16 Sep 2013

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea Latte

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pumpkinspice

No more need to go to Starbucks! 🙂

You can make this very easily with items you already have on hand and enjoy this lovely drink (iced or hot) – all year long.  I tried it first yesterday and it was 98 degrees here in Little Rock, so – I had it both hot and cold!

I found a recipe online that was adapted from many other recipes, so I adapted it myself, and even would make changes to what I did this first time. (The following recipe indicates changes).  I’ve shared the Pumpkin Syrup and have also enjoyed this recipe iced or hot and frothy!  Another great use for our Ninja – which we love!

 

Recipe: (serves 2-4 adults, depending on the size of your mugs)

 

2 cups whole milk

4 Stash Chai Tea bags

1 T vanilla bean paste

3 T pumpkin syrup (recipe below)

Fresh grated cinnamon and nutmeg to taste

1 T sugar

 

Heat milk, sugar, syrup and tea bags on stove until not quite boiling (over medium heat so you don’t scorch your milk) – because who wants burnt milk?

Take off heat and add in vanilla bean paste and spices.  Then remove the tea bags.

Pour into a blender of some sort and turn it on until frothy!

Pour in mug or over ice in a glass and enjoy!  I didn’t have any whipped cream or I would have added it – but I did sprinkle some spices on top!

 

Syrup:

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 cinnamon sticks and whole cloves

nutmeg and ginger to taste

3 T pumpkin puree

 

Heat sugar and water until sugar is dissolved, add in flavorings and puree. Heat until almost boiling for about 5 minutes.  Take off heat and let sit 10-15 minutes.  Pour through a mesh sieve and then store in container in fridge.  Use as much as you want!

17 Mar 2010

St. Patrick's Day Green Smoothie

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This was so yummy! 🙂 Maybe my fave green smoothie to date!
At Whole Foods on Sunday, I bought a little packet of this stuff. I had tried it in there one day, didn’t want to pay a TON for it, so then I saw this little packet – that’s my style. Added good nutrients to my already good for me smoothie.
Also in the smoothie was 1/4 cup of this yummy stuff! More nutrients and added good smooth texture! Got it at Whole Foods too!
Also normal stuff: 1 1/2 cup frozen strawberries (from Huber’s last year), 1/2 red pear, 16 oz water, 1/2 banana, 1 1/2 big handfulls of spinach.

This was so good. I drank half and will drink the other half for breakfast this morning. I anticipate being full until my lunch at Cheesecake Factory!

12 Feb 2010

Yoplait Giveaway

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Smoothies are everywhere! Lyon in the Kitchen had one on his show the other day. Green Smoothies are all the health rage. Smoothie King is raking in the dough! So, wanna make your own at home?
Yoplait and My Blog Spark are giving you the chance for a “Free” smoothie. You get a coupon for a Yoplait Smoothie (found in freezer dessert section) and a single serve blender – I LOVED THIS this morning. Will definitely keep it.
You could either drink the whole thing, or actually have two servings. The one I chose, the Strawberry Mango Pineapple was a little sweet – but those are naturally sweet fruits too.
So, all you have to do is leave me a comment – what is your favorite smoothie? It can be homemade, green, take out, restaurant, whatever…
Let me know!
19 Jan 2010

Day 5 Green Smoothie and Recap

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Ok – here is my last smoothie for the week of smoothies:

1/4 apple
1/2 banana
1/2 cara cara orange
1 1/2 tsp ground flax
1 1/3 cup water
1 cup spinach
3/4 cup kale
3/4 cup frozen strawberries

Mix all.
Very good – not too sweet.

I like the low-cal, heavy fiber, portability of green smoothies.
I like the quickness of them in the morning.
I like all the veggies and fruits you are getting first thing in the morning.
I would like more protein in mine – I usually pair it with pb on a thin or something. PB in the morning is so good.
Now, for the week of oats.

15 Jan 2010

Day of Green Smoothie – 4

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This one was so quick this morning – and yummy and healthy – because I woke up late. Already drank half of it before leaving the house (with oats in a jar/ 1/2 banana) and sipping on the other half in my SBTS insulated tumbler.

1/4 red apple
1/2 naval orange
1/2 banana
2 small pieces mango
3/4 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup spinach
2 stalks kale
1 1/2 cup water

You know what to do. Blend away! Enjoy!
150, .5, 7 fiber = 2 points, and a ton of veggies!

14 Jan 2010

Day 3 of Green (Blue) Smoothies

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This morning my smoothie ended up being blue – blueberries are potent! Mine was thick and sweet. The blender seemed extra loud to me this morning, so I didn’t mix it as much. Still so good – and I cranked it all into a calculator – 145c, .5 f, 6 fiber! I also had a pb thin which was good and so I’ll be full for a good bit!

1/4 red delicious apple
1/2 banana
1/2 naval orange (I used the juice of it last night for some scones, recipe coming later)
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1 1/2 cup spinach
2 small stalks kale
1 1/4 cup water

Mix all. Enjoy.

Since I forgot the ground flax seed – I sprinkled some on my pb thin this morning – added a little texture!
Happy Breakfasting no matter what color your smoothies!

13 Jan 2010

Day 2 of Green Smoothies

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I am trying Green smoothies for 5 days in a row this week. So far, yesterday, I was fuller all day (which basically means I needed less to fill me up once I got hungry again – if that makes any sense at all).
Here was my smoothie this morning
1/4 red delicious apple
1 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 small banana
2 small branches kale
1 1/2 cups spinach
2 tsp ground flax
1 1/2 cups water

Not as sweet as yesterdays, but good – and healthy for me.

12 Jan 2010

My first green smoothie

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Actually, it is just my first time making it in my own kitchen. I had one back in November from my friend Rachael in Wake Forest, then I made one for my Dad over Thanksgiving. But, I used my brand new red black and decker blender I got at Kohls after Thanksgiving for 27$. Much cheaper than a VitaMixer for right now.

My friend Becca was coming over. This thing is so healthy and good for you and filling and low in points (if doing weight watchers). I’ve also listed the health benefits of what I threw in:

1/2 large red delicious apple:

1 cara cara orange from tree in parents yard:

1 small banana:

3/4 cup frozen strawberries (picked from Huber’s this summer and frozen):

1/8 cup cut mango:

2.5 stalks of kale:

3 cups fresh baby spinach:

1/2 cup water:

1 T ground flax seed:

I blended the water and apple first, then did it all in that order till it was ready to go! My blender worked fabulously!