"Ice-cream is exquisite. What a pity it isn't illegal." – Voltaire
It’s a heat wave in Boston. Cool down with this vibrant Berry Beet Smoothie. Look at that color! The magenta is amazing, and you can’t even taste the beet. The mango and berries leave it perfectly sweet. Enjoy this smoothie as breakfast or a snack – -it’s utterly refreshing either way.
So I may or may not have grabbed a handful of this Whole Earth Sweetener packets from Starbucks last weekend 🙈 . . . oops. They’re sitting out for the taking, so I decided why not try them? Not my fault I don’t add sugar or sweetener to my coffee. (Full disclosure: I grabbed three, which I think is a respectable “grab.”) I was grabbing spices to make Indonesian Inspired Quinoa Bowls and saw cardamom hiding out in the back of my pantry. Cardamom has such a nice citrus flavor that I wanted some oats with grapefruit on the side — but the 2.0 version. Thus, I made Blackberry Cardamom Overnight Oats with a Broiled Grapefruit. The grapefruit is amazing! This would be so good on the grill or as a dessert. I foresee myself stalking up on grapefruit during my next grocery run to make this again. Plus, the broiled grapefruit seems like a great standalone side for a brunch or the beginnings of a dessert.
Continue reading “Buzzing for these Blackberry Cardamom Oats”
This may seem really simple and like a no brainer, but I still don’t know why I don’t make these Yogurt Bowls more often. I love yogurt. I love granola. I love fruit. Why not always put them together? I just discovered Siggi’s Icelandic-Style Skyr at Whole Foods. I really like that their yogurts are high in protein but low(ish) in sugar. They’re also very recycle friendly — plus! Siggis also uses few ingredients and ones I can actually pronounce. I’d say this Yogurt Bowl is a win-win.
Continue reading “In Love with Simplistic Yogurt Bowls”
Happy September!! I’m still in denial. It was just yesterday I was at a Third Eye Blind concert with my friend, Steph. It was mid-June and naturally we were complaining summer was “already gone” in that way you complain about how bad your hair looks when you know you look like a bombshell. Complaining to complain because we knew we had that reassurance of July’s and August’s hot and sunny days ahead. Now we have a right to actually complain since it’s literally September, but on the bright side, you know all know what that means — it’s oatmeal season!!! Who’s excited?! I woke up this morning to a cool enough breeze that I needed a long sleeve shirt to sip on my morning cup of pumpkin spice coffee. (If you can’t tell, I’m really embracing this weather change…) With zucchini season coming to a close now, it’s that late summer vegetable that you have so much you never know what to do with it. I decided Zucchini Bread Oatmeal would be the perfect outlet. You’d never know you’re consuming zucchini in this sweet breakfast of nutmeg and cinnamon, plump raisins and walnuts for texture.
Continue reading “Zealously Eating Zucchini “Bread” for Breakfast”
Poached Berries are great — so easy to make, full of flavor, and can be made ahead of time. Another recipe my mom showed me (thanks, Mom!). The berries are especially tasty because by poaching them, you remove the hassle of washing each serving and decrease the time fresh berries will perish; instead, everything’s done in one step and viola! fresh berry sauce for days. Based on my new obsession with chia seeds and breakfast bowls, poached berries paired with overnight oats and chia seeds seemed like a natural combination. Poached berries are perfect to top oatmeal for breakfast or Greek yogurt for a snack or dessert. Try this berry sauce for yourself and discover the enormous flavor behind poached berries!
I have to admit that I was pretty skeptical about chia seeds. My mom made a chia seed pudding, and it was not something I enjoyed, but these breakfast bowls are delicious. The mashed banana adds its own natural sweetness, as well as a thickness to the breakfast bowl; you won’t even need to add a sweetener. The addition of vanilla extract provides a rich flavor and maximizes the vanilla from the unsweetened vanilla almond milk. The chia seeds are high in protein, fiber, omega-3, calcium, potassium and iron (see more here from the Cleveland Clinic). This Chia Seed Breakfast Bowl is especially great because you can make it the night before, literally roll out of bed and viola! breakfast is served. Add fresh fruit and nuts and enjoy a tasty and satisfying breakfast!
Eat Drink Savor Repeat 
