Yummy smoothie

I love fruity alcoholic drinks, especially margaritas and pina coladas.  But day drinking without a good reason is usually frowned upon, even though drinking alcohol before a run could improve performance. So I decided to make a delicious non-alcoholic frozen beverage that's relatively healthy, sweet with the help of coconut and banana, and full of potassium.  After discovering Trader Joe's Vanilla Almond Milk, which is also delicious when heated with an added sprinkle of cinnamon, I developed a tasty recipe:

Tropical Smoothie
1/2 cup Trader Joe's Vanilla Almond Milk
1 banana
2 tablespoons sweetened coconut flakes
1 tablespoon coconut milk 
dash cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ice cubes

Directions:
Add all ingredients to a blender, process, and enjoy with a straw!

Note: Makes one smoothie, approximately 8 ounces. Coconut water has a lot of potassium, and is lower in calories and fat than coconut milk.  Feel free to sub it in for the almond milk. If you plan ahead, you can cut the banana into pieces and freeze it, to avoid the need to add ice cubes to the smoothies.

I also broke out my immersion blender for an quick broccoli cheddar soup. It doesn't involve many fancy ingredients: broccoli, cheddar cheese, broth, garlic, onion, and believe it or not, garbanzo beans. The beans make the soup creamy and thick without milk.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound broccoli, cut into small florets
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion (either white or yellow), chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese (I used reduced fat 3 cheese blend from Trader Joe's)
2 cups low-sodium broth (I used vegetable, but chicken would also work)
1 cup water
1 cup garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (cannellini beans are also a good choice)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Saute onion with olive oil in a pot until soft, about 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook about 2 minutes.
2. Add water and broth and bring to boil.
3. Add broccoli, and cover, for about 8 minutes, or until tender.
4. Add beans, and cook until they are warmed through, about 2 minutes.
5. Remove the pot from heat, pour in cheese, and mix in.
6. Let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes, then use an immersion blender to puree soup.  Be careful while doing this, as the soup is hot and may splatter!
7. Add salt and pepper to taste. White pepper is better, if you have it.
8. Garnish with more cheese, if you'd like. Enjoy the soup!

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