We’re halfway through the month. Are you working on any resolutions for the New Year? I’m still working on mine. To further my goal of Eating More Produce, I chose Smoothies as the theme ingredient for this week’s Gluten-Free Menu Swap.

I am making smoothies, but I haven’t quite made it a daily ritual, yet. I got a new Cuisinart blender/chopper for Christmas this year that’s perfect for making smoothies. It’s small enough to keep on the counter and even comes with cups in which to blend the ingredients. So, I’m hoping to get into the habit of making smoothies more often. The kids think of the smoothies as more of a treat — like a milkshake or a slurpie — because they like it sweet with lots of fruit. For myself, I’ve been adding greens like spinach and kale to add a nutrition boost and get that extra produce into my diet.

These days it seems like everyone has a Smoothie recipe in their cookbook or blog. But you don’t really need a recipe. Just combine some of your favorite fruit and vegetables in a blender with water, tea, yogurt, ice, etc. Even though a recipe isn’t necessary, it’s nice to see what others are doing to get some new inspiration. Here are some great ones I found:

• Very Berry Detox smoothie in Elizabeth Hasselbeck’s new Deliciously G-Free cookbook uses lots of berries, spinach, green tea and ice
• Spicy Green Smoothie in The Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free Kitchen cookbook combines tomato, spinach, avocado, jalapeño, onion, etc. for a savory alternative
• Tropical Smoothie with pineapple, berries, banana, grapes, walnuts, endive, etc. at Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom
• Green Dreamsicle Smoothie with tangelo, banana, Greek yogurt, etc. at dishes and dishes
• Blueberry Spinach Mint Smoothie with…well, blueberries, spinach, mint, etc. at Tasty Eats at Home
• Mystery Smoothie with berries, banana, mango, spinach, etc. at Diet, Dessert and Dogs
• Berry Lemonade Green Smoothie with blueberries, strawberries, cucumber, celery, spinach, lemon, etc. at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free

Don’t forget to check out the Gluten-Free Menu Swap roundup below for more gluten-free menus and ideas for smoothies.

Celiac Family’s Menu This Week:

Cilantro Rice

Egg & Hash Brown Casserole

Tropical Black Bean Salad

Monday - Chicken Taquitos made with shredded chicken served with Cilantro Lime Rice

Tuesday – Eggs and Hashbrowns Casserole served with Tropical Black Bean Fruit Salad

Wednesday – Teriyaki Chicken Skewers served with Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Thursday – Spaghetti and Meatballs served with a Spinach Salad

Friday – Fish and Chips served with Green Peas

Saturday - Grilled Chicken Breasts served with steamed Broccoli

Sunday – Leftovers

Gluten Free Menu Swap Roundup

Renee at Beyond Rice and Tofu has another great vegetarian menu this week. They’ll be having Veggie Burgers with Kale Salad Wraps, Chickpeas Romesco, Makhani Dal, Quinoa Vegetable Soup, and Socca Pizza. Sounds like a healthy week with plenty of produce at her house.

Angela at Angela’s Kitchen has several yummy recipes for smoothies you should review. She likes to keep ripe bananas in the freezer so she has them ready to use for her smoothies. She says they add a creamy texture that they love in their dairy-free smoothies. Angela has a full menu of lunches and dinners planned for her family this week. Some of the tempting meals include Juicy Apple Turkey Burgers, Lemon Spinach Tilapia, Thai Chicken Pizza, Wild Rice Turkey Soup, and Cranberry Chicken.

Paige at Not Missing a Thing! manages meals for multiple allergies in her family. This week, she is making gluten-free/dairy-free/egg-free macaroni and cheese, Sonora Enchiladas, Chicken and Rice, and gf/df/ef pizza.  She is also making what I would call “Un-stuffed Peppers” – a mixture of seasoned ground beef and quinoa or rice that she serves with fresh slices of sweet peppers on the side.

Wendy at Celiacs in the House starts her day with a green smoothie made with banana, pineapple, spinach, almond flour, water and ice. She also noted that Valerie at city|life|eats posted a list of green smoothie recipes on her site this past weekend. This week, Wendy is sharing her monthly plan, as well as her weekly menu plan, which includes Shrimp Lo Mein, Cauliflower Broccoli Soup, Slow Cooker Indian Chicken, and Asian Turkey Burgers. In case you missed it last week, Wendy has started a fun new series on her blog that lets you peek into gluten-free kitchens on Fridays and share kitchen tips on Sundays.

Samantha at So Simply Good shares a link for a kid-(and parent!)pleasing Blueberry Coconut Smoothie that she found at Paleo Parents. Her menu plan this week includes Chipotle Beef Chili, Quick and Easy Crock Pot Brisket, Southwestern Flank Steak, Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Soup, and more.

Alisha at Going G-Free is brand new to the gluten-free life. She and her daughter are just starting up the steep slope of learning all there is to know about living gluten free, so stop by her blog and give her some support! Her meals this week include Carne Asada Tacos, Meatloaf, Chicken Nuggets, Taquitos, Grilled Chicken, and more. She’s also included some ideas for lunches and snacks.

Want to join Gluten-Free Menu Swap?

• For this week’s roundup, email your menu link to celiacfamily[AT]gmail[DOT]com. Or, simply put your menu link in the comments below.
• Next week’s theme will be Pomegranates. Visit Angela’s Kitchen for the roundup next week.
• The Gluten-Free Menu Swap Page has the current schedule of themes and hosts. If you’d like to host a future week, please send me an email (celiacfamily[AT]gmail[DOT]com) with your preferred date and theme.

Need more menu ideas?

• Laura at OrgJunkie.com hosts Menu Plan Monday every week. You’ll find links to hundreds of meal plans (not necessarily gluten-free) there.
• Or, check out some of my past menu plans.