Category Archives: Breakfast

Cold Brew Pancakes with Coffee Maple Syrup

Cold Brew Pancakes with Coffee Syrup are a delicious treat to cook up on a weekend morning. This recipe makes a large quantity of pancakes, making it perfect for a big family or to save as breakfasts for the week ahead. Each pancake is made using about 1/4 cup of batter, leaving you with dinner-plate-sized pancakes that feel like they came from a diner. This recipe was tested using both all-purpose and gluten-free flours, and it is important to note that the gluten-free flour behaved slightly differently in this recipe (see recipe notes below regarding flour amounts*).

Ingredients needed to make Cold Brew Pancakes with Coffee Maple Syrup

You’ll need a variety of ingredients to make these pancakes. Here’s everything:

Tools used to make Cold Brew Pancakes with Coffee Maple Syrup

There’s no fancy equipment required to make these pancakes, which makes them a great recipe for a lazy morning. No fuss, just delicious. These pancakes can be made using one skillet, but for efficiency you may consider using two. Here’s the full list:

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Whisk
  • Small saucepan
  • Medium skillet, or two
  • Spatula

How to make Cold Brew Pancakes with Coffee Maple Syrup

To start, you’ll need to measure out the dry and wet ingredients in separate mixing bowls. *If using gluten free flour, start with 2 1/2 cups, then adjust if needed after adding the wet ingredients. If using all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 cups should be exactly what’s needed to achieve the correct batter consistency. If you’re looking for a reference point, think back to childhood when your parents made pancake batter from a box. It’s thin enough to flow steadily out of the bowl and into the pan, but not so thin that the pancakes can’t hold their shape once they hit the hot skillet.

Once you have your wet and dry ingredients measured out, you’ll combine them and adjust flour accordingly, as described above. It may seem “willy nilly” to approach a recipe by feel or looks, but I can’t stress enough the importance of adjusting as you go. This doesn’t always work, especially for baking recipes, but pancakes are forgiving enough to handle a little extra flour to achieve a thicker batter. Trust your gut, as they say!

Heat one or two skillets over medium-low heat and melt butter to grease the pans. Begin cooking pancakes, flipping once the top begins to bubble and the sides are setting up. I love to make these pancakes as big as possible, so I typically use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to drop the batter in and only cook one pancake per skillet at a time. If you prefer small pancakes, that works just as well.

While watching the pancakes, make the coffee maple syrup in a small saucepan. Combine the maple syrup, instant coffee, and cinnamon stick and heat gently until the instant coffee has dissolved into the syrup.

Stack the pancakes, pour over that syrup, maybe at a pat of butter, and enjoy! It doesn’t get much simpler than pancakes.

Looking for other breakfast ideas?

Try these ideas from The Ardent Cook!

Apple Spice Smoothie

Gluten Free Olive Oil Zucchini Bread

Double Chocolate Scones with Salted Peanut Butterscotch Glaze

Recipe Ingredients

2 ½ – 3 cups all-purpose flour (or 1-1 GF flour blend) (*see recipe note above if using gluten free flour)

2 tbsp baking powder

½ cup coconut sugar

½ cup milk or almond milk

1 cup (8oz) cold brew espresso

3 eggs

4 tbsp melted butter or ghee

1 tsp vanilla extract

Butter, for greasing the pan 

½ cup pure maple syrup

½ tsp instant coffee powder

2-inch piece cinnamon stick

Recipe Instructions

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and coconut sugar. In a large mixing bowl, combine milk, cold brew espresso, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
  2. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet in the larger of the two bowls. Whisk to combine, and adjust flour amount as needed (described above*)
  3. Heat one or two skillets over medium-low heat with butter. Once the butter has melted, add pancake batter to the skillets about 1/4 cup at a time to create large “diner-size” pancakes. Let cook, then flip when the tops begin to bubble and the sides have started to set.
  4. Meanwhile, heat maple syrup and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, whisk in the instant coffee and continue whisking until dissolved. Remove from the heat.
  5. Serve pancakes hot with a pat of butter and a drizzle of the coffee maple syrup. Enjoy!

