How are you fellow Arizonans hanging in there? It's currently 117 degrees, this morning was 110 when I went to make breakfast, and I knew a stand alone hot breakfast just wasn't going to cut it today.

I have been studying Traditional Chinese Medicine lately for funsies and I totally get nothing icy on the stomach upon waking - so I compromised. I started with a little warm water and I DID make the warm breakfast (over easy eggs on sourdough with an apple) and THEN I enjoyed  this for EXTRA protein and, well to be honest, just pure JOY. 

It's cooling, delicious and packed with protein and fiber. You CAN add additional sweetener if needed, but I thought it was just fine as is. 

Add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Serve over ice and enjoy. 

Stay cool out there ladies and gents. 

These summer temps, man. They have been brutal and I don't know about you but I have been having a hard time doing anything that takes motivation or energy of any kind. 

Aside from trying to stay hydrated, stay indoors, dream of fall and consume all the smoothie bowls and shakes that are chilly and delicious.

While still being nutritious of course.

And if you hadn't heard, I have an Ebook out now! Full of Smoothie Bowls that are gluten and dairy free and chock full of all kinds of healthy, good-for-you things. 

This smoothie was inspired by the period of my life when I had t gag down a billion dates (IE: pregnancy)

I couldn't stand to eat them, BUT, when I put them into a smoothie I realized it just fueled them as the sugar source and it tasted SO GOOD. So now I'm on a "what else can I make with dates with it still tasting good?" kick.

Enter these Almond Banana Cocoa Date Smoothies. (We call it our ABCD breakfast) Or really a shake. But I feel like you can't say shake and still feel guilt-free at breakfast. Drool-worthy. Cooling for summer. YUM. 

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 Frozen Bananas, sliced
• 4 Dates, pitted
• 1/4 C. Almond Butter (Sunbutter for Nut-Free) 
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/2 C. unsweetened dairy-free milk of choice
• 1 1/2 TBSP. raw cacao powder 

Directions

• Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth.
• Divide into two glasses and top with additional chocolate shavings or banana slices and enjoy. 

OH MY SWEET GOODNESS.

This smoothie. It's like a decadent Sunday brunch in a glass. It tastes so much like a Cinnamon Roll that even my toddler said "mmmmm dessert!" when he tasted it. 

It contains no refined white sugar, dairy, gluten or soy. Only sweetened with maple syrup and banana, its filling, contains oats for fiber and satisfies a sweet tooth if you need a sweet breakfast treat without all of the guilt. 

Today is Valentine's Day. It's a gloomy, rainy day this year so we are playing indoors, sippin' on these and working on projects until daddy gets home. Our big romantic plans tonight? Grilling some chicken, hanging with our Grey and watching the Valentine's Day episode of The Goldbergs. #GetLit #HuluandHangWithToddler 

What are your Valentine's Plans? 

Also, make this smoothie this weekend. The recipe is for two smoothies, so if you've got little sweet tooths and hungry tummies in your home - double up. 

Ingredients:
​

• 2 C. Dairy-Free Milk of Choice (I've used coconut and almond in this recipe)
• 2 TBSP. of Real Maple Syrup 
• 2 Frozen Bananas
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon 
• 1/2 C. Gluten Free Oats 

Directions:

Put it all in a powerful blender and voila!

Serve cold with a sprinkle of cinnamon. 


What did you do for Valentine's Day? And what's your favorite sweet breakfast hack? Share in the comments below! 

​Lots of love to you guys today and always! 

Smoothies and watermelon go hand in hand for summer as well as a beach day and a good book.

​This refreshing smoothie is PACKED with protein that it gets from the plant based protein and the nutter butter.

Creamy and hydrating, my kiddo requests this one on repeat. 

INGREDIENTS: 
1  12  oz.  bottle  WTRMLN  WTR 
1  scoop  plant-based  protein     
1  tablespoon  of  almond  butter  (or  other nut  butter  of  choice) 
1  banana 
1  teaspoon  fresh  grated  ginger  
½  cup  ice 

PREPARATION: 
Add  all  ingredients  to  blender  and  blend  until  smooth. 
Top  with  your  favorite  granola  or  fruit  and  enjoy  with  a  friend. 

Sharing my recipe for my Sparkling Strawberry Peach Lemonade on the West Valley Moms Blog today, click here to get this cool 4-ingredient refresher in time for the 4th. 

I love a good green smoothie. As an avid smoothie lover from way back, being able to pack them with good-for-me-greens like spinach, kale or avocado makes me feel good about sipping on one for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

As the temps start to creep up into the 90's here in Arizona, I've been experimenting and trying new combinations recently. I've been getting many requests from my nut-free readers for drinks and eats that don't contain nut milks or nut butters, but that can still pack a mean protein punch, so I've whipped up something special for you guys and gals!

