink my views on curiosity.

And now I’m smiling, because I’m thinking about the very first time Ryder tasted ice cream; a tiny lick off a tiny spoon, and instantly, his eyes became twice as large with sheer delight. I’m remembering Reid’s first bites of corn on the cob; holding the ear of corn at arm’s length, trying to decide what to do with it. I’m laughing at Ryder’s introduction to steak, where he chewed the fibrous meat for about 5 minutes before he pulled it out of his mouth and declared, “Beef is broken. Can’t eat.”

In fact, for little ones, I truly believe that curiosity begins in the kitchen – and a fun and delicious way to encourage kids to be curious is by involving them in preparing and tasting new flavours and textures. I’m pleased to once again partner with Minute Maid, who along with the Canadian Living Test Kitchen has created a new line of recipes that will spark creativity and help pave the way for future curious culinary exploration.

Today, I showed the boys how good greens can be with this delicious and simple Berry-Banana Green Smoothie.

1 can (250 mL) Minute Maid Frozen Smoothies Strawberry Banana
2 cups frozen mixed berries
1-3/4 cups milk
1 cup baby spinach leaves
Half avocado

In blender, combine Minute Maid Frozen Smoothies Strawberry Banana, mixed berries, milk, spinach and avocado; purée until smooth.

Minute Maid SmoothiesI am blessed; both my boys have pretty adventurous palettes, and rarely do I need to “hide” vegetables from them (ten times out of ten Ryder will eat the broccoli, Brussels sprouts or beans first). I sincerely hope they continue to be curious about the foods they eat, the things they do and the places they see… and if that sense of curiosity brings them to melted crayon territory, I’ll just remember to look back on this post, and chill out.

For more delicious recipes that are perfect for curious little individuals, visit Minute Maid.

Filed Under: Food Tagged With: healthy living, kid-friendly recipes, Minute Maid, Minute Maid Smoothies

Celebrate Summer with Minute Maid!

June 24, 2013 By Lena

Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

For the longest time, I felt I couldn’t talk about summer without looking like a schmuck. I mean, clearly Mother Nature didn’t get the memo this year; it’s been chilly, dreary and downright depressing for most of May and June. However, summer is “officially” here and and it looks like even the weather joined the party; with temperatures in the high 30’s for Toronto this week, it’s gonna be sizzlin’ hot!

Of course, this year I’ll actually have a patio to lounge on, which excites me to no end. I am such a “drinks on the patio” kind of gal, and thankfully, I’m already armed with delicious, refreshing summer cocktail recipes from Minute Maid. If you didn’t catch my “Minute Maid: Six Ways to Celebrate Summer!” post, please do – you’ll find a wealth of amazing summer drinks to try, including a Tropical Citrus Granita, Peachy Sparkler, Summertime Sangria and more! (Mmm… sangria.)

Now it’s one thing to say “Let’s Celebrate Summer!” – and quite another to actually follow through with it. So, proving that we’re all about hot summer nights and cold fruity concoctions, I teamed up with Minute Maid and mixologist Nadine Hughes to host a #CelebrateSummer event in Toronto. I invited a handful of my favourite bloggers and social media influencers from the GTA for a very special Girls Night Out; we munched, we mingled, and we had a chance to sample some of Minute Maid’s favourite summer treats! And, we were introduced to Minute Maid Smoothies – an easy, affordable way to enjoy smoothies at home. Made with real fruit and no added sugar, they’re so easy to make: just pour into your blender, add ice, water and blend for the perfect smoothie every time. BONUS: each 250mL prepared cup contains two servings of fruit. Yum yum yum!

Minute Maid selected the perfect venue; the penthouse of the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Toronto. With an urban vibe and a fresh burst of colour, it set the mood for our summery event.

Of course, being greeted by Summertime Sangria went a long way to put us in a warm weather frame of mind – and if you’ve got a few Minute Maid punches in the freezer, and some fruit in your refrigerator – chances are, you can make some right now! We served virgin and alcoholic versions (and we all know which one I enjoyed… by the glassful). Also on hand: delicious, light and healthy canapés, and sweet cookies to complement our cocktail party….

Read More

Filed Under: Contests, Food Tagged With: #CelebrateSummer, fruity drinks, Minute Maid, Minute Maid Smoothies, summer mocktail recipes

Minute Maid: Six Ways to Celebrate Summer!

June 2, 2013 By Lena

Friends, have NO doubt – SUMMER IS HERE!

And, the warmer temps have me craving deliciously cold cocktails and confections. After all, there’s no better way to celebrate summer than with a refreshing, fruity beverage – I can almost hear the patio calling me now! (“Leee-naaa!!!”)

To toast the beautiful season ahead, my good friends at Minute Maid have shared six of their most fabulous recipes for summer treats. The perfect complement for an outdoor party and a must-have for a Girls Night In, you’ll be the hostess-with-the mostess when you serve these fruity faves. Be sure to bookmark this post, and ENJOY!

BLACKBERRY SMASH PINK LEMONADE POPS
(16 pops with ¼ cup capacity molds)

3/4 cup fresh blackberries
1 can frozen Minute Maid Pink Lemonade Frozen concentrate
1 ¼ cups water
200mL – tetra Minute Maid Mixed Berry 100% juice

Place blackberries in large bowl and smash with wooden spoon. Add Minute Maid Pink Lemonade Frozen concentrate, water and mixed berry blend. Pour into popsicle molds leaving ½-cm room at top for expansion. Freeze until hard. (The blackberries will float to the top, so that when inverted, creates a beautiful blackberry base.)

Per serving (approx. 1/4 cup / 2 oz. per one pop): about 47 cal, 0 g pro, 0 g total fat (0 g sat. fat), 13 g carb (1 g dietary fibre, 11 g sugar), 0 mg chol, 4 mg sodium, 11 mg potassium. % RDI: 8% vit C, 1% folate.

PUCKER-UP GRANITA
(makes 6 servings)

Simple Syrup:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup chopped fresh mint

1 can Minute Maid Lemonade Frozen concentrate, mixed with 3 cans water
1 can Minute Maid Limeade Frozen concentrate, mixed with 3 cans water

Mint leaves for garnish

Simple syrup: In a small pot over medium-high heat, stir together water and sugar and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, stir in mint; cover and keep on the side. Meanwhile, pour Minute Maid Frozen Lemonade into large, shallow glass baking dish and place in freezer overnight.

Strain mint from simple syrup. Stir simple syrup into Minute Maid Limeade, pour into large, shallow glass baking dish and place in freezer overnight.

Using fork, scrape surface of each mixture creating an icy snow. Layer lemonade and limeade in glass with chopped mint. Garnish with mint leaves.

Adult Option: Pour 1 oz. rum over layers and let sit 2 minutes (to create a mojito!) Stir to mix.

Per approx. 1 2/3 cups (15 oz.) serving: about 271 cal, 0 g pro, 0 g total fat (0 g sat. fat), 72 g carb (0 g dietary fibre, 69 g sugar), 0mg chol, 19 mg sodium, 3 mg potassium. % RDI: 1% calcium…

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Filed Under: Food Tagged With: #CelebrateSummer, fruity drinks, Minute Maid, Minute Maid Smoothies, summer mocktail recipes

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Lena Almeida

Toronto Blogger, Social Media Strategist for Listen to Lena Inc. Television & Radio Personality, Columnist and Speaker. Family Travel Expert. Star Wars Fanatic. Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion. Read More…

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