To say I love grapefruit is an understatement. But to say that I would love to eat grapefruit as a loaf cake was questionable. Still, when we were having the neighbors over for dinner the other night, I thought, why not? It’s good to try something new especially something I’m hesitant to do. That attitude has introduced me to many new recipes I do like.

Once again, a recipe absolutely worth trying (my husband and guests would agree). I didn’t have poppy seeds and skipped that step although I don’t think it really mattered. What a I also really liked about this recipe was the fact that it used Greek yogurt which gave the batter a much lighter flavor than if it was all oil. Finally, the glaze was a combination of powdered sugar and Greek yogurt which gave the loaf what I believe is a much better flavor than using vanilla.

Find the recipe here.

I have been seeing a Chinese doctor for acupuncture since spring after my surgery where a golf-ball fibroid was removed from my uterus. She is always telling me what I need to do better: eat more room-temperature food, less stress, and the latest one was eat more red foods for my blood.

“Like steak?” I asked.

“Beets, goji berries,” she said.

But it was the week before Christmas and I was a little preoccupied. I forgot all about it. Even though I love beets.

After a wonderful holiday season, this week it’s back to consuming more fruits and vegetables. Beets, too.

As I’m writing this, I’m drinking my beet smoothie. Not quite the same as the recipe in Bon Appetit found here as I adjusted it for ingredients I have on hand (regular milk, agave nectar, blueberries, and I skipped the salt).

It’s a dark afternoon here in Albuquerque, making me feel like I’m back in the Midwest on a January day. My grandmother’s chicken soup (meaning her recipe, of course) is cooking on the stove and it’s sort of that middle of the afternoon blah time. I needed something to take me through to dinner.

For me, smoothies help me get more fruits and vegetables in my daily diet while keeping me full until dinner. And keep me from grabbing chips (oh wait, we ate them all, thank goodness).

It’s the new year, a chance to reset and find energy for the unknown but exciting road ahead.