Coco Loco

What a wonderful weekend!! We were able to relax and spend time with family and friends.
The highlight of my weekend was definitely our daughter's first race!! She did great (my husband refers to her as a "lightening bolt with pigtails" :-)

We BBQ'd a lot this weekend and are ending the holiday weekend with brownies and a little mixed creation I am calling... "Coco Loco". Since my husband is now on vacation I guess we are starting the week with the "Coco Loco" as well :-p

I blended...
A lot of ice
17 oz Coconut water w/ pomegranate & Acai
1/4 raw coconut (not the shredded kind but the kind you spend a very long time breaking open!)
1/2 frozen pineapple
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1 squeezed lime

*and rum... I just happen to have coconut rum in my freezer :-)

The "Coco Loco" is so delicious! The pineapple and coconut make me feel like I am back in Hawaii sipping drinks on the beach!

Eat Lobster.

Enough said. 

Dined on lobster bought right off the boat in town :-)

If only I could blend lobster with butter and drink it from a straw, I would.

Coffee is for Lovers

I love coffee. I can have regular or decaf, hot or cold, fresh or old (re-heated in microwave) and its all good to me. I have tried numerous times to give it up or cutback with no luck (except during the nine months I was pregnant).  Now, I find it easier to just admit I love it and to drink it... in moderation... sometimes. My wonderful (and sad from spending a LOT at Dunks and Starbucks) husband bought me a Keurig for Mother's Day. I love it! I roll out of bed a little quicker in the morning so I can decide which flavor to awaken to (usually Kona b/c it reminds me of our visits to Hawaii!)

After lunch I thought about having another cup. I thought I could justify this by making it, cooling it and blending it into an iced coffee smoothie creation!

Mix:
*Ice
*8 oz chilled fresh brewed coffee
*Half & Half (the normal amount you would have in your coffee... for me it's a lot - I like coffee in my creamer :-P)
1 tablespoon chocolate ice cream topping
(frozen blueberries if you need something healthier)




So, this may not be the healthiest smoothie I have ever made but it really is delicious!!!


Next I am going to make my version of a Pomegranate Coconut Acai Margarita to celebrate 2000 viewer hits!!!

Asparagus is good and pineapple salsa is great.

I am sitting on my couch in my FLANNEL pajamas (its mid-May and very cold) with my laptop eating pineapple salsa --> the best salsa ever. I just enjoyed a yummy dinner with my new favorite veggie, asparagus! I have been roasting it frequently and it is so yummy!! Tonight as I was about to pour olive oil over the bunch I pulled 2 out and wondered how they would taste raw and blended. So I tested the very nutrient rich veggie and was very happy about the results!

I blended:

Ice 

2 stalks of raw asparagus

4 oz Stoneyfield strawberry probiotic yogurt

1/2 cup fresh sliced strawberries

1/2 cup frozen pineapple

1/2 cup raw baby spinach

Green Tea

My daughter said it tasted like chocolate and strawberries... which isn't entirely accurate but I think she meant it was delicious! I'm happy with this one and might add more asparagus next time! 

I really like drinking raw veggies b/c the majority of our consumed veggies are steamed or roasted.

Rhubarb!

I wish I had posted a new smoothie recipe sooner... I just kept getting busy and blending our same old favorites. Tonight, after a day of playing on playgrounds and spending wonderful time with my daughter and husband, I decided it was time to drink some rhubarb. I've never had rhubarb before but I have heard of rhubarb pie. My logic is... if it can be made into a pie how bad could it be???

Drum roll..... rhubarb is delicious!!

I  blended:

1 frozen banana

1/2 cup frozen Maine blueberries

1 cup frozen diced rhubarb

1 cup raw baby spinach

1 tablespoon wheat germ

1 tablespoon honey

Green Tea

I added the honey after I blended everything because the rhubarb created a slightly bitter taste. After it was all blended we all enjoyed some -> my husband especially who needs a boost from playing all day, surfing this evening and is about to leave to play hockey tonight... and wake-up early to surf again (it makes me tired just to type that!)

FYI... the rhubarb is a little stringy, like celery.

I add spinach to almost all of my smoothies because I LOVE spinach and I want my daughter to get her leafy greens. Today I read an article about how a lot of toddlers are iron deficient because they don't eat enough iron rich foods... I feel confident my daughter is OK since she eats more spinach then most adults! I heart smoothies.

Yumminess=$

OK, is just me or have groceries increased a LOT lately??? I know I sound old asking this question but jeez... every time I check out at the grocery store I feel like I am being robbed. Granted we do buy a lot of organic food and produce, which add up quickly, but I swear prices have jumped recently. I guess it is only to be expected since gas prices have gone up....

I think my thoughts of wanting a vegetable garden have shifted towards we NEED a vegetable garden! I have already bought wheat grass seeds to grow for smoothies - maybe I need to buy a packet of every type of vegetable! 

I will be posting a new recipe soon... with rhubarb!

*Please take my poll on the left side of the screen!!**

Holy Melon

OK, so I've been a little busy. I'm planning a Mother's Day brunch for 15 people that I love at our home :-) We're staring at our backyard waiting for the new grass to come in. And we've been enjoying the weather by spending most of our days outside at the playground or bubble blowing. 

I found myself staring at the honeydew melon in my fridge and wondering what to blend it with. I just threw some things in (in hopes of making room in my fridge for all the party food I bought).

I blended...

Ice

1/2 of a honeydew melon frozen

1 banana

1/2 cup frozen raspberries

1 cup raw baby spinach

4 oz Stoneyfield baby yogurt Apple & Sweet Potato

Green Tea

We are also enjoying some carrot cake whoopie pies thanks to "Aunta"!