Restaurant Review: Re:Grub Burger Bar

If there is one food that I love, it is a great burger. After years as a vegetarian, it’s a wonder how I arrived at a place where a nice juicy meat patty with a side of sweet potato fries and aioli can bring me so much joy. If there is a burger on a restaurants menu, I’m 90% likely to order it.

There are numerous restaurants in Calgary that boast an impressive burger in their repertoire, but no unique burger joints other than the infamous Peter’s Drive-In or other fast food joints. In comes Re:Grub, who opened their doors on 11th Ave at the end of June. When I first heard about Re:Grub, I took a glance at their social media and decided that I didn’t want to go there. A new, hip eatery should have a handle on their social media to get the word out (right? Am I the only one who thinks this?) and they frankly did not. After a few weeks of being around and hearing some reviews from friends, I finally changed my opinion and Zach and I headed there for dinner.

Re:Grub has 10 unique burgers, three breakfast options, salads, three types of fries, beer pairings, non-alcoholic beverages, and milkshakes (boozy or not). They boast their products all being made-in-house or local. Re:Grub operates in a fast-casual manner whereby you order at the till and they bring out your food in a surprisingly timely manner. We went on a Friday night and came just at the right time – a number of large groups followed us in, filling up the small joint.

Zach got the Smoke N’ Fire ($12), described as “Alberta grass-fed beef, smoky potato threads, jalapeno jack cheese, tomato, pickled habanero, butter lettuce and spicy aioli.” I opted for the Eureka! ($14.5), a “butter spiked Albertan grass-fed sirloin beef, gouda, thick cut bacon, fried shallots, butter lettuce and tomato relish.” On the side, we shared sweet potato fries ($4) with spicy aioli and truffles fries ($6).

Our burgers were good. Most notably for me was the bun – it was nice and buttery. Zach founds his burger a bit too spicy, but I suppose that’s what you get for ordering a burger appropriately named Smoke N’ Fire. What really stood out for us and will likely keep us coming back for more were the truffle fries. Good gracious. I am always more of a sweet potato fry girl, but these fries might make me a convert. They are a skinnier potato fry topped with asiago cheese, herbs and some sort of truffle, giving the fries a deliciously earthy flavor as truffles do.

Overall, we had a good dining experience at Re:Grub. The wait time was short and staff friendly, The burgers were tasty, though the fries were really what stood out. Given the venue and quality of the food, we found it a bit pricey, but perhaps the premium accounts for premium ingredients. Thanks to those asiago truffle fries, I’ll forgive their lack of social media expertise.

- S.

Restaurant Review: The Nash

I had a birthday last weekend. I'm not really one for big birthday bashes. I'm getting to that point (cue laughter...) where I'm old enough that birthdays really just signify getting older—that I feel older. Every year, my grandpa says that all that he wants for his birthday is peace and quiet, and hey gramps, I hear ya. So that's what I did. The usual 5am workout (and the day that I finished the Bikini Body Guide!) followed by some shopping with my mama, and finally a really luxurious dinner on the town with the boyfriend.

It was a celebratory moment not only for my birthday (and I made it to be the LEAST about my birthday), but that I had finished the 12 week guide and would actually go out for a meal. I've been relatively strict with my diet, which means almost no going out, which means that the always-increasing list of restaurants that the boyfriend and I want to try out never comes to fruition. The Nash has been on the list since before it opened, but it was really this photo that pushed me over the edge. Guys, I love dessert and I almost never get to have it. Dinner is great, yeah, but dessert is where my heart is at. So, we made our way down to the Nash.

I'll just start by saying that the space is gorgeous. It's a lot bigger than we had expected. Now that our days are a little bit longer, the sun was still shining, and shine it did. It really illuminated the space and made it kind of dreamy. They had changed their menu to their Spring offering, which was not a big deal, but we had definitely anticipated getting the 32 oz steak listed on their website. There is definitely a big difference between Winter and Spring type foods. Winter is hearty, Spring is fresh. I would definitely say that my palette is still in Winter mode, but DANG! this meal really made me excited for those Spring flavors.

I had a good little laugh over how "we're basically five" for ordering fries off of a very sophisticated menu. I think it's fair to suggest that they made their way onto the menu to appease the younger crowd with perhaps a less refined palette. A quick glance over to a nearby table of folks who were there for a big family dinner confirmed my suspicions. The kids had two bowls of the frites and aioli. The heart wants what it wants though, and when it comes down to it, I am a burger and fries kind of gal. And of course, they were delicious.