There may be affiliate links in this post! By purchasing a product I recommend, I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I love and use myself. Thank you for your continued support of The Ardent Cook, it does not go unnoticed.

Gluten Free Olive Oil Zucchini Bread

Gluten Free Olive Oil Zucchini Bread is deliciously moist, packed with peak summer zucchini, and just a touch sweet. Given its lower sugar content, it leans more towards an any-time-of-day item, perfect for breakfast paired with yogurt and fruit or as a mid-day snack. Of course, if you do heat it up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert every night this week, I won’t judge.

Ingredients needed to make Gluten Free Olive Oil Zucchini Bread

Gluten Free Olive Oil Zucchini Bread is easy to make with just a few ingredients, listed here:

-1 small-medium zucchini

–Coconut sugar

–Extra Virgin olive oil

-Plain Greek yogurt

-2 eggs

–Vanilla extract

-Gluten free flour blend, such as this one

-Baking soda

-Baking powder

-Salt

-Cinnamon

-Butter, or more olive oil, for greasing

Tools used to make Gluten Free Olive Oil Zucchini Bread

The tools used to make Gluten Free Olive Oil Zucchini Bread are fairly minimal which makes this the perfect treat to whip up when you want something with little effort. You will need a cheese grater (such as this box grater, which I use multiple times per week for a whole slew of recipes) to grate your zucchini, a few mixing bowls, a 9-inch cake pan, parchment paper, a rubber scraper (like this), and a knife to slice up the goodness for serving. Other than that, just make sure you have a working oven!

How to make Gluten Free Olive Oil Zucchini Bread

This recipe is very straightforward, with the exception of one step. Grating your zucchini finely is crucial to achieve the correct texture of the bread. I recommend using the fine tines on a box grater, although you could try to do this in a food processor as well. The important thing to note is that you should not squeeze excess liquid from the zucchini, as we want that liquid to help keep the bread moist. Everything else is fairly easy. Just preheat your oven, mix the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry in another bowl, combine, and bake! Delicious and done in about 45 minutes start to finish.

Looking for similar Gluten Free Recipes?

Grain-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Cookie-Bread

Gluten-Free Strawberry & Pineapple Crumble Bars

Chocolate Pistachio Rice Crispy Treats

Recipe Ingredients

1 ½ cups finely grated zucchini (about one small zucchini)

¾ cup coconut sugar

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt

2 eggs

1 ¼ tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cups gluten-free flour blend (try to find a cup-for-cup blend)

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

Recipe Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 inch cake pan with butter and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Alternatively, you can use an 8 inch loaf pan, simply note the longer cooking time below.
  2. Grate zucchini on a box grater. Add to a large mixing bowl, along with the coconut sugar, olive oil, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla. 
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet using a rubber scraper. 
  4. Pour the batter in the cake pan and bake for approximately 25-28 minutes. If using a loaf pan, adjust cooking time to approximately 45-50 minutes. Bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. 
  5. Allow bread to cool slightly, then run a knife along the edges and flip the cake out onto a serving plate. Slice into wedges and serve.

There may be affiliate links in this post! By purchasing a product I recommend, I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I love and use myself. Thank you for your continued support of The Ardent Cook, it does not go unnoticed.

Meal Prep “Kitchen Sink” Quiche

One of the harsh realities of adulthood is the fact that not only do you have to prep lunches for the work week, but you also have to prep breakfasts (unless you want to wake up an extra 20 minutes earlier each day, which I don’t). I literally have my morning routine down to the minute so I can get every ounce of sleep possible. That’s probably an issue I need to face sooner rather than later, but until then I will continue to prep my breakfasts as well.

Some days, I keep it easy and just make a smoothie. I don’t need to think about it and just throw everything into the blender. However, when I want something more substantial, I reach for egg casseroles of any kind. When I was paleo, I would painstakingly homemake crusts that fit within the confines of that diet. That method is awesome if you’ve got the time (and they always turned out delicious), but I found that it took the ease out of the whole process and I dreaded prep days because of it.

