Peppermint Chocolate Smoothie

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As a part of Williams-Sonoma's Smoothie Week, I was asked to create a fun and unique beverage for their "Not Your Typical Smoothie" campaign. Peppermint chocolate combinations are all the rage during the holiday season, so that's what I decided to go with. I see that combo everywhere...all the local coffee chains, in the candy aisle of my grocery store and now? In a smoothie.

Who can mess up a smoothie? You just toss a bunch of stuff into a blender, add some ice to make it thick and frothy and delicious, then you're done. Who can mess it up? Me, that's who. First of all, too much mint is a bad thing. A really, really bad thing. I must have forgotten how powerful mint leaves are because my first drink was total mint overload. So gross. But after scaling that back a little, I was on the right track. I also ended up needing more chocolate, because even though the mint flavor was tamed down, the chocolate needed to be spruced up big time so that it was the star of the smoothie (plus, you can't go wrong with lots of chocolate)! One thing I've learned is that trial and error are okay when in the kitchen :)

This smoothie is perfect for the holidays. It's thick, frothy, chocolaty and has just a hint of mint. My favorite part is the candy cane rim since it compliments the smoothie and adds some texture. Kids will love this drink just as much as adults. The VitaMix blender works perfectly for this recipe, so if you don't have one, it's not too late to ask for one this holiday season :) Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
Makes 2 servings

• 1 cup milk
• 2 small mint leaves
• 4 tbsp. dry hot chocolate mix
• 2-3 cups ice
• 1 candy cane
• 1 tbsp. agave syrup
• Mint leaves, for serving (optional)

In a small saucepan, add the milk and mint leaves over medium heat. Heat until just about to boil then remove from the heat. Add the hot chocolate mix and stir to combine. Set aside for 20-30 minutes or until cooled.

In a blender, add cooled hot chocolate mixture. Add 2 cups of ice and blend. Slowly add the remaining 1 cup ice, or until it reaches the consistency you prefer.

Put the candy cane in a ziplock bag. Crush with a rolling pin.

Put agave nectar on a small place. Put crushed candy cane on a separate plate. Take two coffee mugs and put the rim on the place with the agave and swirl until fully coated. Then dip into the candy cane pieces until they stick to the rim and it is fully coated.

Pour the peppermint chocolate mixture into the prepared coffee mugs. Garnish with mint leaves, if desired.

Source: SK Original

Frozen Banana Hot Chocolate

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What do you do when you're craving hot chocolate, but it's 80-something degrees in the middle of August? Well, you make a frozen version! Obviously.

Brittany at We Heart Vegan became vegan not solely because of her love of animals, but also because she knows the effects some animal products can have on our bodies. So she decided to be proactive about it. I love her passion for vegan cooking and was really inspired by some of her meatless creations!

For the Secret Recipe Club, I chose to make non-vegan version of one of her recipes, mainly because I didn't have the vegan ingredients on hand. Frozen Hot Chocolate is a treat to have in the summertime and satisfies any chocolate craving you might have (which, for me, is on a daily basis). It's ice cold, frothy and the bananas are a sweet surprise. To make this truly vegan, substitute coconut milk for the cow's milk and you're set. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 tbsp. hot chocolate mix
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup 1% milk
• 1 large frozen banana
• 1 1/2-2 cups ice
• Whipped cream or mini marshmallows, for serving (optional)

Put the water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add hot chocolate mix and stir until combined. Set aside in the refrigerator or freezer to cool completely.

Once hot chocolate mixture is cooled, add to a blender along with the milk, frozen banana and ice. Blend until smooth.

Source: We Heart Vegan

An InLinkz Link-up

Cucumber Mojito

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Chris loves playing bartender and I'm glad he does...because he's good at it. He makes my all-time favorite Bacon Bloody Mary, and is also the creator of this amazing White Riesling Sangria. His most recent concoction? A cucumber mojito. I'll admit I was a little hesitant when I first tasted it. I think I'm used to having overly sweet cocktails, and this is anything but that. But after a second sip, I was in love. It's crisp, refreshing and light. A perfect cocktail for a hot summer evening. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 750 mL white rum
• 2 cucumbers, sliced
• 1 cup mint, coarsely chopped
• Club soda, for serving

Start by making the simple syrup. In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a large pitcher, combine cooled simple syrup, rum, cucumbers and mint. Allow to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. 

When serving, pour into glasses and top with a splash of club soda.

Source: Chris Original

Frozen Fresh Mango Margaritas

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Happy Cinco de Mayo! I'm sure everyone will be partaking in their fair share of chips and salsa consumption today, so it's pretty crucial that you have a tasty cocktail to wash it down with. I made these mango margaritas using a fresh mango, and they turned out so refreshing and sweet, so I can't wait to share them with you all!

