Simple Green Smoothies

Hi there! I’m a big fan of making smoothies for breakfast. They are quick and easy to have on my way to work. The only problem is that I made the same one every. single. day. Occasionally I mix it up, but they all revolve around frozen fruit and almond milk. The other morning, I wanted to try something new. I googled “smoothie recipes” like a normal person and came across this site. Normally, when I try to find smoothie recipes they either make enough to feed an entire family, or involve 428 ingredients I don’t have. Simple Green Smoothies, like it’s name suggests, is full of easy smoothie recipes that are simple and delightful! The site in general is just plain awesome. It’s full of tips and useful information about smoothies. I’m impressed.

Here are a few recipes that caught my eye:

Takes Two To Mango

Raspberry Coconut Shortcake

Almond Butter and “Jelly”

Avo-Banana Kale

Happy Blending!

Pancakes, Two Ways

Lately, I have been craving pancakes. Maybe it’s been the cold weather we have been having lately. Nothing seems to represent a snowed-in weekend morning better than heating up the griddle and brewing a hot pot of coffee. After many experiments, I have come up with two recipes that are going to be my “go to” recipes from now on. The first one is a classic fluffy recipe. This one is perfect when you want a relaxing Sunday brunch or are looking for a crowd pleaser. The second one is a heartier pancake that would be the perfect fuel before heading out on a long run. They will stick with you and provide plenty of carbohydrates.

Fluffy Pancakes

• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• cooking spray

1. Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to “sour”.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg and butter into “soured” milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.
4. Serve with toppings of your choice. Special points if you serve with bacon.

Multigrain Pancakes

(adapted from the Runner’s World Cookbook)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup wheat flour
• 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup low-fat milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• toppings of your choice (I like to go with a variety of smooshed and warmed fruit or a nut butter!)

1. Combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oats, sugar, salt, baking powder, and soda in a bowl.
2. Pour the buttermilk and milk into a 2-cup measuring cup and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Which together with the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Pour into the dry ingredients and which until just combined
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.
4. Cover in toppings of your choice.

Happy flipping!

Scenes from a NH Christmas

I’m clearly not over the fact that Christmas is over. While I had a busy five days off, they were full of good food, gifts, and trees. Something about Christmas didn’t feel as Christmas-y as it did in the past. Maybe it was the lack of snow on the ground. Or may it was the fact I use to be on break from school and now I study through the holidays to try and pass my CPA exams. Regardless, pictures prove that my house was in fact Christmas. In fact, it looked like Christmas threw up all over it.

We have an artificial tree. We have floor heating and animals. This way we avoid a house fire and a sick dog.

For some reason in my house, having a variety of wrapping paper is important. There is everything from tractors to owls. We cover all grounds and colors. All things glittery and shiny included.

The red with bows was my favorite this year. It got glitter everywhere. It was awesome.

Christmas morning breakfast took place in the middle of opening gifts. Cinnamon rolls, fruit and Pannukaku (Finnish pancake). The spelling on that is entirely questionable, google even told me five different ways. It’s pretty much an egg, milk, and flour based dish that has an eggy pancake texture and you bake it until it puffs up. We serve ours with maple syrups or powdered sugar. Custard. It has a custard texture, that’s it.

Oh my yum.

Between breakfast and lunch I took my new shoes out for an adventure. It was unusually warm for Christmas in New Hampshire and it felt good to get outside. We had had rain and clouds for almost a week so the sun was a Christmas miracle.

 

Our family’s dinner contribution was green beans that are cooked with sesame oil, soy sauce, onions, garlic, and topped with sesame seeds. It has crunchy green beans and can be served warm or cold.

Since we’re in New Hampshire, a flannel shirt was extremely appropriate for this holiday. I glommed mine up with a little sparkle.

I found this tank online. I died. I do not lift weights. I think Santa only saw that I run.

Christmas wouldn’t be complete without the best chocolate cake ever. Chocolate cake. Chocolate frosting, Chocolate shavings. Chocolate win. Nap.

And another tree. This one more festive than the first. Here, disney paper was important.

So now looking back, my Christmas was actually pretty Christmas-y. Just the way I like it 🙂