Category Archives: Vegan

Broccoli & Apple Quick Slaw

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Broccoli & Apple Quick Slaw | So...Let's Hang Out

My life has felt pretty full lately.

On one hand, it is wonderful. I’ve been working hard doing the things I love to do. I pretty much get to take pictures for a living. I get to put words to paper. I get to meet lots of new people and forge new connections. I get to use my hands to create things. I also get the chance to come here and chat with you and share my unbridled enthusiasm about smoothies and shoving things in a crock pot. Chatting with you is one of my favorite things. I feel pretty darn lucky.

On the other hand…

The dishes occasionally get piled a little higher than I would like. The number of emails in my inbox seem to be staring at me funny. The mountain of laundry is intimidating and something I would rather nap in than fully tackle. I have a brand new David Sedaris book that seems to be stuck in rabbit ears around page 12. The amount of scrap paper and weird Amazon packaging that seems to have accumulated in my office could be considered light hoarding. Seriously, as I type this, I am sitting in close proximity to: Magazines, duct tape, three cardboard boxes, poster board, a water color painting of  Justin Bieber as a polar bear, scotch tape, unsorted mail, and about three different camera bags that look like they have all exploded. This is real life.

I am sure you get this. Maybe you’re sitting around less debris. I should really get rid of these boxes. It’s another level.

So, here we are on Monday. I am going to try to tackle my email inbox and attempt to clear out the messiness that is my work space. I already downed a large green juice. Can we put on some hype music and maybe bust a few moves? Get the blood pumping!!!  Whoooo! Sometimes a mess of this magnitude needs a motivational soundtrack.

As far as meals go, I need something simple. I literally threw this together in five minutes. It’s going to be lunch. Look at all of that glorious nutrition! Insert more hype music, followed by more dance moves. Let’s make this Monday better with this Broccoli and Apple Quick Slaw! I’m in if you are. Go team!

Broccoli & Apple Quick Slaw | So...Let's Hang OutI purchased a bag of pre-shredded broccoli slaw from Trader Joes. That stuff is incredible! I am pretty sure it is just shredded broccoli stems, and you could make it very easily in your food processor, however, I totally bought mine pre-shredded. I am in no mood to turn down a short cut. The other ingredients are chopped apples, shredded carrots, toasted sunflower seeds and some sliced red onion. Easy.

Broccoli & Apple Quick Slaw | So...Let's Hang Out

To dress our slaw, I threw together a quick honey mustard vinaigrette. All of the ingredients go into a mason jar and is shaken vigorously until everything comes together. BAM! You’ve got dressing.

Broccoli & Apple Quick Slaw | So...Let's Hang Out

See how easy that was? If you throw a chicken breast on here, this could totally be dinner. Or, you can do what I plan to do and literally eat this entire thing straight from the bowl. No shame. If you are looking for something to pack up and take to work for lunch, this slaw is a great move. The leftovers, even though they are dressed, will not get immediately soggy like a lettuce-based salad! :)

Wishing you a productive week with the appropriate motivational soundtrack! We’ve got this! xo

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Broccoli & Apple Quick Slaw

Ingredients

    Slaw
  • 3 cups shredded broccoli slaw (I got mine from Trader Joes. If you can't find it, simply process broccoli stems in your food processor.)
  • 1-2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 apple, chopped
  • 1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds
    • Dressing
  • 3 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbs raw honey
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  1. Combine all of your salad ingredients into a large bowl and set aside.
  2. Add all of your salad dressing ingredients into a mason jar. Put the lid on your jar and shake vigorously until all of the ingredients are combined.
  3. Dress your salad, and toss together to distribute your dressing.
  4. Serve and enjoy!
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Beet, Honey & Yogurt Smoothie

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Beet, Honey & Yogurt Smoothie | So...Let's Hang Out

How is everyone’s guacamole hangover going? You know what they say… the best way to cure a hangover is to eat some guacamole in the shower. Or was that drink a beer in the shower? I can never remember. Perhaps do both to cover your bases. Tortilla chips in the shower are not recommended, however, as they tend to get soggy when mixed with water. You’re going to have to go at it with a spoon. NBD.

So, this weekend I made one of these:

crumbleriver-1207blog

Oh, Emma.

And headed out here:

crumbleriver-1217blog

Where we were spoiled with a ridiculously delicious dinner by a visiting friend who happens to be a fantastic chef. Not too bad, right? I will totally share some more photos and the recipe for that Strawberry & Rhubarb Crumble with you later in the week. It’s serious. You are going to want to come back for that one.

