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peanut butter apple smoothie

30. April 2012 · 1 comment · Categories: Food & Drink · Tags: , ,

apple smoothie peanut butter apple smoothie Photo credit

I was recently caught in a predicament: should I enjoy a refreshing smoothie or apple slices dipped in peanut butter? {Yes, I know…first world problems!}. Then I was struck by a brilliant idea- what if I were to combine the two? I took to the internet to find out if my idea was so ingenious that no one in the history of Google had discovered it.

But I soon discovered Grad Gastronomy and instantly related to the author’s pithy words: “I had an apple, and thought, ‘I like peanut butter on apples and I like smoothies, so why not try to combine the two?’ I did and it was yummy.”

Thus, I did too and indeed, it was yummy.

  • 1/2 an apple, cored and cut into small pieces {I used a pink lady and left the peel on- that’s where all the fiber is}
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of peanut butter
  • 8 ounces of soymilk

Combine in a blender; enjoy!

on the menu for next week

20. July 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Cooking, Food & Drink, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian · Tags: , , , , , , ,

This insanely hot weather has me craving light, healthy foods with colorful, fresh ingredients, so I am planning my menu accordingly.

chilled gazpacho from oh she glows

creative salad mixes

caprese salad

corn with japaleno lime butter

healthy smoothies in my magic bullet

creamy avocado pasta via oh she glows

eggplant sandwich inspired by the rockford

zucchini pizza bites from budget bytes ($1.32 per serving!)

on the menu this week

23. May 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Cooking, On the Menu · Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

taco soup via lauren conrad

cheesy zucchini pizza via eat live run

green monsters via oh she glows [coconut, soy milk, almond butter, spinach, grated carrots, flax seed...all in my new magic bullet!]

creative salad mixes via cristina roman [chickpeas, walnuts, feta, corn...]

masala tofu stir fry via cristina roman

balsamic roasted brussel sprouts via cristina roman

new morning tradition

05. April 2011 · 1 comment · Categories: Chic Living, Life Updates & Recaps · Tags: , , , , , , ,

I’ve established a new morning tradition (does two days count as a “tradition”?!) that I love. I wake up, eat a small bowl of oatmeal (with flax!) and go on a run. As of today, I even have a new running buddy! As we got down by the Tidal Basin, it began to torrentially downpour, which spiced up our run a bit. I think I am actually more energized during “rain runs.”

Back to my new routine- when I get home, I reward myself with a healthy smoothie using my new mini-blender.
new morning tradition
Yesterday’s smoothie, based on Monsters from Oh She Glows:

  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • A dash of Mango OJ
  • A big splash of soy milk
  • A scoop of almond butter

Today’s smoothie:

  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • A big splash of soy milk
  • A scoop of almond butter
  • 1/2 cup of refrigerated coconut macaroon coffee

Yum! An easy way to get protein, fruit…and caffeine icon smile new morning tradition

“good to be me”

03. April 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Life Updates & Recaps · Tags: , , , , , , , ,
The Uncle Kracker song “Good to be Me” just happened to play on Pandora, and it goes incredibly well with my current mood! This weekend was great, and I’m excited to share!
  • Created new blog, made initial posts, & emailed several people about featuring their photography work [P.S. Interested in submitting food and/or home decor photos? Tweet me or post a comment]
  • Decided on my photography final project [a unique spin on "Spring in DC"]
  • Had a glorious brunch at Bread & Chocolate with my “former not ex” roommate, who is still one of my very very best friends
  • Sat in a cafe [okay, okay, it was Starbucks!] in Dupont Circle…people watched and talked about our life plans
  • Babysat the adorable 13 month old I’ve babysat before
  • Had a fun and low key night out with a friend in Georgetown
  • Had a fantastic time at Shift Series [blog post to come]; met some great people, including several folks from NC! Yes, I just said folks haha
  • Loved the food at Ping Pong Dim Sum…it can pricey but if you’re careful, it’s not too bad
  • Enjoyed a night out in a little local dive bar full of a unique cast of characters
  • Bought several things at Target…a large pot for soup [finally!], several shirts on clearance, and coconut macaroon coffee [also finally!]
  • Bought a blender for delicious spring smoothies

Remember how I tweeted about receiving great news? I can officially announce it! My sister-in-law is having another baby! I can’t believe that I get a whole ‘nother baby to love! Being an aunt has completely surpassed all of my expectations and I couldn’t be happier or more grateful for my family!

Morning rituals

20. October 2010 · Write a comment · Categories: Food & Drink, Inspiration, Life Updates & Recaps · Tags: ,

Some mornings I go for a run- let me tell you, it’s so much easier getting out of bed knowing that I have warm fleece running pants to slip in to and fun songs on my iPod.

I usually make breakfast at home- simple things like hard boiled eggs, cheese bread, applesauce, fake meat sausage, and/or fresh baked goods (like zucchini-carrot muffins!), or more complex things like breakfast sandwiches, frittatas, eggs benedict, and breakfast burritos.

My newest morning ritual is to put on music- specifically “Walking on Sunshine” by Aly and AJ. Cheesy? Yes. Inspiring? Definitely!

But come hell or high water, I will to Starbucks for my morning coffee (these days, it’s Pumpkin Spice Coffee- healthier and cheaper than a Pumpkin Spice Lattee!). Some people call this an addiction- I prefer “positive morning ritual.” We all need little treats, and Starbucks is mine. I performed a mini opportunity cost analysis (thank you, econ!) and having coffee 7 days week is about the same cost as a nice-ish meal out. I hereby choose to forgo the meal out and enjoy my little bit of heaven in a cup every morning. That’s all icon smile Morning rituals

pixel Morning rituals
+Cristina Roman