Brad's 7 Day Raw Challenge - Day 5: My new kitchen + Simple Veganista's Banana Split Protein Smoothie

Well, Day 5 was less than exciting… When I’m off, I find it hard to stick to a normal routine. Workouts rarely happen, diet routine out the door, and sleep…what sleep? Yep day offs are a disaster to my health… but at least they’re fun!

Today my husband and I rode up to our soon-to-be new l living location to check out the progress being done on our home. During the entire process the only request I had was to be able to customize my kitchen and have a sunroom to go with it. Everything else was up to my husband. He okayed my request and here it is half way done! 

Saddle hardwood, dark cherry cabinets and New Caledonia granite countertops with stainless steel appliances,70/30 kitchen sink and an extra long island next to an open sunroom. The backsplash has yet to be decided but it’ll be a mixture of light and dark colors to match what is already in the room with some broken glass pieces added. You have no idea how excited I am to get into this kitchen and start cooking! The lack of space in this apartment has me occasionally screaming on the top of my lungs how much I hate the place. I mean look at what I’m transitioning from/to!? 

Old Townhouse Kitchen

Current Apartment Kitchen

Future Kitchen - same size as townhome

My dream kitchen in terms of layout and size

Enough ranting about my cosmic powers and itty bitty living space. For breakfast, I stuck to my mono meal ways with a delicious red cameo apple. I adore apples and love exploring the different varieties and tastes. When apple season hits at the farmer’s market, I’m in pure tasting heaven. I literally eat one or two a day tasting and experimenting with each one. My favorites are the Nittany and Honeycrisp. Sweet, juicy and super crisp just the way I like it. Any apple favorites you’d like to share?

After breakfast we headed out to the house and came back to watch Fast and Furious 6. Can’t beat $5 movies! I could tell I was getting hungry as drove towards the theater but I thought I was going to be okay until the movie was over. WRONG! By the time the movie started my belly was growling asking for something to eat! I should have taken up my husband’s offer to stop by Trader Joe’s and grab a banana. After 6 hours since eating my apple, you can only imagine how I felt once I got home: famished and a raging animal in the kitchen. My first stop, ugh, the poor Cacao Nib Cookie Dough Nut Butter.  I nibbled and nibbled until finally I came to my senses when my husband looked at me and said, “Seriously, that’s what you’re going to eat?”. He was right. I needed something quick: smoothie.

I ran across a Banana Split Smoothie recipe by the Simple Veganista and just knew it would go perfect with my raw chocolate protein powder. I modified the recipe accordingly to accommodate my chocolate powder but the smoothie, I’m sure, tasted just as great! Although, I have no doubts hers is better. :)

Banana Split Protein Smoothie

Inspired by Simple Veganista
Makes 16 ounces

• 1 banana, frozen
• 4-5 strawberries, frozen
• 1/3 cup pineapple
• 1-2 handfuls of greens
• 1 scoop/packet of raw chocolate protein powder (Garden of Life or Sunwarrior)
• 1 cup of raw almond milk
• ½ cup water or coconut water

1. Blend! Top with a cherry. Don’t you love my ugly frozen cherry turd!?

For dinner I sipped on a Passionberry Kombucha. I love kombucha. And shamefully the rest of my nut butter. It was one of those days.

So there’s my NOT so exciting day. However, I am off to make raw chocolate so I may have that for you soon. As for tomorrow, I already have plans on making some raw samosas!!