We also got the roasted asparagus with prosciutto, egg, bacon, preserved lemon, and parm foam to start. THIS is what I'm talking about when I said spring flavors. We were warned that the lemon was a little bit strong and to try just a little bit at first, but of course we gobbled it up. I'm going to say this about everything that we had, but I don't know which part of this dish was my favorite. It all just went so well and was so, so, SO good. It makes me wish I could cook like that.

For my main, I had bison with cocoa sauce, brown butter yams, asparagus and cipollini. Let me just first start by saying that I find it somewhat laughable that a year ago I was a vegetarian and now THIS is my birthday dinner. Oh, how things have changed. My favorite part of this dish was definitely the yams, because what isn't freaking amazing with brown butter? I'm not sure if I've ever had bison before, and this definitely didn't disappoint. The cocoa sauce was really interesting and paired perfectly with the bison.

Oh dessert, how I love thee. When the dessert menu was brought out and I took a look over it, I got a little too excited. Like, weirdly, noticeably excited. Let's start off with the weird and wonderful. Pictured above is a chestnut babba with porcini ice cream, cassis, and whiskey pearls. The most obscure part of this of course being the porcini ice cream, which was a lot more understated that I had expected it to be. Cassis is my favorite—I really love it's tang, and that's what really took the stage with this dish. Shown below is a a 72% chocolate mousse, crispies, dulche de leche, and milk sorbet. I don't know what else to say about this other than if I could eat one thing for the rest of my life it would be chocolate, so this is right up my alley and EXACTLY what I needed. The outer coating is dark chocolate, with more of a milk chocolate through the center. Amazing. Enough said. 

I also worked my way through two cocktails over the course of the evening, but didn't snap any photos and can't really remember a description. They were really wonderful though. Very boozy, but made in a manner that you couldn't really taste the booze. I'd call them dangerous. Next time, I'll definitely grab some descriptions of those. 

All in all, dinner at the Nash was absolutely wonderful. I'd go so far as to say that it's my favorite meal since Revel in Seattle, which is my all-time favorite meal. The fresh flavors and really just the thought that went into the creation of these dishes really hit home with me, and we will definitely be going back again soon.

- S

March Favourites

Kirkland Makeup Wipes. Costco is the best. I am a big fan of makeup wipes, since I can never seem to get my makeup off entirely with makeup remover or cleanser. Before these, I was using Clean & Clear wipes (which I liked a lot), but were about $10 a pack. These Costco ones are about $15 for a giant box full (I did the math and it's over double the quantity... I can't quite remember). They do the trick and work quite well. I'll buy again.

Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation in 105. I have been watching an insane amount of Youtube beauty vloggers, and have been trying a lot of drugstore products. It feels like they have come a long way since jr. high school! The quality of this stuff is great. It's pretty heavy coverage but when buffed out nicely, it looks pretty smooth. I am so impressed!! I've used nicer foundation, sure, but for $5? It's comparable to some high end products I've used. I'm not sure if I'll buy it again, but I really like it. The coverage lasts all day, which is a major plus in my books.

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Pink Plum. I've been trying to get back into blush so I don't look quite so pale all the time! I used to wear blush but when I had an outbreak of acne this past year, I stopped wearing it because it just looked terrible! Now that my skin has cleared up, it's time to start upping my makeup game. I wasn't completely sure, so I decided to start again with drugstore. I like this cream blush, it's sheer but easily buildable, and I like the colour. There are some NARS blushes I want to try, so once this is finished, I'll buy something else.

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper.  I LOVE THIS EYELINER. I have tried MANY liquid liners, and this is my favourite, by far. It lasts until I want it to last, doesn't smudge, doesn't wear off.... and the precision from the felt tip/brush is awesome. Enough said.

Sephora Pro Stippling Brush #44. Does everything it's supposed to do, and it washes well. I don't have too much to say other than I like the bristles and it washes well!

Real Techniques Contour and Buffing Brush. Can you tell I've been watching a lot of Youtube? I wanted to get some new brushes but am trying to cut back on my spending. I ended up finding these brushes at Walmart (for $20 for a set of brushes). I like them!! I prefer my Sephora and MAC brushes, but these are a close second to them. I haven't washed them yet so the real verdict will come after that.

