Tag Archives: healthy

Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats | Virtual Dinner Party!

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Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats | So...Let's Hang Out

Hey there, Polar Bears!

Today you can find me guest posting over at The Lucky Penny!

I’m throwing one heck of a virtual dinner party. By that, I mean I’m going to cook you enchiladas and make sure you have a drink in your hand at all times. Yup. I’ve got your back.

There will be talks of track suits, high fives, missed connections, and of course, the recipe for those delicious Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats! Plus, it will give you a chance to meet my friend Michelle. She is pretty great. Did I mention the girl can cook? I once made her recipe for Crispy Chicken Thighs With Kale twice in one week! Consecutively. That’s right, two nights in a row. Correct.

You really won’t want to miss this recipe! The usual corn tortillas are swapped out for zucchini halves, leaving us with a lighter and healthier version of the classic enchilada.  Healthy or not, they pack a serious flavor punch!

Ok… let’s go get our virtual dinner party on!  See you over there!

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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Giant Sunbutter & Chocolate Chunk Cookies {Gluten-Free & Paleo}

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Giant Sunbutter & Chocolate Chunk Cookies | So....Let's Hang Out

After a week of intense recipe failures one needs to bake cookies.

I think this is a rule. It feels like it should be a rule. Let’s call it a rule.

In between my lemon bar attempt and operation ”OMG, is that supposed to be gnocchi!? ”, I managed to get something right. I put some sunflower seeds into a food processor and  made some nut butter. I combined it with almond butter. The two did a happy dance. I added in large chunks of dark chocolate, and decided that these cookies should be GIANTS. Instead of making a recipe that would yield a sensible dozen, I decided to instead make you six cookies. Big cookies. Forget about your kitchen failures cookies. Are you surprised that I didn’t just make one big cookie and take a fork to it? Yeah, me too.

Giant Sunbutter & Chocolate Chunk Cookies | So....Let's Hang Out

Look at those chocolate chunks. Mmmmm. Did I mention that these cookies are totally paleo? Yup!

Although I completed my 30 days of paleo, and have since dipped my hungry little hands into the world of certain carbs, I can say I felt really good for most of those 30 days. I will most likely still incorporate a lot of paleo recipes on this site and continue to eat that way most of the time. It really wasn’t as difficult as I thought it was going to be. There was a day where I wanted to eat a wheel of cheese and had to resist the urge, but that is normal. Cheese is a naughty temptress. That is a weird sentence. I will not erase it. It’s going to live here.

Giant Sunbutter & Chocolate Chunk Cookies | So....Let's Hang Out

On another note, we recently hit five hundred likes on Facebook! You people are rad. Thank you so much for hanging out with me and letting me personify cheese in sultry ways, or indulging me when I use the term “nut milk” too liberally. Seriously. You punch me in the face with your awesomeness.  If you haven’t subscribed to get So…Let’s Hang Out posts sent to your inbox, you can totally do that too! Just enter your email address into the box under where it says “Subscribe to So…Let’s Hang Out” (psst…it’s on the right.) and we will be hanging out in no time.  Thanks, Friends! xo

I hope your week is chugging along awesomely! Either way… giant cookies. Do it.

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Giant Sunbutter & Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Adapted from PaleOMG

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter (you can either buy this pre-made, or you can make your own by processing 2 cups of sunflower seeds in a food processor until it is smooth and creamy like almond butter)
  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup dark chocolate, coarsely chopped into chunks.
  • Coarse sea salt, to sprinkle on top (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together all of your ingredients except the chocolate chunks until they come together and mixed thoroughly.
  3. Once the batter comes together, fold in your chocolate chunks.
  4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and scoop your batter onto the baking sheet to form six cookies.
  5. If you like a little sea salt on the top of your cookies, sprinkle a little onto each cookie before putting it in the oven.
  6. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
  7. Allow to cool, then enjoy cookie-monster style!
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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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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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Banana Nut Granola With Quinoa

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Banana Nut Granola With Quinoa | So...Let's Hang Out

I am in the weeds, Friends. I will admit this to you wholeheartedly. I am truly behind. My kitchen has taken a backseat to life lately. Surely you understand this. I can’t be the only one who gets overwhelmed by life and ends up drinking one kind of smoothie, slapping ham on toast and eating handfuls of spinach straight out of the bag. This is a thing right? Besides baking different variations of this bread to cart off to my family, I have not exactly flexed the muscles in my food brain. It’s losing muscle mass. It’s sitting there in a smoothie rut. Flabby. We can’t have this, right? Let’s tell my food brain to wake up and go for a walk.

On Tuesday morning this is exactly what I did. I sprung out of bed and decided it was time to create something that was not toast. Also, my husband had been not so subtly hinting  for a couple of weeks that he would be utterly thrilled if I would replenish the granola stash. While we were grocery shopping he decided he might get some sort of sugary cereal, I told him I didn’t like his moves, he told me that if I made granola he wouldn’t even be considering it. Touche. Point taken. There was also a week where the empty granola canister kept appearing on the counter magically as if to say “GRANOLA! NOW!” I am not sure how it got there. I did not put it there. I don’t think the cat or the dog have the dexterity to grab the canister from out of the pantry and place it on the counter. This only leaves one human. I am not going to point fingers, but I will give you a hint…I am married to him.

Banana Nut Granola With Quinoa | So...Let's Hang Out

So here we go. I put quinoa in your granola. Sure, I have made you granola before, but this one has a little something extra. I got this magical idea from my friend Meg’s wonderful blog. If you have never had quinoa in your granola I can tell you right now it will completely blow your mind! It’s wonderfully crunchy and will not get soggy if you let it sit. Say you take your bowl of granola and milk into the office and end up getting distracted by half an hour of cute internet cat videos. Your granola will survive this. I promise. Not that I would know anything about getting distracted by a half an hour worth of cute internet cat videos. That would be weird.

