About Gina Marie

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So far Gina Marie has created 328 blog entries.

Chocolate & Honey Avocado Shake

I am going to be up front with you…
Every time I see someone post a picture of a green smoothie that contains avocado, I squirm. Avocados are for guacamole. You put them on top of your toast and sprinkle it with sea salt. You can totally sub them in for mayonnaise and make a Green Egg Salad. But, smoothies? Really? Is it a guacamole smoothie? I’m not sold. Why is this happening? I just can’t hang. I’ve been mistrusting of any and all humans that have muttered the words “avocado pudding” or claimed to make a great “vegan avocado brownie”. Shudder.
Like most of my food aversions, I decided to just dive right in. Challenge accepted. Guacamole smoothie, I’m coming for you.
My first avocado smoothie was horrifying. No joke. It was pretty much all veggies with half of a frozen banana. It tasted bitter. I spat it out. I felt sad. This smoothie was supposed to prove me wrong. It was supposed to be life-changing and wonderful and simply everything. Perhaps I put too much pressure there? Probably. No matter. As I spat out the evil green goo I had foolishly concocted in my Vitamix and watched it slink down the drain, it started a fire inside of me. A metaphorical fire. A smoothie-revenge-fire. An I-will-totally-win-you-fire. Avocado smoothie, you will be mine. MUAHAHAHAHA! (Dastardly avocado whispering evil laugh) […]

Easy Beef Kebabs With Tangy Rosemary Chimichurri {Gluten-Free & Paleo}

I’ve been slowly but surely learning some lessons in the past couple of weeks. Shall we discuss?
1) If  you happen to be jogging and someone pulls to the side of the road, rolls down their window, and extends their arm out towards you to hand you some sort of piece of paper, don’t stop. Keep jogging. Maybe you thought this piece of paper was just some sort of pamphlet. You have been getting a lot of Jehovah’s Witness pamphlets lately from the nice people that like to knock on your door early in the morning when you aren’t wearing pants. What’s another one, right? Wrong. This is not a godly pamphlet. This is a crudely written note stating “Please you call me.” Elaborate, right? Is he driving around with a stack of these things? Well, more elaborate would be the stick figure drawing off to the right of his written plea. Although the arms and the legs are stick-ly, he has managed to tack on what I can only describe as a shocking portrayal of genitalia. Jog. Jog faster.
2) If someone knocks on your door and you are not wearing pants, it’s usually a Jehovah’s Witness. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with them. Everyone has freedom to their own beliefs. The problem I have is how often they seem to knock on my door when I am pants-less. Don’t open the door when you aren’t wearing pants, even if you think you can just peek your head through and cover your body with the main part of the door. You have a crazy Golden Retriever. She will try to get outside. You will be on your door step with a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses, pants-less, trying to wrangle your dog. This is uncomfortable for everyone. Also, can we discuss how every single one of the pamphlets I receive has some version of kids smiling while eating a bounty of fruits and veggies, along with some sort of moose or other woodland creature. I’m confused. Probably as confused as the poor JWs were because I wasn’t wearing pants at 2:00pm on a Tuesday. […]

Leek and Asparagus Quiche With Almond Meal Crust

What have I always said is the most important thing?
Wait… did you say bears? You probably said bears. Nope. It’s breakfast (tied with bears). So, maybe I really miss Arrested Development already. Did you have a chance to watch the entire fourth season? We knocked that out in a couple of days. Now I want more and immediately would be best. 
We totally don’t have more episodes, but we DO have a recipe for breakfast. Important. I wish we had a recipe for brunch with bears. I could totally share my eggs with a couple of Grizzlies. I guess this is called “camping”, and the bears are usually discourteous party-crashers that would love to snack on your femurs with club sauce. Real. This daydream just got 100% more terrifying. Moving on… […]

Green Watermelon Cooler

If you come here and hang out with me often, you will know that when it comes to watermelon I find myself a bit powerless. The weather starts to heat up, and I can’t seem to help myself. It usually starts with just cutting myself a slice. Wow! That’s so refreshing! Then I decide to cut another slice. Magic! Pure, magic! Sooner or later I find myself alone, with sweet, sticky hands. I have pink juice running down my chin and I have a slosh-y affliction in my gut that can only be described as “Watermelon Belly”. Those of you watermelon fiends know what I’m talking about. Things happen to your body when you decide to take on an entire watermelon. So far this season, I have learned this lesson exactly twice. I might even (definitely will) learn it again. […]