House Beautiful

Archive for the 'Eat & Drink' Category

Page 13 of 23

The Perfect Smoothie Recipe

I remember when I was in high school, and I’d eat the crap out of some smoothies and bagels, thinking they were “good for me” and low fat / low cal.  Come to find out, most of the smoothies and bagels you get out there are loaded with sugars and fake goop.  Quel dommage!  So, as far as smoothies are concerned, I make my own from all fresh/natural ingredients and down them post-workout.  Below is my favorite concoction – you can alter as needed:

TOSS IN BLENDER:

  • 1 cup soy milk (you can also use regular moo cow milk)
  • 1 cup frozen mixed berries (the 4 lb bag pictured from Costco is my fave – $12.63)
  • 6 oz. plain Greek yogurt (you don’t have to use it, but it has loads of protein and def makes the smoothie more filling)
  • Optional squirt of honey or Agave nectar (whatever you use, make sure it’s all natural… it’ll sweeten your smoothie up)

Blend…  If it’s too chunky and needs more liquid, I usually toss in a dash of water – MAYBE 1/8 of a cup and blend again – add gradually so you don’t make it too watery.  And that’s it (!)  Voila!  Depending on what you have on hand, you may also want to add:

  • Banana
  • 1 Tablespoon peanut butter (this makes it taste like a graham cracker…  which I love)
  • Orange (or, if you’re lazy like me, one of those 1,000 mg natural vitamins)

Makes one large glass of (mostly) all natural post-workout goodness!

xoxo,

Happy Fall Weekend!

I dunno about you, but for the past few months, I’ve been traveling and running all over tarnation like a chicken with its head cut off.  I have bags under my eyes, coffee cups and spare tires and crusty forks strewn all over my car (which is seriously where I live), and could use a cool 20 extra hours of sleep.  So this weekend – since I (exhale) have no certain plans, I’m looking forward to suh-looowwwwwing it down, and marinating somewhere like zeese, with a giant stack of design mags and a vat of coffee.

(Timeout:  could we please discuss how amazing the perfectly rumpled and restrained, mismatched bedding is?  Woven pillows against a striped backdrop, and a reclaimed driftwood-y bench at the foot??!  Yum.)  And at some point, maybe carving a pumpkin or two.  Martha did me proud with these lacey-looking versions below, so maybe I’ll give that a whirl…

And hang out on the porch comme ça while I roast some seeds… 

And maybe sporting some shorts avec the rest of my fall gear, since we’re in this lovely tweener stage, and it might be one of the last weeks to do it.

And sticking something like this cauliflower sage & almond risotto in my crock pot & smoking it…

Timeout, let’s be honest.  Karrie’s wedding is in 3 weeks, so I’ll be eating something more along these lines.  And then I’m gonna go write, “I love bean sprouts…  I LOVE bean sprouts!” on the chalkboard 110 times.

Happy Fall Weekend to YOU!  Here’s to some glorious weather and quality R&R…  cheers.

xoxo,

*photo credits:  (1) vintage car with leaves (2) boho bedroom (3) lace pumpkins (4) porch marination station (5) shorts / shorts (6) cauliflower sage and almond risotto recipe (7) bean sprouts