DANIELLE AT HOME

Drinks

Detoxifying Green Smoothie

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Today I’m sharing my favourite go to smoothie of the moment. I love to make smoothies for breakfast because they’re filling yet lights and I can pack them with vegetables. I like to get a good amount of nutrition in for breakfast. Then if I have to grab something quick for lunch that inst very healthy it’s not as important.

Detoxifying Green Smoothie

This smoothie is packed with vegetables. Spinach, cucumber and even some riced cauliflower. You can’t taste the spinach or the cauliflower and the fresh flavour the cucumber adds pairs really nicely with the fruit.

I like fresh oranges in this smoothie, it pairs so nicely with the cucumber. Plus the citrus really brightens your morning. This smoothie also has fresh ginger. I promise it won’t taste like ginger but it adds just a tiny zing that enhances the citrus flavour. If you like your smoothies sweet add a pitted date or two. I love to use them as a natural sweetener.

Detoxifying Green Smoothie
Detoxifying Green Smoothie

Ingredients

  • Oranges – Vitamin C
  • Spinach – Iron & Calcium
  • Cauliflower – Vitamin K
  • Ginger – Reduces Inflammation
  • Dates – Potassium
  • Chia Seeds – Omega 3 & Fibre
  • Almond Milk – Low Glycemic

If you are lucky enough to have a high speed blender (this one is on my wish list!) you should be able to get all these ingredients nice and smooth. Just blend on a medium to low speed for a few minutes. If you are like me and have a standard blender I’d recommend peeling your cucumbers before you blend. Just like a high powered blender blend the smoothie on a low to medium speed for a few minutes. The hardest item to blend is the chia seeds. Personally there so tiny that I don’t mind if they don’t fully blend into the smoothie, but I have a few tips if they bother you. My first tip is to hydrate your chia seeds with some water over night. About 1 cup of water to 2 tbsp of chia seeds. Then when you’re ready to make your smoothie blend the chia seeds on a very low speed before adding other ingredients. Then continue to make the smoothie as usual.

More Smoothies: Peach Mango Green Smoothie / Superfood Smoothie

I hope you enjoy this smoothie as much as I do.

Danielle xo

Detoxifying Smoothie

Detoxifying Green Smoothie

A delicious citrus flavoured green smoothie packed with nutritious vegetables. Perfect for breakfast.
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Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 2 smoothies
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 oranges, peeled and quartered
  • 1/2 cucumber, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup riced cauliflower
  • 2 cups spinach
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup almond milk, unsweetened
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 date, pitted

Method
 

  1. Add all ingredients to the blender and run on low to medium low speed until smooth (about 2 minutes).

Black Widow Cocktail with Spun Sugar Webs

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With just a little over a week until Halloween it’s time to share a spooky cocktail! This one is inspired by spiders! It may look spooky but it tastes delicious and is perfect for any Halloween party your having this weekend!

Black Widow Cocktail - Halloween
Black Widow Cocktail - Halloween
Black Widow Cocktail - Halloween

This cocktail is super simple, it’s just blackberry pomegranate juice muddled with blackberries, a squeeze of lime and some tequila. Super delicious, sweet and refreshing. The natural deep purple colour is great but if you want to make it extra dark and spooky add a drop or two of black food colouring!

The impressive part of this cocktail is the spun sugar spider webs. Now of course this is totally optional but its fun and no where near as hard as it seems. Basically you melt the sugar in water until just slightly golden. Allow the sugar to cool for a few seconds. Grease a small bowl or cup and flick strands of sugar over the bowl using a fork. Let cool for 5 seconds before removing from the bowl. Then you’ll have a spun sugar spider web! These can be made a few days in advance and stored in an air tight container.

Black Widow Cocktail - Halloween

I hope you’re intrigued to give this cocktail a try for Halloween! It’s delicious and impressive!

Black Widow Cocktail with Spun Sugar Webs

Berry and tequila based cocktail garnished with spun sugar spider webs.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 cocktails
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cocktail
  • 4 cups pomegranate juice blend
  • 1/2 cup blackberries
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • 6 ounces tequila
Spun Sugar Spider Webs
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup white sugar

Method
 

Spun Sugar Spider Webs
  1. Add water and sugar to a pot. Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves and turns slightly amber, about 15 minutes. Set aside for 5 seconds to cool slightly. Using a fork, flick the sugar in different directions over your greased mold (I used a small jam jar, but a bowl or cup would work). Allow to cool for 5-10 seconds to avoid burning your hands. Gently lift sugar from the mold and set aside. Repeat.
Drink
  1. In a pitcher add berries, lime juice and tequila. Using a muddling tool or the back of a wooden spoon muddle the berries. Add juice and stir. Pour drinks over a glass filled with ice, garnish with spun sugar webs and serve.

