Christmas in July
In my house, Christmas in July is hyped up enough to almost rival the December holiday itself. Because the 4th was essentially the last holiday until Halloween, some festivity is definitely needed to distract from the eminent back to school grind coming in the next few weeks. So whether you choose to celebrate July 25th by watching White Christmas, decorating your room, or even just going to Muddy's for one of their Christmas in July goods, I hope that you allow some holiday spirit to creep into your summer's day!
Iced Mint Hot Chocolate
So, good news: hot chocolate can be a summer drink too! Oftentimes, I feel as though I look forward to winter solely to be able to sip a hot coco without melting in the process. But, this recipe has all the richness of that wintery drink without all the heat (and added sweeteners)! Sip while watching The Polar Express :)
Recipe
1 cup almond milk
2 tsp cacao powder
1 tsp pure maple syrup
3 fresh mint leaves
Dash of cloves or cinnamon
5 soaked cashews (optional but highly suggested for creaminess)
1/2 tsp coconut butter (optional)
Directions
Warm up one cup of water (this can be done in the microwave) and then place about 5 cashews into it while it cools. Set aside the cashew and water mixture for around 10 minutes. (This step is optional depending on whether you're using cashews or not.)
Pour around one cup of almond milk (8 oz) into a blender along with the cacao powder, maple, cloves/cinnamon, soaked cashews, and coconut butter. Blend for about 30 seconds.
Crush a couple of mint leaves with your hand and place them in the bottom of your glass. Fill the glass halfway up with ice and then pour in the blended mixture. Enjoy!
'Tis the Season Popsicles
Recently I've been super into smoothie pops so why not make some themed ones to celebrate? Although you will need a popsicle mold to make these, they are such a cute and simple idea to assemble. Enjoy!
Recipe (Makes 3-4 popsicles)
Red Layer
1 1/4 cup frozen strawberries
1/4 cup frozen cherries
1 cup almond milk
1 tsp cacao (optional but gives darker color)
Green Layer
3/4 cup frozen banana
3/4 cup frozen mango
1/2-1 cup almond or coconut milk
1 cup spinach
1 tsp green spiralina (optional but gives darker color)
Directions
Separately mix the two colors together in a blender.
Choose one color to put in first and layer as much as you would like. (Optional: you can also sprinkle some shredded coconut in for some texture.)
Place in the freezer for approximately 4 hours and enjoy!
Sweet Potato Pie Parfait
Sweet potatoes are an essential part of any winter holiday for my family. So, if I can incorporate them into a summer dessert, I'm definitely going to do it! A take off of my sweet potato pie smoothie bowl recipe, this dish screams festivity. Whether you eat it as a snack or as a dessert, I hope it sends you back to cozier times!
Recipe (Makes approximately 4 parfaits)
Filling
1 can of coconut cream
1 medium sized sweet potato
1 tbs pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 tsp spices (gloves, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom)
Crust
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup almonds
3 dates
almond milk (pour splashes as needed)
Directions
Roast a peeled sweet potato wrapped in tin foil for approximately 1 hour on 350 degrees. Wait for it to cool a bit before continuing to step 2.
Blend all of the filling ingredients together in a blender.
Put the blended filling into a bowl and let it chill for at least 2 hours.
Once the filling is chilled, blend together the all of the ingredients for the crust in a blender.
Pull out the filling from the fridge and add more spices as needed. Layer the crust and filling layers in a bowl and enjoy!
Hope these recipes help you get into the holiday spirit with just a few ingredients from your kitchen! Merry July :)
