Breakfast

June 24, 2017

Lemon+Mint Summer Smoothie

Summa summa time! Hands down my favorite time of the year. Everyone relaxes a bit (which I def need to do), the days are longer, and there is a feeling of freedom and adventure in the air. When it’s hot outside and beach days are on the horizon, my go-to snack or meal becomes the smoothie. It’s quick, easy, and oh-so refreshing. Plus, what’s cuter than toting a little mason jar or tumbler to a beach picnic? (Nothing)

Ice cold lemonade, lemon sorbet, or even a little limoncello are all reminiscent of the sunshine days of summer. Add a little mint, and it’s like the cooling cherry on top. In the summer, I love to eat foods that help prevent bloating, keep skin looking fab, and obviously keep you cool in the heat. This smoothie does all three! Time to pull out the umbrella straws!

The way we are using lemon in this recipe might be a littttle unconventional, but hear me out. We use the whole lemon (except for the seeds). I’m talking rind, pith, everything. Why you ask? Well the external parts of the lemon are seriously full of nutrients! Once the lemon is all blended up, you won’t even be able to tell that the whole fruit was used.(No funky texture or bitter aftertaste like you might expect). When life gives you lemons, instead of making lemonade, you should make this smoothie! Let’s break down the benefits below.

Lemon: Crazy-potent source of vitamin C (even more in the peel!) which is great for quenching free radicals and promoting healthy collagen production #foutainofyouth. It contains plant nutrients like quercetin and limonene that act as antioxidants, preventing inflammation. Limonene has also been studied for its anti-cancer properties. Quercetin fights inflammation linked to many chronic diseases, from heart disease to diabetes. Citrus fruits are one of the best sources of quercetin, and most of it is found in the peel and pith. How many times have you squeezed a lemon for its juice then thrown away the peel? Wash it well, go for organic if possible, and then use the whole thang in this recipe!

Blueberries: One of the most potent food sources of antioxidants. Research shows they have anti-cancer properties. Other benefits include memory-boosting, anti-aging, and overall anti-inflammatory goodness. That gorgeous dark color holds powerful polyphenols like anthocyanins, which are great for disease prevention and beautiful skin.

Mint: Freshens breath, soothes the stomach, and promotes digestion. If you have tummy woes, mint is your friend. If you are someone who gets a “gurgly stomach” or nausea, mint is great to incorporate into your diet, and this smoothie is an easy way to do so.

If the body-loving benefits of this smoothie aren’t enough, it just tastes like an indulgent lemon bar or one of those Italian lemon shortbread cookies. So. good. I’m thinking these would make amazing popsicles to enjoy poolside…just sayin’! I would also whip this one up post-workout, and add a little tahini for some healthy fat. How rad that this doubles as post-workout fuel AND dessert?! What more could you ask for?

Lemon+Mint Summer Smoothie

Serves 2

1 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 cup mint leaves, packed

1/2 lemon, seeds removed, skin on

2 scoops protein powder

1 cup flax milk (or other non-dairy milk of choice)

2/3 cup water

Put all ingredients into blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds. Enjoy!! Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

What’s your favorite smoothie combo? What are the foods that you love to have every year that are just the epitome of summer? For me, summer isn’t complete without watermelon, homemade gazpacho, lots of fresh guacamole, plus a little zesty lemon flair on everything. And all the “al fresco” dining of course!!

Talk soon!

XO,

Alexandra

December 6, 2016

My Ride-or-Die Green Smoothie Bowl Base

HIIIIII! One of my favorite things to eat (and I guess everyone else’s, too, based on the mass amount of social media posts) is a smoothie bowl. They are quick, easy, and so dang delicious. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, it doesn’t matter because the smoothie bowl has your back…er, stomach.

Now you may be asking yourself, why oh why do I need another smoothie bowl recipe when there are like, 5 million floating the web? Here’s the deal- this smoothie bowl recipe is just for the base of the bowl, not all the toppings. I’m not gonna tell you how to top your bowl, but I will def offer suggestions. 🙂

It’s also so important to note that all smoothie bowls are NOT created equal. This is what I mean:

This bowl base is not going to spike your blood sugar like a crazy acai-strawberry-mango-pineapple bowl from the local juice bar will. All that fruit means a lot of sugar. And a large influx of sugar is going to jack up your blood sugar levels and make you even hungrier and lethargic later on. Not cool.

