We’re having a wonderful day!!
The Bears got an Easter card from their grandmother Buzz –
Including some $$ for their allowance!
I cleaned the house – top to bottom.
My assistant!
And then at noon Matt and I set out on one of our biking adventures!!
I was getting a little hungry as lunchtime neared, so I had the last of my breakfast Alliebar from yesterday as a snack.
MY OTHER RECIPES
We took the long way to Great Harvest to pick up something Matt left on Saturday AM, which meant lots of fun greenway riding. We have to take sidewalks of roads to get there, but once we’re there, it’s all smooth ridin’
The Camelbak is proving to be my new best friend. SO MUCH EASIER than drinking from a waterbottle!!
An hour and a half ride later…..we were back home and cooled off with a refreshing brew
Ashley calls her purpley smoothies "purple slurples"!!! This guys was totally slurped and one of the best smoothies I’ve made in ages! I forget that the world doesn’t revolve around green smoothies sometimes! I also love the addition of the orange juice!
The Mix
- 1 cup frozen berries
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup Simply Orange Mango
- 1/2 packet Vega Berry Whole Food Health Optimizer
I love the Vega and Amazing Grass smoothie powders not because I think they have any magical powers. And not because I feel the need to get tons of extra protein, but because I love what they do for a smoothie’s taste and texture. The Chocolate Amazing Meal and this Berry blend are both delicious and I really do love the slightly gritty/chalky characteristic they add to smoothies. I also think they make them thicker. I like mine to be very thick like a milk shake!
On the side I made a beautiful arugula salad. I LOOOOVE arugula!! When we first joined our CSA two springs ago, we got a huge bag of it and didn’t care too much for it. I had to dilute it with spinach. Now I can just eat the stuff up!
Topped with chopped carrot, bell pepper, and celery (part of Matt’s lunch choppings) and the last of my NYC cheese. Plus a drizzle of lemon olive oil and some of our new sea salt, which I loved for its thick coarse size.
I started to get out some bread to make toast to go with lunch for some whole grains, but I decided to follow intuitive eating and see if I really needed a third component. Turns out I didn’t, as this was perfectly satisfying.
Had to showcase Matt’s lunch too – HERRING – our newest fatty fish find in both salad and sandwich form!
He gave me a taste. If sardines are like clams, herring is like shrimp!
We went ahead and chopped up a huge tupperware of veggies for easy salads for the week. Will make packing my lunch salads SO much easier!
Next stop was making some bean dip for our Easter party tonight!
I decided since the Vita-mix was out for smoothie making to make the bean dip in it (after a good rinse) instead of the food processor.
I would never attempt to make a thick dip in my old blender – that would be a disaster in the making! But I trust the HUGE Vita-mix cookbook that it comes with.
PERFECTION!!!
I added cilantro and pistachios to make it spring green!
Off to shower and then head to Emily + Casey’s for a fun Easter dinner party.
That bean dip looks yummy- will there be a recipe for it? 🙂
The weather where you are looks so fabulous, warm and sunny – it’s been cold and rainy here AGAIN!
And I love the look of that purple slurple – purple is one of my favourite colours, so it was bound to be a winner 😛
And (finally!) how clean is your floor!!?? Good job!
Have a great evening 🙂
RECIPE:
1 can navy beans, partially drained
2 tbsp sesame seeds, raw
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp lemon olive oil
1 clove garlic
A handful cilantro
1/4 cup salted pistachios
Add to the Vita-mix in that order. Whirr on low –> high quickly and then up to high for 1 minute.
I LOVE the purple slurple! I totally need to make that! I, too, am loving me some arugula! We just joined a CSA this year for the first time and it starts first week of May and we are really excited to be getting some great new stuff that we will be forced to experiment with! I’m hoping to pull out my food processor soon and it become my best friend. Maybe I need a Vita-mix too! 🙂
mmm that bean dip looks so creamy and smooth! I really must invest in a vita-mix 🙂
Happy Easter!
i had the same initial MEH response to arugula, but now i’m obsessed! on top of the taste, its shape is more fun than baby spinach 😉 haha
That purple slurple looks so refreshing! Oh man, I can’t wait for warmer weather to get here!
Haha, my husband’s grandmother does the same thing – so sweet! She also sends one for Valentine’s Day with a little $$ from “Cupid” to buy ice cream 🙂
Happy Easter!
I love that! If only for the word slurple;)
what kind of bike do you have?
That dip looks delicious! Reminds me a bit of guacamole and that is a good thing! 😉
I need to get my bike out and ready for riding! It’s so much fun to just take the bike out for a nice long, leisurely ride.
