Cocoa-Pear Smoothie

Being a college student has taught me the importance of not wasting food, among other things.  After all, food is money…(I know that’s not how the saying goes, but just humor me).  I have spoken to countless friends and acquaintances about what constitutes healthy eating.  While many of them know what they should be eating, they often comment on how expensive it is to eat healthy and buy organic.  Fortunately, there are many methods that can keep the cost of food in a manageable price range.  I'll save my rambling about all of these methods for another time, but I will share one of my personal favorites.  
Believe it or not, one of my go-to tactics when it comes to saving money occurs in the kitchen, not the grocery store.  One of the most helpful tips I can give is to avoid letting food (mainly produce) go bad, because throwing away food is like throwing away money...Oh boy, now I’m starting to sound like that commercial for those vacuum seal bags.  But in all seriousness, figuring out how to use ingredients before they expire is often what inspires much of my creativity in the kitchen!

One day, upon looking into our refrigerator, I realized that there were a few items that needed to be used ASAP before they had to be thrown out.  Among these items were: a bruised pear, some wilting lettuce, half a frozen banana, and some greek yogurt.  When I looked at these items collectively, only one word popped into my mind… “smoothie!”  While I don’t make smoothies very often, I still love them, because you can throw almost anything into a blender and make it taste good...As long as you don’t get a little too ambitious with those leftover sardines, I imagine.  So before you throw anything away (as long as eating it won’t pose a risk to your health, of course), ask yourself if it can be made into a smoothie, if it can be frozen (like over-ripened bananas), or used in any other recipes.

Aren't single-serving blenders perfect for smoothies?

Cocoa-Pear Smoothie 

Ingredients:

• ½ frozen banana
• 1 small pear
• ¼ cup Greek yogurt
• ½ - 1 cup greens of choice (I used mixed greens)
• 1 scoop protein powder
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1-2 Tablespoon coconut milk or water
• 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender, and puree until smooth.

I have always wanted to try pickling or canning as a food preservation method... What is your favorite way to preserve or repurpose ingredients?