Beverage Bonanza!

First off, I want to apologize for being away so long. I've been avoiding it for reasons I will explain... at a later date...

Now that I'm back, however, I figured I'd begin with a few of the fastest recipes ever: drinks! This will be a short post, as I don't know how long I can ignore the batch of homemade sauerkraut calling me from my stove top, but never fear! I shall return- and with more recipes, of course!


Let start with my current favorite for these HOT summer days, yes? I'm training for a 1/2 marathon in early October, so I really needed something that would keep me hydrated & full of electrolytes, but that didn't taste like syrup (I'm looking at you Gatorade/Powerade. SYRUP.) Something fresh, & with tons of, well, for lack of a larger vocabulary, "FANTASTA-AWESOMENESS." Yes. All caps, that's what I was wishing for. I've always been a fan of the watermelon-mint combination, so I started there. I use an electrolyte drink mix, that was apparently used to fuel the Daedelus Project*. In case you're not into orange, they do have a lemon-lime flavor. I use either, really. Just depends on my mood.
I still can't decide how exactly I feel about this guy. It's impressive that he was able to do it, but who decides to fly in a flimsy little plane to see if he can beat a human-powered flight record? Call me no fun... but I have no interest in normal planes, which are statistically safer.

Watermelon- Mint Icey

1 cup filtered water
1 cup frozen watermelon chunks
small handful of fresh mint
1tsp Vivix
2 tbsp Performance, Orange flavor
1/2 tsp stevia (optional)

All ingredients into the pot! Ok, blender. Blend it, drink it, love it. The end.

*"Daedalus Project (1988)
Shaklee Performance was designed under the guidance of Dr. Ethan Nadel of Yale University to fuel a record-setting pedal-powered flight of a man-made airplane - the Daedalus Project, a 72 mile human powered flight between the Greek islands of Crete and Santorini. Kanellos Kanopoulos had only one fuel during his record-breaking flight: Performance, the maximum endurance sports drink developed by Shaklee. " -From Shaklee's sports nutrition PR page


Recipe #2: Literally a meal. I have it at least once a week for breakfast, my mother has been known to have it for lunch. Heck, I've probably had it for both... in one day... Seriously, though- who doesn't love multi-tasking? It's breakfast AND your caffeine. I just solved your morning crunch time. You are welcome.



Coffee Milkshake


8 oz cold coffee (use the leftover from yesterday, leave in fridge overnight)
8 oz soy, coconut, or almond milk (sometimes I get crazy & use rice milk! ooo!)
cup o' ice
2-3 scoops 180, Cafe Latte flavor
optional for creaminess: 1/4 avocado OR 1/3 frozen banana

Again, put all ingredients into a blender, blend, drink like a mad-person on your way to work, vet appt, soccer game, birthday party, you name it. Arrive jazzed as all get out because you feel uh-may-zing.

Recipe #3: Another one of those meal in a milkshake recipes. There may be a lot of these. They've been a long time coming- Remember all of those months I was away? yeah. I was nursing my way back to health & happiness with these babies. Now I've gotten around to sharing. The one below is my mister's favorite. He will wake me up at 6am to ask me to make one for him. If I don't, he will ask me to make it after our mid-afternoon run. He might have a mild addiction to them. I can't say I'm too worried. Better than the 20 gazillion alternatives that are infinitely worse! :)


Cinnamon- Vanilla Milkshake

1 cup non-dairy milk (he likes coconut-almond milk best)
1 cup ice
2-3 scoops Vanilla 180 mix
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract, optional (just on fancy days)

Third time, can you guess? Blend it! Blend it all! If you're my mister, it will be gone in less than 15 seconds. Le sigh.


In other news... I realize I haven't given any of you any links to the blogs I frequent! This is about to change.