The little bit of additional sugar that is added to these margaritas brings out the natural sweetness of the mango. If you want to make these for a family celebration, you can leave out the tequila when blending up the ingredients. Then just top off individual glasses with tequila for the adults so your little kiddies can enjoy their own virgin versions of this refreshing cocktail. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
Serves 2

• 1 mango, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 cup ice
• 3 tbsp. sugar, plus extra for the rim
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 1/2 oz. tequila

Add mango chunks, ice, 3 tbsp. sugar, lime juice and tequila to a blender. Puree until smooth. 

Pour a small amount of sugar onto a plate. Trace the squeezed lime around the rim of 2 glasses. Flip the glasses upside down in the sugar so the rim gets fully coated. 

Pour the margarita mixture into the glasses and serve.

Source: SK Original

White Riesling Sangria

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Chris made this sangria a few months ago when I hosted a girls' brunch, and I've been patiently waiting for warmer weather to make its way to the East coast before debuting it on my blog. Simply because I know as soon as you see it, you're going to want to make it. And sangria just goes best with warm weather while sitting outside on your deck. It just does.

We just chose some of our favorite fruits for this, but you can mix and match as you please. Don't use too much additional citrus, though, because we found that it really changes the flavor. Riesling is amazing in this drink because it adds the bubbly aspect that we all know and love, yet it has a complimentary sweet, crisp flavor that just makes the sangria. Oh, and one of our tricks? Freeze grapes to use as ice cubes so your drink doesn't get watered down. Genius. I love love love this. Enjoy, guys!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved lengthwise
• 1 cup blueberries
• 2 oranges, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rings
• 2 lemons, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rings
• 2 peaches, pitted and cut into wedges
• 2 Granny Smith apples, cores removed and cut into wedges
• 2 bottles Riesling
• 1 container Cran-Peach Juice
• Green grapes, frozen

Place all fruit, except grapes, in a large pitcher or bowl. Add Riesling and juice and allow to sit in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours. When ready to serve, add frozen grapes to each glass.

Source: Chris Original

Chris' Bacon Bloody Mary

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I used to solely be a mimosa in the morning kind of girl, but as I got older my tastebuds shifted towards tomato juice instead (mostly because I can no longer handle my alcohol and it gives me some relief!). I've had my fair share of Bloody Mary's, but Chris' version is by FAR my favorite. I like his take on it so much that sometimes I'll randomly ask him to make me one in the middle of the day (virgin of course...I have a baby at home! Sheesh.). I don't know if it's the surprise splash of pickle juice or because he knows just how much of each ingredient to add, but he's got these babies down to a science. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
Makes 1 serving

• 1 1/2 cups tomato juice, chilled
• Splash of Worcestershire sauce
• Splash of hot sauce
• Dash of Old Bay seasoning
• Dash of Pepper
• 1 tbsp. dill pickle juice
• 1 tsp. of olive juice
• 1 oz. vodka
• Bacon strips, cooked, for garnish
• Green olives, for garnish 
• Mini dill pickles, for garnish

Combine all ingredients except bacon, olives and pickles in a large glass. Use a spoon to mix. Garnish with one piece of bacon, olives and pickles.

Source: Chris Original

Spiked Godiva Nutella Hot Chocolate

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Okay so I'm sure you're already sold from the title, right? I mean this hot chocolate is made with Nutella. NUTELLA. And it's spiked with liqueur. Liqueur that tastes like Godiva chocolate. GODIVA. And I use reduced-fat milk as the base. Because I'm trying to save you some calories here! Yea, exactly. Whatever. 

Yes, if you're serving this to kids you can absolutely leave out the Godiva liqueur and it will still taste amazing with just the Nutella. But if you're of age and it's that time of day, then help yourself to a few splashes of this liqueur and it will make this drink out-of-this-world good. Enjoy this one, guys!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
Makes 2 servings

• 3 cups reduced-fat milk
• 1/2 cup Nutella
• 1 oz. Godiva liqueur 
• Mini-marshmallows

Heat milk and Nutella in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to steam. Remove from heat and add liqueur. Pour into mugs and top with mini-marshmallows.

Source: SK Original

Homemade Amaretto

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Need a last minute gift idea for the host of tomorrow's festivities? Amaretto is a staple in my Italian parents' household and is always a nice gift to give. This homemade version is incredibly similar to the real thing at half the cost. I made some and gave it to my friends as a Christmas gift in cute little mason jars. Something that is both homemade and includes liquor is always a winner in my gift-giving book. 

