[1] Outshine Smoothie Cubes turn into smoothies with no blender required (all photo © Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.).

[2] The Outshine duo: Smoothie Cubes and Fruit Bars (photo © Société des Produits Nestlé S.A).

[3] Outshine Smoothie Cubes, ready to turn into smoothies.

We have a sweet tooth, and when we need something sweet without added sugar, we turn to a piece of fruit, or to Outshine No Sugar Added Fruit Bars* from Nestlé (just 45 calories and 2g sugar).

The ice pops, in raspberry, strawberry, and tangerine, are made with real fruit or fruit juice, and really hit the spot.

Now, the brand known for its wholesome frozen fruit bars has launched a beverage version: Outshine Smoothie Cubes.
 
 
OUTSHINE SMOOTHIE CUBES

OUTSHINE® Smoothie Cubes are the perfect way to enjoy blender-free, real fruit smoothies.

They’re delicious and deliver B vitamins, fiber, and vital proteins collagen peptides.

The Smoothie Cubes are part of a Nestlé initiative to provide convenient, nutritious options for busy people. You can make them to drink at home, at work, and for grab-and-go.

All you need to do is mix with the frozen (or defrosted) liquid of your choice (water, milk, juice, coconut water, iced tea) in a container with a lid/top and let it sit for 15 minutes.

Then shake the container and you have a yummy, refreshing smoothie.

(Editor’s Tip: If it’s cocktail hour, add some fruit liqueur, rum, or white spirit—gin, tequila, or vodka.)

This refreshing snack is currently available in the freezer aisle of select retailers in three flavors:

 
Each serving contains 80 calories, 15 grams or less of total fruit sugar, and zero grams of added sugar. There are no artificial flavors or colors, and no GMO ingredients.

The Smoothie Cubes are available at stores for a suggested retail price of $6.99-$7.49.

> Here’s more information about the Outshine brand.

> National Smoothie Day is June 21st.

> Who invented the smoothie?

 
 
________________

*They do contain a bit of sorbitol.

[1] You can make this parfait in 1-2-3 (all photos © Once Again Nut Butter).

[2] Once Again PB is available in natural and organic, creamy and crunchy.

[3] For weekend fun, make pancake “sundaes” with peanut butter and jelly.

P&J for breakfast? Yes, and it isn’t a sandwich, but a breakfast parfait.

We didn’t want to wait until the next official peanut butter holiday to share this easy, fun, and nutritious Peanut Butter & Jelly Breakfast Parfait (of course, you can substitute your nut butter of choice).

The list of annual peanut butter holidays is below.
 
 
RECIPE: PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY BREAKFAST PARFAIT

If you don’t want the sugar of jelly or jam, puréed strawberries are a good substitute. You can sweeten them with a bit of sugar, honey, or other sweeteners; or you can use them as is.
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. ADD a layer of yogurt to the bottom of a glass.

2. TOP with a layer of jelly.

3. TOP with a layer of peanut butter.

4. ADD a second layer of yogurt.

5. GARNISH as desired and serve.
 
 
MORE TO ENJOY

> More great peanut butter and jelly recipes.

> The history of peanut butter.

> The history of jelly.

> The different types of jelly and preserves.

> The different types of yogurt.
 
 
MORE PEANUT & PEANUT BUTTER HOLIDAYS

July may be National Blueberry Month, but it’s also National Ice Cream Month. Is there any better reason to make this blueberry ice cream recipe?

The recipe was developed by culinary dietitian Marcia Stanley, MS, RDN, for Milk Means More, the website of the United Dairy Industry Of Michigan.

It’s a “better for you” recipe, using Greek yogurt instead of some of the cream. Marcia says:

“For straightforward, creamy lusciousness, skip the ginger in this fresh blueberry ice cream. However, if you’re looking for something a little different, add the ground ginger. It surprises and delights the palate.”

Check out many more delicious recipes at MilkMeansMore.com

> The history of ice cream.

> The history of blueberries.
 
 
RECIPE: BLUEBERRY ICE CREAM

Prep time is 45 minutes, and chill time is 4 hours plus churning and freezing. You can substitute frozen blueberries.
 
Ingredients For 10 Half-Cup Servings

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and ginger in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until boiling, stirring constantly.

2. REDUCE the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and cool for 20 minutes.

3. POUR the blueberry mixture into a blender. Cover and blend until nearly smooth.

4. WHISK together in a bowl the blueberry mixture, cream, yogurt, and vanilla. Pour into a bowl or food storage container. Before churning, cover and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours or until very cold.

5. STIR the blueberry mixture. Pour it into a 1-1/2-quart ice cream freezer. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.