Notes

Spun sugar recipe adapted from Sunset.

Mixed Berry Margarita

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Happy SUMMER everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your Canada Day and 4th of July festivities last week. I took a much needed break the last two weeks while I moved into my new HOUSE! I’m going to share all about it on Wednesday, but I will say the move took a lot more out of me then I had planned! This recipe was supposed to go up last week in time for Canada Day, but alas that just didn’t happen! That’s life right? We have to roll with the punches.

I knew even though I was a bit late getting this recipe up it still had to be posted to the blog asap! As you know I enjoy a good cocktail! This one combines two of my favourite summer things, berries and margaritas! Now as you already know I am not a frozen margarita fan! I’m all about a fresh lime margarita on the rocks. They are defiantly my favourite. But every once and a while I like to switch things up a bit and add delicious fruit flavours to the mix. Such as pineapple or berries!

Today I am sharing how to make a mixed berry margarita! This margarita is packed full of juicy flavourful berries, a touch of agave and lots of fresh lime juice! This recipe really isn’t any harder than a classic margarita, but what I love about it is that it totally reinvents your favourite drink. And the colour of this drink is gorgeous (thank you blackberries!) I actually made these last weekend when we had friends over for a barbecue and they we’re a huge hit!

Now let’s talk equipment for a minute. Like any other margarita you’ll need a cocktail shaker, but for these margaritas you’ll also need a muddling tool or at least something that can be used as a muddler, like a wooden spoon. You’ll also need a shot glass, or a jigger and some cute little margarita glasses. Oh and lots of ice, is that equipment or an ingredient? Regardless these are all fantastic tools to invest in they will really help you when entertaining.

Now let’s break down this margarita and get to cocktailing! To make this drink you need to muddle up some berries then add agave, tequila and lime juice. Shake that up with some ice. Rim the glass with salt or sugar if you like. Fill it with a few muddled berries and lots of fresh ice. Pour that tasty cocktail into your glass and enjoy! Seriously so tasty, refreshing and satisfying. Now I just need some chips and guacamole to go with it!! Enjoy!

Mixed Berry Margarita

Sweet summery berries, tart lime juice and touch of agave and silver tequila. A fun summer twist on a classic margarita.
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Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 1 drink
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1/3 cup mixed berries (I used blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries)
  • 1.5 ounces silver tequila
  • 2 ounces lime juice, fresh squeezed
  • 3/4 ounce agave
  • salt or sugar for rimming the glass (optional)

Method
 

  1. Add berries to cocktail shaker, muddle berries until partially crushed. Remove a third of the berries and place in a margarita glass.
  2. Add ice, lime juice, agave and tequila to the cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously until well combined and the outside of the shaker is very cold.
  3. If desired rime your glass with salt or sugar. Run a cut lime around the edge of the glass, then dip into salt or sugar.
  4. Add reserved berries to the bottom of the glass, fill the glass with ice. Pour cocktail over ice. Serve with additional limes or berries as garnish. Enjoy!

Notes

Notes: If using frozen berries defrost first.

Springtime Strawberry Mint Mimosa

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Happy Friday friends!! Today I’m sharing a fun twist on a classic mimosa, perfect for your weekend brunch! I love mimosas I think they are such a fun addition to any brunch. A Caesar or a Bloody Mary is delicious and great for brunch but they are a bit of work. Sure you can batch them but you need all kinds of crazy toppings and not everyone loves savoury drinks. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t enjoy a mimosa. Also you can make them virgins so everyone can enjoy!

I’m planning to make these for Sunday brunch. Recently our lives have been so busy that my husband and I haven’t had a ton of time together. Spring is his busy season for work, so it’s been a lot of late nights and extra hours on the weekends, but this too shall pass right? Of course it will. We decided that during this busy time Sunday mornings are reserved for us. Just the two of us sharing a meal and connecting. I’m really cherishing our mornings and I want to continue this new tradition even when our lives slow down a bit.

Since starting our new Sunday tradition I’ve been trying out lots of new recipe for breakfast. Of course we love waffles, banana pancakes and lemon ricotta blueberry pancakes. Now of course coffee works to wash any of those tasty meals down but a mimosa just makes things extra special!

These mimosas are so simple, just smash up some strawberries and mint. Add orange juice and top each glass with bubbly! And if you want to make these none alcoholic swap the champagne for sparkling water.

