Magnificent Mango Shake

“I recommend a plant-based diet because I know it’s going to lower their blood pressure, improve their insulin sensitivity, and decrease their cholesterol.”

— Dr. Kim A. Williams, vegan and president-elect of the American College of Cardiology, in yesterday's New York Times

Last weekend was my very beautiful BFF's wedding. She was unbelievably gorgeous you guys and it was an immensely joy filled, sunny day. 100% completely stunning. For your viewing pleasure, below, is a totally badass photo. In case you're wondering, yes,  this is what I look like all the time. Complete with a bouquet of wildflowers.

Okay, that might not be true but my face usually looks like that, which embodies a, "Don't mess with me, I'm super tough" attitude. Fine, fine, that's not true either. It is true, however, that I am a profoundly unphotogenic subject and any decent photo of me is usually candid, like this one. I have no absolutely no idea why I was standing that way, but it works. At least I wasn't picking a wedgie or something. I love all the groomsman just being silly boys in the background. So handsome, huh?!

What a fabulous day! Anyway, moving on. Remember a couple posts ago when I was confessing that we only had mangoes and sweet potatoes in the house because I haven't been able to make it to the store...in like a month? Yes, well, another mango recipe...I'm sorry. God, I hope you all like mangoes (who doesn't?!) I swear this is the end of mangoes and sweet potatoes for some time to come. Pinky promise. Wait, scratch that...I can't promise that. I love them both so much! 

You need this little beauty in your life. 

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Magnificent Mango Shake

by Katie @ Produce on Parade August-8-2014

A magnificent vegan, mint, lime, and ginger infused mango shake. It embodies the taste of summer and is free from soy, nuts, and bananas! Note: Use a fresh, juicy ripe mango you cube yourself, as opposed to pre-frozen chunks. It will be much more flavorful.

Ingredients

• 1/2 can (7 oz.) full-fat coconut milk
• 1 frozen mango, cubed
• 6 fresh mint leaves
• ½ Tbsp. lime juice
• ½-1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
• small sprinkling of ground cardamom, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Add everything to a high-speed blender, beginning with the milk. Blend on high until very smooth and creamy. Serve cold and with a small sprinkling of ground cardamom

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: Total time: 5 mins Yield: 1

German Word of The Day

Camera shake --> Verwacklungsunschärfe (ver-vahk-loongs-un-shelfa) Oh you Germans are so crazy! I have a lot of Verwacklungsunschärfe with my terribly shaky hands. 

Good Deed of The Day

Umm...this is 110% freaking awesomeness. The president-elect of the American College of Cardiology is vegan and wants you to be too, for your health. My hats off to this sensible, awesome-sauce, rad MD. Better listen to the good doctor. Read about it in yesterday's New York Times. 

Creamy Chai Banana-Avo Smoothie

Frozen avocados in smoothies are the best thing ever. I'm notorious for letting my avocados get pretty darn sad. I buy them with the best intentions but for some reason I just forget about them and then, sadness. Usually, I can rescue these avocados by cutting them into quarters and freezing them. They're just delightful when frozen and thrown in smoothies. Frozen bananas are, of course, popular to throw in smoothies. However, I rarely have any bananas in my freezer. I just use them up too quickly, I think. However, I always have some frozen avocado on hand! Try it out next time you've got one that's unfortunately gotten a little...err...past it's prime. 

This smoothie is rich, smooth, and chilled from the addition of frozen avocado. The banana lends a luxurious creamy quality, flavored by a homemade chai spice mix, and sweetened by fresh dates with a little flax thrown in for good measure. 

Creamy Chai Banana-Avo Smoothie

Serves 1 (small serving)

• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used a coconut-almond blend)
• 1 banana, not frozen
• 1/4 avocado, frozen
• 1 date, pitted
• 1 tsp. whole flax seeds (or 1/2 ground)
• 1/2 tsp. chai spice blend (I make my own, here)
• pinch of salt

Throw everything in the blender, starting with the milk first.

Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Serve cold. 

So delicious! Who says you can't have a smoothie for dinner?

Listening to: Our Hen House podcast. You should listen to!

German word of the day: Banana --> Banane (pronounced: bahnon-eh) It sounds kind of how you'd imagine a Brit to say banana. 

Good deed of the day: Even if you do eat meat and wear leather, you can certainly stand behind and sign this petition to stop Tell Craigslist to Help Stop Violence Against Pets. It only takes 5 seconds. I promise. 

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French Toast Smoothie

This is the ultimate breakfast smoothie. Especially when you want your smoothie to actually taste like...well, breakfast! Some of these ingredients might seem like odd additions, what with avocado and nutritional yeast, but I assure you this is the real deal. Make it and see for yourself! This dreamy smoothie really tastes just like french toast. It has that perfect eggy, maple syrup, and sweet vanilla flavor that you find only in french toast. I might have made this for dinner, but breakfast was clearly on my mind. 

French Toast Smoothie

Serves 1 

Notes: I like soy milk here because coconut and almond milk have too strong of a flavor. I used frozen avocado because of it's more neutral taste, though you could use a banana, but I think it's too strong of a flavor. The nutritional yeast is essential to this smoothie. 

• 1 cup soymilk
• 1/4 avocado, frozen and chopped
• 1/2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast, large flake
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp. ground flax seed (or 1 tsp. whole)
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• small grating of fresh nutmeg
• pinch of salt

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Feel free to blend in a few ice cubes too, if you like. 

Serve topped with fresh nutmeg and a dash of maple syrup!

Listening to: [soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/101489187" params="color=96c1b2&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]

German word of the day: Arme Ritter --> French Toast (pronounced: armeh ritter)

Good deed of the day: Sign this petition at Change.Org and Speak Out Against Idaho's Dangerous Ag-Gag Bill. It only takes 5 seconds and thousands of farm animals will thank you! And me too!

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