Coconut Mocha Smoothie

Remember Mounds bars?  I wasn't into Almond Joy because frankly, I didn't feel like a nut.  But chocolate and coconut was my jam.

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a coffee junkie.  Give me all the coffee, all the time.  I have cut down in recent years, but if I can find a way to sneak coffee into just about anything,  I will.

This smoothie was born of my love for those three things, in addition to my lack of food shopping.  See, when I was getting ready for the next morning, I realized I had just about run out of unsweetened almond milk.  And it was late enough that the store wasn't happening.

Perusing my pantry, I found a can of coconut milk.  I didn't want to use the whole thing in my smoothie (well, I did, but realized that would make the smoothie a calorie bomb), so I figured I would have to improvise.  I thought about water but figured that would dilute flavor.

And then my eyes fell on my K-cups.  Why not?  Coconut, chocolate and coffee?  Sold.

I used vanilla protein powder for this (Quest is my favorite!) but only because I didn't have chocolate (FYI - totally trying it with chocolate and soon as Amazon delivers it!)  The cocoa definitely added enough of a chocolate kick though!

Coconut Mocha Smoothie
Serves 1 - 4 Smartpoints

2 tbsp. full fat coconut milk 
10 oz cold coffee 
1/4 cup unsweetened almond cashew milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. coconut extract
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 tsp unsweetened coconut flakes

Blend all (except coconut flakes) until creamy.  Top with coconut flakes and enjoy!

Fantastic Friday Four - March 11, 2016

Spring has sprung! LOVE LOVE being able to run outside and not on the treadmill!

One of the many things making me smile this week, along with....

Because I can't go into the Container Store without a chaperone.  But I have had this before and I love it.  It helps me know what I have and what I don't.

Upgrade to the FitBit Charge HR!  In my new location, there are stairs.  I want to know how many I climb a day!

This may actually be rivaling my love of pumpkin coffee. OH MY GOD it's so good.  It smells and tastes like salted caramel and it is heaven.

And it's FRIDAY!  Bought at Kohl's (another place I can't go without a chaperone!).

What's making you smile this week!

Fabulous Find: Weight Watchers Cafe Creations

Anyone who knows me knows I basically run on coffee (Hi Dunkin'!).  I drink really kind of an obnoxious amount.

That said, the switch to Smartpoints was not necessarily a favorable one for my coffee habit.  I can't even talk about my beloved Skinny Caramel Macchiato.

While I do online now, I initially signed up to go to meetings, and when I first got to the center, I saw this.

At zero Smartpoints, I knew I had to give this a try!  It's available in Vanilla Bean and Mucho Mocha.

My first impression?  SWEET.  Really sweet.  Like too sweet for a normal mug of coffee, at least for me.

However, I rarely drink small cups of coffee!  I found that putting one of these packets in a large coffee was really quite delicious.  Cut the sweetness, and gave just enough flavor and creaminess.

And like I said, I can't really argue with zero Smartpoints.

You can get them at centers, but I've also found them online.

Definitely give them a try if you are a coffee lover!

Crockpot Pumpkin Latte

This basically combines two of my favorite things.  Okay, three.

Pumpkin.  Coffee.  Crockpot.

I found this recipe on the Thriving Home blog and made a few adjustments.  It was absolutely delicious!  Perfect for a fall or winter brunch or holiday morning.

The added dash of Salted Caramel Bailey's didn't really hurt either (not in the crockpot, in the individual mugs :)).

This is super simple to make. Throw everything in the crockpot and let it go on high for 2 hours. After that, I turned it down to warm and let everyone serve themselves!

Crockpot Pumpkin Latte

6 cups 2% milk
5 cups coffee (I just used 5 regular K-Cups!)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup vanilla extract
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
3 cinnamon sticks

Pour coffee and milk into crockpot. Mix pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice into in a separate bowl until combined.  Add to crockpot and stir well.  Toss in 3 cinnamon sticks and cook on high for about 2 hours.  I stirred it about every half hour.

Top with whipped cream or add some Bailey's and enjoy!

Fabulous Find: Vita Coco Cafe Mocha Latte

I'm kind of obsessed with all things coconut.

I've pretty much completely switched to a coconut almond milk blend.  I love coconut oil and use it all the time. 

So I decided to venture into the world of coconut water.

I saw this at the store and it intrigued me, because my love for coconut is only surpassed by my love for coffee.

I loved the small ingredient list - espresso, coconut water, and milk.

It is 140 calories, so I had it as a mid morning snack at work.

WOW.

It rivaled Starbucks to be honest. 

Very creamy and delicious, and it's never bad to get a caffeine hit during the day!

If you like coffee and want to experiment with coconut water, definitely check this out!

Fabulous Finds: Silk Almond Creamer

I'm a teacher, so it pretty much goes without saying that coffee is my lifeblood. 

And as much as I'd like to be able to drink it black (aka calorie free), I can't.

Of course, the creamers I like are full of sugar.  And while I splurge every once in a while, on a daily basis, I'm aiming to be a bit more healthy.

I've been a convert to Silk unsweetened vanilla almond milk and the unsweetened coconut almond blend for a while now.  It's fewer calories, and while I don't have an issue with dairy, I find that I feel a little bit better when I use that as opposed to skim.  I also find it to be a bit more creamy.

So when I saw this in the store, I knew I had to try it.

I loved seeing the dairy, gluten and soy free label.  While I don't need to be "free" of any of those things, I do like to watch my intake.  And non - GMO is also a score. 

It's fewer calories than traditional creamers, clocking in at 20 calories per tbsp. serving.  For me, I do need to use 2 tablespoons but the ingredients are all readable so I feel ok about it.

It adds a nice creaminess to your coffee (or tea!), and a hint of sweetness from the vanilla.

I haven't seen it everywhere yet, but if you are a coffee lover, keep an eye out!