These are a must try for any weekend brunch! Make a big ol pitcher and relax this weekend!

Strawberry Mint Mimosa

Sweet strawberries, fresh mint and orange juice topped with champagne!
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Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 bottle Champagne (or sparkling water)
  • 3 cups Orange Juice (I prefer pulp free)
  • 1 1/2 cup Strawberries, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Mint Leaves

Method
 

  1. Add strawberries and mint to a pitcher. Using the back of a spoon muddle mint and strawberries together until strawberries are broken and mint is bruised. Add orange juice, stir and place in the fridge until ready to use.
  2. Fill glasses with juice mixture about 1/3 full. Top with champagne and enjoy!

Notes

Adapted from Half Baked Harvest.
Springtime Strawberry Mint Mimosa! So yummy!

Honey Lemon Gin Sour

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Delicious gin cocktail sweetened with honey with a secret ingredient…

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Today I’m sharing a fun classic cocktail with a secret ingredient.

Gin is my favourite hard alcohol to create cocktails with. So I’m always trying to experiment with different ways to use it. Citrus goes so well with gin. Lemon is my favourite. This cocktail is perfect for spring. Honey and lemon scream springtime to me!

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This cocktail contains four simple ingredients; gin, lemon juice, honey and aquafaba.

Ok so aquafaba might not sound so simple…. Traditionally sour cocktails contain egg whites. The egg whites create a light airy foam on top of the cocktail. Personally I don’t like using egg whites in cocktails. There is something so weird about drinking egg whites. Plus they smell funky. Just my opinion. If it’s your jam you can sub egg whites for aquafaba one to one.

So what the heck is aquafaba? Aquafaba is the liquid found in a can of chickpeas. So essentially bean liquid. Sounds so weird right? But it’s a really common vegan substitute for egg whites. It’s used in recipes that call for whipped egg whites like meringues.

I swear as weird as it sounds you won’t taste it. If you’re not ready to try it yet then just omit it. The flavours of the cocktail will be the same but the texture won’t be as good. It won’t have the same body and foaminess.

Ok now are you going to try this sour with or without the aquafaba?

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Honey Lemon Gin Sour

Yields: 1 cocktail

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces Gin
  • 1 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 3/4 ounce Honey
  • 3/4 ounce Aquafaba (strained chickpea liquid)
  • Ice

Directions:

Add aquafaba to a cocktail shaker. Dry shake until frothy about 30 seconds. Fill shaker with ice. Add gin, lemon juice and honey. Shake again until well mixed and the shaker becomes very cold. At least 30 seconds.

Strain cocktail into preferred glass. I like using a coupe or martini glass. Enjoy!

Adapted from Liquor.com

 

Irish Whiskey Sour

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A classic cocktail with an Irish twist!

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Sunday is St. Patrick’s Day, so I’m sharing a little last minute cocktail inspiration. A Whiskey Sour is a fantastic classic cocktail that I think everyone should learn how to make! It’s a delicious balance of sweet and sour. And that is the key! Balance!

Now you may be looking at this cocktail and going wheres the foam!? I get it! But hear me out, the foam you typically find topping a whiskey sour is made with egg whites and that’s just not for me. It’s one extra step and I never trust that my eggs are fresh enough.

If your a die hard foam in your whiskey sour fan I’ll teach you how down below.

Another note about this recipe stick to these exact proportions, taste, and then adjust the sweetness. It’s easy to start tweaking things before you taste, but then you’re likely to end up with a weak cocktail. And I know none of you want that! I made the portions in this cocktail work with Jameson Irish Whiskey, since this is a St. Patrick’s Day recipe, but you could defiantly use the traditional bourbon or Canadian Whiskey. If you use a different variety of whiskey you need to adjust your proportions of sweet and sour to suit your palette and whiskey. It’s not an exact science.

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Irish Whiskey Sour

Yields: 1 cocktail

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces Jameson Irish Whiskey
  • 1 ounce Lemon Juice, fresh
  • 1 ounce Simple Syrup (buy at the liquor store or make it – so easy!)
  • Optional: Fresh Egg White
  • Garnish: Maraschino Cherry and Lemon Peel

Directions:

If using egg whites add whites to an empty cocktail shaker. Dry shake the egg white for about 30 seconds to break them up and create froth.

Add ice, whiskey, lemon juice and simple syrup to the cocktail shaker. Shake well, about 30 seconds. Strain into a glass filled with ice. If using egg whites I recommend a double strain.

Adapted from 31 Dover.

Irish Whiskey Sour - A twist on a Classic for St. Patrick's Day!,/div>