Avocado shakes are yummy.

Have you ever had an avocado shake?  Next time you're at an Indian restaurant or a Sri Lankan/Singaporean restaurant (I'm looking at you Banana Leaf in Provo), you need to order one.  Or you could always just make it at home and take advantage of another great winter fruit: kiwi!


For my version, you will need:

• 1 avocado (mine was frozen, that's optional)
• 1 kiwi
• 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup milk (give or take based on preferred consistency)
• 1 lime (optional, this is very creamy and you can temper that by adding a squeeze of lime)

All you need to do is blend until completely smooth.  Trust me, you don't want chunks of avocado.

This recipe will make two shakes, or one for the thirsty among us.  Enjoy!

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Burt saved my winter hands.

Here's a bit of information that you probably don't know about me.  I moisturize, like a lot.  The worst feeling in the world to me is being itchy from dry skin, and I go to great lengths to avoid that feeling.  I moisturize from head to toe upon leaving the shower, I carry lip balm and hand cream with me everywhere I go.  And most importantly, I apply a deep moisturizer to my hands when I wake up and when I go to sleep.  My routine keeps my skin exceptionally smooth and I can't count how many times people have commented on the softness of my hands.  But this winter, my routine was not cutting it.

I went about all my moisturizing like normal, but my skin started to appear dry and cracked around my cuticles and the sides of my nails.  No matter how much cream I put on, it didn't improve.  At the time, I was using The Body Shop's Almond Hand & Nail Butter as my deep treatment.  While I still love the line and carry the Hand & Nail Cream with me, I decided to look for a better night cream.  What I ended up with is a miracle product.  Immediately upon applying the salve, the cracks and dryness were gone.  And after using it for a couple weeks, I can confidently say that it has improved the health and look of my hands.  

Now, I will say that this is not a cream.  It has a waxy texture similar to a cleansing balm, and a little goes a LONG way.  Also, if you're opposed to strong scents, this might not be the product for you.  It is infused with rosemary and you can definitely tell.  The scent does go away after about 10-15 minutes and over time you get used to it, but I know some people are very particular about their scents.  If you can deal, and you're looking for something to beat the winter dryness, then this product is for you and you can find it here.

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The ultimate winter salad.

Remember when I said that I'd be giving you recipes full of yummy seasonally appropriate produce?  Well here is about the most low maintenance one I could create that packs in a whopping five ingredients off our winter list.  This is a little bite of sunshine and vitality to distract you from the cold and gray world outside your window.  Easy to make and unbelievably satisfying, this salad should become a winter staple at your dinner table.

For this salad you will need:

Kale (just a lot, fill the bowl)

1 orange (I used a Cara Cara which is pink on the inside, you can use whatever you want)

1 grapefruit

1/2 small log of goat cheese (I used honey goat cheese because YUM)

1/2 cup walnuts

And for the dressing:

1/2 cup pomegranate juice

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Okay so in terms of assembling the salad, I'm confident that you don't need help.  The dressing however will need to be reduced and all that entails is putting the juice and vinegar in a saucepan on med heat and letting it simmer until you're left with about half as much liquid.  Let it cool completely and then pour it over your prepared salad.  It is so sweet and yummy and is really great against the bitterness of the mounds of kale.  Enjoy it as a side, or add some protein and make it your main.

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January 11th is a date of significance.

photo

Are you mentally preparing yourselves?  Have you set your DVR?  Do you have an HBO subscription?  If you answered no to any of these questions, then you need to take a step back and reevaluate your weekend plans.  This Sunday we will be graced with not only the return of both Girls and Looking, but also the Golden Globes hosted yet again by the lovely Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.   I can only assume that you have now rushed off to get your affairs in order, but I will continue.

If you haven't seen the trailers for the new seasons you can watch them here and here.  Do you have any predictions or hopes for our Hannah and Patrick?  Personally, I think that Adam and Hannah will probably break up, and I'm thinking there will be a big focus on her writing and her growth in that respect.  And Patrick?!  Well hopefully he'll realize how stupid he is, and that while Kevin is super hot he's not even remotely right for him and that he should get back together with Richie.  But that's just what I want to happen, who knows what will come to pass.

In any case, I hope your Sunday brings you great television and witnessing some sever burns dished out by Amy and Tina.

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Fruit and veg?! In Winter?!

It turns out that cookies and take out are not the only foods available in Winter time.  There's a ton of awe inspiring produce that is in season during these dark ages.  In an effort to eat more seasonally and encourage others to do the same, I've listed a bunch that can be found in the book Eat Pretty.

avocado

banana

beets

brussel sprouts

cacao

carrot

cauliflower

fennel

ginger

grapefruit

kale

kiwi

onion

orange

pomegranate

potato

turnip 

walnuts

Recipes featured on the blog from now until March 20th will be focused on one or many of these ingredients.  I'll do my best to feature as many of the produce as possible, but if there is something in particular that you would like to me to try, do let me know.

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And a happy New Year to you.

Well, it's officially 2015.  We're in the midst of a new beginning, in a time to refocus our goals and our life, and of course to make resolutions.  Do you make resolutions?  My family is very serious about them.  For years we've all made very specific resolutions (usually giving up food items like ice cream or red meat).  And if we managed to go the whole year sticking to our resolution, my grandmother would give us $100.  This year I've made a couple resolutions in relationship to food, but they have less to do with what I eat and more to do with the way I eat.  So here they are, my resolutions for 2015:

• I will not get take out or delivery for myself (I'm allowed to eat takeout that someone else is providing because how rude would that be).
• I will not eat outside of meals.
• I will eat fish at least once a week.

I think the one that will prove to be most difficult will be not eating outside of meals, because it's just so automatic.   Americans are a snacking people, and I am not immune.  Although I don't usually snack throughout the day,  after dinner is a demon that I will vanquish.

But on that note, is anyone out there going to wrestle some pretty fiendish resolutions of their own?  Let me know.

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