"Caramel Frappuccino" Smoothie

Still to this day, one question I get asked that makes me giggle a little bit inside is, "don't you get sick of eating just plants and seeds?", as well as the, "so how do you get your protein?" question.  I'm aware that not everyone is aware of nutrition, and the fact that protein and iron don't just come from animals, as well as the fact that the vegan diet isn't composed of simply nuts and seeds, but c'mon now.  We're in the 2000's, technology is so advanced that we can create foods that tastes' exactly like the real thing (not that that's a good thing), but our food variety is so spectacular, that even in normal grocery stores i.e. not specialty health food stores they're are organic, gluten-free, peanut-free, vegan, lactose free, etc options.  No one should be without, especially with the Internet at our fingertips it's so easy to look up a substitution for something you may not be able to eat, need eggs in a cookie recipe, sub for chia/flaxseeds, need butter sub for fruit purees or your soy butters, want chocolate, grab your cacao nibs or some dark chocolate, etc...

When I smell a barbecue in the summer as I'm walking or driving by, I'll admit my tastebuds start to sing, but I'm only human, it doesn't mean I desire those foods, but they do smell good.  The one thing I do however miss, is the ease of not having to worry about the ingredients in the food I'm eating.

A couple of weeks ago, I went to my friends moms place for dinner.  They invited us over for dinner, and knowing how my friend is towards my food (thinks I eat the weirdest food ever... cough my kale chips is a prime example), I brought over some food for myself so I was certain that I wouldn't be without.  A couple glances were shared, and I simply explained that I follow a vegan diet.  Understanding was sort of there, but not really... dessert rolled around, and it was lemon meringue pie.  A piece was offered to me, and I quietly said, "no thank you".  "What you don't eat this either?"  And to my surprise my mom was like no, "there are eggs in there".  "You don't eat eggs either?" ... and so the conversation went on.

I do miss certain things like not having to prepare snack foods in advance.  When I go to the mall for instance and know I'll be there for cough... a few hours I bring snack foods in my purse because, for one I don't want to result to processed snack foods, and two, the average "vegan" option on the menu's are salads... well that gets pretty boring.  I mean, it's not something that drags me down, because hey if it bothered me that much I wouldn't do it, I would fall into my old ways and go for the large poutine at New York Fries and mound that down like a beast, but unfortunately with knowledge sometimes comes arrogance... and I just can't reason with myself to put that junk in my body.  If I crave something I will simply make a vegan version and that's that.

Speaking of ease though, one flavour I certainly miss, as I mentioned yesterday is caramel.  Caramel, along with cinnamon, coconut, bananas, pineapple, ginger etc... are one of my all-time favourite flavours.  Give me some butterscotch ice cream and you're my best friend for life.  Before my mom put's her spread on her crispy crunchy French toast in the morning, she likes to take a snack-size bite from the jar of the oozing-golden-brown-delicious looking caramel, and I just sit, and desire.  No, I am not denying myself this luxurious flavour but I do wish sometimes that I could do just that, not think of what is in the product and just close my eyes and devour.  Which I admit, sometimes I close a blind eye and have my ice cream.  As I've mentioned (before I get comments), I follow a 95% vegan diet.  My baking/cooking is 100% vegan, however, if I am craving some ice cream I will not deny myself this treat.  I make my banana soft serves very frequently, as well as I've had some soy ice creams (which honestly to me... they just suck, in my opinion they are simply not creamy enough.  When I'm craving ice cream it's because I want that creamy-yum factor, and those just don't do it for me... the banana soft serves do), but sometimes I feel like just giving a few dollars and having some ice cream in a cup and having a machine spew it out without me having to whip out some gadgets. 

What is the reason behind this little speech?  The fact that I was able to find vegan caramel pudding.  That little container is making my life wonderful.  I can get the "spoonful" of caramel my mom does in the morning all from the comfort of my own home, it may be more expensive than your mass-produced who-knows-what-goes-inside-this-pudding, but it's worth it and it tastes' like heaven on a spoon.

This morning I decided I wanted to treat myself to a mix of caramel, coffee and banana.  That sentence feels a little weird coming from my... fingers (I'd say mouth but I'm not talking haha).  I strongly dislike coffee (however, my coffee yoghurt is making me sort of a fan of the taste), pudding is just iffy with me, even if it's caramel flavoured, and well banana just isn't abnormal for me. 

This smoothie tasted like a cheap version of a caramel latte or frappuccino whatever those fancy drinks are, in the form of a smoothie.  It was wonderful, rich, but not too rich, and was just perfect.  This was wonderful and filled me over until lunch, I could of gave it more time until I ate lunch (I drank my smoothie at 7:30 am and ate lunch at 12:00 pm), but that's because that's what time everyone else eats at.  The added oatmeal definitely helps make the smoothie even more filling.  Will be making this again, and you should too.


"Caramel Frappuccino" Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 large banana, frozen
• 1/4 cup soy milk
• 1/4 cup caramel pudding
• 1/4 cup coffee yoghurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp oats

Directions:


Mix all of your ingredients (other than the banana, unless you use a ripe non-frozen banana), in a bowl the night before.  Cover and let sit overnight, or at least four hours before.


In the morning add your mix, plus banana to your blender, and whizz until it's nice and thick.  If you cannot get the blender moving smoothly enough, add some more liquid, but this should be enough.


Add to your cup and slurp back.

 

 Just a little hello from me :)