Quick and Easy Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie

I don't know what it is, but I've been on a smoothie fix recently. I'm pretty bad about eating enough dairy (unless it's cheese or ice cream, I'm pretty good at that). I can't stand milk, so yogurt smoothies are how I've been incorporating dairy into my diet. They take no more than 5 minutes to put together, and it's a great way to use up my fruit before it goes bad. Strawberry banana is a smoothie combo I make quite often and it's just as yummy as this one. I've heard of people putting vegetables like broccoli in smoothies as well... I don't think I'm ready to make that step yet.

Quick and Easy Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie
Makes: 1  Total time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
4 strawberries
1 kiwi
1 tbs honey
4 ice cubes

Directions
Wash strawberries, cut off stems and cut into fourths. Cut a thin slice out of the middle of the kiwi for garnish, and spoon the rest out. Combine yogurt, strawberries, kiwi and honey into a blender. Mix on smoothie setting for 30 seconds or until ingredients are well blended. Remove the lid and add ice cubes. Mix on chop for 30 seconds. Serve immediately.

Artichoke and Sweet Potato Fries with Tangy Chile Aioli

This was my first time ever eating boiled artichoke, and maybe it was because of the delicious chile aioli, but I was impressed! Enjoy this veggie combination as a mid-afternoon snack or a light meal. I made it for dinner earlier this week and finished off some leftover duck I had from my favorite Cambridge restaurant, Henrietta's Table, using the aioli as a dipping sauce. While I'm pretty much a fan of any mayonnaise-based dip, this aioli is the perfect pairing for sweet potato fries. I loved it so much, I'm actually making it again tonight!

Artichoke and Sweet Potato Fries with Tangy Chile Aioli
Serves: 2  Prep: 15 minutes  Total: 45 minutes 

Ingredients
2 artichoke hearts
1 sweet potato
Olive oil
Sea salt and coarse ground pepper
1/2 cup mayo
1 tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp chile powder
2 cloves garlic

Directions
Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Trim the tops of the artichokes and cut the stems so they can stand upright. Place the artichokes in boiling water and cook for approximately 30 minutes, or until they can be easily poked with a fork.
Slice your sweet potato vertically into thick strips, then the other way to create thick fry cuts. Toss the fries in a glass baking dish with olive oil, sea salt and coarse ground pepper. Bake in the oven at 425 for 30-40 minutes or until crispy on the outside.
While the artichoke and sweet potato fries are cooking, make the aioli sauce for dipping by combining the mayo, lemon juice, and chile powder in a small bowl. Dice two small garlic cloves or push through a garlic press and add to the mayo mixture, stirring well. Add more chile powder to taste.