Category Archives: Drinks

Vegan MoFo 2017 Day 17: Unicorn Drink

Posted by Banana Curl Vegan Girl in Drinks, Unicorn, Vegan MoFo 2017 and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hi! Welcome to day 17 of Vegan MoFo. Today’s ingredient challenge is “Let’s Get Boozy,” but Unicorns want nothing to do with alcohol. It makes their tummies hurt and they do funny stuff (not good funny) when they consume it. So today, we’re sharing the official drink of unicorns.

It’s called Unicorn Milky Drink. The way it’s made is kinda cool. First, you make a drink mix, then you add 2 tablespoons of the mix into your favorite nondairy milk after it’s been heated up on the stove or in the microwave. It becomes a grayish purple (the color of most unicorns), sweet drink. We topped it with freeze-dried rainbow colored Sweet and Sara marshmallows and put it inside this awesome unicorn mug with a stirrer.

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Unicorn Milky Drink Mix

Makes one jar of a flavored hot milk mix, to give as a gift with instructions or use yourself.

You can mix it with vegan milk anytime you want a hot caffeine free drink

Ingredients:

½ cup vegan organic sugar

¾ cup vegan coconut milk powder (be sure there are no dairy ingredients in the brand you buy)

1 tbsp acai powder (for a unicorn worthy purple) or dried raspberry powder (for a unicorn worthy pink)

1 tablespoon vegan non-pareil sprinkles

A Mason Jar for storage

8 oz non-dairy milk, heated until hot mixed with two tablespoons of the mixture, topped with mini vegan marshmallows

Directions:

Stir or place the sugar and coconut milk powder in a food processor and pulse until the two ingredients become one. Add in the acai powder and watch the mix become purple, as if by magic! For a final dose of color, stir in the non-pareil sprinkles. Transfer to a glass mason jar. This makes a great gift for unicorn lovers all over the world. You can also keep it for yourself, which is what I would do. You turn it into a hot drink by heating 8oz of nondairy milk and then adding two tablespoons of the mixture and stirring well. If you can, I recommend adding some mini vegan marshmallows as a topping. Savor each velvety sip. I enjoy this before I go off into a field and slumber, dreaming of shooting stars in the milky way.

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Cake Batter Everything

Posted by Banana Curl Vegan Girl in Desserts, Drinks, Smoothies, Spring Recipes, Uncategorized, waffles and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Thanks to this recipe for cake batter butter, I discovered that vegan butter extract exists, and started going a little overboard making all things cake batter.

Then I decided to make a raspberry cake batter smoothie.

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It’s basically two cups nondairy milk, a scoop of vanilla protein powder (I use Vega Essentials), 1/3 cup frozen raspberries, one banana, 1/2 tsp vegan butter extract, 1/2 tsp almond extract, and 2 tsp vanilla extract. I also added in some vegan sprinkles, So Delicious coco whip to make it creamier (about 1/3 cup in the smoothie, and more for the topping), and drank it out of a fun straw. If you make the nut butter, you can also add a tablespoon or two into the blender.

Enjoy!

PS: If you like vegan, gluten free, soy free, and protein packed waffles, check out the new Fitquick birthday cake flavor…I haven’t tried it yet but I love their stuff and can’t wait until I can!

 

Done with the semester! Woohoo! A Black Forest Cake Smoothie recipe to celebrate!

Posted by Banana Curl Vegan Girl in Cherries, Childhood Favorites, Desserts, Drinks, Original Recipes, Recipes, Smoothies and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hi everyone!

I’m super excited. Yesterday I finished all my work for the term at college. I have one class this summer, and two classes in the Fall before I complete my Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational and Community Studies and Psychology (It’s a bit of a mouthful, I know!) Since I am so close, I will be walking with my class at College Unbound this May 30! I’m so excited. In two weeks I will be giving a special presentation on my journey towards this achievement and feeding people delicious vegan treats!

Anyhow, I think I’ve created the most delicious vegan protein smoothie ever!! It’s a Black Forest Cake Smoothie! For a long time as a child, my brother would request black forest cake every birthday. It was his favorite, and sometimes difficult to find. Last week, this obsession of his randomly popped into my mind, and I realized what a great smoothie it’d be!

Here is the recipe (feel free to add stuff/substitute as desired):

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Vegan Black Forest Cake Protein Smoothie (Gluten free):

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 scoops (depending on serving size) vegan chocolate protein powder (I used Vega One)
  •  3 tbsp Glutino Brownie Mix (or other gluten free and vegan cake or brownie mix, I like Glutino because it has mini chocolate chips in it!)
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 cup organic, vegan, gluten free cherry pie filling
  • 1 1/2 cups of your favorite vegan non dairy milk (I used almond milk, but coconut milk from a can would be even more amazing!)
  • Handful of baby spinach (optional)

Directions:

  1. In a blender, blend everything together until smooth.
  2. Serve in a cup. If you use a small straw, some of the chocolate chips from the brownie mix may get stuck inside, so beware.
  3. Enjoy, it’s delicious!!

I’m so happy that I’m so close to being done with school and have a bit of a break! I am looking forward to posting here a bit more frequently!!

