apple cinnamon oatmeal smoothie {vegan + gluten free}

even though it's not really apple season, i bought a humongous bag of empire apples at the grocery store recently.  we've been juicing them, eating them with peanut butter, adding them to salads, and putting them in pancakes.  however, there are still several apples left.  i'm starting to think that they are multiplying on my kitchen counter.

yesterday i was looking for a way to use up another apple before the remaining apples go bad.  what haven't i done with these apple yet?  put them in smoothies!

peeled, cored, and diced, these apples went right into the blender along with oats, chia seeds, flax seeds, cashew butter, cinnamon, and almond milk.

the result was an awesome smoothie that tasted just like apple cinnamon oatmeal.

this glorious smoothie could be anything you want it to be.  it's not sweet so it could definitely be a breakfast smoothie, yet you could treat it as dessert if you wanted.

it's good for you since it's packed with protein and fiber.  it's thick, creamy, delicious, and really filling.  hey, this smoothie is vegan and gluten free too!

apple cinnamon oatmeal smoothie
total time: 5 minutes:
yields: 1 smoothie

ingredients:
1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
1 1/4 cups almond milk
1 medium apple
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1 tablespoon cashew butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon agave nectar
5 ice cubes

directions:
combine oats and almond milk in a blender and let sit for a few moments so that the oats can absorb the milk.  meanwhile, peel, core, and dice the apple.  add the diced apple to the blender along with the chia seeds, flax seeds, cashew butter, cinnamon, agave, and ice.  blend until smooth.

enjoy!

love, laurie

blueberry pie milkshake

i have had this idea to make a blueberry pie milkshake for a few weeks now.  things like this pop into my head at random times, like when i'm on the elliptical at the gym.  if there's nothing good on tv at the gym, my mind starts wondering and i usually end up thinking about food, because let's face it, when am i not thinking about food.

i dreamed up this milkshake on the elliptical.  that right there is probably an oxymoron, or counterproductive, or something, i'm sure.

anyway, while mindlessly peddling away on the elliptical, i thought to myself: "what if i could make blueberry pie into liquid form?"  it was all down hill from there.

we had fresh blueberries in the refrigerator, an unopened pack of graham crackers in the kitchen cabinet, and vanilla bean ice cream in the freezer.  you see how my brain works?

blueberry pie ala mode in milkshake form . . . genius.

the blueberries are fresh and bright, the graham crackers give the taste of pie crust, and of course blueberry pie would not be complete without a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.  all of the flavors combine perfectly to make a heavenly milkshake that is equal parts delicious and sinful.

i couldn't stop there.  oh no.  i just happened to have heavy whipping cream in the refrigerator, so the only right thing to do was to add a dollop of fresh homemade whipped cream to the top of this masterpiece.  oh yes.

gosh, look at that gorgeous purple-blue color!  no food coloring here, my friends!

you could, of course, substitute any other fruit in place of the blueberries.  let's make all different flavors of delicious fruit pie ala mode milkshakes!

now, if you have some type of an aversion to milkshakes, or if you find that you just can't finish this whole milkshake (yeah right) let me let you in on a little secret: if you take this glorious mixture out of the blender and pour it into popsicle molds then freeze it, you will have one heck of a delicious popsicle on your hands.  just saying, i may have done that too.

hey, it's the summer . . . live a little!

blueberry pie milkshake
total time: 5 minutes
yields: 2 milkshakes

ingredients:
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 graham cracker sheets
1/2 cup vanilla bean ice cream
1/2 cup milk
4 ice cubes

directions:
combine the blueberries, graham crackers (broken into small pieces), ice cream, and milk in a blender.  blend until smooth.  add ice cubes and blend to reach desired thickness.  top with homemade whipped cream.

enjoy!

love, laurie