My mom and dad used to have a big fall party every year at their house. We would roast hot dogs and marshmallows, sitting on hay bales around a bonfire. We'd play volleyball before it got dark, and once the sun set we would go on a hayride. My mom always made wassel -- a warm drink that I couldn't get enough of. Wassel is delicious when the weather starts to get cold. Right now, it is freezing in Indiana so wassel is the perfect beverage. I made it for the first time for Travis while he was home visiting, and I made it for his family too. Everybody enjoyed it. Wassel is often served with Continue Reading
Secret Spinach Smoothie
Popeye knew what he was doing when he was eating all that spinach! It nourishes our eyes, builds our bones, and helps with our digestive system. Spinach is full of vitamins and minerals. Did you know that research studies suggest that spinach in juice form is one of the healthiest ways to consume the green goodness? It's true! Of course, I wouldn't want to drink straight spinach juice. That sounds gross. But I love this secret spinach smoothie -- it's full of spinach but you can't even taste it. Instead, it tastes like a chocolate, peanut butter, banana smoothie! Perfect to give those Continue Reading
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
I love smoothie bars. Once when we were in Knoxville visiting family, I went to The Juice Bar literally every day to get a smoothie for lunch. They were amazing! The great thing about smoothies is you can make them at home -- and you don't have to know how to cook! Smoothies are easy to make, healthy for you, and so delicious! This chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie is no different. Here's what you'll need: Cocoa powder Peanut butter (or almond butter) Bananas, sliced and frozen Honey Milk (or almond milk) Start by slicing the bananas and putting them in the Continue Reading
Warm Winter Punch
Living in Georgia, Travis and I never really experienced winter. And it was great. I'd much rather be on the beach or going for a walk in the sunshine. But now we have moved. Indiana is much different than Georgia. As soon we got here, the snow started coming down. Huge flakes were falling as we moved our furniture in to our new house. And the temperatures have been freezing. As much as I hate the winter, having warm comfort foods makes it all so much better. This warm winter punch is comforting and great for drinking while the snow is falling. Here's what you'll Continue Reading
Blackberry Gin Lemonade
It's been a long time since I posted a recipe for a beverage. So how about we do something with a kick? This blackberry gin lemonade is made with fresh blackberries! Here's what you'll need: Sugar Blackberries Water Honey Club soda Gin Lemon juice Bring the sugar, blackberries, and water to a boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Turn the heat down and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally to soften the blackberries. Stir in the honey. Remove from heat. If you have a fine mesh sieve, use it to push the blackberries mixture through so the beverage won't be full of Continue Reading
Cookies & Cream Milkshake
You know what is great about milkshakes? There are so many different flavors! One of my all-time favorite milkshake flavors is cookies and cream. When my husband whipped me up one and I tasted it's sweet creamy wonderfulness, I knew I had to share it with ya'll. Here's what you'll need: Oreos Milk Vanilla ice cream Pretty simple, huh? Put the Oreos in a Ziploc bag and crush them up. My husband used his big strong hands. But you could use a rolling pin too. Put the ice cream and milk in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the Oreo crumbs into the Continue Reading
Strawberry Oatmeal Smoothie
I'm proud to say I've been going to the gym on post to work out every day (well, not on weekends, but those don't count, right?) I usually get home right at lunch time, and I'm starving! I always want something healthy like fruits and veggies -- working out makes me want to eat healthier for some reason. Maybe because I don't want to cancel out all the work I just put in. Anyways, today I made a smoothie. Smoothies are usually pretty good for you and they are simple to make. This strawberry oatmeal smoothie had a tasty flavor and was filling. It was a great post-workout Continue Reading
Blueberry Lime Slushy
It sounds weird. It looks beautiful. It tastes tangy with a hint of sweet. It's a blueberry lime slushy. Yes, blueberries and limes together. Strange huh? But actually pretty good! The only bad thing about this beverage is you will get blueberry seeds stuck in your teeth. So drink it with folks you aren't afraid to look goofy with. What you'll need: Frozen blueberries Two limes, just their juice Ice Lemon-Lime soda (I used Sprite Zero) Honey Slice the two limes in half and juice them. Pour the juice into your blender. Pour in the frozen Continue Reading
Strawberry Lemonade
Living in Georgia, my husband and I know what heat is. I can't believe how hot it is here! So what's a better way to beat the heat than by drinking fresh strawberry lemonade? The great thing about this recipe is it's easy with few ingredients. All you need is lemons, strawberries, and sugar. Seriously, that's all. Oh wait, and water. Think you can manage getting some water? First things first, squeeze lemons. You will need between 5-8 lemons in order to get enough lemon juice for this recipe. Use a strainer to put the 1 cup of lemon juice into the blender. This way you won't get Continue Reading