Right now, I need something to get me back on track. This weekend was fun. I drank too much sangria. I ate a lot of carbs. I found gluten-free baguettes at a local bakery. All bets were off. I feel like I have a bit of a life hangover right now… so, we’re going to blend some stuff together and make things manageable. It’s going to be delicious. We are totally throwing in handfuls of healthy things like spinach and chia seeds. It’s that kind of smoothie. This might also help with your guacamole and margarita-fueled hangovers. Maybe don’t take that guacamole in the shower… maybe just make this instead. It’s totally up to you. No judgements.

Beet, Honey & Yogurt Smoothie | So...Let's Hang Out

Look at that cast of characters! This is going to be good. Are you looking at those beets funny? Don’t worry. I promise I’m not trying to kill you. They add a nice body to the smoothie and a subtle sweetness. We’re first going to roast them in the oven to get them nice and soft! My husband was extremely skeptical of those beets, but once I handed him his smoothie it was basically gone. Not to mention that color! Seductive. If you are of the vegan or paleo variety, you can totally swap out that yogurt for coconut milk!

Beet, Honey & Yogurt Smoothie | So...Let's Hang Out

Let’s totally beet up this Monday (puns, can’t stop).  BAM! Wishing you a fantastic guacamole and tequila detox. Ooomph. Don’t worry… we’ve got this. xo

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Beet, Honey & Yogurt Smoothie

Yield: 2 smoothies

Ingredients

  • 1 medium beet, roasted & peeled
  • 1 1/2 cups almond milk
  • 1 banana, chopped
  • 1/4 cup plain organic yogurt (or coconut milk for vegan/paleo option)
  • 2 large handfuls of spinach
  • 2 tbs chia seeds
  • 1-2 tablespoons of honey (depending on how sweet you like your smoothies)
  • 4-5 ice cubes

Instructions

  1. Roast and peel your beets
  2. Add all of your ingredients into your blender and process on high until everything is completely combined, about two minutes.
  3. Serve and enjoy with a friend!
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Watermelon Margaritas

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Watermelon Margaritas | So...Let's Hang Out

Last week.

Don’t even get me started.

I came here on Friday to write you a post about my various kitchen mishaps. The post got too long. That’s right. It was that kind of week. I found myself on Facebook complaining and insisting we all have margaritas. Yeah, I wasn’t kidding…

These drinks are what happens when you manage to make lemon bars taste like scary scrambled eggs, spend hours making gluten-free gnocchi that ends up turning into doggie treats, and make yourself a green smoothie that tastes like wet salad. Yes, I did these things. It got real. Oh, boy. I have some scores to settle with a couple of recipes. They will be mine. Mark my words.

Watermelon Margaritas | So...Let's Hang Out

Maybe it’s unorthodox to have a margarita post on a Monday. But, you know what? Mondays are hard. Last week was hard.  These would go really well with a couple of chicken tacos for dinner. Am I wrong? Go with it. It’s totally almost Cinco De Mayo. Yes, that holiday where we’re allowed to have a margarita with lunch and eat obscene amounts of guacamole on EVERYTHING. Gosh, that’s a good holiday!  Let’s do that.

Watermelon Margaritas | So...Let's Hang Out

This weekend was really warm in the Bay Area. It was verging on summer temperatures. My husband and I spent a lot of our time outside. There was a lot of grilling, entertaining and awkward tan lines. I don’t know about you, but when it starts to heat up, I fantasize about watermelon. I think about eating it by the slice. Cold. A lot of it.  Admittedly, I tend to over do it with the first watermelon of the season. Things happen to your body when you decide to take on a whole watermelon by yourself. This is not recommended. Slow down. Be sensible. Share it with a friend of two. Make these margaritas! Sure they are pink and are garnished with a slice of fruity-goodness, but your dude-man-friend will totally like them. My manly-whiskey-beer-drinking-husband drank two.

Watermelon Margaritas | So...Let's Hang Out

See? I even caught his man-hand on camera pouring himself a fresh drink. Good man.

Watermelon Margaritas | So...Let's Hang Out

The ingredients are fresh and simple. We juiced some fresh limes, pureed some watermelon in the blender, salted the rims of some glasses and the rest is simple and boozy. I know traditional margarita recipes call for Cointreau, but we didn’t have any on hand. Instead we used some plain, non-name-brand triple sec, which worked just fine. Feel free to adapt the recipe as you see fit. I prefer my margaritas on the rocks, but this recipe would make a fine blended drink as well! These are best enjoyed while sitting on the deck, lightly sweating, in unflattering workout pants. That last statement might be slightly subjective.

