Simply Banana Bread

November 4th, 2012 | Posted by Alison Spath in Breakfast - (12 Comments)

Last week I spent some time staring at overripe bananas.

Ripe Bananas for Banana Bread

Not these exact bananas. These bananas are actors. This is a re-enactment of the overripe bananas that kept giving me the stink eye early last week, waiting to see what I was going to with them.

(This also means that I’m still staring at overripe bananas.)

I didn’t feel like adding these to the existing frozen banana stash I’ve got going in the freezer, so I opted to turn overripe bananas into banana bread instead of a pureed, cold treat like banana whip or a chocolate banana smoothie.  Read more...

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A New Green Machine

April 8th, 2012 | Posted by Alison Spath in Vegetable Lovin' - (15 Comments)

Guess what?!

Brand New Vitamix

OK, to be fair, unless you are a food nerd who reads a lot of foodie blogs, you might not be able to guess and/or be squealing the same way I did when the UPS man dropped this guy off last week.

On the right? Our old blender. The lean mean muscle machine on the left? My Our new VITAMIX!

Thanks to the fact that my birthday was last week (33! WOOT!) AND that Zak was finally bitten by the Vitamix bug AND a 20% Off coupon from Bed, Bath and Beyond that saved us a bundle, we bit the bullet and welcomed this majestic marvel into our appliance family a few short days ago.  Read more...

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Banana Honey Milk

March 27th, 2012 | Posted by Alison Spath in Short or Sweet - (10 Comments)

I went out to lunch over the weekend with a good friend who came in from out of town for a visit. We hit up a local Mediterranean restaurant, and as we were browsing the menu, she suggested the “Banana Honey Milk” for a beverage that she’d had before and enjoyed.

Bananas, honey and milk?  I am so there!

Our drinks were brought to the table by a friendly, older gentleman who proudly told us that he’d made them himself, and then asked us to let him know how we liked them.  This drink was frothy, sweet and thin like milk, as opposed to being thick like a smoothie or milkshake.  Read more...

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Fruit Shish Kabobs for Breakfast

February 22nd, 2012 | Posted by Alison Spath in Breakfast - (8 Comments)

The first thing I need to tell you is that this was not my idea.

In fact, I kept trying to change the subject every time it came up, in the hopes that they’d forget all about it.

The little one made fruit shish kabobs with a group of her little friends last week.  On our way home that afternoon, she asked if we had some of those same sticks and if we might be able to make these at home too, you know, with kinds of fruit that she enjoys.  Like apples!

And maybe… oh yeah.  Just apples.  Read more...

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So What Are We Putting in the Blender Today?

January 31st, 2012 | Posted by Alison Spath in Breakfast - (11 Comments)

Avocado!

avocado

That’s right. We’re putting avocado in the blender this morning ’cause we’re making a chocolate avocado smoothie for breakfast.

Avocado Smoothie

Aren’t you excited?! I’m excited too.

See, I’ve never used avocado in a smoothie before because avocados usually don’t make it past salads, bean burritos or stay-at-home burrito bowls around here.

But today, half an avocado is going into the blender with one banana, a good pour of almond milk and a couple teaspoons of cocoa powder. Maybe some spinach too if you feel like it.  Read more...

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Carrot Cake Sorbanana

January 27th, 2012 | Posted by Alison Spath in Short or Sweet - (9 Comments)

This week, the girls and I found ourselves in front of a Vitamix blender demonstration at Wegmans.

As I slurped down the scary delicious “Carrot Cake Sorbet” sample that Vitamix Demo Man handed me, I immediately began wishing I had an extra $500 bucks laying around to buy this miracle machine that did something amazing with a couple of carrots and some ice.

(I’m still wishing for that $500, by the way. Just in case anyone out there is feeling generous.)  Read more...

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Just Because You’re Paranoid

November 28th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Short or Sweet - (10 Comments)

A few things to tell you today.

One: Banana, kiwi and diced oranges make the best fruit salad. EVER.

Fruit Salad

I want to weep when I look at this simple salad and remember how amazing it was. But then again I weep when the Disney World commercials play on Hulu during The Biggest Loser, so take that for what it’s worth.

You know that one, where they say “only so many mountains left to climb together…”

Gets me every damn time.  Read more...

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Another Weed Makes Three

November 10th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Breakfast - (32 Comments)

Under normal circumstances, I try to avoid cereal like the bubonic plague.

(I don’t know what the bubonic plague is exactly, but I do know that I like that word “bubonic”.)

I had a coupon for a box of this stuff and it looked good, so I went for it.

Barbara's Shredded Oats

Except “normal circumstances” no longer applies, at least not for a while here. You see, I am in the first trimester of pregnancy with our third child.

(Surprised? Yeah, me too!)

(Surprised, but ultimately delighted!)  Read more...

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I Will Not Eat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups for Breakfast

November 4th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Breakfast - (8 Comments)

I have Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in my freezer.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in My Freezer

Blasted Halloween.

These are Maxine’s, and it was her idea to put them in the freezer. I think there is something programmed into women from birth to know that chocolate + peanut butter are best when cold.

I will not eat Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups for breakfast, but I totally could.

Good thing they aren’t mine. And good thing I also have frozen bananas in my freezer.

I Do Have Frozen Bananas

Because frozen bananas + oats + cocoa powder are the start of something magical.

Cocoa Powder  Read more...

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Berry Simple

October 25th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Breakfast - (5 Comments)

I’m trying to make peace with the fact that early morning outdoor exercise is soon to be a relegated to the weekends.

Pink Knit Hat and Gloves

For the first time since early spring I busted out the pink hat (you know, the hat I knit myself) and gloves for a morning walk/run today. More walking than running this morning, sometimes it nice to simply walk.

It’s also nice (and necessary) to remember that no matter how freezing it is out there, you DO warm up once you get moving! If anything, the cold is motivation to pick up the pace in the beginning. Knowing how good that early morning air and sunshine will feel on your skin is enough to make it worth it to drag myself out from under the covers.  Read more...

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