Believe it or not friends, spring happened!

March 19th marked the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. What does that mean? Well, traditionally, it means warmer weather, being outdoors, delicious food, and spring break for the kids. This spring, however, has felt a little different. With health being at the forefront of everybody’s mind, most people aren’t participating in regular spring activities. Just because we can’t enjoy every aspect of the season, doesn’t mean we can’t highlight and celebrate the best flavors that come with it.

 Fresh Fruit Popsicles

If you want to impart simple, healthy treats into your lifestyle, you will love this first recipe. These delicious popsicles are made with only two ingredients… fruit and water! Since the process was so incredibly simple, our 3 sons, six years old and younger were able to participate in the fun. Shepherd (6.5), Henry (5) and Asher (3) helped wash and prep the molds, select their favorite fruit ingredients, taste test each flavor and place the stick in the center of their homemade popsicles. It was a family friendly activity that had mom feeling great about serving all natural, no sugar-added treats and the children smiling ear to ear! 

What You Will Need (Makes 8 Popsicles)
  • Popsicle mold
    (alternative: small plastic or dixie cups and popsicle sticks)
  • 1 banana, peeled (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 cup strawberries (frozen) 
  • 1 cup blueberries (frozen)
  • 1 cup pineapple (frozen)
  • filtered water
Instructions
  1. Rinse popsicle molds and towel dry.
  2. You will make 4 small smoothies, 1 fruit per smoothie. First, add banana to mixer and pour in water to cover about 3/4 of the fruit. Blend on high until you reach a smooth consistency. Pour banana mixture into two popsicle molds and pour any extra into a cup to enjoy later. Repeat blending adding water 3/4 of the way covering the fruit and blending.  
  3. After all 8 popsicle molds are filled with the fruit mixtures, tap molds on the counter to remove bubbles. Insert popsicle sticks directly into the middle of each filled mold or cup.
  4. Freeze for 4-6 hours, or overnight!
  5. When ready to enjoy, place popsicle mold under warm water for 30-45 seconds to release popsicles from mold. Enjoy!

Blueberry Muffin-Style Protein Pancakes

Our next recipe is inspired by a breakfast favorite: pancakes! Blueberries are one of spring’s greatest treasures, so why not try to include them in your next breakfast dish?

What You Will Need
  • 1 cup of dry pancake mix
  • ¾ cup water (add more to thin out batter, if necessary)
  • 1 scoop protein powder
  • 6-8 oz fresh blueberries
  • ½ squeezed lemon
  • 1–2 tbsp. of cooking oil (or vegan butter)
Instructions
  1. Stir pancake mix and water together according to your package directions. The measurements above are for Birch Benders mix. 
  2. Add one scoop of vanilla protein powder and lemon juice. 
  3. Heat skillet to a medium-high level with oil or vegan butter. While skillet is heating up, add more water if necessary to thin the pancake batter. The desired consistency is pourable, but not too thin. 
  4. Gently combine blueberries into batter.
  5. Pour pancake batter onto a lightly greased, non-stick skillet. Wait until you see the tiny bubbles on top of the pancake begin to burst, and then slowly begin to work at the edges of the pancake with spatula. Take your time wedging the pancake onto the spatula; when it is ready, it will slide around with much more ease. Once the bottom side is golden-brown (approx. 1–2 minutes), flip the pancake. 
  6. Once the other side is golden-brown, transfer the pancake onto your plate and top with butter (optional). 
  7. Repeat steps 5–6 with your batter until you have cooked all of your pancakes. 
  8. Top with blueberry compote, a squeeze of lemon, and powdered sugar to garnish. Enjoy!

 Citrus Sunshine Smoothie

Nothing says spring like a delicious smoothie, so for our final recipe we would like to highlight this Citrus Sunshine Smoothie! Citrus fruit is an excellent source of fiber, rich in essential vitamins, and low in calories. Add some protein powder for an extra kick after a good workout.

What You Will Need
  • ½ frozen banana
  • 1 fresh orange
  • ½ cup frozen mango
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp ground flax seeds
  • 1 cup filtered water
  • ½ cup milk of choice (optional) 
  • ½ inch piece of fresh ginger (optional)
  • protein powder of choice (optional)
Instructions

It’s simple! Just use a blender to mix all ingredients until smooth. Adjust the amount of liquid to reach desired smoothie consistency. Depending on your blender, you may need to add more liquid than listed.

We hope you enjoy these incredible recipes and are staying happy, healthy, and blessed during these times.