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Coffee Smoothie

Wake up to this frosty coffee smoothie recipe! The fragrant coffee flavor is paired with banana, oats and almond butter.

Coffee Smoothie

Are you a coffee lover? Here’s a way to drink your cup of joe with a few healthy ingredients in the mix. Try this Coffee Smoothie! Because if you’re going to drink coffee, why not add bananas, oats and almond butter to the mix? This puree has just the right bittersweet flavor without lots of added sugar, and smooth, creamy texture. Drink it as a tasty afternoon snack (tastes like a milkshake!) or add protein to make it a morning meal. You choose!

Ingredients in this coffee smoothie recipe

This coffee smoothie recipe has taken us a while to hone to perfection: because it’s hard to get just the right coffee flavor and icy texture! Luckily, we finally found the combination that gets it to the consistency of a Wendy’s frosty, but using healthy ingredients. The recipe is similar to a drink at a local coffee shop in town: there they call it the Healthy Elephant (so you can call it that, if you like!). Here’s what you need for this recipe:

  • Frozen bananas
  • Espresso, cold brew or strong coffee: see notes on the methods to use below!
  • Oats
  • Almond butter
  • Milk of choice: dairy or non-dairy
  • Honey
  • Ice
Coffee Smoothie recipe

Coffee methods to use

The key to this coffee smoothie recipe? Strong coffee. You must use a very strong coffee or espresso to get just the right coffee flavor, otherwise it’s much too weak. This is key to making a great coffee smoothie, so don’t skimp here! Here’s what to use:

Coffee banana smoothie

How to freeze bananas

The other necessity for this coffee smoothie recipe? Frozen bananas. This is important because you want to get an icy, creamy texture without watering down the flavor with too much ice. For most of our smoothie recipes we try to use non-frozen bananas, but in this one it is key.

  • How to freeze bananas? Slice them into rounds and place them on a baking sheet so they don’t clump together. For this smoothie, you can just throw the slices into a sealed container if you’d like.
  • How long to freeze bananas? The shortest time you can get away with is 1 ½ hours. Or just freeze them overnight!

Sweeten to taste!

What we like about this coffee smoothie recipe is that it’s not too sweet! It lets the bitter coffee shine through, with just enough sweetness from the banana and honey. But keep in mind: you can sweeten this coffee smoothie to taste! The sweetness definitely depends on the bananas, so if they’re not as ripe you may need more honey.

Want to make a vegan coffee smoothie? No problem! Use maple syrup or agave syrup to sweeten, and of course your favorite non-dairy milk (ours is oat milk).

Coffee Smoothie

Adding protein to this coffee banana smoothie recipe

Want to drink this coffee banana smoothie as a breakfast? You’ll probably want to add a little protein for staying powder. The best way to add more protein here? Protein powder. We don’t often use it, but it’s a nice way to pack in quite a bit without affecting the overall flavor too much. Here’s how to find a healthy protein powder:

And that’s it! Let us know what you think of this creamy coffee smoothie in the comments below.

More coffee drinks

Love coffee? Us too! Here are a few more coffee drinks you’ll love:

This coffee smoothie recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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Coffee smoothie

Coffee Smoothie

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 2 small or 1 large smoothie
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

Wake up to this frosty coffee smoothie recipe! The fragrant coffee flavor is paired with banana, oats and almond butter.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium frozen bananas (sliced and frozen at least 1 1/2 hours)
  • ¼ cup Old Fashioned oats
  • 1 tablespoon almond butter
  • ¼ cup milk of choice (dairy, oat milk or almond milk)
  • ¼ cup espresso, cold brew, Moka pot coffee, or strong coffee (brewed double strength)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon honey, plus more if desired (agave syrup or maple syrup for vegan)
  • 1 cup ice
  • Protein adder: 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, optional

Instructions

  1. If you haven’t already, slice the bananas and freeze them for at least 1 ½ hours until solid.
  2. Blend all ingredients in a blender. Taste and add additional sweetener if desired.
  • Category: Drink
  • Method: Blended
  • Cuisine: Smoothies

Keywords: Coffee smoothie, coffee smoothie recipe, coffee banana smoothie

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.



from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/3Bb9EWt
- August 25, 2021
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Blackberry Lavender Lemon Bars

Tart and sweet, fruity and floral, these blackberry lavender lemon bars are the perfect summery treat for lemon lovers everywhere!

