Ryan and I made it safely to Ocala this morning.
Hello palm trees!
We ended up spending the night at my parents’ place in Jacksonville to break up the eight-hour drive and were grateful for a comfy bed and yummy snacks upon our arrival.
My mom and dad have graciously volunteered to watch Sadie while we deal with moving which will be so, so nice. Ryan and I always joke that Sadie has to meet someone three times before she falls head over heels in love with them, so a bunch of new people in “her house” wandering in and out would seriously stress her out. She’ll be quite happy playing on the beach and soaking up some quality time with my parents. I’m pretty sure she body slammed them 10 times last night when she saw them after several months away!
Since I am currently blogging from the parking lot of a Burger King (heeey free wifi!) and need to get back to the house to help with the move, I’m just popping in this morning to share a giveaway I think my fellow smoothie and juice lovers will enjoy.
Tina, the blogger behind Carrots ‘n’ Cake, recently released her second book, PTV: The Part-Time Vegetarian Smoothies and Juices.
Tina’s blog was actually the first blog I read and the way I first discovered the crazy world of blogging. Fast forward a few years and I started my own blog and have had the pleasure of hanging out with Tina many times. I now feel fortunate to consider her a good friend!
(Someone please get me a hairbrush, STAT.)
I know how hard she worked on this book – creating and taste-testing 140+ smoothie and juice recipes in less than two months is no joke – and was thrilled when a copy showed up on my doorstep early last week. I’ve had the chance to try a handful of her smoothies (Ryan has made a few, too!) and every single one has tasted delicious.
As you guys know, I make smoothies all the time and before flipping through Tina’s book, I felt like I had made tons of different flavor combinations. Well, Tina put me to shame and introduced me to smoothies using ingredients I never would have thought to include in one of my favorite breakfast staples, such as frozen butternut squash, jalapeños and sweet potatoes.
The smoothie you guys may have seen on the blog yesterday was actually made by following Tina’s recipe for her Creamy Avocado Smoothie, which she said I could share with you today!
Creamy Avocado Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach
- 1/2 avocado, peeled and pitted
- 1 1/4 cups vanilla almond milk
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
Combine ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a glass and serve immediately.
***
Here is your chance to win a copy of Tina’s book!
Simply comment on this post telling me about some of your favorite ingredients to use in smoothies or juices you make at home. (I’m all about frozen bananas and fresh spinach!)
I’ll randomly select a winner tomorrow.
Good luck!
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Anytime I make a smoothie I call it my “kitchen sink” smoothie. I toss in a little of whatever fruit/veg I have in the fridge, some oatmeal, chia seeds, protein powder and then some almond milk. My 14mo daughter loves it! It feels good to know that she’s getting some great nutrients all in a form of a smoothie. Happy moving!
My favorite thing to add is peanut butter 🙂
My favorite smoothie ingredients to mix in with others are kale, chia seeds, and PB2
I love to add either un-sweet cocoa or cinnamon to smoothies! Spices adds a flavorful kick!
Frozen bananas are a must….soooo creamy! Good luck with your move Julie!
I love putting strawberries and cocoa powder into the smoothie!
i loveeee avocado in my smoothies.
Smoothies always need bananas. I also like adding peanut butter, flax seeds and sometimes coconut water instead of regular water.
I like to put oatmeal in my smoothies to thicken them up and to fill me up as well!
I always use frozen bananas and almond milk as the base, adding in anything from Greek yogurt to PB to spinach to frozen berries to chia seeds to protein powder, etc. My latest fave is adding in Trader Joe’s frozen green figs, my bag is almost empty and I don’t think they are in stock anymore!! 🙁
Spirulina! It’s one of the few ways I can tolerate the taste…
I LOVE sneaking in a bunch of spinach to my smoothies! I tried sneaking kale before but I don’t think our blender is strong enough to break it down since I felt like I was drinking a bunch of small kale pieces.
I have a green smoothie every day. Lately I’m digging Mangos and ginger. Try this one: Kale, Mango, Carrot juice, Half of a granny smith apple and a few slices of ginger.