Watermelon Margaritas | So...Let's Hang Out

Cheers, Friends! Here is a to a fantastic week!

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Watermelon Margaritas

Ingredients

  • 2 shots of silver tequila
  • 1/2 shot of freshly-squeezed lime juice
  • 1/2 shot of triple sec
  • 1 1/2 shots watermelon puree
  • Ice
  • Coarse sea salt, for rim
  • Wedge of watermelon and lime, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Slice up part of your watermelon, remove the rind, and add a couple of slices to a blender. I used two large slices of watermelon, and it yielded about two cups of watermelon puree.
  2. Add ice to your cocktail shaker. Add tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and watermelon puree to your shaker and shake vigorously.
  3. Salt the rim of your glass by running a lime wedge around the entire rim and then dipping the moistening lip of the glass into a shallow dish of sea salt.
  4. Add a couple of ice cubes to your salted rim glass, and pour the margarita from the shaker into the glass.
  5. Garnish with a slice of watermelon and a lime wedge.
  6. If you want to prepare these as blended margaritas, forgo the shaker and put all of the ingredients into a blender and process on high. I would use approximately 10 ice cubes in the blended version. Serve in a salted glass.
  7. Enjoy!
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Kale, Apple & Ginger Juice

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Kale, Apple & Ginger Juice | So... Let's Hang Out

You know it’s spring when…

You wake drowsily at 9:00am because you were forced to take a powerful antihistamine the night before. You took this antihistamine because of all of the mosquito bites that you have managed to acquire. They itch. You have a particularly gnarly one on your stomach, which proves curious since you don’t remember wearing anything resembling a crop-top. You’ve been spending a lot of time outside. Even at night. This is where all of those rosy mosquito bites came from.  It’s been sunshine on sunshine on sunshine. You’ve been sporting a tank top and frolicking in the outdoors despite your allergies. Your eyes are swelling slightly? You can’t breathe? We should probably go inside…BUT IT’S JUST SO GOSH DARN SUNNY! Your body craves this wicked vitamin D festival, so you ignore your allergies, eat some local honey, inhale some prescription nose spray and get real about eye-drops. You start scoping out and trying to guesstimate how much of your backyard your next door neighbors can see through their kitchen window. Obviously this is because you would like to read a good book while wearing your birthday suit. You surmise the neighbors can see way too much. You also surmise that they’ve already seen way too much. Why did you not check this out before you decided to go out into the yard in your underpants (MULTIPLE times)? Not sure. Oh well. You find yourself out at farmer’s markets. You find yourself paying $7.50 for a green juice. You know this is expensive, but you can’t help it. It looks so good. You suck down $7.50 worth of fruits and veggies in a flash. You try to be mad about the price, but you can’t because it tastes too good, although once it is gone you find yourself tinged with a bit of regret. You have an awesome juicer. You could have made three green juices at that price. Sheesh. Also, you should put sunscreen on your husband’s neck, it’s about to burn. This is our real life.

Kale, Apple & Ginger Juice | So... Let's Hang Out

Spring is MADE for green juice. I will admit to you in the last weeks of winter my juicer took a nap. Something about rain and having to wear a sweater inside made it hard for me to want to spend a chunk of time making a cold glass of veggies. I made lots of soup. I baked too many cookies.  But, Friends! I am so jazzed on juice and smoothies right now (oh, and cocktails too). The sun is back, the flowers are blooming (just ask that tickle in your nose!) and it’s time to flood our bodies with things that are good and green. It might also be time to plant a tree in front of the neighbors kitchen window. Just sayin’.

I try to get creative with my juicing, especially when it’s a recipe I share with all of you lovelies  I realized in all of the juice recipes I have shared with you , I have never shared my go to green drink. This juice is something I could drink every single day. It’s simple, delicious and packed with tons of nutrition! Plus, I tend to have all of these ingredients on hand in my fridge. That is always a plus, right? Affirmative.

