Thirsty Thursday: Wishful Drinking

My Whole 30 starts in exactly 6 days and I will not be drinking for the entire duration. Even though I don’t drink very much anymore (maybe twice a month?) I ALWAYS enjoy a good cocktail, and I’m going to be completely honest the thought of NOT HAVING THE OPTION TO DRINK for 30 days does get the low-grade anxiety pumping. But I’ll do it, and I’ll deal with it and I’m sure I will survive, but this weekend — I may have to mix up a last cocktail hurrah. :)

Perhaps you might like to also? If so, here is some inspiration:

1. The Salty Chihuahua

Have I ever told you about the drink that changed my life? It was a Greyhound made at a random bar in San Francisco called Lion Pub. Well, perhaps it also had to do with the fact that instead of a random bowl of beer nuts they had an awesome cheese tray. That helped too.

This looks like that delicious greyhound mixed with a little margarita action. I feel we’re doing SOMETHING healthy for ourselves even though we are drinking, right? (sigh!) I’m a complete sucker for drinks made with fresh squeezed juice, plus I love the mix of sweet and salty. Such a good flavor combo! And giant bags of grapefruit are so cheap at Coscto right now. Tempting.

 

2. Ruby Red Cherry Citrus Sangria

Hello lover!

It’s no secret that I love a good sangria, and we probably do not need to beat the dead horse that is my love for stone fruit. This is obviously right up my alley!

To be honest, this one might actually get made this weekend if I can figure out what the hell “Cherry Herring” is.  In case it doesn’t can someone make a batch and drink it for me in August? You know, pour one out for your homie? Come on!

3. Creamsicle Mimosas

I have an entire bottle of champagne leftover from our Bodega Bay Weekend. I am as shocked as you are. While I don’t have Marshmallow Vodka, I do have a bottle of Whipped Cream Vodka that may make a nice substitute. Perhaps we will have a fancy breakfast cocktail this weekend.

Man, I’m just envisioning a drunken weekend all of a sudden. That is not the point of this at all. It is tempting though…very tempting! :)

******
I’m being a little bit dramatic and I certainly don’t intend to binge on alcohol or crap food prior to our Whole 30 experience, but I am definitely giving some thought to the things that I think I *will* be missing and trying to devise some strategies to change my perspective or help myself ignore the issue altogether.

Have you ever given up alcohol — or anything you really enjoy — for an extended period of time? I would love to hear how you did it!

April Favorites

April is shaping up to be a pretty awesome month. I’ve had some workout PRs, there is lots of cooking going on in my kitchen, and the sun is finally shining! Of course now that it is we are heading to Portland where there is rain in the forecast, but WHO CARES? Because April has been a very very good month.

Here are some things that are keeping the smile on my face:

1. Old Navy Workout Tanks
Diptic
I’ve mentioned my love of Old Navy workout clothes before. No they don’t compare to the MAGIC of Lululemon, but they are affordable and awesome. And also way better quality than their actual clothes, in my experience, which is sort of sad. Anyway, on the suggestion of one of my gym buddies I picked up one of these tanks in a few different colors recently and you all, THEY ARE SO CUTE! Also very flattering if you are not “excited” about working out in a tank top. They are forgiving around the mid section, come up high enough to camouflage any random arm chub (WHAT?) and I just love them. Get thee to Old Navy before it gets sweltering and they are all gone. For $14 — you can’t go wrong.

2. A Friday Night Cocktail

Also THIS? 2 Thumbs Up.
I’ve really been making a concerted effort to eat well during the week. Not to say I go hog-wild on the weekend, but during the week I’m clean as a whistle, trying to focus on nourishing meals, tough workouts, working hard at my job and sleeping a lot. But come Friday night I’ve been REEEEEEEEALLY enjoying the ritual of a cocktail. Cracking open a bottle of wine with Garrett or pouring a skinny cosmo over ice — it doesn’t matter — just something to acknowledge 5 days of good work. It’s been great! And I’ve been enjoying it so much that Garrett and I are going to collaborate on some cocktail recipes for the blog every Friday in May. Well, collaborate in the sense that I’m going to make some drinks and he is going to drink them. So that should be fun. I’ve been pinning ideas like a mad woman.

3. Unsweetened Vanilla Coconut Almond Milk
photo

Despite the numerous adjectives necessary to describe this beverage, it is remarkably simple and delicious. And because there are so many words on the box, I’m going to say very few here. But what I will say: IT IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.

4. PB+J Smoothies
PB+J Smoothie Time!

I don’t know why I call these PB + J Smoothies because there is neither peanut butter nor jelly in there. Weird. But it is still THE BOMB and it is reminiscent of a good PB+J, but with more chocolate and less gluten.

