strawberry, banana + orange smoothie bowl

 

the warm weather has rebooted my smoothie obsession! i have literally been making a fruit filled smoothie every single day over the last couple weeks. we are trying to be extra healthy now that winter is over & this really helps curb a dessert craving. the only thing even better then a traditional smoothie it a beautiful smoothie bowl! i just love getting to decorate them with all sorts of healthy goodies. they are so pretty & even more filling. instead of using regular ice cubes which adds zero flavour to the mix, i make ice cubes out of zevia's orange (zero calorie) soda naturally sweetened with stevia. it adds the perfect hint of sweetness & orange flavour without any added sugar! this combination is my absolute favourite.. strawberries, bananas & orange. ok, time to go make myself one!

happy weekend & happy mother's day! i bet mom will want one of these too:)

xo

ingredients

orange soda ice cubes

strawberry banana orange smoothie bowl

  • 1 frozen banana, quatered
  • 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
  • 1/2 cup 100% orange juice, no pulp
  • 3-4 zevia's orange soda ice cubes (see recipe above)
  • fresh fruit, for topping
  • chia seeds, for topping
  • puffed cereal, for topping

directions

orange soda ice cubes

  • evenly dispurse soda amongst a 16 cube ice tray. place in the freezer & let chill over night.
  • use when fully frozen.

strawberry banana orange smoothie bowl

  • add the banana, strawberries, yogurt, orange juice & ice cubes to a blender. blend until smooth, about 60 seconds.
  • transfer to a bowl & top with desired toppings.
  • serve immediately!

citrus rum punch

 

spring is in the air! as a winter lover i am a little sad to see spring come THIS early, but i am going to embrace it. i am already thinking about all the spring & easter recipes i can make with the fresh produce that will soon be out. the one major thing i miss in the winter is the fruit. luckily citrus is available year round, so finding that perfect lemon or lime shouldn't be a problem. it is actually at its best in the winter months!

this punch is like the end of winter & the start of spring in a beautifully coloured drink. it is bright, vibrant & the different colours of the grapefruit, orange & lime make for the prettiest colour combination. i used all pure fruit juices & added in grapefruit citrus zevia for the fizz. it is sweetened naturally with stevia making it zero calories! the grapefruit citrus is also so good on its own, it is my new favourite soda to drink. if you wanted to make this virgin for a child friendly event or baby shower (i am sure we all have quite a few of those this season), just leave out the rum! it makes for a refreshing virgin punch too.

ingredients

  • 2 cups grapefruit citrus zevia
  • 2 cups pure orange juice
  • 2 cups pure grapefruit juice
  • 1/2 cup white rum (leave out if you want to make a virgin punch)
  • 1 orange, thinly sliced
  • 1 grapefruit, thinly sliced
  • 1 lime, thinly sliced
  • 1 bunch of mint, roughly chopped
  • ice, for serving

directions

  • fill a large pitcher or dispenser halfway with ice.
  • add the grapefruit citrus zevia, orange juice, grapefruit juice & white rum. give it a good stir!
  • top with sliced orange, grapefruit, lime & mint.

orange creamsicle cocktail

 

i hope everyone had the BEST (most spoiled) christmas ever! i am beyond stuffed from all the turkey & ham that was consumed, not to mention the italian tradition of a big plate of pasta before every meal. the sugared cranberry cheesecake was a hit too! it was the first time any of my family had eaten sugared cranberries and they loved them.

the holiday celebrations are not over yet though! we have one more boxing day dinner tonight with justin's family before we get ready to ring in the new year! i am not that big of a new years eve person anymore.. we will probably stay in, make some fancy snacks & ring in 2017 in our new home. however, i love new years day brunch gatherings. one last meal before we all start to lose the holiday weight caused by endless amounts of food & drinks.

this year i wanted to create a lighter cocktail to sip on during brunch. a vodka twist on the classic mimosa, but still including fresh orange juice. orange juice always has to be served with breakfast or brunch, so i created this orange creamsicle cocktail using zevia's natural cream soda. it is so good, it literally taste like an orange creamsicle popsicle. bonus points that it is made with zevia's zero calorie cream soda sweetended with stevia. this cocktail will be sure to impress your guest & bring them back to those childhood creamsicle days.

happy new year friends! cheers to the last post of 2016. i can't wait to see what 2017 has in store:)

xo

ingredients

  • 1.5 oz vodka
  • 2 oz freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 oz milk * 2 oz zevia cream soda
  • ice, for serving
  • fresh mint, for garnishing

directions

  • in a cocktail shaker add vodka, orange juice, milk, cream soda & ice. shake well!
  • pour into desired cocktail glass, add fresh ice & garnish with a sprig of mint.