Banana Popsicle Shake

Have you ever had a cold banana popsicle on a hot summer day? They're so cold and refreshing...I just love 'em! This isn't a popsicle, but very cold and refreshing! Hmmm...I wonder how this would freeze in a popsicle mold? Or maybe make it into ice cream!

Banana Popsicle Shake

1-2 cups ice
1 tablespoon sugar free banana cream pudding mix
2 drops vanilla extract
sweetener, to taste (optional)
4-6 ounces milk (I use soy or almond milk)

Place ice in blender. Add the rest of the ingredients, ending with the milk. Set blender to crush ice, then blend on lowest speed and building up to highest speed until shake is thick and frothy.

Hummus

I really like hummus, but I don't like buying it at the store. One reason is that it is so expensive. Another reason is that it's got so many unnecessary ingredients. It's a lot better fresh. You can dip anything into hummus. Tonight I dipped boiled shrimp. Sometimes I dip sliced cucumbers, sometimes carrot sticks. Radishes would be good too. Hmmm...I just thought about pepperoni crisps...gotta try that soon!

Hummus

2 - 16 ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Dannon Plain Nonfat Yogurt
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 - 4.5 ounce can green chilies
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 - 4 ounce jar sliced pimientos, drained
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional (or parsley)

Add chickpeas, water, yogurt, olive oil, chilies, garlic, and cumin to a food processor. Blend until smooth. Add pimientos and pulse until they are coarsely chopped. Transfer hummus to a bowl and stir in the cilantro (or parsley). Season hummus with salt and pepper if desired. Cover and chill for a couple of hours for flavors to blend.

Pudding au Fromage

For some reason I really wanted to use a fancy French name for my Cheesecake Pudding! How do you like it? LOL! It's so fast and easy you won't believe it. Bob and I have a small bowl as dessert every night. And to make it even better...drum roll please...it's made of yogurt!

Cheesecake Pudding (or Pudding au Fromage, if you please!)

1 - 32 ounce Dannon Plain Nonfat Yogurt

2 small packages cheesecake pudding mix

Splenda Granular, to taste

Empty the yogurt into a bowl. Add the pudding mix and sweetener and whisk until well mixed and smooth. Spoon into a container and cover. Chill.