Triple Chocolate Banana Milkshakes

Ok you guys...last night I finished the second Delirium book...Pandemonium! I know we have a date to discuss Delirium (the first book) on April 3 (I hope some of you are reading this so we can have a little discussion!). So here's the problem with flying through this awesome series...the third book - Requiem - doesn't come out until 2013! Ahhh! I'm so bummed because it ended on such a cliff hanger. I hate that! Of course, I didn't realize this until I was already partially through the second book. Oh well...still worth reading, even if the wait is a long one!

Oh and remember, if you are on Goodreads, we can be friends!

 

So last night I had a hankering for something sweet after dinner. I'm trying to be better about eating healthfully and so dessert options are often limited. Mostly, I stick to sugar-free, fat-free pudding, but let's face it...it gets old after a while!

Last night I had an idea for a milkshake. I had just frozen a !@#$load of bananas a few nights ago and always keep a handy supply of instant pudding in the cupboard. By using frozen bananas instead of ice cream and some prepared chocolate fudge pudding, I achieved a delicious, creamy, chocolately milkshake that was entirely guilt-free! Only 3 Pts+ per serving.

Seriously.

I'm mildly obsessed. Even Shaun, Mr. No-Sweets, drank his entire shake.

Triple Chocolate Banana Milkshakes
Serves 2; 3 Pts+ per serving
1 1/4 C fat free milk (or milk of your choice)
1 1/2 frozen bananas
1/2 C sugar-free, fat-free chocolate fudge pudding, prepared
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp lite or sugar-free chocolate syrup
1/4 C fat-free Cool Whip

Place milk, bananas, pudding, cocoa and vanilla extract in a large glass measuring cup or in a blender. Blend (in blender or in measuring glass with an immersion blender) until smooth and creamy. Line two glasses with a bit of chocolate syrup and distribute milkshakes in said glasses. Top with a Tablespoon or two of Cool Whip and drizzle with a little more chocolate syrup.

Enjoy immediately.

I think half the fun of this shake is the presentation. Just a little extra work like lining the glass with chocolate syrup and using a whimsical, soda shop paper straw for devouring make this a super special treat that I can't wait to make again and again.

And the best part of all? It's 100% guilt-free! Get out your party hats!

Questions of the Day:

Do you have any guilt-free desserts?

Are any of you reading Delirium for our mini-book club discussion next week?!

psst..in case you missed The Peach & The Pit this week, here's what's been going down...

I found some Spring things to seriously obsess over

Christine decided on some new hair color(s)

Kimberly had a fabulous weekend in the Hamptons...

Caramel Apple Cider Shake

Thank you for all of your kind words on yesterday's post! I'm glad you liked it. I loved hearing about what you all do, and what your dream job is! Thanks for sharing with me :)

Last night I {finally} unpacked from our trip to New Mexico. Please don't judge me. It's just that I Hate (with a capital H) unpacking. Seriously. I hate having the suitcases strewn around our apartment, but I hate unpacking just a tad bit more. I think it also stems from my hatred of putting away laundry. I just don't like doing it. I don't mind actually washing clothes (though I suppose I don't love it either), but the hanging/folding/finding space for everything is always last on my to do list. Which is also why I typically have a pile of folding clothing next to my bed. Perhaps when I have more storage space I won't have such an aversion to it!

 

Last night I also had the place to myself because Shaun had basketball. With the man out of the house, it meant I could play with all kinds of sugary concoctions in the kitchen, which he would otherwise shake his head at and think I'm a crazy dessert-obsessed lady. This may or may not be true. I realized that we still had some apple cider left in the fridge. And that I had a jar of Catarina dulche de leche that I had won in Kate's giveaway (please check out her sweet blog!). And some light vanilla bean ice cream in the freezer...I think you know where this is going.

 

This is hardly a recipe, but more of an idea. An idea for a chilly, fall shake or smoothie that couldn't be easier. It's completely sweet and over the top...and perfect for a night home on the couch while crying over Parenthood. Not that I did that or anything.

Caramel Apple Cider Shake
1 C apple cider + 1Tbsp for rimming glass
2 scoops vanilla bean ice cream (I used Turkey Hill Light)
1 Tbsp dulche de leche or caramel sauce
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
optional: milk of your choice, ice cubes, frozen banana, or any other add-ins!

First, place a tablespoon of apple cider in a small bowl. In another small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Take a short glass, dip the rim in the cider and then in the cinnamon sugar. With a spoon, drizzle the caramel (or dulche de leche) around the inside of the glass, getting it on the sides and a little on the bottom. Next, blend the remaining cider and ice cream together. This makes a thin shake, so for a thicker version, use more ice cream, ice cubes, or a frozen banana! Pour into prepared glass and enjoy!

 

My favorite part of this are the little bits of dulche de leche in the bottom of the glass. Yum.

 

This is a super sweet shake. I don't mind. It only comes once a year!

Questions of the Day:

Do you like apple cider? I love it!

Do you unpack as soon as you get home, or let it linger like me?

Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie

Hi friends!

It's Monday!

How do you feel about that today?

I had such a nice weekend. I did a whole lotta cooking and baking on Saturday, followed by hanging around a fire pit at our friends place, followed by football Sunday with my family. I love.

As my love affair with fall continues, I devised a new smoothie to get my taste buds in the spirit. I had leftover sweet potatoes one Saturday morning and thought, hey, why not put them in a smoothie?

It's a natural thought process, no?

Don't think I'm weird.

Ok, I'm it's a little weird. But look how pretty it is! Shaun shuddered at the idea. But it tastes like fall in a cup. In a cold, frosty, cinnamony, nutmeggy cup. What's so bad about that?

A word of warning. If you don't like sweet potatoes, don't touch this with a 10 foot pole. Because it tastes like sweet potatoes, so don't expect something different, like it will taste like pumpkin or something. I like this smoothie because it gets breakfast done a little bit better than a pumpkin pie smoothie (though I love those even more because I have a weird pumpkin obsession. obviously). The potato makes this a super filling breakfast or lunch. Combined with fall spices, I'd happily drink this anytime :)

Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie
1 C unsweetened almond milk (or milk of your choice)
1 small sweet potato, cooked & mashed
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)
1 packet Splenda (or sweetener of your choice)
dash cinnamon
dash nutmeg

Combine all ingredients. Blend together until smooth (I used my immersion blender). Serve over ice.

Drink up!

I'm off to make one of these now...here's to a great week!!

Questions of the Day:

Do you like sweet potatoes? Do you prefer sweet potatoes or white potatoes? If it's mashed, I say yesss x 100 to white potatoes, but if it's baked, I'm all about the sweet!

What was your favorite part of the weekend?