Green smoothies are a somewhat new thing for me. I’ve mentioned before that BL gave me my BlendTec for our 1st anniversary together and I was less than pleased.

A blender?

Meh. I wasn’t into smoothies then and I would have much preferred a piece of jewlery or a vacation at that point. Just another example of how well he knows me… my BlendTec and I have been inseparable ever since. I prefer my Green Smoothies over most breakfasts (except avocado toasts, of course) and I recommend them to my clients as well.

Don’t you love getting a serving of vegetables in before 7AM?

The beauty of these smoothies is that you can customize them to your taste and needs. Enjoying before a workout? Choose water or juice over milk/yogurt. Post-run smoothie? Add a scoop of protein power (Vega Vanilla is my favorite). If you’re just starting out with green smoothies, start light: lettuce & spinach have a lighter flavor than kale and broccoli. If you have extra herbs in the drawer- add in! Parsley and basil taste great in green smoothies, especially paired with berries.

For a thicker smoothie, I love a frozen banana. Just peel when ripe, break in 1/2 and add to a freezer-bag.  My usual combo: spinach, frozen mixed berries, 1/2 banana, 1 scoop vega, unsweetened almond milk. 

What’s your favorite combo?

Let’s have a drink, shall we?

I’m in full on vacation mode. We don’t leave for Europe for another 2 1/2 weeks (but who’s counting?) but I’ve already been practicing my phrases, eating dinner at 9, and enjoying lots of wine and gelato in between.

I mean, I need to prepare for the culture- right? 

BL and I have split up the planning duties: he’s got transportation and activities, I have food and nightlife.

Clearly my sweetie understands me.

I have been pouring over trip advisor, Rick Steve podcasts, and countless books trying to figure out favorite local restaurants, picnic spots and cuisine of each region.

It’s been a tough few weeks.

(If you have any recommendations- let’s hear them!)

Since I will turn just about any event into a celebration, I’ve themed our weekend dinners- coinciding for each country we researched that day. Ah, life has been pretty fun lately.

Last weekend? Barcelona! Along with my Paella recipe (next week), I made this Sangria to sip on the porch Saturday night and then by the pool on Sunday.

If you’ve ever had Sangria, you understand the refreshing, addictive drink that it is. Red wine, fresh squeezed juice, lightly-sweetened, it’s easy to down a pitcher faster than you’d like.

This is my classic recipe, a simple version that I sometimes deviate from depending on the menu. It’s just as delicious with in-season berries, sliced plums, and peaches. I recommend allowing it to sit for at least 8 hours. If you don’t have that kind of time, be sure to serve it very-well chilled and muddle your fruit as you add it.

Ingredients:

1 Bottle of red wine
2 medium oranges, cut into wedges
1 lemon, cut into wedges
2.5 tbsp. raw sugar
1 oz. brandy (or more if you like your Sangria a bit boozier)
2 Cups club soda, preferred but can use ginger ale or lemon-lime soda

Add 1 orange, 1/2 the lemon, sugar, and brandy to a pitcher. Lightly muddle until sugar is mostly dissolved and fruit is slightly broken down.

Add the red wine and remaining fruit. Chill for 6-8+ hours. To serve, add club soda and pour over ice. Garnish with fruit!

I am so excited for this month’s Recipe Redux theme, “Orange your glad it’s fall?”

Yes. Yes I am.

I get so excited with the change of the seasons, enjoying new flavors that I haven’t had for almost a year. Pumpkin, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, and more. What do all of these wonderful vegetables have in common? They are loaded with the orange-pigmented antioxidant, beta carotene. Pumpkin is also loaded with vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and folate.

The problem with most pumpkin-flavored items is that they tend to be loaded with fat and excess sugar. Pumpkin-pie, frapps, cheesecake, all take innocent pumpkin and turn it into junk food.

These pumpkin shakes still deliver on the benefits of pumpkin, without all the added frills. Perfect for breakfast, as a snack, dessert, its the perfect way to celebrate Fall.

Spiced Pumpkin Shake

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 frozen banana
2.5 tbsp. sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Place all ingredients in a blender, puree into smooth. Makes 1 large serving, 2 small shakes.

Recipe Redux month #2 is here and July’s theme was Summer Drinks. Since berry season is still in full swing, this classic cocktail got taken up a notch with strawberries in place of traditional mint. I have to admit, I have been loving this drink and it’s been the perfect refresher for hot California days.

Ingredients (per drink):
4 medium strawberries, stems removed and halved
1/2-1 oz. simple syrup/liquid sweetner
1 oz. white rum
1/3 cup Pear Hard Cider
Citrus Soda (use whatever brand you like: 7-up, Hansens, Sprite, ect)

Place strawberries in a tall cockail class and muddle until strawberries are thouroughly crushed. Add the rum, cider, and rum. Top with citrus soda and enjoy!

Check out what other Summer Drinks Recipe Reduxers came up with this month:

• Gretchen, kumquat   Ginger Ale
• Dr. Barb, Nutrition Budgeteer         Triple Cherry Chiller           
• Carlene Helble, Carlene’s Figments            Mint Berry Seltzer
• Kara Lydon, Peace, Love, and Food Blueberry Basil Lemonade Fizz
• Deanna Segrave-Daly, Teaspoon of Spice Cantaloupe Basil Aqua Fresca Fizz
• Jessica Fishman Levinson, Nutritioulicious Blueberry Basil Cooler
• Marie Spano, Performance Nutrition          Post-Workout Power Smoothie
• Elizabeth Jarrard, Don’t White Sugar-Coat It        Southern Blackberry Smash           
• Emily Greenfield, The Nutriscientist Apple, pear and strawberry smoothie with Chia
• Kristen Bourque- Swanky Dietitian            Fresh Fruit and Club Soda Cooler
• Regan Jones – The Professional Palate Berry-Lime Bubbly
• Kat Lynch – Eating the Week Sparkling melon fizz – nice & naughty
• Lisa @ Healthful Sense Berry Refreshing Chia Seed Smoothie
• EA Stewart-The Spicy RD Gingery Peach Float
• Alysa Bajenaru – Inspired RD Blackberry Banana Swirl
• Ann Dunaway Teh, Eat to Nourish, Energize & Flourish Pregnancy Mocktails
• Yuri – Chef Pandita   Green Tea Ginger Limeade with Chia Seeds
• Karman Meyer-Nutrition Adventures Orange-Mint Iced Green Tea
• Cherie Schetselaar-Grain Crazy Mango Strawberry Smoothie
• Emma Stirling – The Scoop on Nutrition Recipe Redux Tangelo-ade
• Carrie Miller, Nutrition Know How, 12 Smoothie Recipes to Beat the Heat
• Rebecca Scritchfield – #MeFirst Banana Split Smoothie
• Danielle Omar — Food Confidence RD Almond Iced-Coffee Latte
• Liz Weiss & Janice Newell Bissex — Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen Pint-Size Pina Colada
• Janel Ovrut Funk, Eat Well with Janel Blog Mango Melon Smoothie