Recipe: Blueberry Blasted Smoothie

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Today's breakfast, I'm focused on antioxidants and lean, healthy proteins. Presenting.... a Blueberry Blasted Smoothie! (I adapted this recipe from Cookie Monster Cooking's Blueberry Peanut Butter Smoothie, but tried my best to make it more Paleo-esque and Zone-like).

For example, I used almond butter instead of peanut butter, which still gives you that rich, nutty flavor but with healthier fats and less oil and saturated fats. Almond butter is also a great source of fiber, Vitamin E and potassium. Additionally, I subbed coconut milk for regular milk... since this girl's got some lactose issues... (that maybe a TMI-statement.. woops!) Lastly with a handful of spinach, I made sure I got a serving of greens with my breakfast.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries

1 cup of coconut milk 

1 handful of spinach

1 1/2 tablespoons of Greek Yogurt (I used plain, but the Vanilla flavored yogurt gives an extra touch of sweetness)

1 tablespoon of almond butter (feel free to add more if you like a more nutty flavor)

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender like a Vitamix. I recommend putting your frozen blueberries and coconut milk in first and then layering with the rest of the ingredients so you can get the more condensed ingredients blended first. 

2. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth. Use additional coconut milk to thin out the smoothie if needed. 

3. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Tastes just like a PB+J!

What are your favorite breakfast smoothies? 

Would love to hear in comments below!

xoxo

the wandering goose.

Where to go for a bite to eat after church? That's what the boy and I struggled with this past Sunday after Palms Sunday Mass - we had no idea what we were in the mood for.. we were just hungry, and the belly needed to be fed. We decided to venture to Skillet Diner, but somehow there was water pipe construction happening at the same time resulting in an early closure of the restaurant. About 25 mins into our wait, we were notified that they were unable to seat us - the whole neighborhood's water was going to be shut off.

Eeeek! Hungry.. grumpy... and indecisive of where to go next, I remembered a good friend's recommendation to try the wandering goose.

On the corner of 15th and Harrison in North Capitol Hill, tucked between Ethan Stowell's Rione XIII and the 22 bar without any clear, outside sign except for the faint scribble of "wandering goose" on the front door window and a neon-light outline of a white goose - sits the wandering goose. The thirty seater is home to Southern inspired breakfast and lunch featuring fresh, homemade buttermilk biscuits, cookies, layer cakes, hush puppies, grits and more. The vintage, rustic feel to the cafe is a perfect place for a quiet Sunday morning catch-up sesh to share weekend adventure stories. Even the tables have their own stories to tell -- each table has a beautiful wooden top and etched with a little quote. Ours said "Bug fell in love with goose. Goose fell in love with bug. And they fell in love..." so cute. 

The cafe's ordering process is similar to one of our favorites, Oddfellows - where you order, pay up front and pick a spot in the cafe where you'd like to be served sweet goodness. Upon entering the cafe, I was immediately drawn to the front counter filled with delectable sweets and treats - five-layer coconut cream cake, raspberry thumbprint cookies, chocolate ginger molasses, pear coffee cake, bourbon pecan pie and more...

The boy and I settled on a fresh buttermilk biscuit with raspberry preserve jam to start as we gave into our sweet tooth.

light, buttery flakiness dressed with a sweet fruity goo - a simple melt-in-you-mouth in every bite. 

And for our blunch (breakfast + lunch, I'm a bigger fan of lunch than breakfast.. hence not using brunch) I settled for an Aunt Annie's which I washed down with a hot cup of rooibos tea, while he chose a fresh cup of coffee to accompany his Sweet Blonde.

Aunt Annie's: fried chicken. bread & pickles. house mustard. Heather's homemade honey. buttermilk biscuit
Sweet Blonde: sweet potato biscuit. country ham. egg over-easy. Steen's butter. 

Devoured within seconds, these biscuit sandwiches were absolutely divine. The boy and I are definitely looking forward to eating here again soon... or maybe just to stop by for some sweet treats. I've got my eye on that coconut cream cake.

What yummy eats did you visit this weekend?

let them eat cake.

sweet tooth problems. yes, suffer from it daily. 

Ahem... last week, I had a Starbucks Christmas sugar cookie for breakfast.

so yummy. 

But for realzies, I have a weakness for desserts - especially, cupcakes. For some reason, I enjoy them more than a slice of cake. Maybe it's because they're individually wrapped, or perhaps, it's the frosting to cake ratio? Anyways, I love my desserts so much better when they take form in personalized 3-inch cakes of fluffy deliciousness.

