A Very Green Smoothie

If you're on Pinterest or Instagram, or the internet in general, you've probably seen a "green smoothie" at least once or twice.  Recipes for these nutrient-rich drinks are floating around everywhere, and that's because you can pretty much make them however you like!

The difference between a green smoothie and any other smoothie is, well, it's green!  Yes, I mean green in color, but I also mean green, as in good for you.  Green smoothies combine your traditional fruit smoothie with a handful of fresh spinach leaves, which give it both it's color, and a whole serving of your daily vegetables in one, fruity drink!

Now, I really don't know if the green smoothie is a relatively new concept, or if avenues like Pinterest and Instagram have just shined a spotlight on it in recent years, but I for one had never had one.  Sure, I've made my own smoothies or been to Smoothie King, but I'd never had anything with spinach in it, and to be honest the thought (and sight) of it kind of freaked me out.  Don't get me wrong, I love spinach (and the fact that I had some in my refrigerator led to this experiment), but I just didn't know that I would love it in a fruit smoothie.

Oh, how I was wrong!!!  Like I said, I had some fresh spinach in my fridge that I wanted to use before it started to wilt, but wasn't really in the mood for a sandwich.  I was browsing Pinterest (of course) when a picture of a bright green smoothie caught my eye.  Aha!  I know what I'll make.  I scrounged around the kitchen coming up with what to put into my very own smoothie concoction, and here is what i came up with:

It's an Apple-Banana-Almond Green Smoothie.  Let's not kid ourselves.  It's not exactly appetizing - it looks like some sort of photosynthesis sludge or something, but it didn't taste like it!

It tasted pretty apple-y/banana-y to me.  I couldn't really taste the spinach at all.  I started out by blending together the spinach and ice, to get it minced up a bit, and then added in the banana and one apple, peeled, cored and cubed.  I also added in 1/4 cup of almond milk, to give it a creamier texture (I really hate when you make a smoothie and it's a little too fluffy - like you're drinking air).



















I also added a small handful of almonds, to give it some staying power - you know, keep you fuller longer.  Plus, I just love almonds.  (Tip: when you add the almonds, cover the lid completely before blending - when they hit the blades, things get a little wild in there!)  And voila!

My first green smoothie.  And man, is it green.  So, how did it taste?  Delicious!  It actually tasted nutritious, so I felt pretty good about it while I was sippin'. 

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If you're like me, I just couldn't quite get past the green-ness of the smoothie - it tasted delish, but I think next time I'll see if I can come up with something a little less, well, green!  Stay tuned for the Not-So-Green Green Smoothie Recipe!

Treat Yourself: A Manicure is Good for the Soul!

If you know me, you know one of my favorite shows is Parks and Recreation!  And what is my all-time favorite catch phrase from the show??

It's funny, because it's true!!!  It's good to treat yourself every once in a while (or all the time...), and one of my favorite ways to do it? Manicure! 

If you can suffer through an hour of being made fun of in another language, it's totally worth it!  A manicure is my number one go-to feel-good treat.  It's quick, easy, not that expensive, and feels amazing!  (I swear the girl I go to, Lisa, doubles as a massage therapist).  And for me, shellac is a must - if you haven't tried it, you've got to!  Trust me, you'll never go back.  (C'mon, a manicure that doesn't chip for over two weeks?? I'll take it!)

I got my first "fall manicure" earlier this week.  All summer I was going crazy for the salon's newest shellac colors, namely a minty aqua color called "A Mint of Spring" and a bold purple called "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not."  The salon I visit uses Gelish Nail Color - you can find the full range of colors HERE!

So this week, since the weather is finally cooling off, and there is a hint of that "fall feeling" (do you know what I mean when I say fall feeling...I can't describe it, it just makes me happy!), I decided it's time to bust out the first fall manicure colors!  My go-to shades are a medium red and dark purple - the colors seem to go well with my skin tone.  My favorite Gelish colors are "Night Reflection" and "My Forbidden Love" - which is what I went with this time.

I just love the richness of the color - and you can't beat that shine!!  I'm telling you, shellac is the way to go.  I could hardly contain myself when she started painting my nails, I guess because it combines two of my favorite things, getting a manicure, and fall colors!!

Go on over to Gelish's website (here) and tell me what your favorite seasonal colors are!

Fall Comfort Food: Crock Pot Applesauce

Fall is finally here!  I just love this time of year.  Nothing compares to the smell of fall - pumpkin pies, bonfires, cranberry sauce, crisp fall leaves.  There is a sense of mystery and anticipation, perhaps because it's the season of Halloween - a little sense of spookiness.  It makes you burrow down a little more into your sweater, or cuddle just a little bit closer to your love.  It is the most positively perfect time of year.

And let's not forget the food!  Is there any other season where you can add pumpkin to anything and get away with it?  Go crazy with the cinnamon?  Bake and eat and bake and eat, and not worry about fitting into that bathing suit?  (thank goodness leggings and huge sweaters are in style!)

So to start off this fall, and this blog (named for my absolute love of fall!), I thought I'd begin with one of my all-time favorite fall comfort food recipes: crock pot applesauce.  I think I'll file this in "To Eat" and "To Do", because to make this the perfect fall recipe, you should really go to your local farmer's market or apple orchard (if you have one) and pick out the ripest, juiciest apples you can find.  Call me crazy, but produce-shopping can really be a great date idea!  (I'm thinking outdoor, meeting the farmer, picking it off the vine yourself kind of "shopping", not pushing a cart through a crowded grocery store with kids screaming and people ripping their hair out kind of shopping...I'm not that crazy!!) 

Crock pot applesauce is something I only stumbled upon recently, (on Pinterest, of course) and after my first batch, I was hooked!! And not just on the taste, but on the way my house smelled while it was cooking (think Grandma's house at Thanksgiving, or Macy's the week before Christmas...do you think I'm crazy yet!?)  I experimented with different kinds of apples, sugar, spices, and "add ons", and I've detailed what I use in the recipe below, but definitely try to put your own spin on it - make it a signature dish; trust me, people will be begging you to make it again, or give them the recipe!  Enjoy, and thanks for reading "Dreaming of Fall."  

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