{recipe} two summer smoothies

So... it is almost September. In normal places, that means it is almost the time for boots and scarves and leggings and sweaters and... ugh. Every wonderful outfit. Unfortunately, FL doesn't really get that memo until December? Sometimes January? 

While fruit is still fresh and delicious, and temperatures continue to be in the 90s, I will continue to be a SMOOTHIE MAKING MACHINE.

I love drinking one post-workout. So refreshing. 

Blueberry Peach Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
• 3 ice cubes
• 1 peach
• 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)

This smoothie might freak you out. Why would I ever need a recipe for a strawberry banana smoothie, you may ask yourself. Well. This one right here has a secret ingredient. An ingredient that makes the smoothie super rich and creamy with minimal fat and calories. That secret ingredient is extra soft tofu. 

I promise you don't taste anything weird. It truly is just there to thicken your smoothie. If you can't get over using tofu in a fruity drink, then sub greek yogurt in its place.

Not your typical Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups strawberries
• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup milk of choice
• 1/3 cup extra soft tofu
• Splash of orange or pineapple juice

PS. Can we talk about how good POM tea is? I used to buy one... like every weekend with one of my friends. Obviously I saved a lot of the glasses the tea is packaged in. They make perfect smoothie glasses if I do say so myself.

PPS. Thanks for all of the well wishes yesterday! I think the interview went well. Now I wait to find out!

xo, Jen

{recipe} peanut butter banana smoothie

It has been H-O-T here lately with humidity levels at around 70%. Can't do it.

Fall, where are you? I need the cooler weather, comfy scarves, sweaters, & leggings, and of course my adorable boots. Like the rest of the blogging world, I am about done and done with summer. 

One thing that can really help me get through a scorching summer day is a chilly & healthy smoothie.

Especially a smoothie that tastes like a milkshake.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups skim milk
• 1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
• 2 tbsp Smart Balance peanut butter
• 1/2 small ripe banana
• 1 tbsp agave nectar
• 4 ice cubes
• cinnamon, to taste

Directions:

1. Process all ingredients in a blender. Pour into a chilled glass & enjoy. I like to sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon on top. It is what I always do when I make pb&banana toast. :)
2. **If you can, chop up the banana the night before, put into a container, and freeze. You can add it to the smoothie in the morning and avoid watering it down with ice. I did not think to do this at the time & my smoothie was already pretty thick and creamy.**
3. If you are like me.... pour smoothie back into blender once spotting Nutella sitting in the pantry. Add a spoonful, mix up again, and ENJOY!

Look at how frothy & delicious.

Sinful tasting... healthy reality.

My kinda drink.

xo, Jen

{recipe} green monster smoothies

Hi y'all! Remember me?

I have been running around like a mad woman lately.

Let's recap my schedule:

M/W/F

9:00-12:05 - Class

12:10-1:30 - Study, lunch

2:00-6:30 - Work

7:00-8:00 - Dinner

8:00-11:00 - Study

BEDTIME!

T/TR

8:30-12:00 - Testing in Preschools

12:30-1:45 - Lunch/Study

2:00-6:30 - Work

7:00-8:00 - Dinner

8:00-11:00 - Study

BEDTIME!

Um. Death.

I need lots of yummy, healthy snacks and drinks to keep me going during the day.

The graduate student I work under in the preschool testing lab emailed me this morning and said I could have the day off because she double booked one of the schools we test at. Best. Email. EVER.

Now, let's talk about the GREEN MONSTER SMOOTHIE.

Oh, is it green. Lots and lots of little baby spinach flecks. 

Don't worry though, it doesn't taste healthy at all!

Green Monster Spinach Smoothie

Recipe by: Iowa Girl Eats
Serves 1
Ingredients:

• 1 frozen sliced banana
• 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
• 1/2 cup 0% Vanilla Chobani Greek yogurt
• 1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze (or other kind of milk)
• 4 cups baby spinach (or more, or less)

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

It literally tastes like you are drinking a milkshake. SO DELICIOUS. 

Let me know if you are brave enough to try it out! :) 

Oh and by the way, I gave up some study time the other night and went to the Jimmy Buffett concert with two of my best friends. Sooo much fun. Here are a couple pictures!