All you do? Blend up 8 oz of almond milk, 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder, 1 cup of frozen mixed berries, 2 TBS of Almond Butter. It sounds kind of strange. It tastes kind of AMAZING!

5. Fresh Flowers in My House

It's ridiculous how happy a change of table runner & a cheap bouquet can make me.
Tulips, specifically.

I just love them! And they are $4.99 at Trader Joe’s and I buy them every time I see them and I think to myself often, how can you NOT be happy when these are just nonchalantly hanging out on your kitchen table? It’s very hard. Spring is such a great time to have fresh flowers just hanging out!

6. Cover Girl NatureLuxe Gloss Balm – AKA the Taylor Swift Lipgloss

Untitled

I actually bought this in a 3 pack at Costco on a whim but I gave one to my mom. So! Only 2. In “Hibiscus” and “Grenache.” And they are a delight. Feels like chapstick with a hint of color. Always a favorite.

*****

And that’s all for now! What stuff is keeping the smile on your face lately?

You Are Cordially Invited to Get the Party Started

I don’t know how you all organize your recipes but I have four main systems.  I have a D-Ring binder (Down with the O-Rings!) in the kitchen for recipes I have printed out from the internet (that is overflowing by the way — what did I do before food blogs?), I have an accordion file of family recipes and random 3×5 cards, and then I bookmark recipes I want to try at delicious.com.

The fourth system is, well…less of a system and more of a compilation of random scraps of paper scribbled from god knows what source, newspaper clippings, and ingredients to try scrawled on the backs of envelopes.  Cooking is sort of an organic process around here at times, what can I say.  So before I start with the cooking talk today, can we pause so you can tell me: How do you organize your recipes?  I’m dying to know, please please please enlighten me!

Whew!  Thanks!    

Ok so you probably saw this coming, but this following recipe is from that 4th Realm of Organization so unfortunately I can not politely tip my adaptation hat, but since I have made and tinkered with this recipe so many times I feel comfortable making its official name Holly’s Refreshing YET DANGEROUS Sangria.  And may I suggest serving it anywhere you want to get the party started.  

Holly's Red Wine Sangria

Now I’ll admit it starts off with some arbitrary ingredients:

P1020275 

Not pictured: a can of orange juice concentrate and sugar to taste.  I forgot to include those because I had already had a glass of this when I took these pictures, so sue me.  

After assembling this motley crew, the concocting couldn’t be easier:

*Slice the following fruits in wedges and juice over a  pitcher:  1 lemon, 1 lime, 1 orange.  Throw them in the pitcher — it looks pretty.
*Add one small can of chopped pineapple with its juices
*Add frozen berries to taste (any berries will work, pick your poison.  I like to get crazy and add a lot.)
*Add 1-2 cans of ginger ale (you could probably use Sprite too, but I haven’t tried it.  If you do, let me know.)
*Add 1/2 cup of orange juice
*Add 1 bottle of red wine (my advice,  go inexpensive — but not too inexpensive)
*Add sugar to taste (I usually add  a few tablespoons, if you like it sweeter, add more! This recipe is easy like that.)

****and here’s where things get a little nutty*****

*Add 1/2 to 1 Cup of gin or vodka.  (My suggestion, Bombay Sapphire, and 1 Cup, but that’s just me, your raging alcoholic hostess.  You can decide what’s right for you.)

Stir, refrigerate until chilled, and enjoy with friends.  

I have never had anyone not like this Sangria, in fact quite the opposite.  I have received some pretty sloppy hugs and kisses over it, so my last warning to you is be careful who you serve it to.

Now drink up!

Merry Cranberry Margaritas

A few of you have emailed me regarding the Cranberry Margaritas that I mentioned in the comments of Jennie’s Christmas Menu post. I am planning to make these for Christmas to go along with our Mexican Themed Dinner (Pork Tamales, Beans, Rice, etc) but frankly I wish I was drinking now! Anyway, here is the recipe:

Merry Cranberry Margaritas
adapted from Sunset Magazine

1 1/4 cups cranberry juice cocktail
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed
3/4 cup lime juice
3/4 cup tequila
1/2 cup orange-flavor liqueur
3 cups coarsely crushed ice

Pour 1/4 cup of the cranberry juice into a shallow bowl. Pour 3 tablespoons sugar onto a flat plate. Dip the rims of 4 to 6 widemouthed glasses (6- to 8-oz. size, suitable for margaritas) into juice, then into sugar. Set the glasses aside.

Reserve 12 cranberries. In a blender, whirl until smooth and slushy the remaining cranberries, cranberry juice, sugar, lime juice, tequila, orange liqueur, and ice. If necessary, blend in 2 batches, then mix. Fill glasses; garnish with reserved berries. Serves 4 to 6.

Photo courtesy of fabulousfood.com

 

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