6. STORE the freshly churned ice cream in a container in the freezer for at least 4 hours to harden the ice cream to a firm, scoopable consistency. You can also enjoy it in its “soft serve” form right out of the churn.

[1] In a bowl or in a cone, fresh blueberry ice cream is a real treat (photo © Sid Wainer | Facebook).

[2] Could you eat it from the tub? Here’s another recipe that uses half-and-half (photo © Taste Of Home).

[3] You can make this recipe year-round by using frozen blueberries (photo © Made In Cookware).

[1] The two styles of Oleamea organic extra virgin olive oil made from Turkish Memecik olives (all photos © Oleamea).

[2] While this salad looks summery, the ingredients are available even in the cold winter months. Top greens with citrus slices, avocado slices, cherry tomatoes, and sliced mini cucumbers. Add sliced mozzarella or fresh goat cheese.

[3] Lush farmstand tomatoes need only a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and as a bonus, a few snipped herbs.

[4] Grilled dessert: With the grill at medium-high heat, lightly brush pineapple slices with EVOO and place them on the grill. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side, until grill marks form. Remove to a serving plate and drizzle with honey. Yes, you can add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

[5] A Memecik olive tree.

[6] Memecik olives.

We recently had our first Turkish extra virgin olive oil—actually, two great-tasting olive oils from Oleamea. EVOO is considered to be the cornerstone of the healthy Mediterranean diet, and we appreciate that—but we love Oleamea for its great flavor.

Oleamea’s certified USDA Organic olive oils are made from 100% organic Memecik olives, a popular Turkish variety (more about them below).

The brand has won gold and silver medals at olive oil competitions around the world. That includes beating out the tough field at the International Olive Oil Competition*.

We used this delicious olive oil this past weekend as a perfect sauce for artisan ravioli from Chef Nicola DiGiorgio—the type of ravioli that is too fine for heavy sauces. EVOO is the perfect option, and Oleamea served it well.
 
 
OLEAMEA OLIVE OILS

There are two Oleamea olive oils.

Organic Premium Everyday EVOO is made from early harvest single-estate Memecik olives that are cold-pressed within four hours of being hand-picked off the tree. It has a light and balanced taste profile with aromatic notes of green almond and hints of wild herbs.

Use it to prepare and finish your everyday meals.

Organic Private Select EVOO is also crafted with single-estate Memecik olives, but these are cold-pressed within two hours of being hand-picked. This allows the maximum amount of polyphenols and antioxidants to be extracted.

The terroir† of the land where the Private Select olives are grown, high up in the hills, gives the oil a fruity flavor. It has aromatic notes of fresh-cut grass and hints of green banana. These perfectly balance the distinct peppery bitterness that is a trait of high-quality olive oils.

Pour out a spoonful of EVOO, smell it, and taste it. You’ll smell the grassiness, and if you’re not familiar with the aroma of green banana, it’s the “certain something” that you can’t identify.

Both oils are excellent, but Private Select is a special treat.
 
 
HOW TO USE OLEAMEA EVOO

Use these delightful oils for:

 
As a finishing oil, Oleamea pairs beautifully with:

 
Plus, if you drink a tablespoon or two of olive oil daily for heart health, these are delish.
 
 
WHAT ARE MEMECIK OLIVES?

The Memecik olive is native to the Aegean area. Exhibiting a unique, intense fruity aroma, it was the first Turkish olive to be registered by the European Union.

Compared with other varieties, Memecik olives have some of the highest polyphenol and oleic acid values. This makes them an outstanding source of antioxidants, which promote overall health.

(Here’s more about antioxidants.)

Valued for its distinctive sensory and chemical composition, the Memecik is the most-cultivated olive variety in the Aegean Region (one of the seven geographical regions of Turkey).

The olive typically shows the flavor and aroma of almond, grass, and lemon. It has an appealing bitterness and pungency [source].
 
 
GET YOUR OLEAMEA EVOO

You can purchase directly from the company website, Oleamea.com.

Look for the brand at Central Market, Sprouts, Whole Foods, and other retailers, and on Amazon.

Here’s a store locator.
 
 
MORE ABOUT OLIVE OIL

> June 1st is National Olive Oil Day.

> The History Of Olive Oil.

> The Different Types Of Olive Oil: A Glossary.

> Extra Virgin Olive Oil: An Overview

> The Different Flavors Of Olive Oil

> How To Taste Olive Oil (And Have A Tasting Party!)

> Why You Should Replace Butter With Olive Oil

> Food Fun: Make An Olive Oil Martini

*The International Olive Council is the world’s only international intergovernmental organization in the field of olive oil and table olives.
 