Mermaids. Landshark. Nosebleeds. Jimmy.

All you need in life, really. 

I hope that y'all are having a great 2012 so far!

xo, Jen

{recipe} dinner party fun

Menu:

Appetizer: Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Carrots, Celery & Pita

Salad: Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion

Dinner: Maple Pork Tenderloin & Sweet Potatoes w/ Cinnamon Butter

Drinks: Homemade Sangria

Dessert: Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookies (aka Heaven)

I had some girlfriends over the other night for what is turning into our weekly dinner party! It has been so much fun looking forward to these get-togethers. I find myself searching for recipes throughout the rest of the week for the next dinner party. This time I decided to break away from my comfort of / dependence on cooking chicken. I know it is always a safe alternative. Although chicken can be tricky, since you have to cook it until it is completely done, it is the one meat that I can say I am the most confident in making. I have caught onto the exact time it takes to grill, roast and saute. When I came across the recipe for the pork tenderloin I was a bit apprehensive. I found myself thinking, "Am I reallly ready for such a jump in the kitchen?" After a bit of pondering I decided that I was. I always love it when my parents cook tenderloin at home so I gave it a go. The one essential kitchen utensil for the pork tenderloin that I didn't have at home was a meat thermometer, so I had to add that to my shopping cart when I went to the grocery store. While it was an extra ten dollars added to my bill, I knew it would come in handy in future cooking endeavors as well, so it didn't hurt quite so bad. As soon as I got home form the store I began to marinate the pork in a plastic ziplock bag. While I wish I had thought ahead enough to get the meat the night before my party, it was perfectly flavorful after only marinating for 5 hours. My friend Kaitlin brought over one of my favorite appetizers of all time, spinach and artichoke dip. Leanne brought homemade sangria and Brianna brought absolutely delicious triple chocolate chunk cookies. Amanda brought some pepper (I told her to just relax this time as she made us dinner the last time we had a dinner party). The night was so much fun and I got some really awesome recipes from good friends :) Enjoy!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Currently still waiting on this recipe :) I will update as soon as Kaitlin sends it to me!

Homemade Sangria:

I didn't take any pictures of the sangria, which is a shame because it was really pretty :) I also didn't get the exact recipe but Leanne said it was basically a bottle of red wine and a few splashes of peach schnapps. She added limes, lemons and oranges to hers, but the beauty of sangria is that you can add any fruit you want!

Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion

This is one of my favorite salads from my mom's recipe collection. It is the perfect amount of tangy mixed with sweet. She found this recipe on foodnetwork.com, at the bottom of a webpage for a recipe for pasta with pumpkin and sausage (which is another of my all-time favorites, especially during fall and winter!) We both make the salad all the time though, as the flavors mesh well with meals from any season.

Ingredients:

1 lb triple-washed spinach, de-stemmed (I bought Publix brand)

1 small Golden Delicious apple, quartered, cored and sliced

1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced and separated

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon grain mustard

1 tablespoon honey

Coarse salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Place spinach, apple, and onion in a salad bowl. Place oil, vinegar, mustard and honey in a small mixing bowl. Whisk the dressing ingredients with a fork until combined. Pour dressing over salad immediately and toss. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Maple Pork Tenderloin & Sweet Potatoes w/ Cinnamon Butter

Maple Pork Tenderloin:

Recipe adapted from Lipstick Blogspot

Ingredients: 

2 pork tenderloin (approximately 1.5-2 lbs together)

2/3 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup soy suace

1/3 cup teriyaki sauce (I used Ken's marinades)

1 tbsp finely minced garlic (I used the bottled, pre-minced garlic)

1 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Yield enough for 5 people

Directions:

1. Put pork tenderloin in a ziplock bag. In a separate bowl, mix all the remaining ingredients and pour into the ziplock bag. Marinate for as long as you can. (I marinated for about 5 hours, but overnight would be best.)

2. Remove pork from the plastic bag and grill or bake in a 400 degree oven until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees (Check after 20 minutes, and then keep checking every few minutes after if the temperature is not correct after the 20.)