Nowadays, I just use store-bought pie crust. I know you’re all SHOCKED. But, I can’t tell a lie. It’s always flaky, always buttery, and never falls apart like a homemade crust. It rocks. I will say that I’m picky about the ingredients that go into the store-bought crusts, so I usually reach for an organic brand such as the crusts from Immaculate Baking Co. However, the generic crusts will definitely work in a pinch, or if you don’t care about the ingredient list.

For the filling, I’ve experimented a ton based on the ingredients we have on hand, but the combination in this recipe is one that we’ve consistently wanted to remake each week. It combines hearty broccoli with sautéed peppers and shallots on the bottom, a layer of shredded gruyere cheese, diced ham, and a final layer of goat cheese. The flavor combination is amazing, and the quiche itself is pretty healthy. I absolutely love it. I call it “kitchen sink” because this quiche really takes to any combination of produce/meat/cheese you have laying around, so feel free to go crazy! If you aren’t feeling creative and would rather just stick to a pre-written recipe, then this one is the perfect one for you.

Quick note on these quiches: they were inspired by my boyfriend Jeff, who used to eat a greasy breakfast sandwich (that he homemade, but still, it was greasy) every day. He asked me to brainstorm ways he could still get his egg fix without the heavy feeling after, and thus the quiche idea was born. He simply reheats his slices in the microwave at work, but you could also opt to heat them in the oven at 375 for a few minutes.

This recipe makes two quiches, and I usually wrap them in individual slices in foil, then store in a bag in the freezer for easy breakfasts. Alternatively, this makes a great addition to any brunch table to feed a crowd! If you make these quiches, don’t forget to share your recipes and tag me @theardentcook on Instagram so I can see how you served ’em!

Ingredients

2 9-inch pie crusts, homemade or store-bought, at room temperature

16-20 eggs

1 cup broccoli, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

2 large or 3 medium shallots, diced

2 cups ham, diced

1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded

1 4oz log goat cheese, crumbled

1/8 cup whole milk

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease two 9-inch pie dishes and line each one with a pie crust.
  2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add broccoli, peppers, and shallots, and cook until lightly browned and mostly cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  3. While the vegetables cook, crack 16 eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add the milk, salt, and pepper, and whisk to combine.
  4. Spoon 1/2 of the vegetable mixture into one pie dish, and the other 1/2 into the other pie dish, followed by the gruyere cheese. Divide the ham evenly between the two pies (on top of the vegetables and gruyere), then crumble goat cheese evenly over the two quiches.
  5. Fill each pie pan with roughly 1/2 of the egg mixture. If more eggs are needed to completely cover the filling, feel free to beat eggs one by one and add to fill each quiche. I prefer to start with 16 and add as I need, so I don’t waste eggs. Some days I use more filling, which requires less eggs to fill the pie dishes, and vice versa.
  6. Bake the quiches for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is set and lightly browned.
  7. Allow the quiches to cool slightly before slicing. Serve immediately, or wrap slices individually in foil and store in a plastic bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

“Cake for Breakfast” Green Smoothie

Most days, I crave savory things for breakfast. My ideas about what “breakfast” actually is are also blurred, so sometimes I’ll eat dinner leftovers, a random assortment of veggies and cheeses and toast, or (if I’m hungover) I’ll eat pickles. However, on the off chance I’m craving something sweet, I almost always turn to a smoothie.

With the weather warming up, smoothies are a no-brainer. This green smoothie is perfect when your cravings say “dessert” but your brain tells you “healthy.” It combines two varieties of greens, collagen peptides as your protein source, a little fruit, and a lot of flavor.

You can make this smoothie your own by swapping the kinds of greens you use. Don’t have spinach and lettuce? Use kale or chard! Don’t have strawberries? Any berry will do. You can also feel free to substitute the collagen for any protein you have, preferably keeping it unflavored or vanilla flavored. If you do use a flavored protein, you will likely not need the maple syrup that is listed in the recipe, as most flavored proteins are already flavored. The only thing you can’t skip out on is the almond and vanilla extract. Those two pack a flavorful punch that really gives this smoothie the “vanilla cake” vibes you’re looking for.

