Tag: drink

  • Copycat Starbucks Frappuccino

    Copycat Starbucks Frappuccino

    Copycat Starbucks Frappuccino | seefoodplay.com

    Since I moved to London a few months ago, I’ve been both blessed and cursed with the luxury of having a Starbucks right downstairs from my office. When I lived in Paris, the occasional treat of a grande white chocolate with whipped cream was just that… an occasional treat. If I was on my scooter, then it was a dangerous balancing act trying not to spill the drink precariously tucked at my feet. If I was driving, then I had to illegally — er, creatively — park and race in and out before blocking traffic, getting a ticket… or both. Now, all I have to do is head down two flights of stairs and find myself conveniently waiting in line to order my favorite drink du jour.

    I know Starbucks has a lot of haters, but I can’t help it: I love the stuff. What I don’t love, though, would definitely be the hefty price tag and the tons of sugar and calories. When I realized that I’d developed a pretty much every-day habit of indulging in the stuff, I decided it was time to shake the addiction. And by that, I mean: I decided to start making it at home.

    Because I like to buy lots of cool stuff I don’t need on Amazon, I just so happened to already have the perfect bottles to store my homemade version of these delicious drinks in. So now, I make them in advance (they keep for up to a week in the fridge) and enjoy them whenever I want, and for a fraction of the price. Fellow Starbucks addicts around the world: you’re welcome – this recipe is for you ☕️

    Copycat Starbucks Frappuccino | seefoodplay.com Copycat Starbucks Frappuccino | seefoodplay.com Copycat Starbucks Frappuccino | seefoodplay.comCopycat Starbucks Frappuccino | seefoodplay.com

    Ingredients:

    • 150 ml coffee (brewed & chilled)
    • 25 ml whole milk
    • 1 tablespoon simple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • Whipped cream (optional)

    Instructions: this one’s pretty simple, you just place all of the ingredients in your mug (or bottle if you’re making this ahead of time), add a little whipped cream when serving and enjoy!

    Note: This recipe is a copycat of the bottled version of the Starbucks Frappucino, not the one they sell in their cafés (ie, made with ice!).

     

  • Kale & red berry smoothie

    Kale & red berry smoothie

    Kale smoothie | seefoodplay.com

    It’s Monday, and if you’re anything like me, then you need a little boost of energy after the weekend. Enter: the kale & red berry smoothie! ☀️

    You might remember that I’ve recently changed my mind about kale and I’ve got a bunch of the stuff just begging to be used in some delicious recipe, sitting right in my fridge.

    I’ve been on a health kick lately. Okay, confession: I’m always on a health kick of some sort! I love trying out new healthy recipes, and trying to turn my favorite dishes vegetarian. I’m not a big sweets lover, and would live off of just fresh veggies (and fruits, if you’re counting tomatoes) if I could. But I can’t because I also have a big strong husband to feed, and he needs a lot of protein and carbs to get through his day. And truth be told, so do I! It takes work to eat a fully veggie-only diet and still get all of the nutrients you need, and I certainly don’t have enough discipline for that. When I was single, I lived off of foods with a marina sauce base. Lots of pastas and salads, and more salads and pastas, and from time to time fish or meat if I had dinner guests or went out to eat. One of the reasons that I’ve really been wanting to start this blog is to archive my recipes for inspiration on those days when I’m just not quite sure what to make for dinner. Because lack of inspiration always leads to one meal: spaghetti! But I can’t always have pasta for breakfast, lunch and dinner… ! When I need to change it up with a more conventional way to start off my day, I’ve gone a bit crazy for smoothies.

    They’re super fresh, mega flavorful, and pack a big punch of energy. All of this, with just a few ingredients and ready in about 5 minutes – what’s not to love?

    My first smoothie attempt was a huge success so that motivated me to work on a second fruitier masterpiece. I tweaked it a bit to get the right proportions, so this was the perfect mix of sweet and sour that I was going for. Go ahead and give it a try – don’t be afraid of playing around with the ingredients until it’s just like you like it!

    Kale smoothie | seefoodplay.com

    Kale smoothie | seefoodplay.com

    Kale smoothie | seefoodplay.com

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tablespoons of greek yogurt
    • 1 cup of kale
    • 1 cup of frozen mixed red berries
    • juice from 1 lemon
    • 1 tablespoon of honey

    Instructions:

    1. Blend all ingredients until uniform in color and smooth (about 1 minute, depending on your blender). Drink this awesome kale smoothie immediately 🙂

    Notes: If seeds in your drinks gross you out like they do for me, then just pour your mixture through a sieve to filter out the seeds!

    Kale & red berry smoothie | seefoodplay.com