Kale, Apple & Ginger Juice | So... Let's Hang Out

I hope you are enjoying all the loveliness of spring with 100% less mosquito bites! Dust of your juicers… ready…set…GO!  xoxo

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Kale, Apple & Ginger Juice

Yield: 4 cups of juice

Ingredients

  • 1 English cucumber, peeled
  • 1 Meyer lemon, peeled
  • 1 bunch of celery
  • 2 Gala apples, chopped
  • 1 inch of ginger root
  • 8 Lacinato kale leaves
  • 1-2 Romaine hearts

Instructions

  1. Wash and prep all of your fruits and veggies.
  2. Run them through the juicer.
  3. Enjoy immediately or bottle it up for later. Store in an airtight container such as a mason jar for up to 48 hours. Try to fill your mason jars as close to the top as possible so that there is the least amount of air between your juice and the tight fitting lid.
  4. Enjoy!
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Raw Apple Pie Energy Bites {Gluten Free, Vegan, Paleo}

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Raw Apple Pie Energy Bites | So...Let's Hang Out

So… here it is. Monday. We meet again

The weekend was fantastic. There was LOTS of sunshine. There was grill use. There were pricey organic hot dogs. There was a pricey organic hot dog combined with raw sauerkraut situation (so good). There were white wine spritzers out on the deck while we played a riveting game of Yahtzee.  There was a farmer’s market meet-up with awesome friends and their awesome kiddos. There was a beach. There was a very enthusiastic Emma at the beach who got to swim in the ocean for the first time. She was the happiest. There were long walks in the warm afternoon to go get gelato.  It felt like summer vacation. Why do we not get summer vacation as grown ups? Injustice!

As unjust as it may be, weekends end.  It’s totally Monday, and it’s totally back to real life. At least until Friday, at which point I reserve the right for it to be less like real life and more like summer camp with booze.

I’ve made you something to kick start your week. It’s an energy bite you can whip up in your food processor in a matter of minutes. You know those pricey energy bars you can buy at your health food store? You can make those. It’s simple. Plus, THESE TASTE LIKE PIE!!! Who doesn’t love pie?! Furthermore, who doesn’t like pie for breakfast? In my humble opinion, pie might be one of the best parts about the day after Thanksgiving. There’s obviously no need to make breakfast when you can cut yourself an embarrassingly large slice of pumpkin pie and eat it with your hands, like you are picking up a sandwich. I wouldn’t even be mad if there was some whipped cream on top. Whoa, this has taken a turn into my own personal pie fantasy.

I digress. Let’s do this before I start dreaming about other types of pie to put in my mouth. Basically, we have to hurry. I have about thirty seconds before I have another full on pie fantasy. It’s not my fault, it’s just the way my brain works. I really would like more excuses to eat pie for breakfast. At least these are pie-like and healthy. I can get with this.

To start, soak some medjool dates in hot water for a couple of minutes. This is totally not mandatory, but it makes them easier to work with  if they’ve been in the fridge. It helps to soften them so that it’s easier to remove their pits. It’s also going to help your mixture come together more easily in the food processor. Next, we’re going to process your dates and some dried apples.

Raw Apple Pie Energy Bites | So...Let's Hang Out

After your dates and apples come together, you’re going to throw in nuts and seeds with a little bit of cinnamon. Process it all until it comes together in an easy to work with sticky dough.Raw Apple Pie Energy Bites | So...Let's Hang Out

 Once your dough has formed, you can roll it into small tablespoon sized balls.

Raw Apple Pie Energy Bites | So...Let's Hang Out

These can be stored in your freezer in an airtight container for months, however, I doubt they’ll last that long! Enjoy! xo

Raw Apple Pie Energy Bites | So...Let's Hang Out

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Raw Apple Pie Energy Bites

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups medjool dates, soaked and pitted
  • 1 cup dried apple rings
  • 1/2 cup raw almonds
  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 1/4 cup whole roasted flax seeds
  • 2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Soak your dates in warm water for a couple of minutes. This will aid in the pitting process and make it easier. Once you dates have soaked, drain them and pit them all.
  2. Place your pitted dates into a food processor with your apple rings and process on high until they come together.
  3. Add in your almonds, cashews, flax seeds and cinnamon. Process on high again for a couple of minutes until a sticky dough like mixture has formed and your nuts and seeds have broken down quite a bit.
  4. After everything has come together, you can use your hands to form the dough into balls. I like to make mine about a tablespoon each.
  5. Place them in the freezer for an hour or so to allow them to firm up, then enjoy!
  6. You can store your energy bites in an airtight container such as a Tupperware for several months in your freezer. If you are planing on stacking your energy bites on top of each other, I would separate them with a layer of parchment paper so that they do not stick together.
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Raw Kale Salad With Creamy Almond Dressing

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Raw Kale Salad With Creamy Almond Dressing | So... Let's Hang Out

I like kale. I like it in a salad. I like it in a quiche. I like it in my dip. I find ways to put it into most everything. Remember that Shepherd’s Pie we made? I totally kale-d you. I just made a verb out of kale, and although that might be taking things too far, we’re going to run with it. Prepare to be kale-d.

