My Favorite Tropical Smoothie Recipe

New year, new resolutions, new smoothie recipes.

Z and I went traveling to Hawaii this past fall, and one of our favorite spots in Kauai was a small little cafe with great smoothies and coffee. We must have tried four or five different smoothies during our trip there, and my all time favorite was called the "Lava Lust" smoothie. 

The smoothie was creamy thanks to coconut milk, and had a tart taste from raspberries, pineapple, and mangoes. As soon as I tried this tropical smoothie, I knew I found a winner. It was so delicious and refreshing, and maybe it was the Hawaiian weather and locale, but to me, the smoothie was perfection. 

Now that its a new year, I'm trying to be healthier. I recently signed up for Class Pass, and I've been enjoying the variety in my workout routine. When it comes to food, I'm cutting out the kettle corn I munch on at work, and reducing the number of desserts I eat during the week. To be completely honest, it wasn't until very recently that I learned that the average person doesn't eat dessert every day. Oops. Thanks best friend V for pointing that out.

Smoothies are my go to during the week, when I want something sweet and creamy, but without processed sugar and flour. Thanks goodness our Nutribullet is easy to clean.

Here's another one of my favorite smoothie recipes in case you're looking for some variety!

Lava Lust Smoothie

1/3 cup frozen pineapple

1/3 cup frozen mango

1/3 cup frozen raspberries

1 1/2 cup coconut milk

Add all ingredients to blender. Blend until smooth. 

Enjoy!

Peaches in Lillet

Phew, finally back from Boston and NYC, and ready to get back to sharing recipes.

Today's recipe is by far the easiest and healthiest dessert I have ever made.

I am very much a dessert fan--cakes, cookies, pudding, ice cream--and I typically believe that dessert should have sugar or flour in it to be considered dessert. This dish of marinated peaches totally changed my mind though.

It means almost every hip and trendy diet. It's gluten-free, paleo-friendly, alkaline diet friendly, and sugar-free. Yet, it is completely satisfying for every sweet tooth out there. I made this at a dinner party where one of my friends was Paleo, and everyone walked away a happy camper!

On top of how healthy it is, this peach dessert is incredibly easy to make. You chop up peaches and basil, add Lillet Blanc (a French aperitif), and then just let it sit in the fridge. It's perfect for hot, end of summer days when the last thing you can imagine doing is turning on the oven or stove.

For those not familiar with Lillet, get familiar! Lillet is a classic French fortified wine, often enjoyed before dinner. I particularly love it in the summer with a twist of lemon.

This peachy treat would be just as good as a late afternoon snack. Add in some warm sun and friends, and life is looking great.

Peaches in Lillet

Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine

3 ripe peaches, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch wedges (I was lazy and left the peel on)

1 750-ml bottle of Lillet

2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil

Toss peaches, Lillet, and basil in a large bowl. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. You can let the peaches sit for up to a day before serving. 

Fruit & Herb Infused Water

Okay, okay, I now have promised myself every week for the past three weeks that I would start eating healthier. Each week brings a new excuse--most of them having to do with travel and family celebrations. How am I going to skip out on dessert at a family wedding, especially when it's Magnolia Bakery's Banana Pudding.

This week brings no excuses. Z is gone on work travel for the next two weeks, so he can't convince me that ice cream is acceptable for dessert. I am finally feeling 100% health-wise, which means the gym workouts on my calendar might actually happen!

I realize that I am not necessarily going to turn my whole lifestyle around just with the snap of my fingers (clearly, that hasn't worked for the past three weeks). I'm starting with small steps.

The first step is trying to drink 64+ ounces of water everyday. I'm admittedly a coffee/tea fanatic, and by the time the afternoon comes around, I rarely have even had 20 ounces of water. It's a small piece of "health", but I'm excited to see how my skin and body feels when I'm hydrated.

When I was in Mexico with Z's family a few months back, the hotel served some great agua frescas, chock full of fruit juice and herbs. Since fruit juices are high in sugar, I decided that infused water would be a great way to bring these flavors back home.

These flavored waters are helping get through my daily water goal. Plain water can be boring, but how could you pass up pineapple-mint infused water?

Fruit & Herb Infused Water

Not a recipe per say, more of just a guide and a few suggestions.

Makes 2 glasses

2-inch squares of pineapple

2 mint leaves

2 basil leaves

2 strawberries, chopped

16 ounces of water

Muddle the pineapple and mint in one glass, and the strawberries and basil in another glass. Add 8 ounces of water to each glass. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. Strain, then drink!

Oatmeal and Blueberry Muffins

I am a bonafide breakfast person. I am useless at work if I don't have a meal before coming into the office. I need food in the morning, but I also want sleep! Smoothies are my typical go-to weekday breakfast drink, but sometimes I want something that's even easier, that doesn't require the 5-10 minutes of prep time a smoothie can take.