I love slipping nutrients into smoothies that you can’t really even taste — ex: spinach and protein powder. Adding extra vitamins and protein into a yummy mix is a win-win!
Greek yogurt is always a favorite of mine, as well as spinach and some cocoa powder. Almost every one of my smoothies ends up with a chocolate flavor…I’m addicted!
I love chia seeds, spinach, and bananas!
I always use banana and spinach, but recently I have loved adding frozen cherries in my smoothies. It turns the smoothie a beautiful color and is sooo delicious!
I use almond or flax milk, vanilla protein powder (Tera’s Whey), unsweetened coconut shreds, cashew butter, a little xanthan gum, couple handfuls of ice and BLEND! It makes my morning on a regular basis!
You can never go wrong with banana and peanut butter – my favorite flavor combo.
Instant coffee! That’s a tip I actually learned from you a few years ago 🙂
I mix with some designer whey chocolate, milk, a frozen banana and some spinach–so good!
It is because of YOUR blog that I tried adding spinach in a smoothie for the first time, and I haven’t looked back! I can’t imagine all that I’m missing out on!
I would love a copy of the book 🙂
I love making pumpkin smoothies in the fall by using frozen banana, canned pumpkin, almond milk and pumpkin pie spice 🙂
Frozen bananas and protein powder go into just about every smoothie I make! And if I can add avocado, I will. So delicious!
always bananas and pb is great too when I’m starving!
My go-to smoothie includes frozen banana, milk, flax seed, chocolate protein powder, a spoonful of pb, and spinach/kale! So good!!
I love using frozen bananas, spinach, protein powder and peanut butter
I love fresh spinach, banana and PB2 in my smoothies… and pretty much any fruit!
I generally stick to the frozen banana and spinach smoothies as well. Frozen berries seem to find their way in as well!
I always add a sprinkle of chia seeds and a handful of spinach to every smoothie. Sometimes I like to add a scoop of coconut oil as well!
bananas and peanut butter!
I’m a sucker for anything with chocolate, peanut butter, and banana!
I don’t make very many smoothies, but when I do I like to make them thicker, so I use Greek yogurt and oats. Usually the smoothie includes banana and strawberry. Winning this book giveaway would help me branch out! 🙂
Mine always involve peanut butter and cocoa powder!
I like to throw in some greens, banana, and nut butter!
My favorite is frozen banana, frozen blueberries, almond milk, spinach and a spoonful of almond butter. So good and it keeps me full all morning!
My favorite has always been adding an avocado to any smoothie. Fav combo is vegan vanilla protein pwd, mango, pineapple, avocado & almond milk
I usually use fruit- bananas, frozen grapes, strawberries, and this summer, watermelon!!- with some spinach. I would love to try more veggies and green smoothies. I have always been worried about trying more veggies since I love the sweetness of fruit in my smoothies.
I absolutely LOVE to put bananas, almond butter, honey, coconut water, and honey into a smoothie. I first read about it on FitSugar and fell in love!
I like to use dandelion greens, banana, peanut butter, blueberries and almond milk!
Love Almond Milk and A Banana and lots of berries
I usually include almond milk, Greek yogurt, a frozen banana, frozen berries and peanut butter! Yum!
Almond milk, pb2, and banana!
Things I like to add to smoothies: protein powder, frozen bananas, and here’s a different one: ground up matcha organic green tea powder! It’s pretty tasteless (I only add about 1/2 tsp.) and you get that extra boost of antioxidants and energy.
I also love frozen spinach!
I never make a smoothie without a frozen banana!
I love spinach in smoothies 🙂
I love adding coconut flakes and chia seeds to my smoothies to thicken them up a bit! Oh, and berries:)
I like to use chia seeds for a little added crunch!
My favorite smoothie ingredients are greek yogurt, bananas & mangos!!
My favorite smoothie ingredient is PB2! The powder does a much better job of getting the PB flavor incorporated throughout the smoothie than regular PB does. I love blending that up with frozen banana, spinach, and almond milk!