So, this salad was my attempt at trying to recreate a salad that I splurged on at a restaurant over the weekend. The original recipe had a creamy tahini and peanut dressing. Can we just talk about tahini for a moment? I like the taste of it. I can never remember to purchase it. EVER. This is the reason that I never make my own hummus, or if I do, it ends up tasting like it’s missing something. This would be because it IS missing something. It’s missing the tahini I can never remember to buy. EVERRRRRR.

Needless to say, there was no tahini in my cupboards. There was also no peanut butter in my fridge. Peanuts are not on the paleo approved lists of foods(since they are technically a legume), so for the last 26 days, I have been grooving on almond butter (unless, of course, I am out at a restaurant and ordering salads that are slathered in peanut butter. Flexible morals.). Without the two basic ingredients that I knew for certain to have been in my weekend salad splurge, there was only one thing to do. Improvise. It worked out. I ate a lot of this salad. I ate the leftovers for breakfast. It worked out just fine indeed.

Raw Kale Salad With Creamy Almond Dressing | So... Let's Hang OutSee how creamy that almond dressing is? Delicious. Let’s mix it with the kale. You are going to use your hands so that you can massage the dressing into the kale leaves and mix it in really well. This will be a little bit messy, I am not going to lie to you. My insider tip would be to remove your wedding ring or other jewelry. I did not do this. My diamond is tinged with a delicious film of dried almond paste.

Raw Kale Salad With Creamy Almond Dressing | So... Let's Hang OutOnce you massage it in, you will get this. Yum.

Raw Kale Salad With Creamy Almond Dressing | So... Let's Hang OutNow, simply add all of your toppings! BAM! You just got kale-ed. (Yup. Still happening.)

Raw Kale Salad With Creamy Almond Dressing | So... Let's Hang OutI got fancy and served mine up with a half of an avocado. You will not regret it.

Raw Kale Salad With Creamy Almond Dressing | So... Let's Hang Out

Hope your day is kaletastic! Kalerific? Kaletacular? Too far? Noted. Have an awesome Wednesday, Friend!

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Raw Kale Salad With Creamy Almond Dressing

Ingredients

    Kale Salad
  • 1 bag of prewashed dinosaur kale (or two bunches, washed and de-stemmed)
  • 1/2 cup of scallions, diced
  • A handful of mint leaves, thinly chopped
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds (without shells)
  • Avocado, optional
    • Creamy Almond Dressing
  • 3 tbs almond butter
  • 2 tbs apple cider vinegar
  • 4 tbs olive oil
  • 1 tsp raw honey (use maple syrup to make vegan)
  • 1 1/2 tbs gluten-free soy sauce (use coconut aminos to make it paleo)
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 2 small cloves of garlic, peeled
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • water, as needed

Instructions

  1. In a blender, combine all of the ingredients for your salad dressing. Blend on high until the mixture comes together and becomes creamy.
  2. If your dressing is too thick, you can add a little bit of water and process again. I would add a very small bit of water (1/2 a tbs) at a time to make sure that you do not water it down too much.
  3. After your dressing has come together, set it aside.
  4. In a large bowl, mix together your kale and your dressing. Using your hands, massage it into the leaves until the dressing is mixed thoroughly throughout.
  5. Once your dressing if mixed into the kale leaves, you can add your toppings.
  6. Serve with a couple of slices of fresh avocado. This salad can be served right away, or stored for a couple of days in the fridge. Since the base is kale and not lettuce, it will not wilt in the same way,Enjoy!
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Spiced Blueberry Cashew & Coconut Smoothie

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Spiced Blueberry Cashew & Coconut Smoothie | So... Let's Hang Out

You know how life is extremely unexpected?

Let me give you some examples.

Sometimes  you’re just trying to walk your dog. Maybe on this walk you see a shirtless stranger barreling towards you on their bicycle. He is smoking a cigarette. You can’t help but think how difficult it would be to smoke a cigarette WHILE biking the hills that surround this area. That is both cardiovascular-ly challenging and counter-intuitive. You also can’t help but wonder if he’s chilly. It’s sunny, but the wind is brisk. You yourself are in a jacket and pants. He is topless.  While you are pondering both his fashion and health decisions he yells out “Get off of the flapping sidewalk!” while narrowly missing your paws with his bike tires and puffing a thick of smoke in your face. Note: He totally didn’t say flapping. I’m just trying to keep this kid-friendly. This interaction is odd. Why do I have to get off the sidewalk? I am the one walking. I am the one wearing a top. Also, why are you yelling at me? Unexpected.

