As I have promised in a previous post, we will be sharing smoothie recipes with you guys so here is one to start. This is a delectable frozen berry smoothie with minimal ingredients but lots of flavor! You will need: Fresh strawberries Fresh banana (sliced) Frozen blackberries Frozen raspberries Coconut milk Add all ingredients into blender and give it a whirl until well blended. Pour into desired cup (we used fresh coconut bowls) and garnish with topping of your choice such as fruit, oatmeal, chia seeds, coconut shreds or granola. This is just a simple base recipe so the coconut milk can be substituted with regular milk, soy milk, fruit juice, etc. Also the fruits can be substituted to favorite fruit of your choice, just keep in mind to have at least half your fruit frozen for a thicker, creamier and colder smoothie. Use your imagination, make it your style and most importantly...enjoy! We had my niece Jemma sample one...and she approved!!
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My sister Nadi (@miss.lendel on instagram) had the cutest little date with her hubby on the beach. They had a picnic with the most romantic setting featuring a beach throw blanket from Del Mex, a few throw pillows, and of course some tropical fruits. Her husband was sweet enough to set everything up and they enjoyed the hot day with some fresh fruit. Such a wonderful idea for the next time you plan a date with your man! Beach blanket was provided by Del Mex and can be viewed on delmex.com Living in the busy City of Honolulu, Hawaii it is important to have an outside space. For example; a balcony, which in Hawaiian is lanai. Because this is an extremely populated city, there are mostly high rise buildings and apartments so it is impossible to rent a house with a backyard unless you move away from the city. So the next best thing to a backyard in the city is a lanai. This can serve as a chillout area where you can escape from the noisy streets as well as the confinement of the home and just relax as you unwind from a long day. And if you get a lanai with a view of the ocean, even better!
My sister took her outside space and turned it into a dreamy garden style setting that I am absolutely itching to share with you guys! It's a great place to hang out & relax. It serves a double purpose so if you're making dinner and need an herb; she's got it right there! There are greens ranging from ciliantro (my favorite!) to strawberries and mandarines to beautiful flowers. The plants also create a wonderful fresh aroma so your nose can take a break from the city smells too.. It's a cozy, lovely, garden meets boho inspired corner in her home that I can't stay away from when I come over. Here are some photos of this gorgeous garden lanai for your inspiration! My sister lives literally across the street from me, so naturally I tend to come over often. Usually its to just hang out and have girl time or to watch her girls while she gets some serious housework done. But on some occasions, I am over there to enjoy the best smoothie bowls out there! I am not exaggerating when I say these are out of this world, incredibly delicious, fruity smoothie bowls. They come in all shapes, sizes, and flavors. Sometimes they're inside a pineapple, other times inside a coconut or any other fruit you can think of.. On other occasions they are in a simple glass cup, yet the taste is as delicious as ever. Yes, I might sound a little crazy here going on and on about these smoothies but if you'd have a taste for yourself you'd be raving too! If you have me on my instagram account, you may see that I hashtag such smoothie bowls with #whenatnadis, since I always have them when I'm at her place. Some of you may be curious how to make such delectable things so we have decided that we will be sharing recipes with you on here. Stay tuned for they will be coming soon! In the meantime, here are some pictures to give you a little sense of what is in store... All photos property of Nadia Lendel - @miss.lendel on istagram.
Hawaii is known for many things, one of the most popular being a large selection of tropical fruits. When it comes to texture and taste, there is quite a variety to choose from. Here is a list of hawaiian fruits with some background knowledge... Pineapple: Probably the most popular Hawaiian fruit, there are two types of delicious pineapples; yellow and white. We all know how sweet the yellow pineapples are through the Dole pineapple brand, but there are also really sweet white pineapples from Hawaii which are highly perishable and have a short shelf life. This makes it difficult to ship so its rare to find white pineapples outside of Hawaii. Growing pineapples from beginning to end it takes about two and a half years. Bananas: There are over 70 different varieties of bananas grown in Hawaii. They are year round crops as they grow well in the lush and wet zones throughout the state. A different variety which is a smaller but yet flavorful type of bananas is called apple bananas or manzano. These bananas are usually half the size and fatter than the variety that is more common around the world. Also the apple bananas here are sweeter than regular bananas. Pitaya "Dragon Fruit": Dragon fruit is a colorful fruit and very nutritious. The inside is a transparent white gel-like meat (like Kiwi) freckled with tiny seeds. The taste is something between a tangy pear and melon. When the dragon fruit is ripe, it’s both sweet and crunchy. To pick a ripe dragon fruit just look for bright red colors and no browning spots on the fruit, press the flesh for a little give just like a kiwi and you should find a nice one to eat. Lilikoi or "Passionfruit": Growing wild around Kauai this fragrant fruit is either yellow or dark purple at maturity, with a juicy interior filled with numerous seeds. The fruit is both eaten and juiced and is often added to other fruit juices to enhance the aroma. Papaya: A better known fruit, Papaya still baffles some visitors. Usually enjoyed cut in half and hollowed, this melon-like fruit grows all around the island and can be found throughout the year. This delicious fruit was called ‘Fruit of the angles’ by Christopher Columbus because of its health benefits to preventing colds and flu, helping in digestion, lung and eye disorders and even preventing heart disease. Lychee: A very popular fruit throughout Hawaii, Lychee has a relatively short fruit season. It is also known as Longan or Rambutan (translating to “Dragon Eye“) and comes in many shapes and colors. Flavor is sweet, juicy with fruity taste to the translucent skin. Starfruit: These bright yellow fruit have a waxy outside and a sweet, pear-like inside. You can eat the fruit skin and all. When sliced in half you’ll find out exactly why the fruit has earned its out-of-this-world name for it looks like a star. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the many unique and delicious fruits grown throughout Hawaii, so when visiting be sure to try as many as you can for much of these cannot be found all around the world.
On the windward side of Oahu is a 1/2 mile strip of beach named Lanikai Beach. This beach is not only ranked among the best beaches in the world, but the word "Lani kai" translates to "heavenly ocean", and it is true to its word! Once you park along the streets of Lanikai, you can access the beach through public alley paths which run between gorgeous homes that have the beach as their backyard. When you walk out onto the beach, prepare to have your mind blown! The water is calm and quiet with the most perfect shade of crystal clear aqua. The sand is a dazzling white and soft as flour. The view doesn't end there, for you can see the famous Mokulua Islands which you can also kayak to if you dare explore. Once you've settled on the sand, you won't want to leave. Now be sure to pack your snorkeling gear for this is also one of the greatest places to spot the wonderful tropical fish that Hawai'i is known for, such as the humuhumunukunukuapua'a, also known as the reef triggerfish and is in fact the state fish of Hawai'i. Or you could simply be a beach bum (like I tend to be most of the time) and just sunbathe as you enjoy the view. One thing I know for sure; this is by far my favorite beach. So be sure to come and check it out the next time you are visiting Oahu! Here are some pictures from the many weekend visits to Lanikai beach... All photos taken by myself, my husband and my sisters.
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