I have browsing the New York Times Cooking app recently, and I came across a blueberry muffin recipe that grabbed my attention. I love blueberry muffins, but they are often filled with sugar and fat. Traditional blueberry muffins are a favorite on the weekend, but during the week you want something more wholesome that will give you energy for the day.

These blueberry muffins actually have cooked oatmeal in the batter, giving them a fiber boost for the day. The only additional sugar is a quarter-cup of maple syrup which has a lower glycemic index than traditional white sugar.

You are going to love these muffins--they are delicious, easy to make, and even easier to eat on the subway or on your walk to work. They are great with your morning cup of coffee.

Enjoy!

Oatmeal and Blueberry Muffins

From The New York Times

1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup cooked steel-cut oats

1 cup blueberries, tossed with 1 teaspoon flor

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and position the rack to the upper third position. Oil, spray, or butter 12 muffin cups. 

Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, beat together the eggs, buttermilk, canola oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. 

Quickly stir in the dry ingredients with a whisk or spatula. Do not beat, just mix, stirring up from the bottom until you can no longer see flour. 

Fold in the cooked oats and blueberries. 

Spoon into muffin cups, filling them just below the top. Place in the oven, and bake for 20-25 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool for 10 minutes before unmolding.

Quinoa & Kale Pilaf

Life recently has been getting the best of me. "Gym" has been a foreign word recently, and I break my no white sugar/flour M-Th rule pretty frequently. I've just felt...blah. There's no better way to put it. I'm in a funk, you now?

When I feel this way, I immediately reach for whole grains and vegetables. 

This recipe is great because it is so healthy, can be made in one pot, and it has a lovely lemony dressing. It's now a regular in our dinner routine!

Now, will this quinoa pilaf help me get to the gym? No. Still working on that one!

Kale and Quinoa Pilaf

From Food52

2 cups salted water

1 cup quinoa

1 bunch lacinato kale, chopped into 1" lengths

1 meyer lemon, zested and juiced

2 scallions, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

Salt and pepper

Bring water to a boil in a covered pot. Add the quinoa, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Top with kale, and then re-cover. Simmer another 5 minutes, then turn off the heat, and then let sit for 5 minutes. 

While the quinoa is cooking, take a large bowl and combine the lemon zest/juice, scallions, olive oil, pine nuts, and goat cheese.

Check the quinoa and kale mixture to make sure the water is absorbed, the quinoa is tender but firm, and the kale is bright green. Fluff the quinoa, and then dip the quinoa and kale into the bowl. Toss to combine, and season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Chai Banana Smoothie

New Year's Resolutions. Are you still keeping yours? I dropped mine after 5 days. I swore off dairy--good-bye cheese, pastries, and cappuccinos. Then, I realized that the twice-baked pumpkin croissants at Jane on Larkin were only around for a limited time, and they are pretty amazing. Oh, and they have dairy in them. Au revoir resolutions!

That being said, I am still limiting my dairy intake. I avoid dairy Monday through Friday, except for the occasional post-workout pizza and a little bit of cream in my coffee. 

I've been relying on creamy and delicious smoothies to help me forget about my recent lack of dairy. In particular, I love spicy and creamy chai tea lattes, and I've been missing them. These smoothies remind me that just because I'm dairy free doesn't mean I have to give up on my chai. 

These smoothies are creamy and faintly sweet, but have no added sugar! I make up a batch for Z and I in the mornings. They give me a boost of energy for the day. 

Enjoy!

Chai Banana Smoothies

1 frozen banana

1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add more almond milk if necessary. So easy and delicious!

Lighter Chicken Salad

Chicken salad is one of my all-time favorite diner meals--piled on top of toasted bread with avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. I wanted to bring a lighter version of this chicken salad home, a version that could easily become part of your weekly routine, without breaking the (calorie) bank!

This version swaps out mayo for tangy Greek yogurt, but remains classic with tarragon, shallots, lemon juice, and parsley. There are tons of additions you could go for here--Sriracha, hot sauce, curry powder, sliced almonds, grapes, za'tar--the options are endless!

I used rotisserie chicken for this recipe--about 2 cups of chopped chicken. I am also including the Cook's Illustrated recipe for preparing chicken for chicken salad in case you don't have any rotisserie chicken in the fridge.

Lighter Chicken Salad

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, no more than 1 in thick

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 celery ribs, minced

1 shallot, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon

Salt and pepper

Dissolve 2 tablespoons salt in 6 cups of cold water in a Dutch oven. Submerge chicken in water. Heat pot over medium heat until water registers 170 degrees. Turn off heat, cover pot, and let stand until chicken registers 165 degrees.

Transfer chicken to paper towel-lined tray. Refrigerate until chicken is cool, about 30 minutes. While chicken cools, whisk yogurt, lemon juice, mustard, and pepper (approximately 1/4 teaspoon) together in a large bowl.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Transfer chicken to bowl with yogurt mixture. Add celery, shallot, parsley, and tarragon; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!