Maybe you are driving around town when you approach a stop sign with extreme caution. There is a Sherrif right in front of you. You know you’re a good driver, but still, whenever you see cop you panic a bit on the inside. You might have an irrational fear of getting put in the slammer. Why? I am not sure. Also, how it jumps from getting pulled over to spending time in prison, I’m not sure. It just seems like it would escalate. You have never even had a speeding ticket. Still, this cop might know things. Maybe he just doesn’t like your face. Anyway, you are going to make sure that you stop completely at that stop sign. After you do, the cop decides to take off in front of you. You see him litter a wrapper from his Big Mac out the window. You are disappointed  This dude is supposed to be the law. You consider a citizens arrest. Can you do that? Probably not. Still… unexpected.

Sometimes it’s really cold outside, even when it is “Spring.” You put on your winter coat. You reach into the pockets. You find way too many cough drops. (Why was I carrying around that many cough drops? It’s like I emptied a bag of Halls straight into the pockets. Life choices. Question marks.) You begin to empty out your pockets in order to make room for your chilly hands. When you reach in deeper you find a crumpled up ten-dollar bill. YES! JACKPOT! Unexpected.

Sometimes you make one of the best smoothies you can imagine by accident. True story. Totally unexpected.

I know I am trying to tie this all together and get back to smoothies, but I think really, I just wanted to tell you about how I got yelled at by a topless biker and littered at by a man of the law.

However, what I am trying to get at is how unexpectedly AWESOME this smoothie is. It’s more like finding a ten-dollar bill in your jacket pocket. I will tell you with my whole heart that this smoothie is NOT like having a stranger curse at you on the street. Not at all.

So, remember that cashew milk we made? Oh, and that coconut butter? Let’s help them get married. We throw in some blueberries, maybe a bit of a banana and just let them all live together in a creamy, unexpected, cozy little glass of smoothie glory. Sweet smoothie matrimony!  Seriously. You need to get with this.

I hope your week is shaping up nicely, Friend! Wishing you only the good kinds of unexpected surprises!  I am going to stop saying unexpected now. You are welcome. Over and out. xo

Spiced Blueberry Cashew & Coconut Smoothie | So... Let's Hang Out

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Spiced Blueberry Cashew & Coconut Smoothie

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Blend all of your ingredients together until they are fully combined and smooth.
  2. Enjoy immediately!
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How To Make Coconut Butter

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How To Make Coconut Butter | So...Let's Hang Out

So, butter.

We have a history.

This weekend I was hanging out with my family, and these words were inevitably spoken to me:

“Hey, Gina! Remember how you used to sneak into the fridge and leave finger prints in the butter container?”

Yes. Yes I do. It went something like this…

I would wait until no one was in my grandparent’s kitchen. I would sneak over to the fridge and pray that the large tub of Country Crock was within my stubby-four-year-old-arm’s reach. If it was, I would sneakily remove it from its place in the fridge and bring it over to the kitchen table. Silently, I would remove the top off of the tub of butter. Eureka! I would dip my fat little fingers inside of the container and eat the butter off my hands. Carefully, I would put the top back on the container and make sure to place it back where I found it in the refrigerator. My four-year old self did not understand that I had left substantial evidence of my shenanigans behind. There were little finger divots and prints left in the butter tub. I was the only four-year-old that frequented that house. I was caught red-handed. Several times. I will also NEVER live this down.

I like butter. I like it in almost all forms. I am the weird kid that will hustle you for your buttered popcorn Jelly Bellies. True story.

Naturally, when I heard of something called “Coconut Butter”, I was all ears. Is it just me or can the coconut really do anything? It’s a crazy miracle food. We can use it as a milk substitute, or use the oil to make granola, add toasted flakes to our salad or shreds to our donuts. And now, butter. Glorious, wonderful butter.

You are probably wondering, “What the heck do I do with this stuff?” This is a fair question. It is different from coconut oil, since it is made from the flesh of the coconut. You aren’t going to be able to fry your eggs in it. You can however use it as follows:

You can eat it straight out of the jar. (I did this)

You can spread it on baked goods.

