I’m just getting on the podcast bandwagon. I started listening to The Lively Show and I’m obsessed! Love it. I binge-listened to it and now I have to wait for new ones. I love her guests and who doesn’t need to add a little more intention to their lives?

This one episode was about green smoothies. I was really enchanted by one of the founders of Simple Green Smoothies and loved that it wasn’t a weirdo cleanse. The 30-day challenge is a way to encourage people to consume more greens and for it to become a habit. I’ve been making smoothies regularly, but never daily, so I thought this was great! And 30 days of October sounds perfect, just in time for Halloween candy!

Before you keep reading:
1- they aren’t sludge, the fruit provides flavor much stronger than the greens.
2- again, these smoothies aren’t a crazy detox they’re just part of creating a healthy habit.
3- does anyone actually think they get enough veggies?

So far so good! I like the challenge to keep me on track!

Dan’s famous apple pie – This was my first one. I loved the date in there. The cinnamon was so great. Why have I never included spices into mine before?

The tip to blend the greens & almond milk was hugely helpful. Blend them first and then plunk in everything else and blend again.

Cherry on Top – I love the cherries with blueberries in this one. How beautiful is this? I added in some flax seeds. This would be a good starter if the color would scare you on the others.

U Pick Me Up – This one is has a green tea base which is totally different than any smoothie I’ve ever made. I liked it, but it seems a bit watery. It was refreshing but didn’t quite feel like breakfast.

Almond Blueberry Peach – This one is is kind of a muddy purple one but it seems really different from the others because of the almond/peanut butter.

Shauna’s Carrot Cake – I don’t really cook carrots very often so putting them into a smoothie seemed like a good way to eat more colors. Green + Orange was a nice way to start the day. I don’t have a million-dollar blender so I steamed my carrots so they’d puree better. I was afraid the ginger might be too much but it was great!

Check out the Simple Green Smoothies. How stunning are these?

I learned I like smoothies to be milk based so I’ve tweaked a few and made them with unsweetened vanilla almond milk instead of water or coconut water. I used spinach and then found a mix of “juicing greens” that has a mix of spinach, chard, and beet tops. The smoothies have been my breakfast with another something else…1 slice of wheat toast or a hard boiled egg or a spoonful of peanut butter.

The recipes make 2 but I haven’t gotten Mr J on board yet so sometimes I’ll save one for the following day. More often, I half the recipe and make it 2 days in a row. My cousin jumped on so it is nice to know somebody who is also making them!

So, podcasts. I blew through Serial and I’m up to date on the Lively Show. What should I listen to?? I listen during my evening commute to pick up the little dude – my morning commute is for the news. I like learning something or following a story. What do you suggest?

I haven’t made a fun smoothie is such a long time. This was so different than my other smoothies purely because I didn’t use fruit in this one! I went light on the coconut and chocolate and moreso focused on the almond/oaty flavors. The mini chocolate chips were the perfect ending fitting nicely with my aluminum straws.

I put in a bunch of grains and ice…it worked out really well! I used coconut yogurt but it’d be so great with coconut almond milk. I only used chocolate as a tiny touch but it was all the smoothie needed to also function as breakfast.

Ingredients:
5.3 oz coconut Greek yogurt
1 cup ice
3 tbs oatmeal
3 tbs almonds
1 tbs flax seed (optional)
1 cup milk
1 tsp mini chocolate chips

Directions:
In a blender, add in the yogurt, ice, oatmeal, almonds, and flaxseed.

Add in the milk and blend until smooth.
Top with mini chocolate chips (or a swirl of chocolate sauce).
Enjoy!

I wonder what my 75-year old neighbor things when I’m outside on the deck photographing a smoothie on a random weekday morning. Ohh well, this one was worth it.

I saw a video on instagram for white sangria and knew exactly what to do with an opened bottle of white wine hanging out in my fridge. It was a sweet Reisling and it wasn’t my favorite. Perfect for sangria! Most often when I make sangria it has to hang out so long that it isn’t amazing but the day after I serve it, voila! It is amazing and it’s just me with the leftovers. This sangria is quick and really only needed to chill together for 2 hours or so.

My pitcher is dimpled, so it is wicked hard to photograph. Also, there were only 2 of us drinking it so I didn’t make a ton. 🙂

Thanks to Ocean Spray’s instagram video, I sought out the juice, but didn’t buy theirs, oops. I saw White Cranberry Peach and White Cranberry Strawberry. This one was pinkish so that’s what sold me. It is verrrry mild cranberry flavor – I would have liked more cranberry tartness.

Ingredients:

1/2 – 2/3 bottle of sweet white wine
~4 cups White Cranberry Strawberry Juice
2 tbs fresh mint
splash of lime juice
1/2 peach or nectarine, sliced
splash of limoncello, lemon vodka, or ruby red vodka

Directions:

Add the wine into a pitcher and drop the mint in. Use a wooden spoon to muddle it a bit squishing it against the bottom and stirring the wine.

Add in the same amount of juice for a 1:1 wine to juice ratio (or less juice than wine if you want it a bit stronger)
Slice a nectarine or peach and add that in as well with a splash of lime juice, or fresh limes.

Refrigerate for 2+ hours or until serving. Give it a stir, and a splash of lemoncello, then serve over ice and enjoy!

The nectarine slices might not fare too well over night so if making it wayyy in advance, drop them in a little while before serving. It also could be served with a splash of club soda or swapping the wine for a sparkling wine, sparkling rose, or champagne would all be great!

I loved this. There was some taste of the wine but the fruit and the mint plus the juice made it really easy to sip. I mean, really easy. We had this with dinner of BBQ but it also would a great day-drinking option since it isn’t the strongest drink. 1 glass is like 1/2 a glass of wine! #winning

Mmm. I want to drink this on a beach. I’m heading to the cape in a few weeks. Maybe I will!

I don’t know why I haven’t ever used cantaloupe for a smoothie before. I tend to go for berries but switching up the fruits are important! Mr. J isn’t that into fruit, but he likes cantaloupe so after he did all the hard work of cutting it up and storing it in the fridge, I helped myself to some in a smoothie.

The flavor is so delicate, so I wanted to pair it with a fruit that wouldn’t overpower it. Also, I still have TONS of frozen pears in the freezer thanks to a generous host of a fall pear-picking-party who doesn’t even like pears.

Ingredients:
1+ cups of cantaloupe
1 cup of frozen pears
1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
2 tbs milk
1-2 tbs flax seed

Directions:
Add the fruit & yogurt into a blender

Add in the yogurt, a splash of milk, and flax seed.

Blend and enjoy!

The flaxseed + light colored fruits makes for more of a murky-colored smoothie, but it was lovely and a great way to use a melon before it gets too squishy. Swapping the milk for some orange juice would wake this up a bit, though I liked the subtle flavors. The flaxseed doesn’t add any flavor or taste. It is just a good source of fiber, possible source to lower cholesterol and helps heart health in general.

I saw nutella hot chocolate on A Beautiful Mess and I wanted it instantly. I mean, who doesn’t need to jack up the cost of their hot chocolate cup by 300%? It tastes different than regular old hot chocolate. It is definitely special and not for the everyday.

Ingredients:

Adapted from A Beautiful Mess (for 2 cups)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup nutella
sprinkle of cinnamon
sprinkle of sea salt

Directions:

Warm milk and cream in a saucepan over low.
Add in the nutella, cinnamon, and salt.

Gently whisk to combine.

Serve and enjoy!

I know the holidays are decadent enough on their own but this is perfect for the post-holiday no-man’s land between Christmas and New Years or if a weeknight needs a pick-me-up or the no-bake option for dessert.