The Saturday Sip: Skinny Pina Coladas

My sister in law was in town about a month ago for our annual pilgrimage to the Epcot Food & Wine Festival.  In order to prep for the main event, we drank these skinny pina coladas.

For a pitcher of these bad boys, I combined equal parts pineapple juice and strawberry vodka, without about a cup of coconut vodka, and then topped the whole thing off with club soda. 

We had them over ice and garnished with fruit.  Festive, low-cal, and nice to look at - I don't ask for much more.

Also nice to look at:

Louis Vuitton Speedy 25

This bag was purchased for me by the H in Paris.  I love it.  It's a lot bigger than it appears at first glance, and since I live in Florida I can get away with the light color year round.  Festive and nice to look at, am I right?

No-Bake Strawberry Oat Bars

Prior to finding this recipe, I had never eaten a date.  Not that I can recall, anyway, and given my new-found love of them (due solely to this recipe) I think I would have remembered.

There's really nothing easier than this.  Combine the following in a food processor and pulse it until it combines:

• 1 1/2 cups pitted dates
• 1/4 cup raw macadamia nuts
• 2 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats

Once combined, press the mixture into a baking dish.  I used my square Pampered Chef baking stone.

Then top the whole thing with thinly-sliced, hulled strawberries.  And chill.

The recipe didn't call for chilling, but I liked these cold.  Mine also could have used more strawberries, but I didn't care.  These were wonderful.  And you know how they were best?  Crumbled up over frozen vanilla yogurt.  You're welcome.

I'm going a little off-script with my fashion in this post.  I have a (BIG!) birthday coming up, and the H claims he has no idea what to get me.  I suggested this:

Alexander McQueen via Neiman Marcus

I feel like there's a hole in my wardrobe that can only be filled by one of these beauties.  I also have a hole for Louboutins, though, if we're being honest.  Wish him luck, peeps.  He may need it!

Blueberry Drop Biscuit Cobbler

Blueberry season is one of the most wonderful times of the year.  Really.  When I was in college, I met a delightful woman, from Georgia, who made a bitchin' blueberry pie but WOULD NOT give me the recipe.

This cobbler is not that blueberry pie, but it's what I'm going to make when I want to wow people with my sweet culinary skills.

It certainly wowed the H.  He has never shared my affinity for blueberries, but I believe he may now be a convert.  And who can blame him.  Look at those dark berries and sugar.  Sweet.

It also bakes up so easily, and so beautifully, and SO QUICKLY.  I made this twice, the first time according to the recipe and the second with fat free sour cream and whole wheat flour.  I actually preferred the latter, as the whole wheat flour gave the topping a nice texture.  But to each his own!  I'm just glad that my own now contains blueberry cobbler, in either form.

I would also take these:

Gianvito Rossi via Barneys

They are THE blueberry cobbler boot equivalent, if I do say so myself.

The Saturday Sip: Vanilla Berry Protein Smoothie

I know I talk about the wedding a lot around here, peeps, and for that I apologize.  I have been eating and sleeping (and sweating and stressing) wedding non-stop since 2013 came rolling in.  Part of my plan to alleviate stress AND get ready for doomsday the big day involves barre amped classes at Above the Barre.

The classes are freakishly intense and, while I'm thrilled with the results I'm seeing it is VERY difficult being sore 24/7.  Enter protein smoothies.

We always have these big containers of whey protein in the kitchen . . . time for me to take advantage!

I knew I wanted my protein smoothie to be berry-based, with a bit of greens and NO dairy, so I concocted the following recipe (which makes enough for two people):

1 cup frozen, mixed berries (or any frozen fruit of your choosing)
1 cup light vanilla soymilk
1 heaping scoop of vanilla whey protein
2 huge handfuls of spinach

Throw it all in a blender, blend, and enjoy.  I usually end up adding a little ice to the blender, to make them nice and thick.  If you prefer a less frozen texture, this recipe should work just fine!

Spinach?  What spinach?  You can't even taste it, peeps!

This bag is a pretty good visual interpretation of the smoothie:

Reed Krakoff via Bergdorf Goodman

Deep berry hues on the outside and a nice vanilla finish on the inside.  Now if only the bag could help ease sore muscles, too . . .

Quickie Friday: Blueberries and Cream

For some reason, after I've eaten a delicious, healthy meal, I usually want to destroy it with dessert.  And it doesn't even matter what kind of dessert . . . I just require a little something sweet to balance out the meal.  Last week, I found myself with a pound of blueberries and some cool whip, and figured I'd make do.

It turned out to be even better than I expected, thanks to a little grated semi-sweet chocolate, and I didn't feel like I over-indulged or ruined a day of healthy eating with something completely outrageous.  That's a win-win.

I am also going to put these in the win-win category:

via

They'd be great with my black skinny jeans, and I could walk around work singing "Blue Suede Shoes" and do my drunken-Annie-on-an-airplane walk from Bridesmaids.  If that's not a win-win, I don't know what is!

Apple Pie Oatmeal

The F, who will eat most everything (not on his to eat list:  most Asian foods, sauerkraut, calamari), will not eat oatmeal.  At one point I was trying to assist him in making better breakfast choices, and I whipped up some oatmeal with blueberries and brown sugar for him to try - he was disgusted.  I have never tried again.

I, on the other hand, freakin' LOVE oatmeal.  I could eat it every day (and do, most days) in any of a number of varieties.  Normally I just eat it with some brown sugar and cinnamon, but I received this recipe in my inbox and decided to give it a whirl.  It was delicious, it made a TON of oatmeal (I have cut the recipe in half ever since), and it was super-filling.

My final product didn't turn out nearly as pretty as the food-photographer-tweaked image at the link above, but I am certain it tasted as good as it was supposed to.  And now I can convince myself I'm eating like a celebrity (I'm looking at you, Giuliana Rancic!!!)!

I can also picture my girl G sitting down to the breakfast table to eat her oatmeal (before rushing out of the house to film E! News or Fashion Police) wearing these:

Giorgio Armani via Saks

And because I think she's great and we would make great pals, I obviously need a pair, too.  Call me, Mrs. Rancic!  We can eat breakfast together wearing matching boots!!!