An array of smoothies + a batch of cookies.

Like I said yesterday, I thoroughly enjoyed the Peanut Butter Cup Smoothies and knew that I would be seeing them more than once this week.  This morning, I made the smoothie again, however, I added oats to make it even more filling since lunch is going to be later this morning due to the fact that they didn't start filming until a little later today.  The oats are definitely helping, seeing as I ate breakfast at seven this morning, since I woke up at 2:00 am and didn't go back to sleep, and did my one hour of biking at 5:00 am (thankfully my mom didn't awake from the noise), but it meant that my schedule was a lot earlier than usual.  I have to say a mere two tbsp of oats definitely goes a long way.

The smoothie was just as delicious (why wouldn't it be?) and it had a nice earthy-oat additional flavour... it was like an oatmeal peanut butter cookie.  In my morning smoothies, if I'm being lazy, and just want a simple five or so ingredient smoothie I stick to 1 frozen banana, 1/2 cup soy milk, 1/2 cup water, handful of spinach, and 1 scoop of peanut butter protein powder, which don't get me wrong is one of my favourite ways of having a smoothie, but having real peanut butter vs protein powder just makes it that much creamier and smoother.  I have a feeling when my protein powder is done I will be sticking to regular peanut butter from then on, not only is it /cough cheaper (as my protein was $100... yes it was a lot), but it also takes much less cupboard space since I used peanut butter for more than one thing, and those giant protein powder containers can be room-taking.

So, I literally did the same thing for my smoothie this morning, but I'll add the ingredients anyway.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Smoothie

Recipe by me

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup rice milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 handful of spinach
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp homemade peanut butter 
• 2 tbsp oats

Topped with:

• Peanuts
• Cacao nibs

Coconut Oatmeal Almond Cookies

Recipe thoroughly adapted from here

 

Speaking of oatmeal cookies.  Over the weekend I made some delicious oatmeal cookies.  It had been forever since I've had a hearty, oaty cookie, and I'd been craving a big-fluffy cookie for a few days.  That's when I got into the kitchen and started my masterpiece.  I was going to my families house over the weekend too so it was a perfect reason to make cookies right?  I mean, I have two four year old cousins, what kid doesn't like oatmeal cookies, and what parent doesn't love to give their child a healthy cookie (minus the granulated sugar).  Oh, it felt weird putting granulated sugar into a recipe, it's been months since I've even touched granulated sugar... I reduced the amount of sugar however, and the cookies still came out delightfully.  I changed the recipe quite a bit, and boy were they a hit.  I gave some to the accountant at work though and she thought they were "too full of oatmeal", which made me laugh so she's giving them to her children haha.  I enjoyed them a lot, and oh, so did my mother let me tell you...


Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup grapeseed + 2 tbsp
• 1 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut meat
• 1/2 + 3 tbsp cup sliced almonds
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp raspberry agave nectar
• 4 tbsp rice milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a mixing bowl add all of the ingredients. Combine with a rubber spatula and/or using your hands to mix thoroughly.

Place spoonfuls of cookies 2 inches apart, as they will expand during baking, and flatten slightly with a fork or your fingers.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until they begin to brown around the edges. Cool cookies in cookie sheets for about 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

In my "writer's block" period as we shall call it, I was still cooking... baking not so much, photographing very little, but when I was starting to get back into it, I was simply taking pictures of my breakfasts' as my lunch and dinners were really, really... uninspiring.  I'm just going to post some of my favourite's.  They were all good, and if you like the flavour combination's that they hold then you will probably enjoy them as much as I did :).

This smoothie was very good, thick, and creamy.  It had wonderful tropical flavours, and the avocado wasn't too overwhelming.  I changed up the recipe a bit, just so I could use up certain ingredients, and to also play around with the flavours how I would of liked to see them in the drink.  I enjoyed the drink thoroughly and really enjoyed the minty-green colour of the drink, it was a perfect way to start a weekend as it was very filling!

Pina-vocado Smoothie

Recipe adapted from here 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (therefore it was thinner than store-bought OJ so I added more water to the smoothie)
• 1/2 cup water
• Core of one frozen pineapple
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/2 of a frozen banana
• 1 tbsp rice milk
• Coconut meat to garnish

Directions:

Blend and enjoy.

Choco-cherry Banana Smoothie

Recipe by me

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cherries + 1/4 cup whole cherries
• 1/2 cup chocolate soy milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 tsp almond extract
• Slivered almonds, coconut flakes, carob chips

Directions:

Blend and enjoy.

Tropical Smoothie

Recipe by me

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mango
• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder

Directions:

Blend and enjoy.

Peachy-keen Smoothie

Recipe by me

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 frozen peaches
• 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon + more to garnish

Directions:

Blend top with additional cinnamon and enjoy.

Enjoy :)