To encourage your indulgence in sweet things - here are my favorite flavors from amazing local Seattle cupcake bakeries. Hope you enjoy! Xoxo

chocolate nutella | trophy cupcakes

A rich, dark Valrhona chocolate cake with nutella buttercream edged in candied hazelnuts = heaven. Available on Saturdays at all locations - Wallingford Center, The Bravern and University Village. They also have a pop-up inside Pacific Place, too. Even our modern-day Betty Crocker - Martha Stewart- named it one of her favorite cupcake shops. Her choice of Trophy delight? chocolate graham cracker. (For the recipe, click here.)

dance party with hollie hobbie | cupcake royale

#1 reason I'm in love? sprinkles. And of course, it's pink - which was a given since it's my birthday-must-have. Pink vanilla buttercream swirled onto a beautiful, fluffy vanilla buttercake and sprinkled with colorful edible confetti - it screams "party time!" with every bite. Also, their motto speaks volumes to me.. I'm obsessed. Legalize Frostitution. amen, to that... bring on the icing. You can find a little frostitution in Capitol Hill, Ballard, Madrona, West Seattle, Bellevue and downtown Seattle (Pine Street). 

pumpkin cheesecake | the yellow leaf cupcake co.

Note: Pumpkin pie lovers.. this is orgasmic, but it's a seasonal flavor. So make sure to load up on them while you can before Turkey day or call the shop before you go, to make sure it's in stock. The great thing about this cupcake shop is the array of interesting flavors - I've seen everything from the classic red velvet to a puppy chow (muddy buddy) combo... and even, chocolate peanut butter bacon. Located in the heart of Belltown, this quirky shop is a fun little mid-day break when I'm at work. For my gluten-free friends, they also have a selection of yummy goodies for you, too!

pink champagne | pinkabella cupcakes

A smooth, fluffy pink champagne cake with a champagne buttercream frosting - topped with a little sparkle and bubbly. It is absolutely divine. I love these little cakes with fresh strawberries, too. The best part... you order these babies in a dozen. Cupcakes for delivery? YES. PinkaBella is a cute little cupcake catering business that whips up sweet tooth delights. These pretty, posh cakes can be picked up at Alderwood Mall, Redmond Town Center, Bellevue Square Mall and Southcenter. 

So tell me friends, where do you go for cupcakes?

    

fresh and fit: eating healthy

Today at the office, I overheard a conversation about losing weight. "It's not just about exercising - it's the quality of food and portion control," she said.

You'd think that's simple and easy to remember, but when you're working 24/7, it's difficult to make time and plan healthy meals that have a balance of protein, carbs and the right amount of veggie servings.

My quick fix to this solution? Always have a bag or container of fresh spinach, spring greens and baby kale (ready to eat) in the fridge.
*I'm a big fan of organic girl - you can find their products at Whole Foods or another local grocer.*

Even if I don't feel like cooking an elaborate dinner, a side salad of those veggies makes dinner more filling and gets at least 1 1/2 servings of your daily vegetables. Also, I save my grocery shopping and "weekly cooking" for Sundays - allowing me a full day to cook and control my portions for each day.

Important reminders:
(1) always eat breakfast in the morning even if it means just a banana
(2) snacking isn't a bad thing - keep a jar of non-salted almonds or kale chips at your desk - you'll risk the temptation of stuffing your face with calorie-filled goodies from the vending machine
(3) hydrate, hydrate and hydrate - drink plenty of water

Here's my typical day, maybe it will help you plan your meals for a light, fresh and fit week!

[1]

breakfast - (eaten at 7:45 a.m.) (option a) fresh steel cut oatmeal with flax seed, drizzled honey, almonds and cranberries (a dash of brown sugar because of my sweet tooth) or (option b) honey flavored greek yogurt with pumpkin seeds, granola, almonds, flax seeds and fresh berries

[2]

pre-lunch snack - (eaten an hour and a half before lunch - 9:30 a.m. to10:00 a.m.) luna bar - lemon zest and vanilla almond are my favorites

  

                  

obsessed with organic girl | baby spinach, spring mix and baby kale | fresh, clean and ready-to-eat

lunch - (always eaten around 12:00 p.m. to12:30 p.m.) spinach, mixed greens and kale salad with cucumbers, sprouts, half an avocado, tomatoes, edamame beans and carrot-ginger dressing (Whole Foods has the best one!)

after-lunch snack - (eaten two hours after lunch - 3:30 p.m.) small apple with 1 1/2 spoonfuls of organic peanut butter or two small clementines

*sometimes a piece of dark chocolate makes its way into my stomach*

[4 - click here for the recipe!]

dinner  - (eaten around 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.) lemon chicken or kale wrapped salmon, a side asparagus and  spring salad without dressing, paired with a glass of wine or rose

You all must think I'm anal for these specific times, but I've read that it's important to have a food routine. It helps keep your metabolism stable at a fast, steady rate and ensures healthy digestion. Notice that every meal has a veggie or fruit component. I also strongly suggest taking vitamins in the morning too, to ensure that you're getting the require nutrients for a balanced, healthy body.

healthy body = peace of mind = clarity = less stress = positivity

For more tips on eating right, check out recipes featured on these happy miles! She always posts the healthiest dishes.

Stay fresh and fit!

images: [1] [2] [3] [4]