Category: Drinks

Breakfast/Brunch, Dairy-Free, Drinks, Gluten-Free, Low Sugar, Smoothie, Snack, Vegan, Vegetarian

Refresh with a Green Smoothie

Annie

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I’ve been sipping on smoothies since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Thanks to staying connected via social media with a family I babysit, I saw they’ve been sipping on green smoothies packed with lemon, celery, and greens. Inspired by theirs, I experimented with similar ingredients and landed on what I think is the perfect Green Smoothie. It’s tart, while still sweet and totally refreshing. You can’t even taste the spinach or celery thanks to the banana. You get all the benefits from citrus with the clementine and lemon. Ginger adds an extra layer with its zesty bite. I wouldn’t use this as a meal, unless you add something more substantial like milk, yogurt, or protein of some sort. However, it’s a good side or accompaniment and another way to add in fresh fruits and veggies. I’m not a supporter of “drinking your meals,” but I do love a good smoothie as a snack or to recharge after a workout.

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Dairy-Free, Drinks, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Vegan, Vegetarian

Ending Summer with an Iced Matcha Latte

Annie

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I like an extra dose of lunch-time caffeine, but lately, I’ve shied away from more coffee. I’ve gravitated toward tea lattes: chai in the winter and matcha (or green tea) in the summer. Matcha is a finely ground powder from green tea leaves. It can have an earthy, bitter taste depending on the matcha you buy; the more expensive matcha tends to increase in its green color and vibrancy. While the green color can be off-putting at first, paired with milk and a little sweetener, Iced Matcha Latte has a mild taste and is quite refreshing. Compared to its Starbucks counterpart that has a whooping 30 g of sugar, try making this at home, experimenting with milk (coconut milk is lovely!) and sweeteners.

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Breakfast/Brunch, Dairy-Free, Drinks, Gluten-Free, Low Sugar, Smoothie, Snack, Vegan, Vegetarian

Curiously Tropical Carrot Smoothie

Annie

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I wanted a tropical immune boost once I had smoothie envy from my nursing friends, Lyndsay and Jen, so I whipped up a morning smoothie back in the end of March. This smoothie has been getting me through this quarantine and perfectly transitions into summer. I wouldn’t think to add raw carrots, but they’re so refreshing & vibrant. You taste the mango, citrus, and ginger at the forefront of this drink, that you can’t even taste the carrots! I think I’ll be experimenting with more veggies in smoothies thanks to this Carrot Turmeric Smoothie.

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Dairy-Free, Dessert, Drinks, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Vegan, Vegetarian

A Spin on Lemonade & Piña Colada

Annie

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This may be my new summer drink, so much so that we made this twice in once weekend. Frozen Coconut Lemonade will be your new favorite drink to cool down and sip a decadent version of lemonade. I made this both as a cocktail and a mocktail. I’d suggest the full-fat coconut milk for a mocktail and using the proportions below for a cocktail. Either way is delicious. It’s sweet, tart, rich, and zesty.

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Dairy-Free, Drinks, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Low Sugar, Mexican, Vegan, Vegetarian

Fresh, Tart Citrus Margaritas

Annie

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This is the perfect margarita recipe when you’re feeling tequila, but you’re also feeling lazy. Like my four ingredient margarita, you just need fresh citrus, tequila, and sugar. For whatever reason, I’ve been craving some fresh citrus and tequila during this pandemic and social distancing. Maybe it’s because we had to simply enjoy Cinco de Mayo in the comfort (and safety) of our own apartment or because they just sounded that good with guac and enchiladas. I vacillate with whether I enjoy salt on mine–I do enjoy the modest amount, but not when the glass is dripping in salt that I feel like I’m sipping a tequila-infused ocean–, so I decided to leave this Lemon Grapefruit Margaritas unadorned. Feel free to add a salt or a sugar + zest rim to your marg or even triple sec. However, the beauty of these as that they’re no fuss and made with simple ingredients.

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Breakfast/Brunch, Dairy-Free, Drinks, Gluten-Free, Low Sugar, Smoothie, Snack, Vegan, Vegetarian

Glowing Skin Recovery Mango Tahini Smoothie

Annie

I’ve been on a spin kick lately, going 2-3 times per week since after Christmas. I’ve enjoyed drinking a smoothie after this intense exercise since it’s hydrating and nourishing, especially when I’m not hungry or in the mood for “whole” food for a bit after that type of rigorous exercise. This Mango Tahini Smoothie has good-for-your-skin vitamins from mango, healthy fats from tahini, and antioxidants and vitamin C from the orange. I swapped cauliflower in for banana, since mangos are already sweet enough. Brightened with cardamom and cinnamon, this smoothie is a refreshingly cozy way to start your day and recover from some welcomed sweaty exercise. Continue reading “Glowing Skin Recovery Mango Tahini Smoothie” →

Dairy-Free, Drinks, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Low Sugar, Smoothie, Vegan, Vegetarian

Detox with Berries & Beets

Annie

Beets are a vegetable that have slowly grown on me. Their earthy flavor and bright pink color add a unique touch to any meal. They’re high in a photonutrient called betalains, which may help with inflammation and detoxification, and also in nitrates. As beet season is coming to an end, here’s an idea to help use up any extra beets. Naturally sweet, they may not be the obvious choice to add to a smoothie. Pair with berries, peaches, and coconut water, they make a refreshing Beet & Berry Smoothie.

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Breakfast/Brunch, Dairy-Free, Dessert, Drinks, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Low Sugar, Smoothie, Snack, Vegan, Vegetarian

Pumpkin Pie in a Glass

Annie

Although it’s fall, Halloween’s 70° weather had me craving this Pumpkin Pie Smoothie last week. Rich in antioxidants and vitamin A, pumpkin is not an obvious choice for smoothies. However, it’s thick and creamy nature allows it to easily acquire flavors like the spices of pumpkin pie. It’s just decadent enough to be breakfast, dessert, or a snack, but healthy thanks to bananas’ and dates’ natural sweetness. Healthy fats in the almond butter and plant-based protein round this smoothie out as a nutritious option.

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"How To" Guides, Dairy-Free, Drinks, Lightened Up, Low Sugar, Vegan, Vegetarian

Homemade Oat Milk!

Annie

Hi, all! Thanks for bearing with me as a took a hiatus graduating from my nurse practitioners program, passing my NP boards (yay!), and taking this summer to work as a nurse. Having just finished out whirlwind weeks of weddings and travel, I’m ready to continue to share delicious recipes with you. I recently discovered the best kept secret: making homemade “milks!” If you haven’t figured out, my go-to milk to buy is unsweetened almond milk. While it’s pretty inexpensive in the land of milk alternatives, this last summer I worked as a nurse at a peanut-free and nut-free camp. A quirky preference I have is only using creamer in hot coffee. (I prefer almond milk in my cold brew due to the coffee’s smoother, less bitter flavor.) I tried oat milk from my grocery store and fell in love with its richer and thicker consistency compared to its milk counterparts. Here’s how to make homemade Oat Milk, so you too can enjoy oat milk without the cost for coffee, smoothies, or however you choose to enjoy!

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Breakfast/Brunch, Dairy-Free, Drinks, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Snack, Vegan, Vegetarian

An Unexpected Latte

Annie

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This Ginger Avocado Latte is the most unexpected sort of latte. It’s not how you’d think of a latte in a traditional sense. There’s no coffee or caffeine. The avocado just adds a frothy, creamy goodness. Play around with flavors of the fresh ginger like cinnamon for some spice or cardamom for a citrusy addition.

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