Green with Envy

 

So every now and again, I start making my own blend with greens and fruits I enjoy.  I'm learning the sweetness of one fruit or bitterness of a green can be enhanced by other fruits/greens; and so I explore and blend....this was delish!! and I now have a new obsession with Watercress!!!



 

 

 

GREEN with ENVY (my own recipe)

1 cup premium coconut water with pineapple, guava and passion fruit. (I got mine at Trader Joe's)
+
1 handful baby spinach...
1 handful watercress
1 handful shredded Kale
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 banana
1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil (Trader Joe's)

Blend coconut water and greens first. Add pineapple, banana and coconut oil. Blend until smooth.

 

Enjoy!!!!  

Some health benefit information for you:
 

Watercress:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watercress

Baby Spinach:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_spinach

Baby Kale Blend:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kale

Coconut Oil:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_oil

Thoughts......

When we give up our weakness to God.  He definitely brings the darkness to light, and reveals Himself with upmost and unconditional love and forgiveness.

Be careful not to let that light shine too bright!! Sometimes we are blinded along the way and fall short of the Glory of God.  We take advantage of God’s favor, and forget to continue to praise Him for getting us through and sustaining us on that righteous path.  Praise Him through any storms or rainbows that may come. 

We sin daily - Renew your faith daily, and you’ll see just how Great our God is!!

Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit

Psalm 147:5

Tropical Tofu Smoothie

Want a quick and healthy way to pack in your protein for the day....blend & enjoy this smoothie......

Tropical Tofu Smoothie

Ingredients:

2/3 cup soft tofu (drained of course)
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1 cup frozen mango
1 small banana (totally optional)
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup orange juice, chilled
1 1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

Blend & Enjoy

AMBER ALERT!

Because we all need to be proactive .... PLEASE SHARE! You never know who or where this may reach with one simple click on "share" or "like" or "+1"

http://wtvr.com/2014/03/20/amber-alert-issued-for-8-year-old-va-boy-in-extreme-danger/

Happy Spring | Mango-Strawberry Green Smoothie

Happy Spring Everyone......Here's another smoothie that's springfully delish...(I know I know, springfully is not a word).

 

 

 

Mango - Strawberry Green Smoothie

1-2 cups baby spinach
1 cup mango (frozen)
1/2 cup strawberries (frozen)...
1 banana
1 Tbsp chia seeds
Water (start with 8oz) or add until your preferred texture

Blend & Enjoy.....ahhhhhh!

Bok Choy/Mango/Coconut Smoothie

Ready for a healthy glow......

 

Bok Choy/Mango/Coconut Smoothie

Ingredients:
1 cup coconut milk
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 banana...
2 bulbs bok choy
1 cup frozen mangos
1/4 cup frozen pineapple
Pinch of cinnamon

Blend, Enjoy, Shine!

Dr. Seuss - Wacky Hat Day with a little recycling along the way......

It's Dr. Seuss week at my daughters school and she was so excited to make her own little hat; of course she asked her DIY mommy to help create something cool and unique.

So......we began to think think think!!!

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!” - Dr. Seuss

Recycle TP Roll and create a mini top hat - she has these cute hair pieces that are little hats with feathers, why not create our own mini Dr. Seuss top hat???

Brooke's Mini Dr. Seuss Top Hat

These were the steps we took.....

We used a paper plate for the top hat to sit.  My husband helped us cut out the red strips (cardstock paper), cause I don't have the steadiest hands when cutting any paper, or anything for that matter.

After, we used Mod Podge to glue the paper around TP roll we let it dry, then glossed the entire top hat with Mod Podge again for a nice glossy look and to ensure all pieces of paper were secure. 

We filled the TP Roll with tissue, so that the hot glue had something to stick on to when gluing down the top and bottom pieces of paper.

After, I took a hair clip and hot glued it to the bottom of the hat. . . Next morning Brooke woke up with the brightest smile ready to show off her mini Dr. Seuss top hat ......


 

 

 





Avocado Egg Rolls w/Cilantro Dipping Sauce

I'm gonna start off by apologizing .... I prepared these delicious egg rolls.  One of many appetizers I made for my husbands surprise birthday party - and they were so good, but by the time I remembered to take a picture of the Egg Rolls all pretty on the serving tray, they were all gone!!  But I was able to get a picture of them while taking pictures of others. . . .

For the Dipping Sauce (party in your mouth) you will need:

2 bunches cilantro

3 teaspoons honey

½ teaspoon fresh lime juice

¼ cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste 

For the filling you will need:

4 avocados

½ tomato, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon chili powder

½ lime, juiced

¼ teaspoon salt

8 to 16 egg roll wrappers (available at the produce section of supermarkets)

¼ tablespoons olive oil (for frying)

Prepare the dipping sauce:

In food processor combine cilantro, honey, lime juice. Pulse until smooth, adding olive oil slowly as you mix, to make a runny sauce. Let sauce sit while you make the egg rolls, so the flavors can make love.