You can add it to a smoothie. (This is totally happening. Stay tuned!)

You can swap it out for other fats in baked goods.

Drizzle it over your fruit for a sweet and savory snack.

Add it to some freshly mashed sweet potatoes.

Dip a piece of dark chocolate into it. (I also did this)

Mix it with some nut butter for a super magical spread!

I could go on and on…

The awesome part about this recipe is how easy it is. There is one ingredient. That is pretty simple, no? The hardest part it going to be waiting for your food processor to finish breaking it down all the way. Once it’s in its smooth and  buttery form, who am I to tell you that you can’t eat it out of the jar with your fingers? Do what you gotta do. xo

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Coconut Butter

Ingredients

  • 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut flakes
  • A pinch of sea salt (optional)
  • 2 tsp coconut oil (optional, as needed)

Instructions

  1. Measure out your coconut flakes and put them into your food processor or into a high-powered blender such as a Vitamix. Add a dash of sea salt, if desired, and start blending.
  2. Process until your coconut starts to climb the sides of the machine. Stop and scrape the sides and continue to process. Repeat this process over and over until your mixture becomes smooth and almost liquid, much like peanut butter. This process can take upwards of 15 minutes depending on your machine. Just be patient and it will come together.
  3. If you are having a hard time having it all come together, even after a lot of blending, you can add a couple of teaspoons of coconut oil in order to help it come together easier.
  4. Your mixture is done when it is completely mixed together and the consistency of natural peanut butter. Store it in an airtight container. When your coconut butter cools off, it will become hard. You can heat it back up either by putting your container into a saucepan over a low heat, or by sticking it into a microwave for 30 seconds at a time. Make sure your container can withstand heat before heating it up with either of these methods.
  5. Enjoy!
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Cardamom & Honey Cashew Milk {Gluten Free, Vegan & Paleo Friendly}

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Cardamom & Honey Cashew Milk | So...Let's Hang OutI’ve started and stopped writing this post more times than I would like to admit.

This is because I’ve written these sentences several times over and over with the utmost sincerity, and I am starting to feel like Tobias Funke:

How does one milk nuts?

I just love the taste of creamy nut milk!

It might seem time consuming to make your nut milk by hand, but the payoff is worth it.

OH LORD, HELP ME.

Maybe I should just stop using the term nut milk and we’d be in way less trouble here. Let’s get more specific. Let’s call it cashew milk. Ah, there we go. That is so much better already. I can just feel this post taking a turn out of the gutter and straight to Classyville. Welcome.

The truth is (If you are still reading this. I totally don’t blame you if you stopped tuning in around the fourth sentence. It got weird.) this recipe is a certain kind of mind-baffling delicious that makes you want to dance with your arms up in the air! I got the idea from my friend Becca’s blog. We’ve totally talked cashews before. Check it out. However, she inspired me to take cashew magic to a whole new place. I used the bones of her recipe and took it from there.  First things first, you’ve gotta soak your cashews so that they soften.

Cardamom & Honey Cashew Milk | So...Let's Hang OutLet them soak for at least two hours before straining them. The two hours of anticipation will be the hardest part of this recipe, I promise. You know how to make that time pass by quickly though. You are resourceful. You have books to read, laundry to do, and maybe a Real Housewives Of  Beverly Hills Reunion to catch up on. Wait, you don’t watch that trash? Oh. Okay. Me either. Heh. What is that? Oh you also don’t DVR episodes of Laguna Beach re-runs? I got the message loud and clear. You are better than me. Moving on…

Cardamom & Honey Cashew Milk | So...Let's Hang OutOnce they are done, drain off the water and transfer them to your blender. You are going to add in five cups of fresh water and blend, Baby, blend!!

Cardamom & Honey Cashew Milk | So...Let's Hang OutAfter your mixture is completely blender-fied, you are going to run it all through a fine mesh strainer to seperate the pulp from the milk.

Cardamom & Honey Cashew Milk | So...Let's Hang Out

It may look crazy, but set it aside in a separate bowl. You are going to want to make THIS recipe later!

Once you have seperated out all of the pulp, you are going to transfer the milk back into your blender along with all of these flavor-enhancing ingredients!

Cardamom & Honey Cashew Milk | So...Let's Hang OutThe combination of it all together is wonderfully aromatic  sweet and creamy! I could literally drink this entire jug myself in a day. It’s rich in protein and satisfies a sweet tooth without having to go crazy on a pan of cookies. Although, some days need cookies. I get it. Cookie up. OR, better yet, DIP THE COOKIES IN THIS CASHEW MILK!!! OMG, I just died a little inside at the thought. I literally blew my own mind.

