Advertising is to blame. Women are under a lot of pressure to provide a healthy home environment for their families and it seems that the measure of a mother's love is how white her husband's and children's shirts and still manage to throw together a delicious gourmet meal at the end of the day. After a long day schlepping back and forth in traffic on errands and laundry, she performs the cardinal sin of ordering in a pizza which throws the entire well-oiled machine into whack and leads to questions about her commitment to el familia. Thankfully, with today's modern conveniences - women's power tools - we can whiz up a nutritious meal in minutes. The Philips HR 2094, with its anodized aluminum finish, fingerprint resistant, scratchproof and corrosion resistant appeal, it's not just a pretty face. Its 750 watts of power makes it the ultimate weapon in the ongoing battle to fulfill the unbearably high expectations of motherhood. FRUIT SMOOTHIES We've all been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and studies show that it enhances performance at school and work. A quick way to pack in a nutritious morning meal is a fruit smoothie. Just blend together a mix of seasonal fruit, add milk or yogurt, and finish off with honey (vary the amount depending on sweetness of fruit). One of my favorite combinations is strawberry, orange and banana. With the Philips' blender's fruit filter, don't even bother to squeeze the orange juice. Just pop in the wedges of orange into the filter and the juice will press through the filter, keeping out the pips and pulp. Not only are smoothies quick, but the possibilities are endless: Triple Fruit Smoothie 1 kiwi, sliced1 banana, peeled and chopped1 cup strawberries1 cup ice cubes1/2 cup orange juice1 (8 ounce) container peach yogurt Blend the kiwi, banana, strawberries, orange juice, and yogurt until smooth. Banana Milkshake Bananas are filled with potassium and fiber, 1 banana (peeled), frozen1 cup skim milk Freeze banana. Break banana into pieces. Put in blender. Add skimmed milk and blend. Variation: For a sweeter taste, pop in a few dates. MAIN MEALS The goal for most mothers is to pack in those vegetable servings into the family meal. Soups are another quick way to do this, with the added bonus of keeping warm on cold winter nights. Pumpkin Soup with Honey 2 tablespoons butter2 large carrots, chopped2 celery stalks, chopped1 large onion, chopped1 kilo pumpkin peeled, seeded, chopped (about 6 cups)6 cups (or more) chicken stock5 whole cloves ½ cup whipping cream2 tablespoons honey Melt butter over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery and onion, sauté until tender - about eight minutes. Add pumpkin, stock and cloves, Cover and simmer until pumpkin is very tender, about 25 minutes. Discard cloves. Puree soup in the blender. Return to pot. Stir in cream and honey. Bring to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Tips: You don't need to buy an entire pumpkin. If you like, ask your vegetable vendor and he will cut you as much as you need from the pumpkin. Also, you can prepare the soup a day ahead, chill, and bring to simmer before serving. (You may need to think with more stock.) QUICK PESTO Thank God for pasta. It's quick, it's versatile, and every member of the family enjoys it. For a change from tomato sauce, try making homemade basil pesto: Basil pesto 3 cups fresh basil leaves½ cups pine nuts4 cloves garlic, peeled1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese1 cup olive oilsalt and pepper to taste Blend together basil leaves, nuts, garlic, and cheese. Pour in oil slowly while still mixing. Stir in salt and pepper. Add to cooked pasta to serve. Tip: Make double the quantity and store in a jar in the fridge for another day. Mint, tomato pesto 6 tomatoes, seeded and chopped20 fresh basil leaves10 fresh mint leaves2 cloves garlic, chopped1/2 cup pine nuts3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese2 tablespoons ricotta cheese1 1/2 tablespoons olive oilsalt and pepper to taste Blend tomatoes, basil, mint, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, olive oil, salt, and pepper until smooth. Toss with the cooked pasta to serve.