Let's get Started on the rest:

Cut all avocados in half and scoop out the center. Chop the tomato, green onions and garlic and toss into a bowl with the avocados. Put cumin, chili powder and lime into the bowl. Mash gently with potato masher until creamy, but there are still chunks of avocado.

Instructions for assembling the egg roll:

Peel off one egg roll wrapper. Place about 2 tablespoons of the avocado mixture at one end of the wrapper.

Roll once. Fold in the sides. Continue to roll. When you get to the end wet the wrapper with water. Finish rolling and press the wet end of the wrapper closed with your fingers.

Keep making egg rolls until you’ve used all the filling.

** IMPORTANT ** Place each egg roll on a damp paper towel covered with a damp paper towel. You don’t want them to dry out.

Pour olive oil in a preheated skillet over medium high heat. Brown egg rolls on each side turning when needed. When browned on each side place on paper towel lined plate.

Season with salt and serve with dipping sauce.



My niece AJ with her Daddy savoring all the goodies.......

Grilled Romaine Hearts - Yes I said Grilled!!!

GRILLED ROMAINE HEARTS WITH AVOCADO-LIME DRESSING

What you need.....

 

2 romaine hearts, washed, trimmed, and sliced in half
1 clove of garlic (chopped)

2 tablespoons olive oil
a pinch of salt and pepper

Avocado Lime Dressing

1 ripe avocado
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped all small
½ teaspoon agave or honey
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup water
salt to taste

For the dressing, put all the ingredients in a small food processor and combine until creamy. Add the pinch of sea salt and mix it in. If too thick, add more water until it looks like salad dressing (like a ranch dressing texture). Pour it all into a small container and refrigerate until the lettuce is ready.

Medium/High Heat on Grill

Mix Oil/Salt/Pepper/Garlic and brush or spoon the oil mixture to the cut side of the lettuce. Place the lettuce face down on the grill for 60 seconds or until there are clear grill marks and the leaves are beginning to wilt. Flip the hearts over and grill the other side for another 60 seconds. 

 

 

 

When they look good, put them on a plate and put some dressing over the hearts. Top with sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, and plenty of black pepper.

 Enough for 4 people with some extra dressing

 

 

~*~ Party in your Mouth ~*~

 

Blooming Onion Bread - Oh Yeah!!!!!

My husbands birthday had me grilling and creating things I've never done before, but recipe kept my mouth watering, so making this was a must.......

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

1 Unsliced loaf of Sourdough Bread (I picked one up from Panera Bread)

 

12-16oz Montery Jack Cheese block (thinly sliced) - I actually used 8oz and I thought it was more

than enough - I couldn't used a few more slices, but all n'all it was outstanding!!

 

1/2 Cup Butter

 

1/2 Cup Finely diced green onions (I placed green onions in the food processor first then measured 1/2 cup)

 

2 Tsp. Poppy Seeds

 

Cut the bread lengthwise and widthwise without cutting through the bottom crust. This can be a little tricky going the second way but the bread is very forgiving.

 

Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Insert cheese slices between cuts.

 

Melt butter and combine green onions and poppy seeds.  Drizzle over bread.  Wrap in foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Unwrap the bread and bake 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.

While still in oven it looked like this:

 

Then of course presentation is everything....this was the first of many goodies I made for my husbands B-Day dinner:

It looked like this for just a few minutes, before we pulled apart and devoured!!!

 

Tropical Sun Smoothie

Oh Damn!  My new fav green veggie - Bok Choy.  First time having it and seriously thinking of many new ways to eat it ... or drink it in this case.....

Totally enjoying my new "Green Book"....this is one of the recipes that I've enjoyed for the last 4 straight days straight - just can't get enough.....I'm thinking of adding some strawberries the next time around....  Optional additional ingredients "Chia Seeds" or "Ground Flax" for added benefits.

TROPICAL SUN SMOOTHIE

2 bulbs Bok Choy
1 Orange (peeled of course)
1 Cup Coconut Water
1 Cup Pineapple (frozen)
1 Banana
1 Tablespoon of Virgin Coconut I bought mine at Trader Joe's and  totally use this on my face every night - about 1/4 teaspoon is more than enough...

BLEND FIRST 3 INGREDIENTS UNTIL SMOOTH - I use a Ninja!!  Then add remaining ingredients.....

BLEND & ENJOY!!

 

 

A LITTLE FYI:

Benefits of Bok Choy:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/5382-need-health-benefits-bok-choy/

Benefits of Coconut Oil:
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-amazing-health-benefits-of-virgin-coconut-oil.html

DIY - Jewelry Hanger

Another day of DIY'ing !!

I found an old frame and put it to use.  First I went to Home Depot, bought myself Gutter Guard (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Amerimax-Home-Products-6-in-x-36-in-Hinged-Gutter-Guard-Unpainted-85280BX/100002884) and a pair of Snips.

