Pabvlova, an Australian dessert

I love meringue cookies, and this dessert is so much better!

You beat 3 egg whites in the electric mixer until they form stiff peaks.

Then you gradually add a cup of sugar with a tablespoon of cornstarch.

On a parchment paper lined pan, I spread a circle of meringue and then piped the rest of the meringue to form a bowl shape.

You bake it at 300 degrees F for one hour, turn off the heat and leave it in the oven for another 30 minutes.

I added homemade whipped cream in the center and added strawberries.

You could add whatever type of berry you like :)

The Pavlova makes a great presentation for invited friends or family, and it isn't difficult at all.

You don't even have to pipe a bowl, just make a cake shape and decorate the top with berries and whipped cream.

I love Pinterest and have pinned so many recipes.

I decided to create a board called "Tried it, loved it!".

You can find this recipe on my Pinterest board here.

Pork Souvlaki

These are the ingredients needed to make Pork Souvlaki.

Whisk together 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 large clove garlic, minced, l/2 tsp. dried oregano, l/2 teaspoon salt, and l/4 teaspoon pepper.

Trim and cut l.5 pounds pork tenderloin into 1 inch cubes.

In large bowl, marinate pork in whisked mixture for 10 minutes or cover and refrigerate for up to 6 hours.

Shred one cup of cucumber.

Mix cucumber with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, let stand for 10 minutes.

Squeeze out moisture.

Mix cucumber, 1/4 cup balkan-style plain yogurt, 2 clover garlic, minced, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (I added dried dill weed to taste), and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.  This is called Tzatziki.

Thread pork onto metal skewers, and brush with remaining marinade.  Place on greased grill over medium high heat.

Close lid and grill, turning halfway through, until juices run clear when pork is pierced and just a hint of pink remains inside, about 12 minutes.  

Remove from skewers.  Serve with 2 plum tomatoes, sliced (I used cherry tomatoes sliced in half because that is what I had on hand), sliced red onion, 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce and greek-style pocketless pitas.

This meal was quick and easy and even my husband enjoyed it!

Monster Smoothie

Now for something a little bit different.

I try to go to exercise class every morning.....and when I come home I like to have something healthy, filling and low calorie.  I have been drinking this Monster Smoothie for a couple of years now.  I have refined it somewhat and I think it is really delicious.

I used to use my blender, but it is big and a pain to wash out every day.  My husband bought me a little machine that you insert these special cups into.  It is so much easier to use!  It comes with about four or five of these plastic cups that go in the dishwasher.


One cup of milk, or a little less.  I like to use coconut milk, but didn't have any when I took these photos.  The coconut milk adds the perfect amount of sweetness.  I recommend trying it in the smoothie.

One banana, broken into pieces.

Two large tablespoons full of greek yogurt, about a l/4 of a cup.
Fage (pronounced fa - yeh) is my favorite because it is thick and creamy and has a great flavor.

One cup of frozen peaches.  The peaches add sweetness, and since they are frozen, they make the smoothie cold.  Don't use red or blue berries because your smoothie will be a nasty brown color.  I used to use fresh mangoes, but I prefer the frozen peaches.  Stuff the peaches down in the cup.

Now add a large handful (about one cup) of fresh baby spinach leaves.  It sounds gross to put spinach in a drink but you can't taste it. 

I squeeze the blade onto the cup and screw it on tightly.

Then I blend the smoothie until it is all mixed up, about a minute.

Now I can enjoy my very healthy, creamy and delicious Monster Smoothie.  Two servings of dairy, two servings of fruit and one serving of vegetables.  *You can add some ground flax seed for extra benefits.  Try it and tell me what you think :)