I'm sure hosts at a New Year's Eve party would greatly appreciate this as well. It's a wonderful after-dinner drink to enjoy over ice while chatting with family and friends. Enjoy and be safe tomorrow!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. pure almond extract
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups Vodka

In a heavy bottom sauce pan, add water and sugars over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook until sugars are well dissolved. 

Remove from heat and allow to cool for approximately 15 minutes. 

Add extracts and vodka to the pan. Mix to combine.

Pour Amaretto into desired jars and cap. Store in a cool/dry location.

Source: Bell'alimento

Skinny Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

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With a newborn at home, it's not always easy to run to Starbucks to grab myself some of my favorite coffee. Pumpkin Spice Lattes are only offered once per year, and since I can't run out and get my usual fill as often as I'd like, I decided to make my own version at home. This tastes incredibly similar and I'm able to save myself five bucks and a trip out of the house. From now on, this will be my go-to recipe and now I can enjoy it year-round. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup reduced-fat milk
• 1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 2 packets Splenda
• Cinnamon stick
• Coffee

Combine milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and Splenda in a medium saucepan. Stir over low heat just until warm.

Fill a coffee cup half way with coffee. Fill the rest of the way with the milk mixture. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Source: SK Original

Power Sunrise Smoothies

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I'm back on a healthy kick! Since I was able to maintain my normal exercise regimen of running for the first 7 months of my pregnancy, I allowed myself to indulge in carbs and/or sweets whenever the mood hit. Well, in moderation, of course. Recently I've had to cut back on my routine and switch over to walking, swimming and prenatal pilates instead, so I decided to cut back on the carbs a little and revamp my diet. I want to keep as much baby weight off as possible!

Chris made these smoothies one evening for dessert, and we were both stuck. We've recently started making them before work for breakfast in place of our usual oatmeal or yogurt, and they keep us satisfied until lunchtime. Plus the natural sugar gives us an extra boost in the morning. This particular smoothie picture doesn't have spinach or kale in it, but I've been adding a handful to our morning batch for some extra nutrients. You can't even taste it, so it's a great option to add some extra vitamins to your diet (or to sneak some into your child's diet). Enjoy!

 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 bananas
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, stems removed
• 1 1/2 cups pineapple, peeled and diced
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 handful spinach or kale (optional)
• 2 cups ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Source: Chris Original

Homemade Orange Julius

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When we were younger, my mom would take my younger brother and me to a certain mall solely so we could go to their Orange Julius stand. My brother was obsessed with those things and could easily down 2 or 3 if our mom would have let him. He was hyper enough as it was when he was younger, so I thank her for saving me from that disaster.

I never really knew what was in Orange Julius' besides orange of course. And little pieces of ice and added a perfect crunch to the frothy texture. Now that I know milk is a main ingredient it makes perfect sense! This is a great treat to surprise your kids (or friends!) with. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (12 oz.) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 1 cup reduced-fat milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 10 to 12 ice cubes

In a blender, combine the orange juice, milk, water, sugar and vanilla. Cover and blend until smooth. With blender running, add ice cubes, one at a time, through the opening in lid. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from Taste of Home

Watermelon Mojito

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Yes, I realize it's February. And yes, I am pretending it's July.

Chris and I had a craving for something sweet the other day, so we went to the store in search of something to fulfill this craving. We didn't expect it, but mini watermelons were piled up in the produce section, just calling our names. They were so cute, we had to buy one! We also found pineapples, which we immediately picked up as well. Who knew grocery stores still carried watermelon and pineapple in February?!

We whipped up a quick watermelon mojito and let me tell you, they really hit the spot. You can make them non-alcoholic or add a little rum, but either way they really do take you back to those cool, breezy summer days. We plan on trying the pineapple in a similar drink as well. Hopefully it will turn out just as great!

Today is also Chris' birthday, so cheers to him!!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 30 fresh mint leaves
• 1 small seedless watermelon, sliced (about 2-3 cups)
• 8 oz. light rum (optional)
• 1/2 cup simple syrup (recipe below)
• 1-2 limes, juiced

Mash the mint leaves using a muddler. If you do not have one (which I don't!) place the mint leaves in a dish and smash with the back of a large spoon to release the juices.

Remove and discard the rind of the watermelon and all visible seeds. Place the watermelon slices in a food processor and puree until smooth.

In a large pitcher, add the mint leaves, pureed watermelon, rum, simple syrup and the lime juice. Stir to combine.

Serve in glasses with ice and garnish with a watermelon slice and a mint leaf.

Simple Syrup Recipe

• 2 parts sugar
• 1 part water

Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Once boiling, add the sugar. Stir constantly until dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

Source: Mojito recipe Adapted from Barefoot Contessa