The classic lemon bar gets leveled up with ripe summer blackberries and a hint of lavender for a uniquely floral twist and gorgeous pink color.

Blackberry Lavender Lemon Bars cut into triangles and dusted with sugar

I’ve gotten into the habit of offloading my leftover sweets on my fellow students at my weekly Wednesday night ceramic class. Contrary to what you may think, excess sweets are a constant problem I have to deal with. The two of us can hardly consume everything I bake (recipes often requiring multiple tests before the final iteration), and ​it’s not like I have an office to bring them to. Usually it’s my neighbors who get saddled with the bulk of my leftovers (not that they’re complaining or anything).

But now that I’m back at my ceramics class after a year-long break, it’s proven the perfect opportunity for me to both offload my recipe tests and gather useful feedback, while at the same time spreading sweet happiness around the studio.

When I heard that our teacher was a huge fan of lemon desserts, I decided to revisit my classic Meyer lemon bars and give them a fruity and floral new twist. And even I, the lackluster lemon lover that I am (I’ll choose chocolate over lemon any day), had to admit the result is pretty darn fabulous.

(more…)



from Love and Olive Oil https://ift.tt/2XQC6i1
- August 25, 2021
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Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Everyone will love Cajun shrimp pasta! It’s an impressive dinner idea that’s irresistibly seasoned and easy to make.

Cajun shrimp pasta

Here’s a dinner to impress that doubles as an easy weeknight meal: try this Cajun Shrimp Pasta! This one scores major points with kids and adults alike at our table. It features irresistibly seasoned Cajun shrimp, colorful veggies, and a rich garlic Parmesan flavoring that lightly seasons the entire batch. Wow! was echoed around the table multiple times as we at it. Of any of the easy dinner ideas we’ve had lately, this recipe stands out as one we couldn’t stop eating!

Ingredients in this Cajun shrimp pasta

This Cajun shrimp pasta is a recipe inspired by the flavors of Cajun cuisine, a style of cooking developed by the Acadians, French colonists living in Canada who were deported to Louisiana in the 1700’s. The cooking style mixes West African, French and Spanish influences and techniques. This recipe shouldn’t be considered traditional Cajun: instead if takes inspiration from the seasoning and ingredients of this style of cooking. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Shrimp: fresh or frozen, deveined and tail on
  • Onion, bell pepper, and celery: called the “Holy Trinity” of Cajun cooking
  • Garlic
  • Cajun seasoning: homemade, or purchased plus garlic powder and onion powder
  • Pasta
  • Butter
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Cream or milk
Cajun shrimp pasta

Cajun seasoning: homemade vs purchased

You can make this Cajun shrimp pasta recipe with either homemade Cajun seasoning or purchased. Here are some notes on either variation:

  • Homemade seasoning: The nice thing about this homemade Cajun seasoning is that you can customize the spice level to taste. We like making it less spicy, which means you can use more of it and get more of the other flavors (not just the heat). It takes just 5 minutes to mix up and you can use it for months.
  • Purchased Cajun seasoning: Purchased Cajun seasoning is great if you’re in a rush! We find store-bought varieties can vary in heat level, so taste it before adding. As you’ll see in the recipe below, we decreased the quantity and added garlic powder and onion powder. If you’re using our homemade blend, you can leave that out.

With the quantities in the recipe below, both worked for our entire family: even a 4 year old! If you want to increase the spice, add more cayenne to your spice mix.

Cajun shrimp pasta

A milder variation!

Don’t love spicy food but still want to make this Cajun shrimp pasta? The homemade Cajun seasoning is a great place to start: make it with the low quantity of cayenne and you’ll have a nicely seasoned pasta that works for all eaters.

Another option? Try this Blackened Seasoning! It’s got similar flavors but is on the low end of the heat spectrum.

