French Macaron Smoothie

I used to think smoothies were a joke.

That some people high up at Jamba Juice are laughing themselves all the way to the bank because people thought they were being healthy when really they were sucking in an average of about 60 grams of sugar.

But after reading CrazySexyDiet (thanks for the recommendation, Mama Pea!), I started to come around to understanding that you can make smoothies that are filling and good for you by adding a general ratio of 3:1 vegetables to fruit. Let me be honest, adding that quantity of vegetables to a smoothie is not second nature and most times I stick to the tried-and-true combo of spinach-peanut butter-banana. Kris Carr suggested romaine leaves in her Green Guru Smoothie. Romaine leaves?! That's what I said. But it's pretty yummy, after all. I just try not to linger on the lettuce part.

This tropical green monster has been my latest favorite because you know I have soft spot for the islands.

TROPICAL GREEN MONSTER

INGREDIENTS:

* 1/2 avocado
* 1/2 banana
* 1 cup spinach
* 1 kiwi
* 1/2 cup chopped mango
* 1 Tbsp. peanut butter
* 1 cup apple juice

Combine in blender until smooth and creamy.

But I don't need to be eating lettuce and cucumbers for breakfast all the time. Especially not at 8 am on a Monday morning when I have conference calls. I sometimes consider just getting up out of my desk while people are still talking and booking it down to the bottom floor of my office building to buy a sugary snack and and some coffee from Peet's to help me get through the call. But now I don't have to do that because I have Mama Pea's Cake Batter Green Smoothie and I am perfectly happy to sit calmly while five lawyers fight for a chance to hear themselves speak.

I have also been slurping up Kath's Dough Boy Smoothies and they are fantastic!

And if Mama Pea says you can have cake batter for breakfast, then I think you can have french macarons, too.

FRENCH MACARON SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 cup rolled oats (do not use quick oats!)
* 1 cup almond milk
* 1 Tbsp. almond paste
* 2 Tbsp. almond flour
* 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
* 1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste

Combine all of the above ingredients in your blender and place in fridge overnight.

Add in the morning before blending:

* 1 banana
* another 1/2 cup of non-dairy milk (soy, almond, etc.)

I can't wait for breakfast tomorrow. We'll call it dessert.

Green Chai and Almond Smoothie from Parsley: Denver

When I was in Denver visiting my friend Chelsea (and pouring beer at the Great American Beer Festival), we had lunch at this quaint little organic cafe called Parsley.

Jason ordered a sandwich with Applegate Farms roasted turkey, Croatian fig spread, organic lettuce and brie cheese. I got myself a veggie sammie called the Tree Hugger: marinated artichokes, tomatoes (instead of the red peppers), fresh mozzarella, organic lettuce and balsamic dressing. The sammies at that place are delicious, but what I really wanted to tell you about is their smoothies.

I ordered this Green Chai smoothie made with bananas, soy milk, agave, green chai tea and organic almonds that they roast and grind to a fine powder.




I knew I would try to replicate this as soon as I got home. This smoothie is earthy with subtle chai notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger and allspice--a really nice change from my usual berry-laden smoothie routine...




INGREDIENTS:

* 1.5 to 2 bananas, frozen in chunks
* 2 Tbsp. pure all-natural almond butter
* 2 Tbsp. almond meal
* 3 Tbsp. agave
* 1/4 cup soymilk
* 3/4 cup cold green chai tea

In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. You can adjust the amount of tea and bananas to alter the consistency to your liking. I would also add in a quick little shake of some of the chai spices if you really want a stronger chai flavor.

Mango Lassi

In an effort to appease the ongoing Indian Food Mania, I've mastered making my favorite Indian beverage: the Mango Lassi. I used to drink them (read: guzzle) and think "whaaaaaaat is in that?!". Then one day, I asked the good people at Punjabi Tandoor who told me: sweetened mango puree, yogurt, milk, and sugar. That's it?! YES.

Now, I am sorry that I don't have a photo for you (I consumed it all before I even thought of taking a picture), but what is more important than a photo is the secret ingredient: canned sweetened kesar mango pulp or puree, which can mostly likely be found in Indian grocers or other ethnic shops. The mango flavor is intense (as though mangoes have been stewed down and strained until it is thick and sticky) and it is usually made with mango, sugar and citric acid so avoid anything that starts adding syrups or other unnatural substances.

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 cup plain yogurt (I used low-fat)
* 3/4 cup sweetened kesar mango pulp (I used Rani brand)
* 2 Tbsp. natural sugar
* 1/2 cup milk (I used soymilk)

Puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth and sugar has dissolved. You can add more milk if you want a thinner consistency.

Serves 2.

Yes, it really is that easy. And now it can be yours!

UPDATE:
If you are looking to make a big batch (pitcher for a dinner party?), here is what I did:

* 1 large 30 oz. can mango puree
* 4 cups plain yogurt
* 1 cup water
* 1/4 cup simple syrup

YUM. Get your lassi on.

Protein Smoothie

I love smoothies--a good blender is a smart investment!

frozen strawberries
frozen banana chunks
1 serving blueberry Activia yogurt (or any berry yogurt)
1/2 or 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
organic vanilla soy milk
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract (optional)
1 Tbsp. honey (optional)

Note: the quanties of each ingredient will vary, depending on your taste and consistency preferences--I like very thick smoothies that you can eat with a spoon so I use a lot of frozen fruit (this is much better than adding ice because it gives an icy texture without watering it down) and just enough soy milk to process it smooth...

You can also add a Nutiva Hemp Shake Mix, which is a protein superfood drink mix--it has a lot of protein, minerals, antioxidants and fiber!