Category Archives: Beverages

by | May 25, 2012 · 9:46 am

Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie

Who knew that nutritional yeast could be made sweet?

I went into this thinking, “Okay, this is either going to be really disgusting or absolutely amazing.” Luckily, it was the latter. And the best part? Okay, the second best part? It adds so much of a protein punch, which is often elusive for us vegans. I’ve been dabbling with some protein powders, but it’s hard to find something really unprocessed, so nutritional yeast is a great solution. This smoothie packs more than 10 grams of delicious, creamy protein. Drink up… it’s a great recharge after your morning workout.

Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie

5 medium strawberries, cored

1 cup almond milk

1/5 package light firm tofu

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp vanilla extract

stevia to taste

ice (optional) or pinch of guar gum, xantham gum, or 2 tsp of flax for a thicker smoothie (and more protein!)

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

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by | January 11, 2012 · 8:55 am

Snickerdoodle Green Smoothie

It ain’t always pretty…

But looks aren’t everything.

When I made Jessica’s Snickerdoodles for our Christmas Cookie Platter, they were gone in .000005 seconds. They were inhaled. (I think people liked them.)

We love the flavors of sweet cinnamon and vanilla around here. If you don’t, I’m judging you just a little bit.

So how did I accomplish such bliss with that green goo above? I guess it was another one of those happy accidents. I usually add cocoa powder or mint to my green smoothies, but decided to give it a go with cinnamon. The result? Actually, fabulously delicious.

Snickerdoodle Green Smoothie

1 cup almond milk

2 cups spinach leaves

1/4 package lite firm tofu

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 drop or two almond extract (optional)

Stevia to taste

Blend all until smooth. Pour into glass or bowl and enjoy!

It’s good to be green!

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by | September 28, 2011 · 3:27 pm

Spiced Apple Cider

This recipe is like a quadruple whammy. It’s part cider, part applesauce, part apple butter, part home fragrance. Your house will smell like apples, cinnamon, and cloves. Basically, your house will smell like fall.

P.S. It’s ridiculously simple.

Part One, chronologically, is Apple Cider. It’s kind of strange; most recipes I’ve come across for apple cider on the internet call for this number one ingredient: apple cider. Wait, what? What’s the point of making it if you’ve already bought it?

Trust me, there’s no need.

Just dump a bunch of apples in a slow-cooker, add spices, and let the cooking (and fragrance) ensue. Enjoy it hot or cold. And add a couple of cinnamon sticks to your mug so you can feel super classy.

Spiced Apple Cider

14 apples, cored, peeled, and quartered

4 cinnamon sticks

1 heaping tbsp whole cloves

½ tsp allspice

pinch of ground ginger

1 tsp grated orange peel

Optional: 2 tbsp brown sugar*

water

Peel, core, and quarter the apples. Put them in a crock pot and add the spices and sugar, if using.

Fill the crock pot with water until the apples are just covered. Cook on high for at least 4 hours. Strain the apples and spices out through a fine mesh sieve (the solids can be cooked further to make apple butter). Serve cold or hot!

*It’s fairly sweet on its own, but the sugar adds a subtle something extra.

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