Increasing servings for Cajun shrimp pasta

Want to make a double recipe of this Cajun shrimp pasta? The base recipe has only 8 ounces pasta, which should work for 4 servings if you serve with side dishes. But if you want to increase this recipe for more eaters, here’s what we’d recommend:

  • Double the pasta to 1 pound
  • Double the veggies and pasta seasonings
  • Increase the shrimp to 2 pounds (not 3): 2 pounds of shrimp should be enough for 8 servings. You may need to cook it in batches depending on the size of your skillet.

Of course, you can cook 3 pounds shrimp if you like: but 2 pounds should be plenty for a crowd with the doubled pasta size.

Cajun Shrimp Pasta

What to serve with Cajun shrimp pasta

Make sure to serve this Cajun shrimp pasta with some filling side dishes to complete the meal! Here are some complimentary sides we’d recommend:

This Cajun shrimp pasta recipe is…

Pescatarian. For gluten-free, use gluten-free or legume-based pasta.

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Cajun shrimp pasta

Cajun Shrimp Pasta

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Print Recipe

Description

Everyone will love Cajun shrimp pasta! It’s an impressive dinner idea that’s irresistibly seasoned and easy to make.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces* short pasta, like penne, rigatoni, or casarecce (gluten-free if desired)
  • 1/2 medium yellow or white onion
  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, deveined and thawed if frozen (tail on or peeled)
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 2 teaspoons purchased Cajun seasoning (or 1 ½ tablespoons homemade Cajun seasoning or blackened seasoning**)
  • ½ teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder 
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter, divided
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk or cream
  • Lemon wedges, optional
  • Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Start the pasta: Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente.
  2. Prep the veggies: Finely mince the onion, mince the pepper, and finely chop the celery and place it on a bowl. Mince the garlic and place it in a separate bowl. 
  3. Sauté the shrimp: Meanwhile, pat the shrimp dry. In a medium bowl, mix the shrimp with ½ teaspoon kosher salt, the Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder. In your largest skillet (cast iron or stainless preferred), heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until just opaque and cooked through, turning them with tongs. Once cooked, remove to a bowl, cover, and set aside. Leave the browned bits in the skillet.
  4. Sauté the veggies: In the same skillet that you cooked the shrimp, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat and add bell pepper, onion and celery. Cook for about 3 minutes until the veggies start to become tender. Reduce to medium low heat and add the garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes more until fragrant and garlic just starts to turn golden. Remove from heat before garlic browns. Add the butter and let it melt while you get the pasta.
  5. Mix with the pasta and sauce: When the pasta is ready, drain it. To the pan with the veggies, add the pasta, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, the grated Parmesan cheese, and the cream or milk. Toss until fully combined, then add the shrimp. If desired, spritz with squirts from a lemon wedge. Taste and add additional seasoning as necessary. Serve warm, garnished with chopped parsley if desired.

Notes

*To increase this recipe for more servings, we’d recommend making 1 pound pasta, but go up to 2 pounds on the shrimp (not 3). You can double the veggies and sauce ingredients accordingly.

**If using the homemade Cajun seasoning, you can omit the garlic powder and onion powder in this recipe. For a less spicy variation, use less cayenne in your homemade Cajun seasoning or make homemade blackened seasoning.

  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Cajun inspired

Keywords: Cajun shrimp pasta

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.



from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/3sIwT7f
- August 24, 2021
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Thai Basil Fried Rice

Thai basil fried rice is a delicious way to use this fragrant herb! Thai basil infuses a delicate anise flavor into this satisfying dish.

Thai basil fried rice

Got Thai basil? Here’s a great way to use it: Thai Basil Fried Rice! We have an abundant Thai basil plant in our garden, along with our Italian sweet basil. It’s got purple stems and a delicate black licorice flavor that’s absolutely irresistible. Add it to fried rice, and it infuses an irresistible aroma that makes it impossible not to take another bite. It’s a great way to use this herb if you have it on hand! We could not stop sneaking bites of this one.

What is Thai basil?

Thai basil is a type of basil with an anise or black licorice flavor that’s native to Southeast Asia. It has a purple stem, purple flowers, and thin, dark green leaves. It’s used in Southeast Asian cuisine, including Thai, Cambodian, Lao, and Vietnamese recipes.

How to use Thai basil in recipes? Try it in this Thai Basil Noodle Bowl, a spin on a spring roll in bowl form, in Fresh Spring Rolls, or to garnish Coconut Shrimp Curry. But one of our favorite ways? In this Thai basil fried rice.