- G

Moroccanoil Exta Volume Conditioner. I seem to commit a lot of hair care sins. I haven’t had a haircut since August 2014, I dye my hair myself, I wash my hair every day (though this would suggest that it isn’t entirely terrible), and I use heat products every day. Needless to say, my hair is not in very good condition. It had gotten to a point where I could barely run a brush through it after showering. I found this conditioner and my hair has felt better than it has in a long time. I should probably still go get a hair cut, but for now this will do.

NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Bellissima. I dropped my Naked 2 palette and my two favorite shades broke, of course. OF course. I debated whether or not I should repurchase the full size of the same colors or if I should try something new, which lef me to NARS Bellissima. It is GOOD. Real good. There is less fallout than the Tarte eyeshadows and the color is great.

Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Balm. Oh, Aesop, how I love thee. Geranium Leaf is my favorite scent from their line and this body balm is no exception. I am terrible at applying moisturizer to my body, but this stuff makes it easy to remember because it smells so garsh darn good.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Tinted Moisturizer in Light. I used this sometime last year, and once my skin got really bad I ended up opting for NARS Sheer Glow’s heavier coverage. My skin has cleared up one hell of a lot though, so the tinted moisturizer is back! I like that it offers enough coverage to even out my skin tone but not entirely cover up my skin. Does that make sense? I don’t know. This stuff is really good though.

- S

toronto, on/life update

This post is quite overdue. I’ve been trying to sit down and write about the experiences I’ve had this summer—from graduation, a short trip to Toronto with my family, driving across the country to move back in with my family, and now, starting to work full-time in something that could potentially become a career. There has just been SO much! So I’m going to start from the beginning.



Once the school term was finished, I spent my time working full time and volunteering. A lot of time spent with friends, enjoying the weather and the patios, as well as keeping a pretty full schedule with my usual commitments. In June, my parents flew out to Ottawa to attend my convocation. I graduated!!! I received my Bachelor’s degree and damn… it felt good. 5 years of hard work and a piece of paper with my name on it. Overall though, it felt good to have what is essentially a closing ceremony of my time at uOttawa and undergrad. My degree is now in a giant frame hanging on the wall. While some of this stuff may be cheesy for some (and trust me, the wall of my certificates and what not in my parents basement is sorta cheesy and hilarious to me!), I feel immensely proud for getting this degree and finishing school. It feels good.

During my parents visit to Ottawa, we decided to extend their visit and spent a week in Toronto. A short little trip that included walking around the city, going to the Royal Ontario Museum, eating, drinking and my favourite part—going to the Toronto Zoo! While there is a zoo in Calgary that I have been to many times in my life, the highlight of the Toronto Zoo was the pandas! Pandas are one of my favourite animals, and it felt pretty surreal to get to see them in real life. It seemed like they could just be people walking around in panda suits. I was so stoked to see them, and it felt like that could have been more of a highlight than walking the stage… ha!



After I returned to Ottawa, it was more of the same summer for me. Although it felt more as if I was tying up loose ends—seeing friends, and prepping for my big move. Well, that’s all for now! It was nice to write up a little update, and next time I’ll be sharing more about my cross country drive.

-g

seattle, wa


I've got a major crush on the Pacific Northwest. I went to Seattle for the first time in 2011 with my mama on a little weekend expedition when I was still living in Victoria, BC. I've been back three times now, and I still can not get enough. This summer, my boyfriend and I headed out on a road trip to both Seattle and Portland in late August, and we were not disappointed.

^^^ We brunched at Percy's and Co., and had the most amazing rum sticky bun.

^^^ Canon Whiskey and Bitters Emporium. This is the Negroni Experiment, which is three variations on the negroni. The boyfriend went with a Skull and Blackberries, which was made at the table and super cool.
^^^ Obligatory Pike Place photo, plus Analog Coffee.
^^^ We made two breakfast stops at Skillet Diner, and I got the same thing both times. That place is damn good. This is also my second time visiting Slate, albeit a year apart. It's my favourite stop for coffee in Seattle.

^^^ Bandera Mountain. We were not prepared for this hike at all, but it was well worth it for the views. We had dessert and a drink at Hot Cakes after dinner at Delancey. We opted for the smoked chocolate whiskey cake, which was quite possibly one of the best things I've ever had in my mouth. I've gotta learn how to recreate that one.

^^^ The EMP Museum for a visit to the Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix exhibits, plus breakfast pre-hike at The London Plane. We both went with the biscuit and friend egg with bacon, mustard greens, and salt, as seen below.
A few of our food favourites:

Revel. My second time back and still quite possibly my favourite meal of all time. Last year I got to experience it as a vegetarian and it was amazing, but the meat dishes are even better. Get one from every category and don't stinch on dessert.

