Vegan Chocolate Monkey Smoothie

I know what you need in your life.

A healthy chocolate, banana smoothie that's so good it tastes like a milkshake.

My weekday breakfast & lunch eating is fairly simple, and it includes a smoothie 4 days out of 5. A shake is almost always my breakfast of choice on the days I go into the city, partly because they're healthy and keep me full for hours, partly because they're quick and I can take them in the car with me to drink on the way to the bus station, and partly because they're just so good and I crave them constantly.

Depending on my mood or the fruit I'm using, I'll use either whole milk or coconut water as the liquid in the smoothie. I typically use Cocozia because it's organic, one-ingredient (no additives) and comes from young green coconuts, unlike many mainstream varieties. When I found out they were offering chocolate coconut water, I couldn't wait to try it out.

Jackpot. This coconut water tastes like chocolate milk, is slightly thick, and gives smoothies a nice deep cocoa flavor and creamy texture without having to use milk (good for vegans, and good for when you want a creamier smoothie but the health benefits of coconut water). This chocolate version does have some sugar and other ingredients that are not in the plain coconut water, but all the ingredients are readable and there is nothing nasty in it. 

Blend it up with frozen bananas and peanut butter, and you've got dessert for breakfast.

Vegan Chocolate Monkey Smoothie

Ingredients

1 frozen banana, chopped
1 scoop vanilla or chocolate protein powder (I use Natural Factors Raw Organic Vegan Protein*)
1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter
6 oz. chocolate coconut water

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

*Protein powders are not all created equal. Make sure you read the ingredients on the label or you could be ingesting a lot of sugars, fake flavors and synthetic vitamins. 

Note: This post was sponsored by Cocozia. As always, however, all opinions are my own.

Goat Cheese Pizza with Brussels Sprouts & Balsamic Reduction (Recipe ReDux)

It's pizza time...

I made this pizza a few weeks ago when we had friends over for football. I figured that was the perfect time to work up an idea for Recipe ReDux, since this month's theme is healthy pizza recipes.

Pizza inherently isn't healthy, with all the dough, cheese and potentially fatty toppings. So this challenge was a great one because I wanted to make a pizza that both tasted great and people wanted to eat, but that was also healthful. And that wasn't just the run-of-the-mill veggie pizza you can get from the local pizza spot.

I think I succeeded with this one.

So to start, I wanted to make a paleo crust that was totally grain-free to cut down on the carb factor in pizza, but I have to say I am a little sick of the cauliflower crust. Every time I make cauliflower crust it tastes good, but really doesn't taste like PIZZA. It doesn't fold right (I don't care what anyone says - and I've tried multiple recipes) and is more like polenta pie than pizza. So I dug around for other ideas and found this one by Zenbelly, which is a yeast base like traditional dough, but uses almond flour and tapioca starch instead of wheat flour. Not being a very adventurous baker, I followed the recipe exactly. I was skeptical, especially when I tried to roll the dough out and it was a sticky mess. But guess what? It WORKED.

It's like real pizza dough. You can even pick it up!

Definitely give this dough recipe a go if you're into low carb living.

So I will admit, this recipe is not 100% my own since I did borrow the dough, but you can choose to use whatever base you like - paleo, cauliflower, whole wheat, your own homemade or one you bought from the grocery store or pizza shop. The real stuff is the toppings.

I started with a base of ricotta cheese, then added a couple big spoonfuls of goat cheese for some tangy flavor. Add shredded Brussels sprouts, parmesan cheese and a drizzle of balsamic reduction, and you've got a flavor explosion. It's a really unique combo of tangy, salty and sweet. You don't really taste the sprouts, but they add a nice crunchy texture against the soft, creamy cheeses.

Note: I had a truffle balsamic reduction on hand since Matt gave me one in my Christmas stocking this year (does he know me, or what?) but if you don't have one in your pantry, you can just take some regular balsamic vinegar and boil it for 15-20 minutes until it reduces down to a thick syrup.

This pizza was a hit with our friends. I only made one, and then made a bunch of regular pies as well, and wish I had made more of this kind. I'll definitely be making it many times over again, probably on both paleo and un-paleo crusts. Maybe even for Superbowl Sunday?

Goat Cheese Pizza with Brussels Sprouts & Balsamic Reduction

Makes 1 pizza

Ingredients
1 pizza dough of your choice (I used this paleo crust)
4 Tbsp. whole milk ricotta cheese
4 oz. goat cheese
Approx. 8-10 fresh Brussels sprouts; halved, cores removed, and shredded
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
2-3 Tbsp. balsamic reduction

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If using a pizza stone, heat the pizza stone as well.

