CHOCOLATE COVERED BANANA SMOOTHIE

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I spent some time this weekend thinking about what separates good days from bad days. It all started with a lost wallet (#8 on my top ten list of things you need to know about me to understand my posts, was I right or was I right?).

It’s a little bit of a long story, but basically I carry a wristlet that tends to fall down between the chair and door of my car. Therefore, open the door and poof, it’s gone. I searched for an hour, gave up hope then pulled a quick stunt driver U-turn (I wish) when I remembered my short little arms couldn’t reach the gate key pad at my friend’s apartment, meaning I had to open the door. I pulled in and there it was, just laying on the ground.

There were three onlookers waiting for a cab, two girls and one guy all my age. They hadn’t even seen it, but either way I was so happy they didn’t swipe it, as many people would have. We jumped up and down in celebration. I was hugging three people I had never met and their excitement for the grace I’d received after my own stupid mistake, made my day.

All of my best days are because of the people who make them great. Good things happen to good people, yes, but they also happen by good people.

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Now before this turns into something entirely sappy and pathetic, let’s smoothly transition into talking about food, more specifically, this amazing Chocolate Covered Banana Smoothie with Peanut Butter and Coffee.

All that stuff I said about making good days for yourself and other people? Start here with this creamy, smooth and flavor-packed smoothie. I can’t take full credit for this creation, I first tried it at d’lish, a “healthy alternative to fast food” drive-thru in the Phoenix area. It’s called the Breakfast Buzz™ and it blew my hungover socks off.

Banana, peanut butter, chocolate and here’s the kicker: espresso. Oh. My. Goodness. Needless to say, I spent the next week trying to recreate this wonderful gift to hungover graduates everywhere and I’ve figured out the perfect proportions.

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Chocolate Covered Banana Smoothie
Author: 
 
A healthy and flavorful breakfast smoothie of blended frozen banana, creamy peanut butter, chocolate and coffee.
Ingredients
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 6 oz container plain Greek yogurt
  • ½ cup milk of choice
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
  • Ice cubes
Instructions
  1. Place the frozen banana (cut into small pieces before freezing), yogurt, milk, peanut butter, cocoa powder and coffee. Blend until smooth.
  2. Add ice cubes one at a time until you reach the desired thickness (I use three large ice cubes).

This thing has got the power to kick your hangover or just will you out of bed to your stagnant desk chair.  Plus it tastes like a chocolate milkshake with an extra added bonus of all the good things in this world: coffee and peanut butter. Slurp away my friends, slurp away.

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BLACK BEAN BURRITO BOWL

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College students aren’t the only group of people forced to live off ramen and stolen cafeteria fruit. Let’s talk about college graduates for a second. Four years of school, followed by the classic low-paying first job and then the ever-dreaded student loan payments.

I’m not about to act like I don’t eat well. I love food and I will always spend money on food, but every once in a while it feels good to make a cheap meal that tastes great. Black Bean Burrito Bowls completely fit the bill. Fluffy quinoa topped with my mom’s zesty, flavorful black bean recipe, sliced avocado and a squeeze of fresh lime is a delicious one-bowl meal packed with filling fiber, protein and healthy fats.

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Black Bean Burrito Bowl
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ medium onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 16 oz can black beans, rinsed
  • 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with chile
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon chile powder
  • Handful cilantro, chopped
  • Juice of ½ lime
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in a small or medium pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until tender and aromatic. Add in black beans, toss and allow to saute for about one minute.
  2. Stir in the undrained diced tomatoes, cumin and chile powder. Once the mixture begins to bubble, turn the heat to low and let simmer for about 20 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro and lime juice. Serve over cooked quinoa or brown rice and top with avocado, cotija cheese, fresh cilantro and a lime wedge.

This recipe cooks up enough food for two meals (and maybe a couple of extra side dishes for another). So, if you’re living with a roommate or significant other serve up dinner for two, or if you run in a pack of one, eat dinner and box up the other half for lunch the next day.

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WELCOME TO IF YOU GIVE A GIRL A DEGREE

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Hello, and welcome to the inside of my mind.

I’m a Midwest girl from an East Coast family currently residing in the Southwest. Lover of the written word, humans, food, travel and life, I usually don’t know what’s going on, but I’m on a journey to figure it out!

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So why If You Give a Girl a Degree?

Everyone knows when you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to ask for a glass of milk. And, when you give a moose a muffin, he’ll want some jam to go with it. But what happens when you give a girl a degree? Now that I’m a graduate mourning college life in the real world, I’ve taken it upon myself to answer that question. Mostly through food, and travel, which is really just about eating food in a new location.

Here are the top ten things you need to know about me in order to understand anything I talk about, ever.

1. I love tacos, pizza, mac and cheese and creme brulee more than most things (sorry friends and family).

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2. Otters are the best animals. Now before you say anything, yes, I am aware of all the horrible things they are capable of, but they are actually really important to their ecosystem and just so damn cute. Seriously, look at these little faces right now.

3. I am the queen of freak accidents. There’s really no explaining this one, but it all started the day I tried to climb into a grocery cart and ended up dislocating my kneecap and tearing my meniscus. It was a lot of fun.

4. No one should ever underestimate the powers of nature. I grew up in a small town and knew I had to get out. I love living in a major metropolitan area, but if I didn’t have some nature retreat to escape to every weekend, I would be in bad shape. Hiking a mountain is my version of therapy, or church, or both. Plus it’s a pretty good workout.

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5. When I first got to college I was majoring in journalism with a concentration on fashion. HA! It took me about two weeks to realize I don’t know how to dress myself let alone other people and I swiftly switched to journalism+culinary science. I mean, the culinary science minor required a course where I got to drink six glasses of wine in each lecture, the choice was easy.

6. I have the annoying tendency to sing about everything I do. I’m kind of just a human version of a really crappy radio station.

7. I’ve been known, and am completely proud, to eat more than one breakfast on any given day. One of my coworkers once asked me why if I eat such a big breakfast before work I still eat a bunch of peanut butter before lunch. Um, excuse me lady, have you ever eaten peanut butter?

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8. My most commonly used phrases all start with, “Where is my …?” If you’ve ever met me, you know and hate this about me. I’m sorry.

9. I have no intentions of ever fully growing up. Alice in Wonderland is my favorite movie and Pocahontas comes in at a close second (I once won two gold fish and named both of them Pocahontas). Also, I will hula hoop until the day I die. And have I mentioned my love for mac and cheese?

10. Speaking of cheese, cheeeeeeeeese. That is all.