Kelly Bonanno

Life & Wellness Coach & Matchmaker helping you make your next chapter your best chapter

Recipes

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Review: Get Ready For The Weekend With Skinnygirl Cocktails

When I was approached by the Skinnygirl Cocktail Company (yes, the one Bethany Frankel famously sold for a killing) to do a review I was psyched! Cocktails on the job. Holla! I’m a bit apprehensive when doing reviews – what if I’m not fond of the product? I can’t lead my fabulous readers astray, I must speak the truth and the truth is… loved them! And so did our guests.
226781_10151683386215610_1088650991_nRefreshing with just the right amount of zing… went down smooth and built up to a nice relaxing feel good buzz. We tried Island Coconut and Cucumber vodka, they have 5 other flavors and a whole line of cocktails for your imbibement pleasure including vino! The flavors are subtle and unique. We drank it straight, lingering and enjoying every sip throughout the night but you could make a killer martini with this vodka or pound shots if that’s how you roll.
Since we liked these so much I bought their Margarita and it did not disappoint either. Can’t wait to try their Mojito. These drinks are lower in calorie which doesn’t hurt a bit but don’t let the name fool you, it’s rich and flavorful. It may be called Skinny but it’s not skinny on taste. Even though he’s a scotch man, my husband loved it too .
laborday_tnOur friend Chris’ drink of choice is vodka so I knew I had to get his opinion…  “I’ve had my share of vodkas over the years (from high-end to the low-cheap stuff [from when a younger lad], and I’m happy to share that this smooth, light, relatively potent and ‘refreshing’ vodka is one that I’ve already acquired and added to my liquor chamber. The perfect blend of ingredients was enough to satisfy my palate, without overpowering the senses with dominant, heavy-sugar based and ‘syrupy’ flavors.  Skinnygirl provided a savoring taste that felt pure, reminiscent of lounging peacefully in a day spa… and quite frankly, it was just delectable.  Its intoxicating subtlety brought a calming and relaxing balance which proved to be a  perfect complement for an evening with good friends.”

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Only he could wax poetic about vodka but didn’t he set the scene nicely? You know you want to hit the nearest Bev Mo and stock up. He knows his vodka.

Want to bring out your inner Brian Flanagan at your next shin dig? Serve up these tasty recipes:

Endless Summer

Ingredients                                                                                              Preparation

  •  1 ½ parts Skinnygirl™ Island Coconut Vodka          Pour over fruit and ice, garnish with a mango and enjoy!
  •  3 parts pineapple juice
  •  4 parts sparkling water
  •  1 cup sliced mango, frozen
  •  Mango wedge for garnish

Sunset Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients                                                                                             Preparation

  • 2 parts Skinnygirl™ Bare Naked Vodka                        Pour over ice, top with club soda and enjoy!
  • 2 large muddled strawberries
  • 1 part powdered lemonade mix
  • Splash of club soda

Tropical Tea-se

Ingredients                                                                                            Preparation

  •  1.5 parts Skinnygirl Cucumber Vodka                        Pour over ice, garnish with a pineapple wedge and enjoy!
  •  6 parts green tea OR diet  Green Tea
  •  Ice
  •  Pineapple wedge for garnish

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Healthy Mac n’ Cheese

“Why do they want dinner every single night?!” That’s my favorite one those ecards that you see all over Facebook. You’ll notice I don’t often post recipes. Making sure my family eats healthy is a priority but I do not enjoy cooking! And the dishes afterward are even more fun.

Mac n’ Cheese is a quick and easy meal when you’re pressed for time (which I feel as though I always am!), but it’s not the dinner of champions so we only do it once in a while. Fortunately my kids like Annie’s Organic White Cheddar & Shells because I will not give them Kraft Mac n’ Cheese. It’s full of harmful ingredients like artificial food dyes. The NY Times recently reported that a warning label was found on imported packages.

Nothing beats homemade and honestly, this version isn’t much more work than the boxed stuff:

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-Boil the pasta, I cook the whole box so we’ll have leftovers, macaroni noodles, rotini, whatever you like (to make it a bit healthier, I use a combo of whole grain & veggie)
-after the pasta boils, drain it, transfer it back in to the pot & pour 1 cup of organic milk over pasta (you can use cream, I’ve tried both and my kids don’t notice a difference) & 1 cup organic vegetable broth
-sprinkle organic mild shredded cheddar cheese over pasta (8 – 12 oz., 12 if your kids like it cheesy like mine do)
-sprinkle a dash of pepper and sea salt if desired
-stir to mix & coat the pasta with the cheese, if you’d like, sprinkle panko bread crumbs on top, bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve them with a side of kale chips and non appetit!

Before serving, I drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil so they get a dose of healthy monounsaturated fats (MUFAs). If you don’t use organic cheese just make sure it’s at least made with milk from cows that are not treated with antibiotics or Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH), also known as Bovine Somatotropin (BST), an artificial hormone injected into cows to increase milk production. Food Babe suggest steaming cauliflower, grating it and mixing it in. She says the kids won’t even notice. If you try this recipe, let me know how your kids like it!

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Mombajuice ~ Your Kids Will Love This Healthy Smoothie

Fave things, $1 store, plants, smoothies 117Last night was smoothie night, it’s popular in our house. I make them on a regular basis, my kids love them & I love how quick, easy & healthy they are. It all started a few years ago. I wanted to come up with a healthier version of what they like at smoothie bars but the kids whined & complained that they’d rather go to Jamba Juice. My husband told them that tonight, it’s mombajuice! Fortunately, they LOVED my smoothies & so did my husband, they’ve been a staple in our house ever since. They’re the holy grail of food: nutritious, delicious & the kids are excited when I make them. That’s a tough combo to come by.

I use all organic ingredients, makes 4 servings:
~Toss about 2 cups of your favorite fresh or frozen fruit in the blender. I usually use the tried and true strawberries, banana and some raspberries, blueberries or blackberries. Try different fruits you like, experiment!
~2 cups organic low fat vanilla greek yogurt (or whatever flavor you prefer)
~4 Tbsp. flaxseed oil or chia seeds & a few sprinkles of wheat germ
~1 – 2 scoops of protein powder & some almonds  ~1/4 cup ice
~I even sneak in a little chopped spinach (they don’t even taste it!) and blend it all up until smooth and enjoy!

I keep frozen organic fruit on hand in the freezer and when our bananas start to turn brown I toss them in the freezer so I always have one on hand for smoothie night. I add organic, cold pressed, filtered flaxseed Oil, an excellent source for omega 3 fatty acids and lignans, because of its many health benefits.

Research has shown it may help reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer, helps protect against high blood pressure and lowers cholesterol which plays a part in preventing heart disease and stroke, promotes healthy skin, hair and nails.

Studies also show that it may increase the rate at which fat is burned by stimulating brown fat cells and helps increase energy production in the body, just to name a few! Any of your mommy friends looking for a healthy snack their kids will love? Send this her way.