Roll the dough out and place on baking sheet or pizza stone. Bake until almost done - slightly golden on the bottom but not quite cooked on top. Spread the ricotta cheese evenly over the dough; then break up the goat cheese with your fingers and scatter around. Top with shredded Brussels sprouts and parmesan cheese. Drizzle with balsamic reduction. Bake another 3-4 minutes until cheese is hot.

Homemade Weekend

Ah, Sunday afternoon. Sunshine, football and the house smelling of winter candles. I love these kind of days. Hope your weekend has been a good one so far!

In keeping with my goal of eating clean again after the holidays, we've been staying away from takeout and sweets and doing a bunch of cooking the last few days. Friday nights are always tough because neither Matt or I feel like cooking after a long work week, and pretty much always want to order dinner out and curl up on the couch. But I had some lox and arugula in the fridge I'd picked up for my favorite Norwegian Eggs Benedict, and who says you can't have breakfast for dinner?

I skipped the hollandaise sauce but served up whole wheat Vermont Organic English muffins topped with a spread of Organic Valley cream cheese, a pile of arugula, wild caught smoked salmon and a fried egg. I seriously never get sick of this. I could eat lox every single day.

Saturday morning started with Greek yogurt & berry bowls with dried fruits and walnuts on top.

I'm still on the lookout for a good organic Greek yogurt...I don't really like Cabot or Stonyfield Farms, and much prefer the texture of Fage or Chobani, which I've had to grudgingly ditch because of their GMO practices. If you have an organic Greek that you like, please share!

I had high hopes of going to Saturday morning yoga, but felt a little under the weather and my body was telling me to stay home and rest instead. So rest, I did. And then made some fantastic sandwiches for lunch.

I filled some whole wheat pita pockets with artichoke & kalamata olive hummus, carrots, cucumbers and wild caught salmon. I seared the salmon in my cast iron skillet and then flaked it up and squeezed on some fresh lemon. The warm salmon and cold, crunchy veggies were a great combo. 

It was also really filling. Matt had to help me eat my second half. Protein power!

Saturday afternoon included a couple errands and some kitchen time, all to prep for the big Pats game last night.

It's playoffs baby! We had a few friends over last night to watch the games with us, and fun snacks must be had when watching important football games with friends. 

For the 4:00 game we nibbled on some canapes our friend Forrest brought over, along with a batch of my buffalo blue cheese pierogies. I stowed a bag of them in the freezer the last time I made them, so yesterday I only had to cook them up and toss them with hot sauce and blue cheese. Yum. A little carb-heavy, I know, but they were completely scratch made (dough and all), so, you know - it's all good.

Next up was making pizza dough for a pizza bar dinner. I adore making homemade dough; there's just nothing like the smell of yeast and the process of mixing and kneading by hand. I didn't realize my dough recipe actually made two pies, so I accidentally made enough dough for 7 pizzas. Whoooops. At least we have plenty of dough in the freezer for Superbowl. ;)

Other snacks included a homemade hot spinach mascarpone dip, and an all-organic 7 layer dip made by Heather. Her dip was so, so good and got completely devoured.

When the 8:00 game came on, it was pizza time!

We made a plain one for the kids, a mushroom one, a green olive one, and then a specialty pie with paleo crust, goat cheese, Brussels sprouts and balsamic drizzle. That last one was a gamble but came out tasting really good. Recipe coming soon! 

***

This morning thankfully Riker let us sleep in until 8 am, which I was praying he would do since I stayed up late watching the game last night. It's a sad, sad day when you consider 11:30 "late." Oy.

To kick off the day I made us breakfast plates of Nature's Path waffles with peanut butter, bananas and Vermont maple syrup. On the side I had two slices of Lightlife non-GMO soy "bacon." This is the first time I've bought the bacon and I'm really not a fan. It's just too much of a stretch for me.

Next up on the list was switching gyms. This has been on my to-do list for a long time. Matt and I actually hate our current (now old) gym; it feels dark and dingy and half the machines are always broken. We finally did something about it today and canceled the dungeon gym in favor of another spot, which is much bigger, cleaner and brighter. While there I got in a treadmill + light weights workout and can already tell I'll like this place much better. And hopefully that means I'll go more often too.

