Smoothie Moves

After trying a delicious (but expensive) smoothie at the gym a few months ago, I was inspired to start making them at home. Now they’re part of my breakfast routine at least twice a week.

My basic recipe below will make two servings, or about four cups. If you have large 2-cup mason jars, it’s easy to take these on the go.

blueberrysmoothie
Wild Blueberry Chocolate Smoothie

Here’s my typical smoothie base:

  • 1 banana
  • 2 cups of almond milk
  • 2 tablespoons of chia seeds (I soak them in the almond milk overnight)
  • a handful of greens or about 1/2 cup of frozen spinach
  • 1/4 cup of Bob’s Red Mill whey protein – you can omit this, but I love the frothiness and body it provides

Then, I give it some flavor with at least 1 cup of fruit, usually one or more of the following.

  • frozen (strawberries or blueberries are great, other berries have too many seeds for my taste)
  • fresh (papaya or pineapple are nice)
  • frozen fruit pulps (such as the Goya branded ones found in the international freezer section of my grocery store – I’ve tried these in tamarind, passion fruit, and blackberry)

Sometimes, I add a couple of tablespoons of cocoa powder (great with blueberries!). I’m low on fruit, or just in the mood, I sometimes make a peanut butter chocolate smoothie with cocoa powder and peanut powder.

The blueberry chocolate smoothie pictured above had the base ingredients with a cup of frozen wild blueberries and 2 tablespoons of raw cocoa powder. My wildest smoothie so far has been carrot cake, with shredded carrot, golden raisins, flax seeds, cinnamon, and a spoonful of sour cream for flavor.

Packing for a Two-Week Trip (Again)

Two years ago, I got a Timbuk2 Aviator backpack for a two-week trip to Europe and documented what I packed and the results.

I’ll be going on a similar trip again this year, so I’m reviewing my packing list to see what I’ll change this time. Here’s what I’m thinking:

  • Swap for smaller / lighter: pajamas, running tank, water bottle (just bought a collapsible Vapur bottle), dress, raincoat (just got this, very packable)
  • Swap for better: Instead of $10 Forever 21 skinny jeans (seriously!) I picked up a pair of Prana Halle pants in grey. I like that they convert to capris. I’m also going to try this Royal Robbins shirt – the sleeves can be configured in three ways.
  • Skip: Swimsuit (didn’t use), printed leggings (wore once), possibly the rain jacket depending on forecast.
  • Add: Sandals would have been nice in the heat, so I’m hunting for a lightweight, flat pair that I can walk miles in. I usually wear sandals with a 2″ heel and they are too bulky to pack.

Clothes for a 2-week trip to Europe

 

Here’s the full list from last time with notes:

  • 2 dresses – pack a very thin, light dress instead of jersey
  • 1 skirt – keep
  • 2 pairs of leggings (1 black, 1 gray print) – skip 1
  • 2 pairs of tights (1 black, 1 gray) – skip 1
  • 1 cardigan (gray) – keep (similar)
  • 4 tanks (black, gray, blue, green) – maybe bring 1 very light running tank and 1 or 2 others
  • 1 collared sleeveless shirt – maybe skip
  • 1 light, short-sleeved sweater -replace with tshirt
  • 1 pair running shorts – keep
  • 1 pair sneakers – keep
  • 1 pair flats – pack sandals in addition, or instead
  • underthings – keep, of course
  • sleepwear – bring something much lighter / smaller
  • scarf – keep
  • rain jacket – maybe keep depending on weather
  • on the plane: jeans / tshirt / hoodie – swapping jeans for pants