Before you posted the smoothie ingredients I was wondering how you got it to be purple i.e. food coloring? Nah, that wouldn’t be fun nor real!
We have a trail near my home that is almost 50 miles long and leads to Washington D.C. It looks much like the greenway. I love running on it but biking would be 100x more fun. I just need to get my Pops to fix it up!
I haven’t found a love for Amazing Grass yet. I’m still playing around with it to see if I find a combo that I like. Purple slurples look good!
Have fun at the party. Happy Easter, Kath!
Oo, the bean dip looks lovely!
I have become convinced that I need to get a Camelbak for my bike rides. I wobble every time I try to reach for my water bottle!
That bean dip looks great.
And I so want a camelback. I was dying on my run today! Although I feel like my back would be burnin’ up!
The color of your smoothie is gorgeous!!! So is the bean dip haha:)
First purple, then green. You’re definitely eating your colors today! You’re going to turn into a decorated easter egg 🙂
I just discovered herrings too! Love them as much as sardines, maybe even more – they’re a little bit meatier, I think – is that what you meant by the clam/shrimp reference?
P.S. Charlotte is so much more beautiful in the Spring… but then again, I just can’t get into winter and snow!
I just think the clam/shrimp flavors are very similar in sardines/herring.
Aren’t Grandparents the best!? 😉
Wow, that lunch looks SO good!!! Love all the colors.
sluRP!! 😉 That dip looks fabulous..love your garnish, so pretty and that bowl! Also, I looove arugula!
Love your colorful smoothies 🙂 Happy Easter!!
Kath, I got my Vita-Mix last week and it has made me soooo happy ** aaahhhhhhh–angles singing**
I am a smoothie goddess now. I can’t wait to make a soup!
Hahaha – angels singing is right!
Gorgeous dip – it looks great in the blue bowl!
What’s the story behind the unusual, goofy bike? : )
I love the colour of that dip – looks wonderful!!
Everything looks so pretty! I love the outdoor pics 😀
I just ordered the same Camelbak! I’m glad to hear it’s a good purchase
Arugula is my favorite green! I love that it has a little bite to it!
We have those same exact Chimay glasses – only my fiance is such a beer purist that he won’t let me drink anything else out of them! I’ll show him your slurple; he likes smoothies too, so maybe I’ll get to use them!
the purple slurple looks so pretty in the chimay glass
That dip sounds awesome!!!
As does your day! I wish we had places like the Greenway around here.
Looks delicious! Hope you guys have a great time.
you are always so good about prepping for the week…i get nervous about cutting up fruits and veggies (and pre-making dishes with rice/pasta/etc) because leftovers scare me! i never know how long things will keep….how long will your pre-chopped veggies last? how long do you keep leftovers? if you pre-cook rice or wheatberries…how long do those keep?
Thanks!
I am never afraid of leftovers for at least 3-4 days. Then I get wary.
But I also think the purer the food, the better. So plain rice. Or plain wheatberries. Or plain veggies will last WAY longer than a prepared salad or a baked dish. At least that’s how I think. So I try to keep things separate.
Isn’t the Vitamix great?!?! I’m so glad my friend talked me into buying one. It does things I’d never attempt in my old blender. Discovered your blog about a month ago & I love it!
Welcome!
Love the idea of spring cleaning on Easter!!
that dip looks great!!!
Happy Easter Kath!!!!!!!!! 😀
Re. BIKE: It’s a Dahon foldable bike. It was Matt’s and I inherited it when mine got a little rickety.
LOOOOOOOVE that smoothie color! i love the names for ashley’s stuff…and purple slurple is a fave! hope you guys have a wonderful rest of your Easter!
I love the cute card to the bears. I’ve gotten emails to my dogs and it always makes me smile.
Happy Easter!!! You look gorgeous=)
What kind/brand of salt did you buy?
Love the purple smoothie and that beautiful green dip! I also love all the fish you’ve been eating. Fish is SO good for you. Arugula rocks my socks, too. 😀
Jenn
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31423267&l=3a07edd20a&id=214702095
My sister and I grabbed some pork and beets that were on sale the other day, and after eating the beet greens the 1st night, we roasted the beets and pork the 2nd. After seeing your post on the “low and slow” sweet potato method, I knew I HAD to try it! They turned out delcious, and I have you to thank. Oh and I also made a cilantro-parsley pesto, and I just received my pistachio order from Amazon. After seeing your bean and cilantro dip, I know I’m going to be making that next! :)))
🙂