If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts below in the comments or at my post on Instagram. Share your photos and don’t forget to tag me @theardentcook on Instagram!

Ingredients

1 cup strawberries

½ of a very ripe banana

1 cup baby spinach, tightly packed

½ cup green leaf lettuce, tightly packed

1 tsp-1 tbsp pure maple syrup

1 scoop unflavored collagen peptides

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

½ tsp almond extract 

½ tsp vanilla extract

⅛ cup birthday cake granola, such as Safe and Fair, for serving

Sprinkles, for serving 

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients except granola and sprinkles in a blender. Blend on high until smooth. If more liquid is needed to achieve a smooth consistency, feel free to add additional almond milk or water.
  2. Pour smoothie into a cup and top with granola and sprinkles. Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Scones with Salted Peanut Butterscotch Glaze

It’s Sunday, and I’ve been making a concerted effort to differentiate weekdays from weekends during this pandemic. Read: extra baking. I happen to live with two men in their mid-twenties who will literally eat anything I put on the counter, so I’m fortunate enough that baked goods wind up in their mouths more frequently than my own. It doesn’t stop me from enjoying my fair share as well, though.

With that being said, I do still try to choose better options when baking, which is why you see me using coconut sugar in so many of my recipes. It’s one of the more affordable options when it comes to unrefined sugar products, and I genuinely just enjoy the taste more than conventional white sugar. The taste of coconut sugar resembles more of a brown sugar or caramel, and I love that about it. I use it daily in my coffee, and pretty much any time I need a sugar substitute. Basically, if you don’t have coconut sugar, you can *almost* always sub regular sugar in my recipes. The same rule applies to milk. In this recipe, I use vanilla almond milk for the scones and heavy cream for the butterscotch. Regular milk will work fine for the scones, unflavored almond milk will also work… use what you have. If you choose to use a plain, unflavored milk option, I would suggest adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract to replace the vanilla flavor you get from the almond milk. Similarly, the heavy cream in the butterscotch can easily be substituted for full fat coconut milk. As long as the consistencies are similar, it’s a pretty safe bet as a substitute.

Now back to the scones. As far as baking goes, scones are one of the easiest IMO. You literally can use your hands for the majority of the time, which means fewer spoons to clean, and they come together in about 5 minutes. They’re also great for the anxious baker, because you don’t have to stress about perfectly shaping the dough or perfectly drizzling the glaze. Guess what? They taste exactly the same no matter what shape or glaze pattern you choose.

One non-negotiable in this recipe: cold butter. I’m talking straight-from-the-fridge cold. If it’s too warm, or worse, melted, the dough won’t turn out right. The cold butter is also what allows the scones to become flaky during the baking process.

A few notes about the butterscotch glaze: When in doubt about the consistency of the butterscotch, it’s always safe to simmer it on the stove for an extra minute or so rather than to remove it from the heat too soon. It’s better for your glaze to be overly set than not set enough. You can substitute any nut butter you have on hand in this recipe and it will be delicious. You really can’t go wrong with butter, sugar, cream, and nut butter. Feel free to store excess butterscotch in a container in the fridge for up to a week. Spoon it over ice cream, add a dollop to your coffee, or just eat it with a spoon.

I hope you enjoy this Sunday baking project as much as I do. Don’t forget to share your photos and tag me @theardentcook on Instagram!