When we got home, Riker went down for a nap and Matt and I got to work on making lunch. I made big salads while Matt made a homemade Caesar dressing from my Eat Clean cookbook. It's made with yogurt, dijon mustard, real anchovies (which, if I'm being honest is the reason I made Matt make the dressing - I like the taste of anchovies, but definitely not the look of them) and a bunch of seasonings.

It was so good! We made a triple batch so we have it in the fridge for the week. I ate my salad with a leftover piece of olive pizza on the side. Perfect little Sunday lunch. 

And with that, Riker just woke up so we're going to head out for a family walk and take advantage of the warm weather today. Then it's back for the Broncos game (rooting for the Chargers here...not really feeling a Broncos vs. Pats Championship next weekend...), and putting together a seafood gratin for dinner.

How's your weekend going? Hope you enjoy the last few hours of it!

New Year Muffins (Paleo Banana Walnut)

Happy belated New Year friends! We rang in the New Year in a low key way this year, starting with a quiet dinner for two at a local seafood restaurant, Latitudes, where we ran into our friends Forrest and Casey whom we shared a drink with as well.

We ordered calamari with spicy pickled peppers for an appetizer, followed by salads and then entrees of surf & turf and lobster mac & cheese.

I literally never order mac & cheese since I usually feel guilty about eating something so rich, but it was a special New Years menu and I was dying for lobster, so I took the plunge. I have to say, I was a tad disappointed. The "mac & cheese" was more like penne alfredo and the lobster was overcooked and a little tough. Sometimes I wonder if I watch too much Top Chef because I might've liked it had I not been so nitpicky. Oh well. Foodie I am!

After dinner we spent the rest of the evening at Matt's parents' house with them and MomMom and Riker, eating snacks (like we needed more of them), some dessert (I had made a chocolate walnut strudel for the bunch) and watching Rockin' New Year's Eve.

We let Riker stay up until midnight to watch the ball drop. I honestly didn't think he'd make it, but he was a trooper and sat snuggled up with me for the last hour watching the show and waiting for his sparkling grape juice at 12:00. He slept in until 9:30 AM the next day so it was a win for all of us. ;)

***

Today is my last day of vacation, and we're going out with a bang. It started snowing like crazy around 6:00 last night and we woke up to a winter wonderland.

I love it!

Matt went back to work yesterday but had a snow day today (nothing like a 1 day work week!) so our little troop is cozied up at home together. When Riker woke up he asked for muffins for breakfast, and I heartily agreed. Not only can I not say "no" to that little Mickey Mouse voice asking for muffins, but snow days call for warm, comforting breakfasts.

 

That said, now that the holidays are over I'm getting back on the wagon with healthy eating. I threw out the remaining Christmas cookies the other day and shopped for all new, fresh foods yesterday, and it feels really good to have the house stocked with clean foods again rather than all kinds of cheeses, olives, fudge and other holiday snacks. Sooo, I didn't want to break down and make sugary, carby, buttery muffins on January 3.

I whipped up a batch of paleo muffins using coconut flour, coconut oil, bananas and walnuts. No sugar and no refined flour. These muffins are not sweet, but they have a good bread texture and a crunchy walnut top. We all enjoyed them. I liked mine best smeared with a little organic natural peanut butter.

Everything is closed today so there isn't much on the agenda other then some snowman-making once it warms up, and starting Season 5 of Sons of Anarchy when Riker goes down for a nap. We finished Season 4 last night and are on another of our SOA benders. :0

Paleo Banana Walnut Muffins

Makes 12 muffins (adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients

4 bananas

4 eggs

1/2 cup pecan butter

2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup coconut flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Mash bananas with a fork, then add to a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, pecan butter, coconut oil and vanilla; blend to combine.

Add all dry ingredients. Mix well, using a hand mixer or wooden spoon. (Batter will be a little chunky, do not overbeat.) 

Pour batter into greased muffins tins, and top with chopped walnuts. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. 

Healthy Banana Bread (Grain-Free)

I promised you a banana bread recipe.

Here it is!

I'm a huge lover of banana bread, have been my whole life. Now a lot of banana breads are unfortunately, in my opinion, really dry and flavorless. I've perfected my version of this warm fall/winter loaf over the years, adding more cinnamon and nutmeg, more bananas to keep things moist, walnuts, chocolate chips (I mean, banana and chocolate, come on) and a sugary crust on top. It's to die for.

But I'm actually not here to share that one with you. Sorry!

