Grapefruit-Cactus Paddle Smoothie {She Made/Ella Hace}

Howdy there, strangers! I know that it's been forever and a day since I last posted, and for that I apologize. But I'm back today for another installment of She Made/Ella Hace with my partner-in-crime, girlichef. Heather (girlichef) chose nopales (cactus paddles) as our theme this month and I couldn't be happier. Not only are nopales a staple ingredient in the Mexican kitchen, but they're also one of the few foods that make an appearance in my kitchen almost daily. I add nopales to just about everything: soups, moles, tacos, huevos con chorizo, and even smoothies. Yes, you read that correctly....smoothies!

Licuados de Nopal (cactus paddle smoothies) are very popular at the juice bars in el mercado (the market), because they're believed to lower blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and help you lose weight. At the juice bars you can choose to have your Licuado de Nopal made with either orange juice or grapefruit juice. I prefer mine with grapefruit juice because it really plays well with the pineapple, celery, and parsley that are also in this smoothie. Licuados de Nopal are a nice balance between a sweet smoothie and a savory smoothie. But if you prefer your smoothies on the sweeter side you can sweeten this smoothie with either honey or agave nectar. Served over ice, this Grapefruit-Cactus Paddle Smoothie is a delicious and refreshing way to start your day.

For a complete nopales filled breakfast, be sure to visit girlichef's blog to check out her Migas con Nopales!

Secret Recipe Club: Mango Pie Bars

Happy June, amigos! It's the beginning of a new month, which means that it's time for The Secret Recipe Club big reveal. I don't know about you, but one of my favorite things about blogging is discovering new blogs to follow and making new friends. This month I was assigned a new-to-me blog called Sweet as Sugar Cookies written by Lisa. True to it's title, Lisa's blog is full of sweet and delicious treats. Some of the recipes that caught my attention were the Baked Pears w/ Feta Cheese Lisa made last month for SRC, Honey Yogurt Bread, Spicy Peach BBQ Chicken, Mango Bread, and Peach Pie Bars. I finally decided to go with the Peach Pie Bars, because they just sounded like the perfect summer dessert.

My only problem was that I couldn't find fresh peaches, and I really didn't want to use canned peaches for this dessert nor did I want to make something else. My heart, mind, and stomach were set on having the Peach Pie Bars. So, I turned to one of my favorite summer fruits and made Mango Pie Bars instead.

Oh my goodness! This just might be my new go-to mango dessert. I still can't get over how amazing they were. They tasted like Peach Pie and Peach Cobbler all rolled into one. Thank you so much for this recipe, Lisa! My Hubby & kiddies thank you too.