Many of my vegan readers and clients enjoy the protein content of soy and the health benefits it can offer. And while I believe in enjoying everything healthy in moderation if well tolerated, even my carnivorous friends can enjoy the benefits of this little green bean. Soy has a controversial reputation in many circles, and people always want to know my advice... it's simply this, speak to your doctor about your restrictions, listen to your body and always make sure to look for soy sourced from Non-GMO sources, such as Silk as there are many benefits to enjoying this power packed food source. 

April is National Soyfoods Month, so I thought it would be fitting to celebrate it with this lean and mean Mango + Greens smoothie that is so silky smooth, so decadent and packed with nutrients. 
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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Soyfoods Association of North America in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand and I have been compensated for my participation. All opinions and photographs are my own.

With Silk's Soy Milk yogurt alternative being so versatile, you can use it in many recipes to not only get a protein boost, but to give your tummy that much needed healthy bacteria. Dairy-free yogurts that include live active cultures, along with a clean, doctor recommended probiotic, are staples in my diet. Dairy-free yogurt alternatives, such as Silk Soy, are also amazing sources of calcium and Vitamin D, which are super important right now, especially as a I grow our little Baby P. 

Below is the simple recipe, I would love to hear your favorite smoothie recipes or what you thought of this green treat that gives a sweet over earthy flavor, which makes it a hit with the kiddos too! 

You can also pair Silk soy yogurt alternative with a homemade granola, a top pancakes or in one of my many other smoothie recipes if this one doesn't tickle your fancy. 

For more information on celebrating National Soy Foods Month, food products & recipes, visit: 

In honor of #NationalCaramelDay, I wanted to whip up something super decadent and yummy.

The mornings in AZ have still been cool for Spring and that is definitely something that needs to be celebrated. 

A lovely little company, Cocomels, created a caramel that is dairy-free and made of coconut milk and though I've been noshing on them every once in a while as a treat, I wanted to use them in a recipe. And today lent the perfect excuse to make a warm, sweet beverage with breakfast. 

I also have to note, this post is not sponsored, I just like to celebrate small companies who offer clean, dairy-free, vegan options from time to time. And I got really excited about them. 

I know some parts of the U.S. are still blanketed by snow (I don't know how you all do it. Beach please! So this is wonderful for warming those tummies as you wait for Spring thaw. 

The balance of salty + sweet also makes it a perfect stand-alone treat or you can serve it with a savory breakfast. I enjoyed mine with eggs over a bed of greens for a well-rounded culinary experience. Nom nom. 

I made mine in the slow cooker early this morning while I did my prayers and devotions and some blog work before venturing in to make breakfast, but you could definitely make this quickly if you're looking to whip up a quick hot cocoa. You can do so by melting down the ingredients individually and mixing it in with your dairy-free milk of choice. Though in my personal opinion, if you have the time, I think slow-cooking it really helps marry the deep cocoa, salt, vanilla and caramel flavors together for a taste that is just out of this world. 

Ingredients:
4 cups dairy-free milk of choice. (I opted for almond milk for a nutty flavor, but coconut or rice work too!) 
2 cups dairy-free chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life dark for this cocoa) 
½ cup dairy-free caramels, unwrapped and chopped in half. (I use Cocomels) 
1 teaspoon organic vanilla
sprinkle of cinnamon (optional, but anti-inflammatory so I throw it in everything) 
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
dairy-free whipped cream (I used SoDelicious whip to pipe on, but you can make your own from a coconut milk can) 
​Extra caramels for topping 

Directions: 
Add milk of choice, vanilla, chocolate chips and caramels to the crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. If not completely liquefied, continue to cook on low and watch it until desired consistency is reached. 

Stir and pour into mugs. Melt down additional caramel. (Use CAUTION when doing so. I may have gotten a burn this morning.) Top with coconut whip and drizzle hot caramel on. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips and enjoy! 

So, I know summer is approaching.  But this hot cocoa recipe is just TOO good to wait to put up.  Crank your AC and kick back with a movie and a decadent mug of this coconut milk hot cocoa. Mmmmm!  Christmas in July? Or April. Whatever. 

Ingredients: 
4 (13 oz) cans full-fat coconut milk
14 oz. sweetened vanilla almond milk (use 2 additional cans of coconut for nut free)
8 ounces high-quality dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup dairy-free cocoa powder
2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup unsweetened flaked or shredded coconut
coconut whipped cream for topping
corn-free marshmallows for topping

Directions:
Add coconut milk, almond milk and vanilla to your crock pot, whisking to combine. 
Stir in sea salt, cocoa powder and chocolate, whisking again. 
Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. You will want to stir and whisk every 15 minutes or so, making sure the chocolate melts nicely and is thoroughly distributed throughout the mixture.  If it begins to thicken and bubble on the sides, remove the lid and whisk well.  Just keep your eye on it and whisk everything together.
Before serving, add coconut to a small saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Toast for 5-6 minutes until golden.

To serve, rim the edges of a mug with a little honey (omit for vegan), just to get the rim to be slightly sticky, then dip the rims in the toasted coconut flakes. pressing gently to adhere. Pour hot chocolate in the mugs and garnish with whipped cream and marshmallows.