Favorite Summer Treats

Happy Summer! Although it's felt like summer here in Southwest Louisiana for weeks now, I can officially say that summer has arrived in full force, complete with a tropical storm! What a way to kick off the season. The portions of Tropical Storm Cindy (the "eye") that hit SWLA only left us with minimal flooding, although other areas of the south can't say the same. Sad face....stay safe, guys!

By Thursday afternoon, all remnants of the storm will hopefully have passed through so life can resume as normal, including Dopey training!

With summer's heat and humidity and all things related, I like to enjoy a cold, sweet treat on occasion, especially after a hot run. I'm a sweets fan (bad, I know) and after a long Saturday run in the ridiculous heat and humidity, I usually crave all the cold things!

#1 Fruit

Strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, kiwi, grapes, bananas...you name it, I love it! Watermelon is definitely a summer favorite for sure!

#2 Gatorade

I guess it's not truly a "treat" but it's a necessity for me on long hot summer training runs, especially while training with longer distances!

#3 Snoballs

Hello...who wouldn't enjoy one of these after a hot long run?! They are the perfect way to cool down, although you have to eat fast if you're attempting to enjoy it outside!

#4 Smoothies

I know I mentioned it on Monday, but a local juicery opened here and oh my goodness...so many healthy and delicious options were available. I know I'll be a frequent visitor here this summer for sure! Also, nothing beat a nice homemade cold smoothie with a frozen banana and a little fruit...pure heaven!

#5 Iced Coffee

Aaaah yes...a nice cold coffee on a warm summer morning is the perfect way to begin the day! I enjoy these often during the summer!

With all of these yummy treats, I'm destined to survive marathon training during the hot and humid summer months!

What's your favorite summer treat?

Recipe: Banana Mocha Smoothie

Looking for a quick and delicious afternoon pick-me-up?

Yesterday afternoon, I was.

I knew I wanted instant coffee. Is that strange? I had an odd urge for something flavored with instant coffee. Maybe I was tired? Maybe our busy hours at work were getting to me? (Sidenote, I had to laugh when I heard a physician say…“we’ve been busy, good thing my nurse runs marathons!”)

Anyway, I came home knowing I wanted something cold and something including instant coffee…that’s when this Banana Mocha Smoothie was created, and boy is it good!

Banana Mocha Smoothie

Ingredients:
-1/2 cup almond milk (or any type of milk product you wish)
-1 heaping tsp instant coffee
-1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
-1 tsp honey (or sweetener of choice…may add more to taste)
-1 frozen ripe banana (yes, I let my bananas get THAT ripe!)
-5 or 6 pieces of ice

Directions:

Begin by mixing a heaping tsp of instant coffee with 1/2 cup almond milk. Once dissolved, add ingredients to a blender.

Peel and slice frozen banana into several pieces. Add these pieces to the blender.

Add honey (to taste), cocoa powder, and ice to blender.

Blend, serve, and enjoy!

Blend instant coffee in almond milk

Chop frozen banana

Add all ingredients to blender…

Enjoy a delicious afternoon treat!

What’s your favorite afternoon pick-me-up?

My Favorite Smoothies

Lately, I’ve been on quite the smoothie kick with Summer just around the corner. I love cold, icy beverages during the hot summer months…I even prefer my coffee iced! To beat the heat, I decided to share a few of my favorite smoothies with you!

My first step in creating a smoothie is to decide what type of fruit I’m hungry for…which usually involves one or more of the following: strawberries, blueberries, bananas, mango, or pineapple.

After gathering my ingredients, I then decide what type of liquid to put in my smoothie.

For me, this usually consists of coconut milk or almond milk…I’ve even used coconut water!

…and because I always have two ravishing puppies staring at me while I preparing my smoothies, I share a little bit with them, too! :0)

Last but not least, don’t forget a fun beverage dispenser to drink the smoothie out of! What better way to show off your hard work than with a fancy cup!

Now without further ado, here’s a few of my favorite smoothies!  I’ll start with my absolute FAVORTIE!

Salted Caramel Thickshake
Adapted from: Eat Drink Paleo

1/2 cup cold almond or coconut milk
1 1/2 tsp almond butter
1/3 frozen banana
2 dried pitted Medjool dates
1 tsp pure maple syrup or honey
A pinch of sea salt
A couple of ice cubes

Method: Process all ingredients in a blender until well incorporated. Enjoy!

Strawberry Banana Almond Smoothie
Adapted from: Fast Paleo

1 ripe frozen banana
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
3/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup plain almonds

Method: Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until incorporated! Enjoy!
Note: I decided to add the almonds to this smoothie because I realized the calorie count of this smoothie was low with just the fruit and milk. Since this smoothie was my breakfast, I decided to add the almonds so it would carry me over to lunch! :0)

Pineapple Mango Smoothie 
Adapted from: My Kitchen :0)

1 ripe frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen pineapple/mango chunks (If using fresh, than 1/4 cup of each)
3/4 to 1 cup of almond milk
A few ice cubes

Method: Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until incorporated! Enjoy!

Blueberry Almond Smoothie
Adapted from: My Kitchen :0)

1 cup of frozen or blueberries
1/2 to 3/4 cup of almond milk
1 tablespoon of almond butter
A few ice cubes

Method: Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until incorporated! Enjoy!

If you’d like to make any of these smoothies “green”, feel free to add your choice of leaf! I’ve added 1 cup of spinach to the last three smoothies listed above and they have all been delicious! I’ve yet to try Kale in a smoothie, but that’s next on my list! I hope you enjoy!!

What is your favorite type of smoothie?