Fruit has this halo of health around it, but there is such a thing as “too much of a good thing”, which I will get into in a later post. For now, let’s just focus on moderating fruit, adding more greens, and pairing it with protein and a healthy fat.

The only sugar in this recipe comes from 4 coins of frozen banana. Just HALF a banana’s worth of fruit. This is a perfect portion to add creaminess to the bowl without too much sugar. The other essential part of the smoothie bowl base is the greens. If your bowl ain’t green, then you ain’t doing it right ;).

Blending greens into smoothie bowls is seriously the most no-brainer way to up the nutrition content. I will take every chance I can get to have some extra antioxidants, fiber, polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals. Most of us could use a little boost in that department. So if a green salad is not your thing, this green smoothie bowl will be.

A trick that I love is keeping bags or containers of frozen spinach/kale on hand rather than fresh greens for smoothie bowl purposes. One, because you don’t have to worry about accelerated nutrient loss or perishability, and two, because it adds to the thickness and cold temperature of the bowl. Genius, right?

The next critical element about the base of the smoothie bowl is protein. Protein is critical for satiety and blood sugar balance. Incorporating protein into a smoothie bowl will keep you feeling full, and you won’t spike and crash that blood sugar like you would without it. Protein+fruit= happy body.

Please use a protein powder that does not have any artificial ingredients or added sugar. Look for protein powders that use monk fruit extract as the sweetener. My two current faves are here and here.

The last element of this well-balanced bowl is the fiber/healthy fat boost from the flax seeds and chia seeds. The heart-healthy fats in these two seeds will also help to keep you full and bring down inflammation (what up, omega-3’s), so it’s great for a post-workout meal.

Now let’s get the recipe so you can go make it for yourself!

My Ride-or-Die Green Smoothie Bowl Base

~Makes 1 serving~

1 cup milk of choice (my fave is flax milk)

1 big handful spinach or other greens

1/2 of a medium frozen banana

2 teaspoons flax seeds

2 teaspoons chia seeds

1/2 teaspoon matcha powder

1 scoop protein powder- used this one

Put everything into the blender, and let it whir! Transfer to a bowl and add your toppings. For the bowl in this post, I used cacao nibs, granola, dragon fruit, and tahini. Bon appetit!

Tell me- are you a fan of the smoothie bowl? What are your go-to toppings? Make the bowl and tag me in your creations @bouquetsandbaguettes so I can see (and drool)! Have a fab rest of your week!

XO,

Alexandra

October 19, 2016

Winter Antioxidant Smoothie

Amongst all the stress that gets thrown at us this season-holidays, shifts in the weather, school and work deadlines- (I know, I just began to admit to myself that summer is definitely over), our bodies can take some major blows. All that stress causes oxidative damage and inflammation, which truly is the root cause of most diseases. However, even plain ol’ day to day life, certain foods, and exercise can also lead to oxidative damage/inflammation and buildup of free radicals in our body. That’s why it is so essential that we nourish ourselves with antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory foods when we can.

I want you to note this, also. More antioxidants does not always mean better. Many research studies show that too much of this good thing can actually cause harm! So no need to stock up on expensive antioxidant supplements- get your dose of antioxidants from whole food sources…which brings me to this smoothie!

If you are feeling run-down and lackluster, this smoothie is perfect to add into your rotation. It is so full of nutrient-rich ingreds that I will breakdown below. A little bonus: not only is this recipe gonna work wonders for your insides neutralizing all those free radicals and bringing down that inflammation, it’s gonna be beautifying, too. Think of it as a brightening, anti-aging face mask that you drink 🙂 . In this case, you are what you eat, which means you will be deliciously refreshed both inside and out! If you find no other reason to drink this smoothie, do it because it is dang tasty!

So let’s talk ingredients, shall we?

Pomegranate seeds: Our wintery jewel in this smoothie! This fruit is brimming with antioxidants and polyphenols. It’s truly one of the OG superfoods before acai came on the scene. Plus, one pom contains 40% of your daily vitamin C needs, which is crucial if you want youthful, glowing skin.

