Keeping It Cool

Posted: June 25, 2011 at 10:00 am

The past couple of days we have had highs in the low 80s – a cool front. You read that right. A cool front. 80s. Yea it doesn’t quite match. Although Roxy sure does think so!

 IMGP0412

I cannot get that dog to come in from the porch. I think she hates me. She always runs away from me and the camera. It took quite the sneak attack for this picture. And oh – Julie, Meghann, and Kelly – here’s living proof I have a dog! They all had no clue when I mentioned her on our lunch date. Then again, that doesn’t surprise me because, like I said, our dog never wants anything to do with any of us. I wish she did!

Enough dog talk. 80s still feels toasty to me, so I have been keeping it as cool as possible lately. Lunches have consisted of no cooking. I had an egg, bean, or sweet potato sandwich/wrap kick for awhile – all of which I end up cooking or warming up for my lunches. Not this week.

  sandwich plums

I have stuck to cracked pepper deli turkey sandwiches with spinach, avocado, and swiss cheese. Plus fruit. Plus veggies and hummus. That is until Friday rolls around and I suddenly have a strong hankering for leftover BBQ kettle chips from the Father’s Day cookout. Stay cool and roll with it.

lunch

The cool factor continues with snacks. Smoothies!!! Yogurt!!!

 favorite snack

Like The Black Eyed Peas, I just can’t get enough. I have had quite a few people ask for my smoothie mixes so here ya go! My smoothie of choice this week includes the following blend, blend, blended all together:

in the blender

  • 1.5 cups unsweetened vanilla almond breeze
  • 2 handfuls fresh spinach (you can’t taste it! M even loves it!)
  • 1 frozen banana (for a thicker, creamier smoothie experience)
  • 5 large frozen strawberries

 smoothie in a glass

I use the first 3 ingredients in all my smoothies, then add in whatever fruit I’m feeling at the moment. For the record – frozen cherries, frozen mango, frozen berry mixes, and frozen peaches all taste stellar. Frozen fruit = key for creaminess. On the side, I enjoy some extra creaminess in the form of greek yogurt and granola. I need something to eat along with my smoothie!

 yogurt   granola

Cool, refreshing satisfaction right there. And the endless flavor combinations help it to never get old. That must be why pizza and frozen yogurt never get old for me, right? 😉

  • Did you know I have a dog? Random question but I’m curious!
  • Besides the heat, what one thing gets old to you fast in summer? SHAVING!!!

Tags: ,

 
62 Comments to “Keeping It Cool”
  1. Melodie says:

    My youngest loves green smoothies too! My fav right now is frozen bananas, coconut milk, spinach, pineapple and shredded coconut 🙂 Makes me feel like I am on an island 🙂

  2. I had no idea you had a dog either! Her face in that picture is like “leave me alone woman”. haha!

  3. Yep, I had no clue you had a dog. Roxy sure is cute though, if not a little sullen. 🙂

  4. Kathleen says:

    I love adding frozen bananas to my smoothies, now I’m going to try the spinach too! As for a dog, yes… I have an amazing miniature schnauzer “Higgins”. He changed my life after the sudden death of my first husband. (I got him shortly after) He is my angel and very much a huge part of my life and the reason I was able to love again. I don’t have kids, so he’s very special and spoiled :).

  5. I had no clue you had a dog! That’s funny!

    And shaving definitely gets old as well as sweating upon walking outside (that happened to me the entire time when I visited Atlanta last weekend)…ugh!

  6. Evan Thomas says:

    I had no idea you had a dog.

  7. Rachel says:

    I live in Macon, GA, and I agree that it’s pretty bad when yesterday’s temperature felt refreshing to me. We have had such a heatwave lately which has put a damper on my desire to run outside.

    I had no clue you have a dog! And your smoothie mix sounds delish. I always put chocolate protein powder in mine if I’m doing either strawberries or bananas (not together), and I use the unsweetened almond milk. Yogurt is also really good in there! Yum smoothies…I think I’ll have one for lunch! 🙂

    • Alisha says:

      I’m from Warner Robins and I was down there two weeks ago and could not believe how hot it was. Almost 100 every day…crazy!

  8. My first thought when I looked at this was “I had no idea she had a dog!” Hahaha.

    Your smoothie recip is very similar to mine, except I throw in some chia seeds and sometimes nut butter. Mmmm.

  9. I have a dog. Ironically we sent her here in TN to live when we had kids…it’s a long story, but now we are back together! She is old and sadly does not have much time left, but she’s such a sweet girl. We also have two cats! Enjoy your weekend!

  10. I had no idea you have a dog! Too funny!

  11. Alisha says:

    I thought you had told me one time that you had a dog but thought I must have been mistaken. She’s a beautiful dog!

