during these chilly winter days, i am usually content to just keep a mug of hot tea or coffee close at hand. but lately i've been exploring some other drink options. some for breakfast, some for a lazy afternoon, and some for curling up on the couch in the evening. i'll let you decide which is best for each occasion.
kale banana smoothie - i love the color of this vibrant drink. i also love kale, but don't go too crazy with the amount you use. the first time i made this, i was a bit over zealous.
makes 1 large glass
in a blender mix together:
- handful kale, about 2/3-3/4 cup very loosely packed (i usually take out the big stems and coarsely chop the leaves)
- 1/2 banana
- 1/3 cup apple juice (you could probably use a couple tbsp of agave syrup instead)
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 ice cubes
blend for about a minute
hot vanilla- this year i started seeing recipes for this alternate to hot chocolate so i had to try it.
serves one
- heat 6 oz of milk (i used 1% milk and added a little bit of half and half to make it a little richer)
add:
- 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- dash of cinnamon
- dash of cinnamon
mix together. i have a nifty little frother that is a small stick mixer that can go right into a glass. it's intended to make the frothy top of a latte or cappuccino. it's great using it for this.
* it's also tasty to add a splash of cognac*
tequila lime cayenne cocktail - i'm a big fan of tequila lime combinations. i also love cocktails with a peppery kick. having a ton of dried cayenne peppers from the garden this summer, i took a bunch and ground them in my spice grinder creating a powder that is easy to add to soups or drinks.
makes 1 cocktail
mix together in a cocktail shaker:
- 1 shot of tequila
- scant 1 tablespoon of agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- few ice cubes
pour into a glass, top with seltzer water