Slate Coffee. The staff are knowledgeable as hell and also so friendly. We had the best iced coffee there, and I took a bag of the stuff home that I've been enjoying for weeks.

The Whale Wins. If the interiors of this place doesn't win your heart, the food certainly will. We had some pretty unreal roasted carrots here.

Skillet Diner. Like I said, we went back twice in the span of five days. Check out their Instagram for some major food porn.

Canon Whiskey & Bitters Emporium. If fancy ass drinks are your thing, Canon is the place for you. All we could keep saying is, "I wish we had a place like this in Calgary!"

- s

san francisco, ca

At the end of July, I took a long-planned trip out to San Francisco with a friend. By long planned, I mean years in the making, months in the planning. It was one of those sigh of relief, "we're finally doing this" moments, and for the most part, it lived up to the hype. The trip was definitely a short one—only four days—and we managed to cram one hell of a lot into the trip. A most-wise suggestion: Do not attempt to walk from Mission to Fisherman's Wharf, to the Golden Gate Bridge, and back. By the end of THAT day, all that was left were two very delirious, very exhausted girls. The trip was mostly food and shopping-centric, so here's some of our favourites.

flour + water. I think it's safe to say that this was both of our favourite dinner. The atmosphere of this place is really cool, and the food is amazing. We didn't do the full courses and opted just for an appetizer, pasta, and dessert, but it was all AMAZING. Get the budino for dessert.

Craftsman & Wolves. Three words: The Rebel Within.

Ritual Coffee Roasters. My somewhat surprising pick over the other coffee shops. The coffee was great, and we had some excellent pastries as well. Unfortunately, they're now undergoing renovations, but still one to keep on the list.

Bar Tartine. Brunch! Small plates! Bar Tartine has an ever-changing menu, but if you have a chance to try the smoked potatoes with black garlic, do it.

The Mill. The home of the $4 toast, and worth every penny.

Aesop. This place will bleed you dry, but the products are petty incredible and smell amazing.

- s.

call it magic

It's been awhile! Life has been so busy lately! As a result, our blog has been neglected. As well, Sam and I have been taking some time to really think about what sort of content we want to share. I'm looking forward for us to be in the same city so we can really brainstorm, and to obviously spend time together.

While we mull things over, our posts will be sporadic. But today, I have some silly outfit shots to share!



These pants could very well be a work uniform! I think half the girls I work with own these pants. It's fantastic though, because they are suuuuuper comfortable and super fun! It's like wearing pyjamas, but seemingly more dressy. Next time I wear them, I intend to pair them with my favorite lace-up pink suede wedges. The choices are endless!



My only thing is about fun pants is having top options! Especially since they are high waisted with an elastic waistband, it's hard to decide the right shirt to wear with the pants without looking too casual. Especially for work. This shirt seems to go well with most all of my high waisted pants (which is uhhh, mostly all of them), and shows off my unfinished tattoo!



While cleaning and re-organizing my closet last night, I realized that in the past couple years my clothing choices have gotten a lot more colourful. Throughout the end of high school and most of university my entire wardrobe consisted of black and grey. While this is still holds true for my basics, I have thrown in some colourful patterns and florals in to mix it up. I'm really enjoying it!

I hope all is well with all of you, and we look forward to sharing more soon!

Thanks to Jess for taking these photos! 

the may playlist

OH MY GOODNESS, IT IS MAY. I had a bit of a moment halfway through May 1st (erm, today at the moment of writing) when I realized that it was in fact May 1. May means maybe (hopefully? please?) good weather. It means garden season. It means patio season. I write this in good spirits because we've had two days of glorious 20-degree weather, and obviously good weather means good mood, although we are anticipating a snow storm this weekend.

Anyway. May. This playlist. It is poppy. Very, very poppy, but in the most alternatively poppy way. If I could dance, I would dance to this. I might dance to this already behind closed doors, but y'know, that's beside the point.

The May Playlist
Perfect Vision - Cheerleader
Lost and Found (Odesza Remix) - Pretty Lights
Not Going Home - Great Good Fine OK
Rocky Took a Lover - Bell X1
Go Out All Night - Givers
I Need You - M83
Gold - Chet Faker
Let Me In - Grouplove
Madder Red (Henning Furst Remix) - Yeasayer
Tears - Colleagues
Stars (Hold On) - Youngblood Hawke
Sleeping In - The Morning Benders

Available for streaming on Rdio.