3. While the pork is cooking, boil the remaining marinade in the bag for at least 10 minutes.

4. After you take the pork out, let it sit for about 5 minutes before slicing. Once that time passes, slice and serve with the marinade as a sauce.

Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Butter

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened (I used "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter")

2 ounces granulated sugar

2 ounces brown sugar 

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Large sweet potatoes (I used 5)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Mix and stir all ingredients (besides the sweet potatoes) until smooth. Put into a tupperware, close lid tightly, and then place in refrigerator as soon as possible.

3. Put tinfoil on a cookie sheet and then place the sweet potatoes on top of it. Place cookie sheet carefully onto the bottom rack of your oven. Leave in for about an hour, checking with a fork how soft the insides are as it gets closer to the end. The time will vary with how small/large the potatoes are. The skins should look wrinkled and there should be a sticky substance coming out of the bottom of the potatoes. 

4. Enjoy :) 

**The cinnamon butter tastes wonderful for breakfast the next day spread on toast!

Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These cookies literally melt in your mouth. Here is Brianna's recipe for them that she sent me.

Ingredients:

-16 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (or use chocolate chips) **I use bakers semi sweet chocolate

-1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter

-1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

-1 tsp baking powder

-1 tsp salt

-4 large eggs

-1½ cups (packed) light brown sugar

-2 tsp pure vanilla extract

-2 packages (24 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chocolate chunks (or chopped chocolate)**I used one bag of regular chocolate chips and one bag of white choc chips (but only needed 1 and a half bags total because it was way too much)

**I added 2 tsp of instant coffee powder, but this is optional. It helps bring out the chocolate flavor

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Place chopped chocolate (Bakers) and butter in a large, heatproof (metal or pyrex) bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Add the chocolate slivers it in batches, it will be a bit quicker.

3. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Make sure to sift the dry ingredients for lumps

4. In a large bowl, with electric mixer beat eggs, brown sugar and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and beat in the melted chocolate mixture. Then mix in dry ingredients and blend just until combined. Stir in chocolate chunks(as many as you like)

5. Drop heaping Tablespoonfuls of dough onto baking sheets, keeping a round shape as much as possible- 2 to 3 inches apart.

6. Bake until cookies are shiny and crackly, yet still soft in the center, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets for about 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack with a spatula. I only had to cook them for 10 minutes so watch them! :)

Yield: About 4 dozen

 I am so excited about all of the new recipes I have been finding and getting from friends. We will definitely be keeping up with our newly found tradition of dinner parties once a week, so check back often!

xox, Jen

{recipe} bruschetta, sangria, & asparagus carbonara, oh my!

I had some very good friends over the other night for dinner and wine. My friend Amanda wanted to cook dinner for everyone, so I made sangria and an appetizer, Beth brought the wine and Kaitlin brought dessert! It was a wonderful night catching up with friends with extremely yummy food at that.

Bruschetta:

Ingredients:

6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil

3 cloves minced garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed

`1 french baguette

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Salt and ground black pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Step 1: Preheat oven on broiler setting.
Step 2: In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, 2 tbsp olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow mixture to sit for about 10 minutes.

Step 3: Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Divide the 1/4 cup of olive oil onto each baguette slice. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes. Watch this carefully! This is where my bread started to burn a little bit.

Step 4: Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese.

Step 5: Broil for about 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Again, keep a very close eye on it!

White Wine Sangria

Ingredients:

Your favorite large bottle of white wine. (We used Pinot Grigio.)

2 cups of your favorite fruit (We used white peaches and strawberries)

1/4 cup orange juice with pulp

1/4 cup diet sprite

Directions: 

Combine all in a pitcher (if making ahead of time, omit the sprite and add just before serving). Put in fridge and serve over crushed ice. Enjoy :)

Amanda preparing our Asparagus Carbonara. She found the recipe on Closet Cooking, a wonderful blog filled with a very diverse recipe list. She added fat-free milk instead of the heavy cream the original recipe called for. The consistency of the sauce was still great, so if you are looking to cut calories and fat then you can do the same without losing any flavor! She also added yummy scallops as well.

Our chef for the night!

Kaitlin's yummy red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting.

It was a great night and we decided we are going to try to keep it up at least once a week for the rest of summer :)

xox, Jen