A Green Smoothie (that actually tastes delicious!)

Green smoothies always scared me.  I liked the idea of drinking in so many fruits and vegetables and all their nutritional goodness but I was hesitant (spinach and broccoli juice, anyone?).  Living with roommates a couple years ago, I found myself in the presence of a juicing machine.  I was excited for this new-to-me kitchen gadget and went on a week long juicing binge, liquefying everything in sight.  One particularly ambitious day, I decided to make my very first green smoothie.  I juiced, liquefied, pulverized, smashed, squeezed and blended a couple weeks worth of produce into one thick, sludgy green refreshment.  I was so proud of myself and envisioning my smoothie as my own godsend creation about to be bequeathed unto the Internet for the benefit of mankind everywhere.  Until I took a big gulp.  And subsequently spat it out onto the window in front of me.  Not quite the green elixir of the vegetable gods I had imagined.  Not wanting to waste the $30 in produce I concentrated into a single large glass, I plugged my nose and tipped it down the gullet (by the way, plugging your nose does not prevent you from tasting unpleasant things.  We were lied to in childhood).  I vowed to never juice anything but fruit ever again.  And I was convinced that green juices could never taste good.  The mere image of a thick, green smoothie made my stomach churn and brought back memories of simultaneously gagging and gulping the green goop.  I had definitely been a little too heavy handed on the cruciferous component.  This is not that smoothie.

Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup with Kale

Soooo I wasn’t planning on doing another crockpot soup recipe so soon, but in a dramatic turn of events, I came down with a wicked cold and sinus infection yesterday.  Awesome.  It feels like I swallowed a vat of acid and then got hit by a semi.  And the timing couldn’t be better.  I had to film a tv commercial today.  Somehow I manage to drug myself up to resemble a normal human being for a few hours (I’m sure the professional makeup helped a little too…).  But anyways, I made it through the day and had a ton of fun!  But now I’m back in bed and my cold has caught up to me.  So what a better way to nourish a sick soul than a hearty bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup loaded with kale?  Since my Mom doesn’t live here to make me soup when I’m sick and there is an absence of a Mister in my life to warm up a can of Campbell’s for me, the soup responsibility fell onto myself.  So I took the easy road and threw it all in the crockpot and let it do the work for me.  The soup is so yummy I almost wish I got sick more often!  Haha  Just kidding!  I really don’t need an excuse to enjoy a bowl of chicken noodle soup!

Lemon Lavender Greek Yogurt Poundcake

Happy Easter to all you lovely people out there!!!  This is the perfect yellow and purple cake to serve to your loved ones!  Because really, who doesn’t love a dense, moist hunk of poundcake (particularly with their morning coffee!)?  I sure do and I suspect I’m not the only one!  I just don’t like how the pound of butter in a poundcake converts to 7 extra pounds on my hips… But not this recipe!  It gets it’s richness from Greek Yogurt instead of horrifying amounts of butter.  So I can have my cake and eat it too!  (Without feeling guilty and spending 14 hours in the gym running it off).

Before Christmas I saw a little jar of lavender at a spice shop.  I was intrigued.  I had seen lavender in a few recipes and was curious to try it my own baking.  It gives this cake a little something extra.  You get a subtle floral aftertaste that’s just enough to make you notice there’s something special in there!  It’s a great way to add a little spring touch to a delicious Lemon Poundcake, just go easy on the lavender or it will start to taste perfume-y.  Yuck.  You should be able to find lavender at spice shops or online at Silk Road Spice Merchants.

Crockpot French Onion Soup

Surprise Mama!  I made you a delicious bowl of sweet, caramelized onion-y, cheesy, toasty heaven-in-a-bowl goodness more commonly called French Onion Soup.  The best part is the soup pretty much made itself while I relaxed all day by the beach slaved away at the office.  Prepping the ingredients all morning left my fingers smelling like french onion soup which gave me a reminiscing (drooling) whiff all day at work of what I couldn’t yet devour.  It was a long, tummy-grumbling 9 hours.  But ohhhhh baby was it worth it!!!

Grilled Halloumi and Quinoa Salad

If I told you I had grilled cheese for dinner, you’d probably assume I meant the delicious toasty, cheesy sandwich that I happen to have an unnatural obsession with love.  But no!  This time I meant I had cheese that I grilled!  Now if you are wondering how long I had to scrub a horrendously gooey cheese mess off my grill, then I would like to introduce you to halloumi, the cheese that’s made to grill!  Seriously, is there anything cheese can’t do?!?!  Halloumi is a sheep and/or goat’s milk cheese with a really high melting point.  This means it grills like a beauty!  It gets a nice golden crust and gooey, melty inside.  Cheese heaven, I am telling you.  The texture reminds me of squeaky mozzarella but the taste is salty like feta.  It’s the perfect cheesy compliment to this fresh and zesty salad.  It’s a great, light vegetarian meal, perfect after indulging in a little too much [insert food that makes you lose all will power until it's completely hoovered up here].  So go out and track down some halloumi, you can thank me later for your new favourite salad addition.