I am leaving you this evening with a fantastic summer dessert idea, which I will be making this week. I am about to pee my pants in anticipation. The creator of this recipe, Mirriam Sorrel, just published her first cookbook, Mouthwatering Vegan. I can. not. WAIT. for my copy! She's brilliant. Raw Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

Can't help it, here's another one of her recipes. Pretty sure I'll end up making them the same night, for a ladies movie night, perhaps? Yes, I think this needs to happen. Even if "Ladies Night" ends up meaning me & mr. mister in our pjs in front of a Netflix marathon on The Magic School Bus. (Don't lie. You'd be jealous.... Now that I have that in my head it might be an intentional eventuality...)Ahem. The pizza for said night. yes, here: "Extra Cheesy Peppered Nutty Pizza Fest"

The New Best Gumbo

While exceedingly sleepy, I am absolutely drawn to share this newest of my gumbo recipes with you all. Remember, this is only because I love you. ALL of you. Let me apologize in advance, there is every likelihood that I will do any/all of the following in this post: ramble, dillydally, and be all around nonsensical. It's how I am when I'm this sleepy.) And don't blame me. Blame the roofers who, for some INSANE reason, decided to ignore ALL of the weathermen going "There is a 100% chance of rain all night & all of tomorrow!" Apparently they decided to believe the weathermen after it'd be raining for a full 8 hours, at which point it occurred to them that the roof of my building needed to be covered, so I wouldn't have a swimming pool for a home. Even for a barista, 3AM is too early. Ahem. What was I saying? Oh. right. Gumbo.

Delicious *cough*& secretly nutritious*cough* Gumbo

1/4c flour
1/4c evoo & vegan butter mix (I use about 1T Earth Balance & the rest EVOO)
1 Large Onion, roughly diced
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
1 Red Bell Pepper
7 (or so)stalks celery (enough to be equal to the amount of onion)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot
2 large or 3 med tomatoes, chopped (or 2 cans stewed tomatoes)
1 pkg soy chorizo (non-GMO, again. Trader Joe's has a great version!)
6 cups water
2 vegetarian bouillon cubes (I use Edward & Son's brand "Not Chik'n"
1 tsp Thyme
oregano
dash crushed red pepper
Salt & pepper
2 Cups Basmati Rice, cooked
1 Cup Brown Rice
1 pkg frozen whole okra
1 package organic non-gmo sweet corn

In a large soup pot, heat "butter" and oil until melted & hot, add flour. Cook, stirring often until roux becomes a little darker in color, but before it is burnt! If you burn it... just don't. You'll be sad, the gumbo will be sad & all of the people who eat it will be sad. This is not a "oh it'll be fine. I like a little charcoal flavor" moment. I'm surrounded by people who seem to love the taste of burned food, and no, they don't like this. Moving on...

Once your roux is appropriately and happily browned, add in the onion, peppers, carrots and celery. Cook about 5 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients except for the rices, okra and corn. Let it simmer for oh, until the house smells so good you're willing to forgo taste-buds for the remainder of the week in order for some sweet delicious instant gratification... in my house it went about 25 minutes. Add in the okra and corn, cook for 5 more minutes and then serve over your rice mix. Don't anticipate leftovers.

Note: If you want to get extra fancy, try some (soy-free! GF!)vegan shrimp from Sophie's Kitchen. One of my favorite vegan alternatives. A quick google search brings up a fellow blogger's review of them, as a matter of fact! I put these things on everything and eat them plain BEFORE I get them on whatever they are planned for... What? I'm impatient, Ok? No one's perfect. I do what I can, but the foods! It just has a power over me that nothing else does! :) It's healthy? I eats it. It's cruelty free? I eats it. It's delicious? I eats it. All of the above? No need for questions. You know where this is going. (and if you don't, you need more sleep than I!)

Speaking of which, I have no idea of the time, and it is finally silent out. Honestly, I'm amazed I made it through without passing out on my keyboard. Sweet dreams, vegan shrimp dreams to all and to all a delicious night... <3