- s

journal day 10

Part 1: Quite simply, what are you good at? All of us have particular strengths- what are yours? This week, talk about these talents, big or small. Ideas: discuss how you use these things in your daily life or job, how you discovered a knack for this or that, perhaps even touch on whether or not you are passionate about the things you're good at.

Part 2: Sometimes it can be hard to hear criticism from others. I know for me it's something I may always struggle with- being a people pleaser, etc. At the same time though, constructive criticism can be very helpful, and allow us to look at ourselves in a new light and maybe even grow and change. Take a step out of yourself. If you were on the outside looking in, how would you critique yourself? What things do you see that could change or work on? This isn't about tearing ourselves down; it's about really looking at ourselves and seeing where there's room for growth.

Once again, thanks Danielle for the wonderful feature. We really love writing these!

It really is harder to think of good things about yourself as opposed to critique, isn’t it? I’d say that for both Gabi and I, this is one of those topics that we had to think long and hard about our answers. Easier probably would have been flipping the tables and talking about each other instead of ourselves. It’s always harder when it’s you, and it’s absolutely more difficult to give yourself a pat on the back for your strengths.

I’m passionate and determined. Those are qualities that could be thrown on either the strength or weakness side, as with that determination comes extreme stubbornness that encroaches on pig-headedness. Once I set my mind to something though, there’s no changing it and the task at hand will be completed to near perfection.

I’m creative. This one is important to me. It has little effect on constructing others opinions of myself, but I really pride myself on my creativity and eye for aesthetics. Gabi and I seem to have this conversation on the regular, as we’re both quite creative, and we wonder why were pursuing/pursued degrees in fields that don’t allow us to exercise those muscles very frequently. My favorite assignments have been ones in which I’ve been able to do blog design, create videos, or fancy-shmancy technical documents. After each one of these assignments I wonder why, why I wouldn’t pursue something more creative, and of course the answer is practicality. Nevertheless, I forever find myself most at ease when I cook, paint, or am lost in a book (or y’know, rambling on in some blog post).

I’m honest. Honest enough to get those damn words tattooed on me, serving as a constant reminder of what I consider to be the best policy. You can be sure that I won’t lie to you about anything big or small. I feel that it’s better to tell the truth even if it stings a little in the short-run, than to lead a lie in the long-run. The repercussions are just too much to bear when things go south (they will), and we could all use a bit more honesty in our lives.

I’m hard to get to know. The walls are up 100% of the time, meaning that when you meet me, it’s pretty much a guarantee that you’ll think I’m a bitch. The conversation will be slow, if not completely lacking, and I’ll appear cold and probably a bit stuck-up. First impressions are not my forte. I swear that I’m not any of those things. It just takes me forever to warm up. Truth be told, once I am comfortable with someone, my silly side comes out and I sometimes wonder if I’m actually twelve years old. My maturity level is about equivalent to a teenage boy of around that age.

I lack patience. I’m on time. Always (except with Gabi, who is on time but actually ALWAYS EARLY). I expect the same of others. Don’t waste my time. I have a really horrible tendency to chew people out if they are tardy. I should probably work on that. I lack patience in other regards. I want instantaneous results—a quick fix. Long, drawn out processes are not for me.

I’m honest. This one deserves another mention. I said that I think honesty is the best policy, and I do. I absolutely do. If someone wants an outright, true, raw opinion, I’m the person to deliver it, but nine times out of ten that is more trouble than it’s worth. Thankfully, I have gotten really good at just shutting up (perhaps the reason why I am so quiet all the time these days).

There you have it. What I would consider some of my strengths and weaknesses. I gotta say that another difficult part about writing this is that you know that someone else is going to read this and think, “yeah, she definitely missed out on some big ones.” I would love to believe that I don’t give two hoots about one anyone else thinks, but I mean we’re all human here. We care. I care. So while I know that there are some things that I need to work on, I do try to be my best self. However, there truly is no pleasing everyone.

- s

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I think Sam was right… It would have been easier to write about good things about one another rather than ourselves. Even going in and critiquing myself is a tough one—although I find I can be very critical of myself sometimes, I really, really hate seeming negative about myself (especially on a public forum). However, I’m going to give my best shot at this.

