Gingerbread Latte Smoothie

I am taking part in the "Lifeway Foods Blogger Recipe Challenge" and I am so excited to share my entries with you! Lifeway Kefir is something that I always have in my fridge so I was really eager to accept this challenge, try to get creative and come up with new ways to use the fabulous assortment they sent me!

I adore the combo of warm fall spices and the natural sweetness and thickening power of the dates and banana in this smoothie. It feels super indulgent even though it's packed with probiotics, protein, calcium and Vitamin D! I think that's way better than an overpriced coffee shop sugar rush!

Gingerbread Latte Smoothie

1 cup Lifeway Organic Whole Milk Plain Kefir

½ cup frozen banana slices

6 pitted dates

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 Tablespoon molasses

1 cup ice cubes

Combine all the ingredients in a high powdered blender and puree until smooth. Serve immediately.

You can find delicious Lifeway products here: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and their website  and you can find these products for yourself at Whole Foods, Randalls and Brookshire Brothers.

#lifewaykefir #madewithlifeway #loveyourguts  #lifewayrecipechallenge

DIY Drinkable Yogurts

My kids love those bottled drinkable yogurts. They're delicious, most have a decent amount of protein in them and they're easy to grab on busy mornings. The problem I have with most of them is how expensive they are (some are almost $2 a piece) and a lot of them are loaded with sugar especially the ones that are marketed specifically for kids. 

I decided to make my own and it's almost embarrassingly easy to do. 

Still delicious, way cheaper and loads less added (and unneeded) sugar!

You can obviously do any flavor your family likes best, my kids love vanilla the most but strawberry, cherry, blueberry and peach are all winners in this house!

I usually buy the 32 ounce tubs of yogurt and either mix a batch in my Nutra Bullet or a small Tupperware pitcher and then it's ready to pour in the mornings or after school. 

Paired with fresh fruit or toast, it can be a full meal as well!

DIY Drinkable Yogurts

1 cup low fat Greek yogurt (any flavor works)

½ cup low fat milk

Whisk together the yogurt and milk until smooth

Pour into cups with a straw and serve

Are you following me on Instagram yet? If not, please do! 

You can find my latest recipe postings and  updates on Beignet and Roux!

Suggestions and Smoothies

While having the time of my life chatting it up in NYC with Chef Jeffery Saad for the Bush's Chili Cook-off he suggested once we were back in Austin to try out Barlata since he knew the chef and had been there numerous times before. I was super excited when I found out that Louis had booked reservations for us to go there for brunch on Valentine's Day!

It did not disappoint! We tried a little bit of everything, and I would definitely go back. The cocktails were amazing and here were some of our favorite dishes:

The Lola's Cooler was absolutely delicious, I could have had a pitcher of that alone. The garlic shrimp were divine, and the best part was the butter in the bottom of the pan soaked up with the warm bread they kept bringing to the table. Totally delicious!

Torrijas- Castilian Toast, Seasonal Berries, Almonds, Whipped Cream

House cured salmon- Pickled​ red onions, capers, crème fraiche

Gambas Ajillo- Shrimp Garlic/Olive Oil

Pulpo- 2 hours cooked octopus with fingerling potatoes and adobo oil

Barlata Paella- Spanish​ saffron rice, mixed seafood, chicken, chorizo and veggies

Lola's Cooler- StGermain, Dolin Blanc, Pear, Yellow Chartreuse, Honey, Citrus and Cava

In more exciting contest news, I had two wins in the same week that I am pretty proud of!

My Blood Orange Coconut Lava Flow Smoothie won me a $500 WholeFoods gift card 

And my Southwest Sackin' Stackers won the runner up prize for Pepsi's Game Day Grub Match challenge!! I took Cheddar Jalapeño cheetos and pressed them on the outside of crescent roll swirls with bacon, mexi-corn and pepper jack cheese. Topped with FritoLay hot bean dip and a creamy Lay's Smooth Ranch Dip Salsa for the win! 

Runner-up prizes:  Check in the amount of $500,  PepsiCo party pack including a mix of PepsiCo food and beverage products, a signed cookbook from Anne Burrell and a Wilson Super Bowl 50 Football.  

It's been a great week so far!

Bai's Bunny Patch Smoothie

Friday morning I was having my coffee and browsing facebook when I noticed that Bai had posted the winners of their smoothie contest on their home page. Lucky for me I was one of them! I won the Most Creative prize with my carrot cake inspired smoothie. When I tasted Bai for the first time I really loved the coconut flavor and I immediately started thinking of how I could transform it into a smoothie with the flavors of my son's favorite dessert- Carrot Cake 

They sent me the cutest email too:

After sorting through over 150 winners, we just could not ignore your recipe. Congratulations on winning "Most Creative" in our Bai 5 Smoothie Challenge.
Along with eternal glory, you've also won:
$100 gift card to Whole Food's and 10 cases of Bai (booya!)
Nothing like finding out you're a blending champion to kick off the weekend right?
Cheers,
Georgie & the Bai Team

Bai's Bunny Patch

 1 bottle Bai5 Molokai Coconut
1/4 cup pitted dates
1 Tablespoon wholemeal flax seed
1/2 cup baby carrots
2/3 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1 frozen banana
2 cups ice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Blend all ingredients together until smooth.

1 Tablespoon toasted coconut for topping

Top with toasted coconut. Serves 2.

If you'd like to see the other winning recipes follow this link