  12. Sarah R says:

    No idea you had a dog! Sounds like she’s quite independent. I get sick of the humidity, but shaving is a good one too.

  13. Jill says:

    I love sweating in the gym, BUT what gets old to me in the summer is sweating when I go to the mailbox to check the mail!!!! 🙂

  14. I didn’t know you had a dog either! How funny! That’s too bad she doesn’t want anything to do with the humans who take care of her.

    In the midwest, we get a lot of humid days (but not this summer yet, it’s been cooler and rainy) and I don’t like being so hot that I feel like doing nothing.

  15. I had no idea you had a dog! Shaving gets so old for me too!!! It’s been kind of nice because since my bf and I are long distance I don’t need to shave as often. But, I’m going home for the rest of the summer next week- shaving will have to be more frequent haha. Oh well- it’s the little things we do for love right?

  16. ha ha. Yes, shaving does get old. But I shave my legs year round b/c my husband abhors hair. Ol’ well, it’s kind of nice always having smooth legs :D.

    I didn’t know you had a dog but I WANT a dog so badly. They’re such wonderful companions!

  17. I had no idea you had a dog! there are those dogs that are more loners though, just their personality.

    I don’t comment on food very much, but those plums look amazing I want to go buy some at the Farmer’s market this weekend.

  18. Maria says:

    Wait. You have a dog? Haha. Never knew and I’ve been reading for months 🙂

    I’m such a BBQ chip fiend – I love them! I can’t buy them because they are usually gone within a few days. And it’s very very hard for me to eat a turkey sandwich without a few.

  19. Haha! I’ve always known you had a dog, and I knew it was black, so this is THE best picture I have seen of him!

  20. Man those plums look tasty! I haven’t had one in quite some time either. May need to fix that… Have a great weekend! 😀

  21. Jane says:

    Roxy is such a cute dog! Maybe she’ll come around one day!

  22. Danica says:

    I had no idea you had a dog!

  23. Jen says:

    Never knew you had a dog! Does the dog have a name?

  24. Jessica says:

    That smoothie sounds so delicious and refreshing! Yum!

  25. Cynthia says:

    I had no idea you had a dog either! He does not look very social though . . . which is strange because usually dogs love people. What kind is he?

    Yes, this weather in GA has felt kind of nice over the last couple of days (compared to what it has been). But I am sure that it will be in the mid-90’s again before we know it. 🙂

    • Tina says:

      She is a mutt that we got from a family who found a set of puppies abandoned. They beleive she is part pit and part lab. So you would think she would be playful and/or tough. Nope! She is lazy and a scaredy wuss. LOL

      I still love her! She was my 1st bday present after Peter & I got married.

      • Ana Maria says:

        Hey Tina!
        I think your dog may have some Akita in her… they’re to be fairly aloof and she’s got the ears! So that would make more sense than the lab/pit bull cross 🙂

      • Ana Maria says:

        (I pretty much memorized the ASPCA guide to dogs when I was little – I wanted one so much!)

  26. Sarah says:

    I didn’t know you had a dog either! But don’t feel too bad: my family had a cat that hated us all except my Dad. She’d randomly bite or scratch us for no reason.

    I’ve been obsessed with Greek yogurt lately. I used only eat Chobani but now I’m a Fage girl. I think the texture is amazing.

  27. Kara says:

    I had no clue you had a dog! She’s beautiful! Maybe you need to keep treats in your pocket so she wants to come inside 🙂

  28. I had no idea you had a dog, most of the blogs I read the dogs are all over them (including mine). I live in Michigan and the weather here is all over the place in the summer, that gets old real quick. Shaving is on my list of things that get old in the summer too 🙂

  29. lindsay says:

    oh goodness, all that looks so refreshing. Its so hot here,104F I’ll eat anything cold!
    love the pups picture, my dog does the same thing. Such manners.

  30. I had no idea you had a dog! Hi Roxy!

  31. OMG Tina! I totally just blogged about my hatred for shaving. Too funny. I didn’t know you had a dog. What a cutie pie!!

  32. I just made a smoothie because I didn’t feel like eating anything else but wanted some nutrients! 1/2 cup(ish) milk, 2 handfulls of spinach, banana, frozen strawberries & raspberries. MMMM!!

    We have a dog too, but he hardly ever gets blog time. 🙂

  33. Mrs. Fish says:

    My dog is the opposite of your dog…she never leaves my husband and I alone!
    I love GM with bananas and strawberries too! 🙂

  34. Megan says:

    I had NO idea you had a dog!

    I agree with the shaving thing, too! I get SO sick of it!