That one I actually haven't made yet this year, and am trying to hold out on doing so. As you can imagine, it's pretty carby and sugary, and not very healthy at all. It's a great treat, but ends up getting eaten for breakfast and snacks until the whole thing is gone in less than 24 hours. I wanted to stay away from that, but I can't shake my annual fall banana bread baking/eating craving completely - especially when there are two sad-looking brown bananas sitting in the fruit bowl begging to be mashed up and bread-i-fied.

So for this recipe, I swapped out wheat flour for nut flour, cut the chocolate chips from half a bag to only a few teaspoons, removed the walnuts (nut flour is nutty enough so you don't need the extra crunch), and traded my usual refined brown and white sugar for unrefined, all natural coconut palm sugar. I also used grapeseed oil instead of canola oil or butter, since it's a healthier fat.

The result was delicious (note: that piece up there looks a little smooshed because I couldn't wait more than 5 minutes to cut a piece and eat it, warm with a smear of butter). I'm not going to lie and tell you I liked it better than my chocolate chip sugary crust loaf, but I could eat it guiltlessly for breakfast with a little peanut butter, and it honestly is really moist and flavorful. It's also gluten free if you're into that. Unfortunately it still disappeared in 24 hours, so I'm probably going to have to make another one on Sunday.

Grain-Free Healthy Banana Bread

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients
2 cups almond flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup organic coconut palm sugar
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup agave nectar (may substitute honey or maple syrup)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grapeseed oil or other flavorless oil
2 eggs

Topping (Optional)
1 tsp. coconut sugar
3 tsp. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and sugar. Set aside

In a separate bowl, combine mashed bananas, agave nectar, milk, oil and eggs. Whisk well to combine. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir to combine; do not over beat.

Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan. Top with remaining coconut sugar and chocolate chips, if desired. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Sunday Cooking

Happy Monday, everybody! Hope you had a great weekend. Our stay-at-home three day weekend was nice and relaxing, just what I needed.

After my lazy Saturday morning, I met up with Heather and Cathleen for our usual 10:30 am yoga class. I don't get to go every weekend, but try to make it whenever I can. It's such a great way to start the weekend. Even better, Matt agreed to watch Riker and Heather's girls for a few hours so we could go out for coffee, snacks and catching up afterward. Perfect little Saturday morning.

Yoga and girl time relaxation was followed by doing my duty as a teacher's fisherman's wife: bundling up and heading to the cold November beach so Matt and his dad could try to catch some striped bass.

It's been a while since we all went fishing together, and actually I really do enjoy going, even if I'm frozen and, let's be serious, not fishing. I mainly sit under a blanket drinking Starbucks, chatting with MomMom and calling out when the lines look like they caught something.

It's serenity. Being at the beach always makes me thankful for where we live. The guys didn't catch any fish, but Riker had a great time running around and we all got to enjoy an incredible sunset.

Is that magnificent or what?

A new takeout Thai & Japanese restaurant just opened by us and Matt and I have been dying to order from there (we've actually called every weekend for the last 4 weeks to see if they were open yet - stalkers), so after the beach we booked it straight home to take hot showers and order up some spicy food for dinner. Matt's dad and MomMom joined us, so we ordered a bunch of things to share. My favorites were the penang curry with tofu, and the shrimp tempura sushi.

Sunday was a true homebody day and all I really felt like doing was cooking, baking and watching football. So that's what I did. Somehow about 5 loads of laundry found their way into my life too, but folding isn't so bad when you're watching the games and seeing your fantasy football points go higher and higher.

The last time I was home my mom gave me a ton of lentils, so I finally put them to use and made a big pot of lentil soup for a late afternoon dinner. I used my Moosewood cookbook recipe, but adapted it for the crockpot. Something about fall Sundays just really call for using the crockpot.

The recipe called for serving the soup with a drizzle of red wine vinegar, which I'd never heard of. It was fantastic! The vinegar gave it a nice little perkiness without having to use lemon, which would've really changed the flavor of the soup.

I also made a loaf of paleo banana bread, which is now almost completely devoured. I'll share the recipe with you soon!

***

For a quick Monday dinner recap, tonight the frittata made its lovely first cold-weather appearance.

Easy and delicious as always, this one was filled with baby bella mushrooms, kale, cheddar and mozzarella cheese. We had some roasted asparagus on the side for extra greenery.

There are plenty of leftovers, so I know what I'm having for breakfast tomorrow.

Riker's curled up in bed and now that my blog post is done, I'm about to boot Matt off his Wii Golf game so we can watch last week's episode of Top Chef. I'm so cliche. Enjoy your evening!