For the Scones 

2 cups whole wheat flour

⅔ cup all-purpose flour

⅓ cup cocoa powder 

1 tsp espresso powder

½ cup coconut sugar

1 TBSP baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ cup cold salted butter (1 stick)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 

1 egg  

For the PB Butterscotch 

½ cup cold salted butter (1 stick)

1 ¼ cup coconut sugar 

¾ cup heavy cream (or full-fat coconut milk to make dairy free) 

½ cup natural peanut butter (or other natural nut butter)

Instructions

  1. Make the scones. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, coconut sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. Whisk to combine.
  3. Cube 1 stick cold butter into roughly 1/2 in pieces. Add cubed butter to flour mixture and toss to coat the butter with the flour. Using your fingers, work butter into flour mixture until it is pea-sized and evenly distributed throughout dough.
  4. Add chocolate chips to bowl and toss to combine.
  5. Make a well in the center of the flour-butter mixture. In a small bowl, whisk the almond milk and eggs until combined, then pour into the well. Fold to combine, using a silicon spatula or your hands. The mixture will become cohesive and slightly moist throughout.
  6. On a lightly floured surface, dump out dough and fold over onto itself a few times. Using lightly floured hands, shape dough into two equal circles, each about 3/4 inch thick.
  7. Transfer dough circles to a rimmed sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut each circle into 6 equal pieces. Spread the pieces out slightly, keeping them in the circle with at least 1/2 inch between each piece. There will be 12 scones total.
  8. Top scones with a few more chocolate chips, if desired.
  9. Bake for 18-24 minutes. Total bake time really depends on your oven, so be sure to rotate the sheet tray halfway through cooking to ensure even baking and check on them frequently as the end time nears. The scones will have risen slightly and a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean when done.
  10. While the scones bake, make the butterscotch. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the other stick of butter.
  11. Once melted, add the coconut sugar and whisk constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture looks glossy.
  12. Turn heat down to medium-low. Add heavy cream, and continue whisking. The mixture will bubble, which is normal. Whisk constantly until the bubbling subsides and the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, approximately 3-4 minutes.
  13. Remove butterscotch from the heat and whisk in peanut butter. Allow mixture to sit while scones bake, and whisk again before pouring over cooled scones. If the mixture tightens up too much while you wait for the scones, you may warm it slightly over low heat until it reaches a pourable texture again.
  14. Serve scones warm with whipped cream, a scoop of ice cream, or a glass of milk. Enjoy!

Sour Cream and Cheddar Biscuits

Sour Cream and Cheddar Biscuits are light, comforting, filled with cheddar-y goodness, and easy as…..biscuits? They’re best fresh out of the oven, but if you have enough self-control to not eat all 8 in one sitting, they can definitely be stored for later. I recommend storing in a sealed container on the counter at room temperature for up to 3 days. If storing longer, transfer to the fridge after 3 days. To reheat, simply warm them in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes.

I serve these biscuits warm with a dollop of sour cream or butter, or alongside my Crispy Cast-Iron Chicken Thighs with Black Pepper Gravy to sop up that delicious creamy sauce. I hope you enjoy this simple baking project, and don’t forget to share and tag me @theardentcook on Instagram.

Ingredients needed to make Sour Cream and Cheddar Biscuits

Like most baking recipes, you need your classic flour, butter, etc. to get these biscuits just right. I use a ratio of whole wheat and all-purpose flour, specifics of which are described in the section titled “How to make Sour Cream and Cheddar Biscuits” below. For now, here’s what you’ll need to gather:

Tools used to make Sour Cream and Cheddar Biscuits

There’s not a whole lot of equipment required to make these biscuits. The most important piece of equipment is a clean, floured kitchen counter for folding and shaping the biscuit dough. Other than that, you’ll want to gather these pieces of equipment:

How to make Sour Cream and Cheddar Biscuits

This dough comes together unexpectedly, so be warned. It won’t look homogenous like a bread dough, and that’s kind of the point. The technical term is that the dough will look “shaggy” after the wet ingredients are added. The sour cream acts as our leavening agent when mixed with the baking soda, and the cold butter creates a solid barrier that, when melted, causes steam to rise and separate the dough to form little air pockets. In short: FLAKY LAYERS. Be weary of the amount of times you knead this dough, as the more you work the flour, the more time the gluten has to become tough. The best method is to use a swirling/folding technique to incorporate the ingredients while the dough is still in the bowl, and then knead it just a few times on your floured surface. Rolling the dough over onto itself, also known as lamination, is what creates those layers of solid butter upon solid butter that will puff up once in the oven, so don’t skip Step #8.

