Smoothies

Chocolate Berry Almond Smoothie

March 14, 2014 by Erica

Chocolate Berry Almond Smoothie

I play with food a lot. –> I go to the grocery store a lot. –> I have a lot of awkward encounters with grocery store cashiers.

Let’s talk about the different forms that awkwardness can take at different stores.

Trader Joe’s cashiers are aggressively jolly and overly excited about every item you’re purchasing. They’ve tried it all and loved it! Sometimes I think they are commissioned.

Whole Foods cashiers are trained to engage you in conversation at the expense of your privacy. A simple “how are you?” won’t suffice. “What are you doing after this?” is much more common. <– Clearly I am going home to cook dinner. It is 6 pm and I am at the grocery store. Let’s put 2 and 2 together.

…

Cranberry Pumpkin Smoothie

October 11, 2013 by Erica

Cranberry Pumpkin Smoothie

I conceded early defeat in my annual battle against the utility bill when I turned on our heat this past weekend. Usually, I like to play a game called “how long can we go without turning the heat on,” and last year I made it to November. October just seems like a ridiculous time to need a heater – yes there is snow in the mountains, but we were running the A/C less than a month ago! But I realized last year when November’s gas bill totaled all of $10.75 that I needn’t have held out so long. Pretty sure I would have payed $10.75 to not be so cold when getting out of the shower any morning last October!

So why an October smoothie? Well, to be frank, although I crave a hot breakfast in the cooler months, a meal of hot coffee + hot granola makes me break out in a sweat, heat or no heat. The only solution is to take off my fuzzy bathrobe and eat breakfast in my undies, which can get awkward now that our kitchen table is RIGHT ACROSS from our neighbors’ window. I think we’ll be sticking to smoothies for a while so I can enjoy my breakfast without flashing the nice couple next door.

Cranberry Pumpkin Smoothie

I also happen to have about two dozen frozen bananas in a Ziploc in my freezer. I’ve mentioned Nate’s banana preferences before – no green, no go – and sometimes I just can’t manage to consume all the remaining bananas in the bunch that have dared to develop a single brown spot. Into the freezer they go. I always mean to whip up some banana bread, but in terms of gradually chipping away at the ever-icier frozen banana supply, smoothies are the way to go.

…

Coffee Banana Breakfast Smoothie

September 13, 2013 by Erica

Coffee Banana Breakfast Smoothie // Coffee & Quinoa

Sometimes I say that I want summer to stick around forever.

Sometimes I then get to relive my childhood summer nights, trying to find the cool side of the pillow on the third floor of my parents’ un-air-conditioned house.

Sometimes I need a really cold breakfast.

Coffee Banana Breakfast Smoothie // Coffee & Quinoa

Yes, if I’ve learned anything this past week, it’s that moving to a place where all buildings are air-conditioned and driving (and parking!) everywhere is easy has made me downright soft. Not that my parents are exactly living in the dark ages in New England, but A/C… you are now a non-negotiable for me.

And if I can’t have you, I definitely need this smoothie.

…

Blueberry Almond Chia Smoothie

April 15, 2013 by Erica

Blueberry Almond Chia Smoothie

Spontaneity: not my thing.

Lists: totally my thing.

The way I get excited for things is by planning them. Vacations, parties, meals, you name it – planning is just my way of looking forward to something.

Come to think of it, that’s probably one of the reasons I like blogging so much.

This weekend, Nate and I have plans to go down to Moab, UT, one of my favorite places. Moab is home to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, as well as an adorable downtown and lots of mountain biking, climbing, and running. I’ve been there a few times, but only once with Nate, and that was for about 24 hours. I’m excited to go back with him and show him Arches and Canyonlands, both of which are suuuuper beautiful and make me so happy to live in this state.

I’m starting to get excited for the weekend as I plan out which hikes we’re going to do, where we’re going to eat, what I should pack, etc. I haven’t made any lists or strict schedules for us yet… but you know, there’s still time. :)

…

Strawberry Spinach SunButter Smoothie

March 29, 2013 by Erica

Strawberry Spinach Sunbutter Smoothie

There’s nothing like a mug of strong French press coffee and a big, delicious smoothie to start your day off right.

Oh, and some birthday roses from your sweetie… and a couple smooches, too.

But sweet boyfriends aside, smoothies are the breakfast treat I’ve found myself looking forward to most lately. There are just endless combinations, and the fact that they’re sweet and frosty just makes them so much fun. Recently, I’ve been obsessed with making mine with sunbutter. Although I’m not a huge fan of sunbutter plain – as a spread, I prefer peanut butter – I love it in smoothies, especially with spinach, for some reason. It’s what makes this smoothie extra special!

Strawberry Spinach Sunbutter Smoothie

Speaking of spinach: I don’t really make green smoothies, but I do like adding spinach to my fruit smoothies. Especially if there are berries involved, the spinach doesn’t change the flavor much, although it does turn your smoothie kind of garbage-colored. (I considered naming this post “strawberry sunbutter garbage-colored smoothie,” but something about that just didn’t seem so appetizing… not sure why.) Anyway, it’s the flavor that counts, and the fact that you are eating green stuff for breakfast!

These are also my favorite way to recover from hot summer long runs. Those are a few months away at this point, but I’m looking forward to them lots! I have been dying a long, slow death by treadmill this winter. It has just got to stop.

Strawberry Spinach Sunbutter Smoothie

If you look at the ingredient list below, you’ll see an ingredient that looks a little out of place: apple cider vinegar. Weird, right? Well, I took Faith’s advice recently and added just a tiny bit of apple cider vinegar to my smoothie. And it totally made it more flavorful! So, odd though it may seem, definitely don’t skip the vinegar.

I like my smoothies so thick that they have to be eaten with a spoon. If you prefer a more slurpable smoothie, you could sub the Greek yogurt with more almond milk or just add another half cup of almond milk or water.

Enjoy this garbage-colored, I mean, green smoothie!

Strawberry Spinach Sunbutter Smoothie

5.0 from 2 reviews

Strawberry Spinach SunButter Smoothie

Hands-on time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

Author: Erica

Yields: 1 smoothie

Ingredients

1 frozen banana, sliced
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 large handful spinach leaves
2 Tbsp SunButter
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (I use Fage 0%)
1/2 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 Tbsp ground flax seed
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

Add all ingredients to blender or food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down sides and breaking apart chunks of fruit as necessary. Pour into a glass or bowl and enjoy!

Connect