Banana Nut Granola With Quinoa | So...Let's Hang Out

Besides the awesome crunchy quinoa, I have a list of other all star ingredients that are coming to bat in this breakfast. We have raw almonds for even more protein. Raisins add a layer of sweetness along with a little bit of maple syrup. Of course, I couldn’t resist throwing some coconut into the mix. I am only human. There are whole roasted flax seeds and a couple of tablespoons of chia seeds. You can’t get mad at either of those power houses. And in my opinion, the real show-stopper in this recipe is the addition of freeze-dried bananas! Do you remember Lucky Charms? Of course you do. Remember those tiny little marshmallows? That is what these bananas feel like. It’s the healthy version of a tiny little marshmallow treat. Get on board. It’s good.

Banana Nut Granola With Quinoa | So...Let's Hang Out

When my husband came home, he opened the pantry for a snack. You should have seen the look on his face when he saw the canister full of this tasty granola. He lit up like a glow worm. I think I even got a hug and a kiss. He really likes granola. I really like him.

Banana Nut Granola With Quinoa | So...Let's Hang Out

Enjoy getting your crunch on! :)

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Banana Nut Granola With Quinoa

Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 2 cups gluten-free oats (I got mine from trader joes)
  • 1 cup raw almonds
  • 1/4 cup roasted whole flax seeds
  • 1 cup large unsweetened coconut shreds
  • 2 tbs chia seeds
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 2 cups freeze dried bananas
  • 1/2 cup raisins

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl add your quinoa, oats, nuts, seeds, and spices.
  4. Heat up your coconut oil until it is liquid and add it into the bowl along with your maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
  5. Stir the mixture until everything is completely combined and coated with the coconut oil and maple syrup mixture.
  6. Spread the mixture out evenly onto your parchment lined baking sheet.
  7. Bake for 20-30 minutes checking and stirring the mixture every 10 minutes, You need to make sure to check it and stir it up so that it does not start to burn.
  8. You granola is done when the nuts and oats are all toasted a nice golden brown.
  9. Add in your raisins and your freeze dried banana. Stir it into the already baked granola so it is distributed evenly throughout.
  10. Let your granola cool for 15 minutes or so before putting into an air tight container. You can store it this way for several weeks.
  11. Enjoy!
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(Inspired by Beard and Bonnet)

The Greeña Colada Smoothie

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The Greeña Colada Smoothie | So... Let's Hang Out

I am slutty for coconut.

You guys have probably figured this out by now. I can put it in a salad, I will sprinkle it on your donuts, and I will most certainly use it to make nutella. There is simply no shame in my game.

However, I have not publicly declared my love for pineapple. This is a love that  runs deep through my Hawaiian veins. It is some serious affection. I will eat it until the acid makes my tongue start to burn.I have vivid memories of sitting with my Papa in his kitchen and having him sprinkle salt on pieces of freshly cut pineapple, and then, as he would say, “we went eat it up.”  He is a good eating partner. I remember being small and always placing myself strategically near him if he was eating something like poi with dried shrimp or was cutting up a fresh tuna into sashimi. I am no fool. I would bat my big eyes, reach out my chubby kid hands, and a piece of fresh sashimi always seemed to land in my finger tips. I knew how to work that glorious system. Honestly, I think he just loves to share the things that he loves with me. It was a source of pride for him to see his tiny granddaughter developing a serious taste for all of the flavors he had grown up with on the islands.

You are probably not at all shocked when I tell you that I could drink piña coladas for days. I know, I know…pick your jaw up from the floor.

The first time I had a real piña colada I was far too young. I was visiting Hawaii with my family. My older cousin and I were lounging by the pool working on our tans. We ordered a couple of  piña coladas thinking that the dude working the pool area would know for a fact that we were just a couple of tweens and would leave out the rum. When the drinks came, I was so hot from letting my body bake out in the sun that I drank that thing like it was a Jamba Juice. My cousin was a little bit more dainty with her piña colada-ing. I was already finished with mine when she looked over at me with big eyes and said “Gina. This has alcohol in it.” I didn’t believe it, until I stood up. Oh, there you go. The pool was moving funny. I laid back down and took an extended rum-soaked pool nap on one of the lounge chairs. I think my cousin, being the older and savvier one, skipped the rum-drenched nap and ordered another. Well played, cuz.

The morals of this story are obviously: do not accidentally get drunk on family vacations and if you do, wear sunscreen because you will likely end up falling asleep on your stomach somewhere in the outdoors. Salt your pineapple if you want to consume close to a whole fruit by yourself without burning your tongue off. Sashimi is amazing but not as amazing as the grandfathers that share it with you! And last but not least, coconut belongs pretty much everywhere.

What I have for you today is a combination of all of the things I love, giving you tons of island flavor, and ditching the rum. I even threw in cups and cups of spinach! See that vibrant green color? Amazing. It is a smoothie that would be perfect to enjoy in the morning before work. You can pretend that there is rum in it if that would make your commute seem somehow easier. Just sip on it and let the island music play in your head. You are in a two piece. You have abs. You look like magic. You have a tan, but totally managed to get it without the skin cancer risk. You have no worries. It’s just you and a greeña colada.

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The Greeña Colada Smoothie

Ingredients

  • 1 cup coconut milk (I used lite coconut milk)
  • 1/2 cup coconut water
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh ripe pineapple, chopped
  • 3-4 cups of spinach
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. Add all of you ingredients into your blender and mix on high until everything is combined and smooth.
  2. If you want your smoothie to be a little bit thicker, add more ice and blend on high again.
  3. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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