Cacao nibs/powder: you are gonna notice a trend here, but say hello to even more antioxidants! This is the cacao bean (where we get chocolate) in a very minimally processed form. There should only be one ingredient: cacao! Cacao is rich in polyphenols, is a good source of many nutrients including iron and magnesium, and it’s a major mood booster that has been shown to raise serotonin levels.

Flax seeds: These are a great source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Plus they are a great source of fiber and…antioxidants! Purchase them ground (or grind your own), because that makes it much easier for our body to absorb the nutrients. As an FYI to make it easier when you are navigating the store, ground flax seeds are the same as “flax meal”.

Chia seeds: More fiber, more omega-3 fatty acids, more antioxidants. Are you surprised? Can’t go wrong with a spoonful of chia and plenty of water to help improve digestion, too. Chia seeds absorb tons of water, so they help to make the smoothie thick in texture.

Matcha green tea powder: Ahhhh yes, this whole leaf green tea that is ground into a powder is all the rage now. As someone who has been consuming matcha for the past decade, I sometimes feel like a matcha connoisseur who has been waiting patiently for this to catch on. Been trying to get people to have this green drank for a verryyy long time. Matcha is full of EGCG, a type of polyphenol that has very high antioxidant activity. Plus that bright green color means it’s full of chlorophyll, which increase the blood’s capacity to deliver oxygen throughout the body. Love it!

Ready to get a serious antioxidant boost? Recipe is below!

Antioxidant Beauty Smoothie

Serves 2 as a snack, 1 as a meal

Ingredients

1 cup pomegranate seeds

1 1/2 cups milk of choice (I used unsweetened flax milk)

1 scoop protein powder- helps with satiety and stabilizing blood sugar levels

2 Tbsp cacao nibs

2 Tbsp cacao powder

1 Tbsp flax seeds

1 Tbsp chia seeds

1 tsp matcha green tea powder

Put all ingredients in blender, then blend it up, baby!

What are some of your favorite smoothie ingredients? I love smoothies, but sometimes in the winter they can seem a little “summery”, which is why I like to shift toward adding warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg and Fall/Winter produce like pumpkin, pomegranate, and persimmon!

Talk soon! Let me know what posts/recipes you are interested in as we approach sweater weather and the “season of indulgence”.

XO,

Alexandra

October 6, 2016

Pumpkin Spice Date Balls

Well, well, well. If it isn’t the season for sweet treats and pumpkin flavored errthang! Before we jump into today’s yummy recipe, let’s catch up, shall we?

You may be saying to yourself, wow, Alexandra fell off the face of the blogosphere since May. Eek…May!!! Needless to say there aren’t really excuses for not getting on here and posting some sort of valuable and interesting content, but if you would accept my reasons for being MIA, here is what has happened in the last 4 months:

I graduated from my dietetic internship
I moved from SB to SD
I took an intensive 3 month biochemistry course (such a fun way to spend the summer…not!)
I studied for my RD exam (see above parenthetical)
I took and PASSED the RD exam- Yes, I am officially a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, and it feels amazing!
I started a Masters program in Nutrition for Wellness

So that brings us up to current times. Thank you for sticking with me. I will work on balancing textbook reading and blogging from here on out! 🙂

Time to talk pumpkin. The de-facto MVP (most valuable produce) of the season. Pumpkin is a great source of vitamin A, which is crucial for eye health, skin health and cellular turnover, and even immunity. Plus, the beta-carotene (vitamin A precursor) acts as an antioxidant to neutralize free radicals in the body. Pumpkin luvahhhs rejoice!

This recipe is also refined sugar-free. We get the sweetness from dates, which are full of potassium (key for electrolyte balance and blood pressure regulation). Oats add heart-healthy fiber and make everything stick together, with the help of the dates. Pumpkin spice lattes and candy corn can’t even hold a jack o’ lantern to the nutrition power of these balls. (Pssst: Enjoy those things in moderation, and don’t feel guilty about it! There is a place for your favorite, traditional holiday treats, and a place for a whole food-based treats, as well.)

I like these to have as a snack, as a treat with a cup of tea, or to take on a hike for a burst of energy.

If you are looking for a more wholesome alternative to cupcakes, candies, and cookies that overflow during this season, these pumpkin spice date balls make a great dish to bring to a Halloween Party. If you have friends or family who are raw/vegan/gluten-free, this treat is just the answer!