Got home and got to work.....

So simple and easy to do!!  TADA!!





Now hung in our bathroom, that way my daughters and I have a place to hang our jewelry rather than taking chance of losing it by leaving them on top of the sink.

Vintage Inspired Bathroom with Recycled Decor

If my husband comes home trying to figure out where I moved things now, he's going to have a cow.  Well he better grab his lasso, because I'm in for another DIY adventure :)

I hate to throw away wine bottles, love the shape and I know there is something I can use them for.....I started removing the labels by simply adding hot water INSIDE of the bottle, then soaking the entire bottle in hot water for a few hours until the labels could slip right off.  The remaining goop was removed with a brillo pad - so easy!

Anyway, before I even thought about giving my bathroom "another" makeover, I started with one bottle and moved on to two bottles, then thought to myself...OMG! I can redecorate my bathroom again with a vintage inspired theme....

This is how it started.....

I poured white paint (I already had this paint, otherwise I would've taken a trip to Home Depot).  I swooshed around until the bottle was completely covered inside then just placed it upside down so that the remaining paint could pour out.

Then I took a trip to Michaels and purchased these cute little vintage keys (I had a 50% of coupon - so I was in my glory)

I took the bottles to the bathroom and began to think of how I could decorate using these bottles.  I had some book-boxes, etc. for extra décor.

THIS IS HOW I FIRST SET THINGS UP:

 

THEN OF COURSE I CHANGED MY MIND .....

I'M NOT DONE YET, I STILL HAVE ONE WALL THAT I'M WORKING ON IN THE BATHROOM AND CHANGING DECOR ON THE LONG STEP GOING INTO THE TUB - I'LL POST PICS WHEN COMPLETE...UNTIL THEN...HAPPY DIY'ing

Mudslide Smoothie ....

I'm always trying to create new smoothie recipes ...this is just Kale' licious!!!!!!  

......and with all the benefits of Kale and Berries....Mud-Therapy anyone?

Ingredients:

1/2 Frozen Banana
1 Cup Frozen Mixed Berries
1 Handful of Kale
1 Cup Almond Milk

Blend and..... Ahhhhh!

Mudslide Smoothie



Good Morning Smoothie

Well Good morning!!!!!

Here's a good way to kick-start your day while having a party in your mouth.......

1 Cup Vanilla Yogurt
1 Banana
1/2 Cup Frozen Pineapple Chunks
3 Cuties (peeled of course)
1/2 Cup Almond Milk - Vanilla

Blend and add more milk if need be - depends on your preference....Sip....Enjoy

Add'l ingredients if you'd like.....

Chia Seeds

OR

Chia Seeds and 1/4 Cup of Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

OR

1 Scoop of Protein
 
You choose or enhance with your preferred flavors...It's your party!!!!!



Cheers Chef Perez ~ Good Morning Smoothie

Welcoming February

Ok...so I might be a little too early, but who cares....I love decorating and what fun it is to decorate our home with LOVE.....

Our wishing trees from our wedding typically have the wishes from our family and friends hung; but every now and again I change it up a bit hanging seasonal décor.

Next month is Valentines Day, so changed it accordingly.....

Daily Reminders

My daughters get a kick out of Chef Perez's daily reminders and quotes....It's fun seeing them smile and laugh while being reminded of the simple things in life....

Today Chef Perez says.....

Oh So Good!!! (Banana-Berry Oatmeal Smoothie)

After the holidays this lunch is a must...or breakfast...whatever you desire. 







Ingredients:

1/2 Banana
1 Cup of Mixed Fruit (I used Strawberries & Blueberries)
1/4 Cup of Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1/2 Cup Almond Milk (Vanilla)
1/4 Cup Vanilla Yogurt
1/2 Tbsp Chia Seeds

Blend & Enjoy!!!!

Home Decor and Declutter - So many ways to organize

Well the holiday's are over and it's time to take down all Christmas and New Year's Eve Décor.  What better way than to redecorate with daily reminders.......

I'm always changing things up a bit, keeping my daughters entertained and reminding them of life's simple rules. . . 

Also, I hate clutter...so here are a few simple ideas to "hide" a few things used daily.......



Bookcase - obviously holds books, but the bins on the last shelf store crayons, markers, paper, scissors and all other craft supplies -Nice and Neat.  Also the hat box on the floor to the right, stores all of our winter hats, gloves, scarves.  The old briefcases on the floor under the TV electronics hold in/out going mail in one and the other holds extra cords, extra remotes, etc.

 


Our Daily Reminders.....and below is another reminder in our kitchen....I tend to change Chef Perez's reminder every other day, the girls get a kick out of it. 

 



 

Christmas & New Year Decor

Bringing in the New Year in our household must look fab and have some meaning to remember the old and bring in the new.  Here are a few decorations and New Year's quotes I had printed and displayed around the home.