Thai Basil

Ingredients in Thai basil fried rice

Thai basil fried rice is a delicious way to use fresh Thai basil. The dish itself is a popular mix of cooked rice, egg and vegetables that you’ll find in many Asian cuisines: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Cambodian, Indonesian, and more. This recipe is a spin on our basic fried rice that adds fresh Thai basil (it’s not a traditional Thai-style fried rice). Here fish sauce adds big savory flavor and pairs well with the Thai basil. You can omit it if you prefer to keep it vegetarian, but it adds a distinct savory flavor. Here’s what you need for this fried rice:

  • Veggies: onion, garlic, ginger, carrots, peas
  • Sesame oil
  • Eggs
  • Jasmine rice
  • Soy sauce
  • Fish sauce
  • Thai basil
Thai basil fried rice

Start with day old rice

The most basic adage when you’re making fried rice? Use day old rice. What’s the purpose of this:

  • Freshly cooked rice has a lot of moisture. Try using fresh rice in fried rice, it clumps together and turns out soggy.
  • Day old rice is dried out. The grains stay separate and form that signature fried rice texture. Use leftover rice stored up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
  • What if you don’t have day old rice? Well, we usually forget to cook it in advance. Here’s a trick…

Shortcut: freeze the rice 10 minutes!

Often when we’re craving fried rice, we don’t have leftover rice on hand. Here’s a little shortcut if you want to make up a fresh pot for this Thai basil fried rice:

  • Make the rice. Here’s How to Make Jasmine Rice (or make it in an Instant Pot).
  • Spread on a tray and freeze 10 minutes: Spread the freshly cooked, steaming rice onto a rimmed sheet pan or tray. Place the tray in the freezer and freeze for about 10 minutes until the grains become cool to the touch. Some might even become frozen: that’s ok! They’ll heat right back up once they hit the pan.

Vegan variation

Want to make Thai basil fried rice but want it to be plant based? You can substitute a tofu scramble for the egg! Simply make this Easy Tofu Scramble before you make the rice, making the pieces of tofu very small. Then make the rice without the egg, and add the tofu crumbles in the very last step.

Thai basil fried rice

Make it a meal: how to serve Thai basil fried rice

Once you’ve made up this batch of Thai basil fried rice, how to make it into a meal? Here are a couple ways to round it out:

This Thai basil fried rice recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free.

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Thai basil fried rice

Thai Basil Fried Rice

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/2 yellow or white onion
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger (about 1 inch nub)
  • 2 large carrots
  • 3 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ cup frozen peas
  • 4 cups cooked jasmine rice, at least 1 day old or cooled using the shortcut below*
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • ⅓ cup Thai basil leaves
  • Optional: 1 pound medium small shrimp (size 51 to 60), shelled and deveined, frozen or fresh**

Instructions

  1. Mince the onion. Mince the garlic. Mince the ginger. Peel the carrots, then dice them.
  2. In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil medium high. Sauté the carrots and onion for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in the rice, peas and salt for 1 minute.
  3. Push the rice to the side. Add 1 tablespoon more oil. Add the eggs and pinch of salt, and scramble them in for 1 to 2 minutes until cooked through.
  4. Add the soy sauce and fish sauce, if using. Taste and add additional soy sauce if necessary. Heat for a minute or two, stirring, until all rice is coated. Add the Thai basil and turn off the heat, stirring until it wilts. Serve hot.

Notes

*Trick: If you don’t have day old rice, here’s a shortcut. Make the rice. Then spread it onto a rimmed sheet pan and put it into the freezer. Freeze for about 10 minutes until the grains become cool to the touch. Some might even become frozen: that’s ok! They’ll heat right back up once they hit the pan.

**If serving with shrimp, sauté the shrimp before making the rice: Pat the shrimp dry. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil on medium high heat. Add the shrimp and cook about 1 minute per side until just opaque cooked through, turning them with tongs. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Remove to a bowl and set aside while you cook the rice, then add them to the rice when it’s done.

  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Asian inspired

Keywords: Thai basil fried rice

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.



from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/3AZorU6
- August 23, 2021
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