Cardamom & Honey Cashew Milk | So...Let's Hang Out

Once it’s all blended together, you can bottle it up and keep it in your fridge for up to a week. I dare you to make it last that long. I have plans for this milk. It is going in a smoothie that I’m bringing to you later this week. It will blow your socks off. Is that an actual saying? Did I just mix two things together? Oh well. Socks will be blown off. Mark my words.

Cardamom & Honey Cashew Milk | So...Let's Hang OutBottoms up!!

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Cardamom & Honey Cashew Milk

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of raw cashews
  • 5 cups of water
  • 2 pitted medjool dates
  • 1 tbs raw honey (If you are vegan and do not eat honey, you can sub maple syryp)
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbs vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Soak your cashews in water for at least two hours. This will help to soften your cashews and make them easier to blend.
  2. Once two hours have passed, strain your cashews so that there is no water left.
  3. Add your soaked cashews to a blender. A high powered blender such as a Vitamix will work best. Add your five cups of water on top of your cashews and blend until smooth. The timing will vary depending on the blender you are using. In the Vitamix it comes together relatively quickly. I blended it for about two minutes total to really make sure everything had blended together nicely.
  4. Once your mixture is completely smooth and creamy, you are going to want to strain out the cashew pulp. I did this with a fine mesh sieve and a mixing bowl underneath to gather the strained milk. You could also use a double layer of cheesecloth. Whichever method you prefer will work fine. Set aside all of your nut pulp.
  5. Once your milk mixture has been strained and is free of nut pulp, add it back into the blender with your dates, honey, cinnamon, cardamom, and vanilla extract. Process your mixture until all of the ingredients have mixed in completely and broken down to create a smooth and creamy milk.
  6. After everything is blended together, add it into an airtight container. It is ready to drink! You can store it in your fridge for up to a week.
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(Recipe adapted from The Dabblist)

Dandelion Green Juice

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Dandelion Green Juice | So...Let's Hang Out

Hello, Spring. You snuck up on me. I think I blinked and you showed up with your blue skies and your green hills and your different shades of wildflowers. I am totally not complaining. Look at the glorious view from our hike this weekend. It feels nice to have sunshine on my pale and wintered shoulders. Thank you for the tan lines. I can now pass as someone who spends time outside. I no longer look like that kid from The Secret Garden who was not allowed to leave his room. Cheers. You’re a good friend.

So...Let's Hang OutBesides tanned shoulders, I also got a wicked case of spring allergies. I always forget that spring goes hand in hand with sneezing. Delightful. I like to keep my allergies on their toes. One of the ways that I do this is through juicing. Are you surprised? You don’t look surprised. Maybe I should stop being so predictable. Would you like me to tap dance while talking about juicing? Add a little flair. Maybe some jazz hands. No problem. Let’s talk about the awesomeness that is dandelion greens.

Dandelion Green Juice | So...Let's Hang Out

They are so good for you, it’s stupid. I love a workhorse of a veggie. They are loaded with calcium, iron, tons of minerals, and a surprising amount of protein. They are great detoxing greens! I have found them to be really helpful in the fight against my spring allergy ickiness. The greens have a spicy and peppery taste which reminds me a little bit of arrugula. The sweetness of the apple and the tartness of the lemon help to balance out the spiciness of the greens. I also added in a nice handful of fresh parsley which is another amazing dextoxing ingredient. I am not fooling around with this cup of juice. It is some serious stuff.

Dandelion Green Juice | So...Let's Hang Out

If you are a beginning juicer and are not used to the taste of green juice, I would either cut the amount of dandelion greens in half , or add in a nice big pear to the mix. I promise you wont regret it. Drinking up a big cup of greens always makes me feel like dancing. Jazz hands for days!

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend! Happy Spring! Let’s punch those allergies in the face. Hard. xo

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Dandelion Green Juice

Ingredients

  • 2 cucumbers, peeled
  • 2 pink lady apples, chopped
  • 1 lemon, peeled
  • 1/2 bunch of dandelion greens
  • 2 romaine hearts
  • 1 large handful of parsley

Instructions

  1. Wash and prep all of your fruits and veggies.
  2. Run them through the juicer.
  3. Drink immediately or store in airtight containers such as mason jars for up to 48 hours.
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