Vegan MoFo Day 25: Easy Green Tea Smoothie and Latte Recipes for a Busy Day

Posted by Banana Curl Vegan Girl in Drinks, Green Smoothie, Recipes, Smoothies, Vegan Mofo 2014 and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Today I’m headed into Boston for a research study. I woke up earlier than I’d like to admit, fit in a run that ended up being pretty crappy, and now I’m trying to rush to get other stuff done before I have to leave for the train. However, I get to also go to Veggie Galaxy with a friend tonight!

Back in my pre-vegan days, there was this Asian Market I loved exploring when I lived in Boston. I once bought a huge green tea latte milk tea mix that tasted slightly like melon, it was amazing.

To try and recreate that taste, I have made this green tea smoothie (I wish it looked more green!).

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It’s pretty simple actually.

1 1/2 cups almond coconut milk

1 cup watermelon (I froze a bunch of it in cup-sized portions this Summer to use later in the year)

1 banana

Vanilla Protein Powder

1 tbsp green tea powder (matcha)

You just blend these ingredients together to make the smoothie.

I also have really been enjoying an even simpler recipe for a hot green tea latte.

You simmer 1 cup almond coconut milk and 1 tbsp green tea (matcha powder) until boiling, and then I like to add some liquid stevia extract in to that. Mmm. And great because I refuse to drink coffee but haven’t given up caffeine entirely.

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Vegan Mofo 2014: Thirsty Thursday: Chicory Gingerbread Pumpkin Green Smoothie

Posted by Banana Curl Vegan Girl in Drinks, Food for Fall, Green Smoothie, Original Recipes, Pumpkin Obsession, Recipes, Vegan Mofo 2014 and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

First of all, my blog’s graphics got revamped! I love it. Thank you to my brother Chad Kaplan for that! You can check out more of his work on his facebook page. And here’s one of my favorite pieces that he did last year for Thanksgiving. That turkey is really getting some revenge:

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It’s another edition of Vegan MoFo 2014, and in my theme today is Thirsty Thursday! I have prepared a Chicory Gingerbread Pumpkin Green Smoothie recipe.

When I gave up coffee for the first time awhile ago, my boyfriend bought me some instant chicory from France. If you are unfamiliar with this ingredient, chicory is a coffee substitute (from a plant) without caffeine that tastes somewhat like coffee, among other things. It is believed to be able to help people fight intestinal parasites. Thankfully, I do not believe I have any of those. It’s just a good tasting drink that sort of tastes like coffee but to me has a sort of gingerbread flavor to it too.

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This smoothie was great for me because I used blackstrap molasses in it, which contains a high amount of dietary iron. I tend to lose a lot of iron when it’s that time of the month, so it can be really good for women to use as a sweetener or in other recipes where it’ll taste good. However, the full tablespoon ended up making it taste a little weird to me. I’d recommend depending on your needs that you put less molasses into it unless you’re not like me and really love the taste of molasses.

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Chicory Gingerbread Pumpkin Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
  • 1 1/2 cup almond milk
  • 1 tbsp instant chicory
  • 1 tsp-1 tbsp (depending on preference, see above description) blackstrap molasses
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 pinches allspice
  • 2 pinches ground nutmeg
  • 2 pinches ground cloves
  • 1/2 tbsp flaxmeal
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • scoop or two protein powder
  • greens

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Vegan MoFo 2014-Day 11: Thirsty Thursday-Raspberry Lime Rickeys

Posted by Banana Curl Vegan Girl in Drinks, Original Recipes, Recipes, Summer recipes, Vegan Mofo 2014 and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Growing up as a kid I loved this drink, and I still do!

Another funny story is that I first heard about this drink when I was hanging out with my Uncle Ricky, so I always think of him when I think of the delicious pairing of lime and raspberry in a soda.

The recipe requires making a syrup and putting it into plain (or lime) seltzer water.

It will also be used later on (September 16!) in an amazing cupcake recipe that some people I met from the group Rhode Island Vegan Awareness at their annual summer picnic are waiting for after trying them…

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Ingredients for the syrup:

  • 6 oz fresh raspberries or 1 cup defrosted frozen raspberries
  • Juice of one lime
  • Zest of one lime
  • 1 cup evaporated cane juice

Ingredients for the drink:

  • 1 cup lime club soda or seltzer (or plain, even)
  • 3-6 ice cubes
  • Lime wedges for garnish

Directions for syrup:

  1. Place ingredients in a saucepan on low heat.
  2. Continuously stir for at least 15 minutes until bubbling and starting to thicken. The raspberries will no longer be whole at all and it will be bubbling quite a bit.
  3. Strain the seeds with a bowl or large measuring cup underneath. Stir with the spoon you used to get all the syrup out. It makes about a half a cup.
  4. Chill before using in a drink, and definitely try it in my raspberry lime rickey cupcake recipe, which I will be posting next Tuesday, September 16th!

To assemble the Rickey (for one drink)

  1. Pour the soda into a glass.
  2. Mix in 2 tbsp of the syrup. Add more sweetener if desired (I have a sweet tooth and added some stevia extract to mine)
  3. Put the ice into the glass and garnish with lime wedges around the glass’ rim.

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Summertime Strawberry Lavender Lemonade Cooler

Posted by Banana Curl Vegan Girl in Drinks, Lavender, Smoothies, Summer recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Ingredients:

  • 1 cup frozen strawberries
  • 2 lemons worth of lemon juice
  • 1 cup water
  • Liquid stevia, to taste
  • Lavender extract, to taste (can find on Amazon, I bought mine at Sur la Table)

Directions:

Blend together, enjoy.