Banana-Nut Smoothie (AKA Monkey Smoothie)

tkb-banana-nut-smoothie

Let’s mark the only recent memory I have of 60-degree weather in February (in Michigan!) with a smoothie. We often go the green smoothie route, but this one packs a protein punch and tastes kind of like banana ice cream.

I’m almost 23 weeks along, which means I’m eating all. the. time. Sadly, I’m not taking many pictures of said food before I inhale it. I’ll try to be better about that for your sake. In the meantime, I highly recommend making this nutritious treat!

Banana-Nut Smoothie
3 frozen bananas, chopped into pieces for easier blending
6 tablespoons natural almond or peanut butter
2 tablespoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
2 dates, pitted
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
2 cups almond milk

Wishing you sunshine, wherever you are.


Not-Recipe: Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts + Red Onions

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“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” — L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

We’re off and running into the last week of October, unbelievably. I made this delightful snack last night, while the blazing sun dipped towards the horizon before the 7 o’clock hour. It’s been a brilliant autumn, and I’m thankful for weekends spent in community, around fires, sharing stories and laughter. I love butternut squash soup on the stove, chocolate-cinnamon torte in the oven and applesauce simmering in the crockpot, while one child runs around with a friend and the other peels off dirt-covered socks from another soccer game.

This isn’t a recipe as much as it’s a suggestion. Better than chips, for sure, and better for you.

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Brilliant Butternut Squash Soup with Apple-Nut-Chive Relish

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Oh September, how I love you. It’s still bike to the beach weather, but a bowl of steaming soup on the deck afterwards sounds equally amazing. Though I look forward to summer each year, it’s the crisp days of early fall that really have my heart. There are stray leaves in crimson and gold that crunch underfoot when we go for a walk, but not so many yet that weekends are spent raking. As those of you who have been reading Kitchen Beet for awhile know, I’m smitten with soup season, and all food that makes our home smell inviting. I’ve made this soup countless times over the years, tweaking here and there to get to this healthy, delicious version.

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Kohlrabi-Mint Salad

Chickpea Summer15 - Kohlrabi-Mint Salad (P. Rose)

The passage of time continues to amaze me, especially in the thick of summer. Somehow, it’s the middle of July. In the weeks since my last recipe, I’ve been working hard on a fun project for new foodie magazine, Spoonful. I’m incredibly excited about the gathering, recipe and essay I created for this one. (My feature will be published in their spring 2017 issue.) I also spent nearly two weeks in Oregon with my family, exploring Eugene, Bend and Portland, both by hiking and dining at several delightful local places. The trip reaffirmed my desire to travel with our kiddos, and experience places and people outside our normal routine. At home, we’ve been to the beach, biked around town, eaten too much ice cream and frequented the farmer’s market.

I was there this morning, and there were so many people and baskets of local food, it was hard to move from one farmer to the next. It’s a good problem to have – I’m grateful to live in a town with a thriving farmer’s market that is so well supported by the community. I noticed recently-picked kohlrabi from one of my favorite farmers, and it made me want to share this recipe, which is refreshing in a healthy-mojito kind of way.

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Chocolate-Pistachio Energy Balls

TKB - chocolate-pistachio energy balls

They’re vegan, gluten-free and addictive. If you’re the kind of person who can’t stop eating stuff that falls in the sweet, salty and delicious category…consider this your warning.

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of cacao balls – I’ve previously posted these coconut-heavy energy bites, and this crunchy version with brown rice crisps, sunflower seeds and cacao nibs. And while I love both of those recipes, I have to admit – these are my new favorite. If you make anything this week, let it be this! I pretty much always have some sort of quick bite similar to this in the fridge or freezer. This type of thing saves us when it comes to returning from school and work and feeling ravenous. If we need to head out for a soccer game, or spontaneously decide to ride to the beach, we never regret bringing a little food with us. They feel like a treat, but pack a good nutrient punch.

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