I’m patient and a good listener. I am a really caring person, and I’d consider myself a good listener. While I am (very) talkative, I would say I am a better at listening. I try to listen carefully, actively, and to give my full attention to whomever I’m talking to. I am also really patient while working with others and don’t get frustrated easily. I’m pretty easy going.

I’m a positive person. I guarantee I can find the good in any situation, and see things from a different perspective—ask my friends, it gets annoying! Even if I am in a bad mood, I am incredibly positive and optimistic about whatever it is that is going on. I’d say I know how to keep positivity in check, and to not let negativity get to me.

I can make conversation with anybody. This goes back to being a good listener, but I am also very extroverted and am good at making conversation. I don’t find making conversation with people I don’t know awkward or uncomfortable, just a chance to get to know somebody a bit better. I can probably find something to talk about with anybody.

I’m impulsive. My friend’s boyfriend calls me ‘The Great Enabler’ because whenever we go shopping, I encourage purchases. Not only that, but once I get into something, I get REALLY into it. I will learn everything I can about it, become obsessed, and throw myself into it. While I do see this as a strength at times (shows how determined I can be), it can also be a weakness. Especially when it comes to time management (I’ll put things I need to do on hold in order to do something else—instant gratification much?), or when it is better to just listen and think about it before responding. I’ll often answer right away without thinking things through.

I care what other people think. While I understand the power of judgement and how that is a necessary part of human life and behaviour, I can sometimes be a bit of a people pleaser. I don’t like conflict, so that makes sense to me. I come across as very confident (or so I’d like to think) but sometimes worry about what other people think about me. I’d like to pretend I don’t give a shit about what others think of me, but I do.

For the most part, I’d say that is a pretty accurate representation of myself. While there are lots of things about myself that I’d consider strengths, I also can be pretty hard on myself. I work pretty hard each day on how I see myself and how I’d like others to see me. We’re all works in progress, and I try to put my best self out there.

- g

superfood smoothies

Most often, I find lunchtime to be pretty lacklustre. During school, I usually skip it all together, as it's just too much of a pain to put together and bring with me. However, if I am going to do lunch (and have really been trying to lately), it's going to be a smoothie. Now that we're not stuck in an arctic tundra, smoothie consumption doesn't have to be done while sitting in front of a space heater, which I very much appreciate. Smoothies are a great option on-the-go, and are an easy way to get in fruits, veggies, and superfoods. I find that there is a delicate art to constructing a smoothie that actually tastes good, and these three fit the bill.

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These smoothie recipes contain three superfoods with pretty insane nutritional benefits. I've listed a few of the benefits here, but there are plenty more associated with each.

Cacao: Raw cacao is packed with antioxidants and minerals such as zinc, copper, sulphur, magnesium, and calcium.

Spirulina: Spirulina is also an antioxidant, promotes immune function, and is a good source of aminos. It is also high in Omega-3s, chlorophyll, B-vitamins, and calcium.

Wheatgrass: Wheatgrass is a good source of chlorophyll, which aids with liver function and stabilizing blood sugar among other things. It contains 17 aminos, all minerals, and vitamins such as A, C, and K.

ALMOND BUTTER CUP

3/4 cup (175 mL) almond milk
1.5 TBSP (14 g) raw cacao powder
1 (100 g) banana, frozen
1 TBSP (16 g) raw almond butter
1 tsp cinnamon

CHOCOLATE MINT

3/4 cup (175 mL) almond milk
1.5 TBSP (14 g) raw cacao powder
1 scoop Sunwarrior protein powder
1/2 (50 g) banana, frozen
1/4 cup fresh mint
1 tsp spirulina
ice

optional: raw honey or agave, to taste

BANANA WHEATGRASS

3/4 cup (175 mL) cashew milk (recipe to follow)
1 (100 g) banana, frozen
handful kale
1 scoop MusclePharm banana protein powder
handful wheatgrass
ice

CASHEW MILK // Makes 5 cups
In contrast to almond milk, cashew milk doesn't need to be strained after mixing, making it the easiest of the homemade nut milks to throw together. Cashew milk is delightfully creamy and is my preferred nut milk.

1 cup cashews
4 cups filtered water
4 dates, pitted
1 tsp cinnamon

Soak cashews in water for four hours or overnight. Drain and rinse cashews. In a high-speed blender, combine cashews with 2 cups of filtered water. Blend until thoroughly combined. Add remaining 2 cups of water, dates, and cinnamon. Blend for roughly two minutes. Keeps in the refrigerated for up to four days.

- s