  35. Holly says:

    That’s so funny- I had no idea that you had a dog either. 🙂 Hope you are having a good weekend, Tina!!

  36. Haha! I didn’t know you had a dog either! She is adorable though!

  37. Yep…definitely had no idea that you had a dog. Haha.

    Bugs would have to be the #1 thing about summer that gets very old very fast for me. The decreased bug population has to be one of the best things about winter. I also get really sick of bug spray and sunscreen pretty quickly. I work at a summer camp, so I’m constantly applying and reapplying and becoming a sticky, stanky mess. Blech.

  38. The only reason why I knew you had a dog was because you mentioned her when I first got Charlie – otherwise I would have no clue! Roxy is just an independent lady, that’s all! 🙂

    Charlie likes to be outside too – he won’t come in!

  39. Love the green juice in the wine glass.

  40. Robyn says:

    I have a Boston Terrier, Molly. The Hubby has a cross bred cattle working dog, Roxie.

    What breed is your Roxy?

    • Tina says:

      She was a dog that was rescued as a puppy so we aren’t 100% sure…but Peter’s sister (who works with dogs) thinks part Pit and part Lab.

  41. Anna says:

    I had no idea you had a dog! She is cute even though she doesn’t like to be involved 😉

    I have been loving green smoothies the last few weeks. I have loved adding fresh strawberries from my brother’s garden the last few weeks.

  42. That is my favourite green smoothie combo; especially now that local strawberries are in season! We have 2 rottweilers – Dora & Hank 🙂 They make an appearance on my blog now and again, but it’s pretty tricky to get a photo that’s decent enough to share because they rarely stay still!!

  43. Karen says:

    I 100% agree with shaving – it’s such a pain! One thing that gets old for me is the bugs! I don’t like all the little annoying bugs that are out in the summer – totally gross!

  44. I didn’t know you had a dog— kinda funny!

  45. […] Keeping It Cool – some of my favorite eats (including green smoothie combos) […]

  46. I forgot you had a dog, but I remember you writing about how you all changed her name? I think I remember that post … we don’t have any cute kids so our dogs (and cats) are about all I talk about!

  47. oh wow, when i saw the photo of roxy, i was like “whose dog is that?!”. i had no clue you have one!

  48. Mandy says:

    Hi Roxy 🙂 hehehe

  49. Mandy says:

    Oh a cool front..maybe we are next?? It’s been in the 100s this week and it is MISERABLE!!

    Yum to smoothies…I added cinnamon and a banana to mine today and it was delicious!!

Leave a Reply to Mrs. Fish

(required)

(required)


 

 
Catch Up With Recent Posts

Announcement Time

Posted: November 23, 2011 at 7:47 am

Well, I have had a whirlwind of a few weeks over here. I missed all of you so much! I can’t express enough gratitude for your patience while I got some important things sorted out. Some scary things. Are you ready for the announcement? Here goes! I will no longer be blogging at Faith Fitness […]

88 CommentsRead more →

Self-Love Reflection: The Road Not Taken

Posted: November 20, 2011 at 11:47 am

Hello FFF readers! Nice to meet ya! My name is Carissa and my husband and I blog at Fit2Flex.  Well, I blog…he consults! We are both certified personal trainers with a passion for healthy, active living and clean eating.  I am also studying to become a registered dietitian, a race announcer, and a runner.  Stop […]

24 CommentsRead more →

Healthier Eating For Kids

Posted: November 19, 2011 at 10:56 am

Thanks to Plum Organics for sponsoring my post about tips for baby feeding magic. What if you let baby choose what’s for dinner? Check out their cute "Quest for Yum!" video and see what happens! As parents, we want the best for our children. We help them to feel loved. We strive to teach them […]

14 CommentsRead more →
 

Announcement

Posted: November 17, 2011 at 3:36 pm

Hey, everyone! I wanted to pop in and say I am working on some new and exciting changes.  As a result,I may not be posting as much during the coming week.  Please stay tuned for the big announcement! Love you all! And still feel free to find me on Twitter and Facebook for the time […]

21 CommentsRead more →

Where The Change Happens

Posted: November 16, 2011 at 7:54 am

It’s kind of funny. I become a certified personal trainer and the first workouts I turn to this week come from someone else. The book came in for me at the library last week and, after flipping through it, I couldn’t wait to give the circuits a go. Making The Cut includes a lot of […]

79 CommentsRead more →

From Beginning To End

Posted: November 15, 2011 at 11:53 am

Good morning! First off, thanks for the many congrats yesterday. Love you all bunches for the tons of support you have given me in so many things this year. I hope I can return a little bit of that love through this here blog as well. So yesterday I had my first parent-teacher “conference” for […]

55 CommentsRead more →