†Terroir, pronounced tur-WAH, is a French agricultural term referring to the unique set of environmental factors in a specific habitat that affects a crop’s qualities. It includes climate, elevation, proximity to a body of water, slant of the land, soil type, and amount of sun. These environmental characteristics give a fruit or vegetable its unique character.

Our Top Pick Of The Week—and perhaps the Top Pick of our Lifetime—is the celestial liquor-infused ice cream and sorbet from Aubi & Ramsa. It may be National Ice Cream Month, but in any month, these fantasy pints deliver scoops of the greatest joy. We do not exaggerate.

Ice cream is our favorite food, and as a specialty food writer, we have had quite a few “super-premium” and “ultra-premium” ice creams from all over the country. We’ve had other brands of alcohol-infused ice cream†, too.

But Aubi & Ramsa is in a class by itself: a unique line of small-batch, ultra-premium wine- and spirit-infused ice creams* that dazzle beyond belief. Again, we do not exaggerate.

The spirits used are top-shelf: Don Julio Tequila, Hendrick’s Gin, Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Macallan 12 Year Scotch, and Veuve Cliquot Champagne, for example.

Founders Matias Aubi and Rafael Ramirez have created something unique and out-of-this-world. Not only is the base ice cream outstanding, but the infusion of alcohol reaches new heights.

The ice cream and sorbet are prepared using a process that blends in the alcohol so that its taste remains vibrant. There’s plenty of flavor of Bourbon, Cognac, gin, rum, Scotch, tequila, etc.‡‡ dancing on your palate.

Disclaimer: Presently, shipping is only available to California, Florida, New York, and Texas. Is it worth moving for? Well…you can start by taking a vacation to Las Vegas, Miami, Nashville, New York City, or Tampa, where there are Aubi & Ramsa ice cream parlors. Eat as much as you want, then take more back to your hotel room.
 
 
THE FLAVORS

The ice creams and sorbets contain 4.9% A.B.V. (ice cream and sorbet won’t freeze solid above 5%). That’s just 9.8 proof, so yes, you can eat and drive.

Of course, these frozen delights include no preservatives or colors; they’re 100% natural. In each, you’ll discover a symphony of flavors.

For those who are hungry to know: The Highland Truffle ice cream, made with Macallan 12-Year Scotch and chocolate bits, is by far the company’s most popular flavor. It was ours, too. It is simply the best chocolate ice cream we will ever have.

The Ice Creams

 
The Sorbets

 
 
GET YOUR ICE CREAM & SORBET—NOW!

There are two sizes: 16-ounce pints and 3.7-ounce individual containers. You select which flavors you’d like.

Head to AubiRamsa.com.
 
 
THE STORY OF AUBI & RAMSA

Matias Aubi and Rafael Ramsa met while working as creative directors for an advertising agency network. Together they developed the brand’s concept, feel, and look (great job, guys!).

Given how hard it is to get an ice cream business off the ground (it melts!), much less license names from big liquor companies, we take our hat off to them.

And we send them lots of gratitude for their remarkable ice cream.

[1] The most popular flavor by far, Highland Truffle Ice Cream: Belgian chocolate ice cream blended with The Macallan 12-Year Double Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky and (delightful!) chocolate chunks.

[2] Agave Dulce de Leche, dulce de leche ice cream blended with Milagro Reposado Tequila and finished with a caramel swirl (all photos © Aubi & Ramsa).

[3] The blissful Strawberries and Rosé Sorbet blends strawberry sorbet with Veuve Cliquot Rosé Champagne and St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur.

[4] Ice cream and sorbet arrive in lovely white boxes, perfect for gifting.

[5] Our dream ice cream party would be a tub full of individual-size (3.7 ounces) Aubi & Ramsa flavors.

[6] Yes, you can eat your Martini ice cream from a Martini glass—although we are happy to eat it straight from the pint.

*The brand calls its products “gelato,” but there is no “ultra-premium” gelato. Gelato is less rich than ice cream. See the difference between ice cream and gelato here.

†Mercer’s Wine Ice Cream, Tipsy Scoop, and Wine Cellar Sorbets, for starters.

‡It finally dawned on us that “ABC” derives from A for Amaretto, B for Baileys, and C for Cognac.

‡‡Want to know why some of these spirits are capitalized and others not? Because formal names are capitalized. Bourbon, Cognac, and Tequila are cities or counties; gin and rum are not. So, for example, you would not capitalize “red wine” or “white wine,” but would capitalize a Manhattan cocktail, a Moscow Mule, or a Singapore Sling.
 
 

[7] A brand of ice cream and sorbet so good, we cried.