Another note: whole wheat flour, in my experience, tends to absorb liquid more easily and can lead to tougher baked good. So, the ratio in this recipe of 1.5 cups whole wheat to one cup AP flour is about as liberal as I’d go with your whole wheat usage. If you don’t have whole wheat, this recipe can easily be done using only AP flour. If you go that route, I would recommend using slightly less water in this recipe, maybe decreasing by a tablespoon. I haven’t tested this recipe using a gluten free flour, but I would recommend using a cup-for-cup option if you want gluten free. It should be fine if you follow all other aspects of the recipe.

I love to enjoy these biscuits fresh from the oven with a dollop of sour cream. They are so delicious!

Recipe Ingredients

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour, plus more to dust rolling surface

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup salted butter, cold (1½ sticks)

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp coconut sugar

1 generous cup sour cream

½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

3 TBSP water

Fresh ground black pepper, a few good turns

Optional: ¼ cup fresh chives, chopped 

Recipe Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. 
  2. Add dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl (flour, baking powder, baking soda, coconut sugar, pepper) and whisk to combine.
  3. Cube butter into ½ inch pieces with a sharp knife. Set aside about 4 cubes in a small bowl to be melted later. 
  4. Drop butter cubes into the dry ingredients and toss to coat in the flour mixture. Using clean hands, squeeze and manipulate the butter into the flour to create small blueberry-sized pieces.
  5. Make a well in the center of the flour-butter mixture and add the sour cream. Using a fork or butter knife, work the sour cream into the flour mixture by swirling and stirring to incorporate. The dough will not look homogenous. Add the cheddar cheese and water and repeat the swirling process. At this point, add chopped chives, if using.
  6. Using lightly floured hands, roll the dough over onto itself while still in the bowl. Then, dump the entire mixture onto a clean, floured surface such as your counter or a large cutting board. 
  7. Using your hands, knead the dough a few times to incorporate. Be careful not to knead more than a few times, or your biscuits may turn out tough rather than light and flaky. 
  8. Shape the dough into an oblong rectangle, as pictured below. Using a sharp knife dusted in flour, cut the dough in half and fold one half over onto itself. Then, press and shape the dough into an oblong rectangle again. 
  9. Cut dough into 8 equal pieces using the floured knife to avoid sticking and place biscuits onto a greased cookie sheet. Melt the reserved cubes of butter and brush or spoon over the tops of the biscuits. 
  10. Bake for 20-24 minutes, or until the biscuits have risen slightly and are golden brown. 
  11. Serve for breakfast with a fried egg and extra chives for garnish. Alternatively, enjoy these as a snack with a dollop of sour cream or alongside my Crispy Cast-Iron Chicken Thighs with Black Pepper Gravy.

Citrus Ginger Green Smoothie

If you’re anything like me and, well, the rest of the population, you get hungry between lunch and dinner. It’s inevitable, regardless of how big of a lunch you eat. While I would gladly eat dinner at 5pm on the dot, my boyfriend isn’t quite so keen on that timing, seeing as he often doesn’t get home from work until 6:30 at the earliest. At the risk of eating dinner without him every night, I strategically pick afternoon snacks that are satisfying and delicious that aren’t too filling that I can’t eat a solid dinner later on.

This green smoothie is perfect. It’s healthy, loaded with immune-boosting ingredients, and colorful to boot. Plus, it’s sweet. Enough said. If you wanted to make this more of a meal rather than a snack, I would suggest beefing it up by adding something along the lines of half an avocado, a scoop of protein powder, or a banana.

Ingredients:

One small mango, peeled and pitted

5 frozen pineapple chunks

2 small oranges (clementines or mandarins work great), peeled

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Juice of 1/2 lime

Heaping handful baby spinach

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

Dash of cinnamon

Water, to cover

Instructions:

  1. In a high-speed blender, combine all ingredients and add water to cover.
  2. Blend on high for 30 seconds or so until smooth and no chunks remain.
  3. Sip and enjoy!

If you make this recipe, don’t forget to post and tag me @theardentcook on Instagram. Thanks for stopping by!