Pumpkin Spice Date Balls

Makes about 16 balls

Ingredients:

1 cup oats (use certified gluten-free oats if this is a concern for you)

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

2 cups dates, soaked and pitted

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp salt

Optional for topping: Cacao nibs, cacao powder

Combine all ingredients (except cacao nibs and cacao powder, if using) in a food processor to make a “dough”. If you find the dough is a little dry, add a tablespoon of water or milk at a time to get the consistency sticky, but not loose. Portion out large spoonfuls (about 2 Tbsp) of the dough, and use your hands to roll it into a ball. Place on a baking sheet. If desired, roll date balls into toppings like cacao nibs of cacao powder. To allow the balls to set, place cookie sheet in fridge for 30 minutes to an hour

What are your favorite treats this season? What about all the pumpkin hype? Do you love it or think it’s overrated? Any Halloween treats you would like a healthy recipe makeover for? Let me know in the comments!

XO,

Alexandra

March 14, 2016

Shamrockin’ Smoothie

Who’s ready for St. Patrick’s day??? Funny childhood story: every year growing up,my sister and I would place our slippers at the end of our bed the night before St. Patty’s Day. (Disclaimer: we are not Irish in the least bit). In the night, the leprechaun, aka our mom, would stuff our slippers with little goodies and treats! We thought the leprechaun left presents in the slippers of all the children, but come to find out, none of our friends ever had this experience!! I remember one year, my sister got goo in her slippers, and I still got presents! Just goes to show you, it always pays to stay on the good side of a leprechaun 😉

While we are talking about St Patrick’s Day traditions, let’s get right to a fan favorite and the recipe inspiration of the day: the Shamrock Shake. The OG Micky D’s Shamrock Shake clocks in at 530 calories and 73 grams of sugar. That’s for a small!!! That’s more than 18 teaspoons of sugar, people! Curious about what gives the shake its neon glow and minty flavor? Why that would be the Shamrock Shake syrup, with a not-so-magical list of ingredients:

High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Water, Sugar, Natural Flavor (Plant Source), Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Yellow 5, Blue 1.

Now that’s a list of ingredients unfortunate enough to make a leprechaun cry. Let’s not make any leprechauns cry this year, and stick to something more wholesome and nutritionally dense, shall we? Enter my Shamrockin’ Smoothie, the green juice-loving, yoga-doing cousin of the Shamrock Shake. The recipe for this Shamrockin’ Smoothie is creamy, satisfying, and minty, of course! It basically makes you feel like you’ve found your very own pot of gold, and now you drink all of your smoothies out of it. #tumblergoals

Just being real here: I have never had an actual Shamrock Shake. So while I can’t claim that this smoothie will taste like the real thing, I can claim that it’s darn delicious and wayyyyyyyy more nutritious.

Don’t be scared by this list of ingredients. There is no food coloring involved in this recipe, unless you count the glorious, natural color that come from mint, spinach, and avocado. Wait- spinach, mint, and avocado? Alexandra, are we making a salad or what?! Trust me, you cannot taste the spinach, and the avocado adds creaminess like you wouldn’t even believe. Plus, why not boost the nutrition of our smoothie with some vitamin-rich leafy greens, and some healthy monounsaturated fats? Ya feel?

Shamrockin’ Smoothie

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1 medium frozen banana
1 small avocado
1 cup spinach
1 cup mint
1 1/2 cups milk of choice
a few drops of peppermint extract– adjust depending on how minty you like it
1/2 cup ice to use as needed to adjust frothiness to your liking
optional garnish- a few mint leaves, cacao nibs

Add all ingredients to blender except for ice and peppermint extract. Blend it up on high until smooth. Taste, then add ice if you want a lighter, frothier smoothie, and add a few drops of peppermint extract for that strong, minty flavor!
If you want those smoothies Instagram-ready, top with a few mint leaves and a sprinkle of cacao nibs. Happy sipping!

Tell, tell: Do you have any fun (or weird) St. Patrick’s Day traditions? Even though my mom is not living in my apartment, I am still putting my slippers out at the end of the bed. You never know, maybe an actual leprechaun will step in this year 🙂 ! Have a fab, very green week!

XO,

Alexandra

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