All in One Breakfast Smoothie from Valerie Bertinelli

I have been a big fan of Valerie Bertinelli ever since I was a young girl and I tuned into a funny 70’s TV show called “One Day at a Time”.  

So, when I got the chance to review her new cookbook, “Valerie’s Home Cooking”, I was thrilled.  I have followed Valerie’s career on TV over the years and I was so excited to see her showcase her cooking skills on her Food Network cooking show called “Valerie’s Home Cooking” for the past seven seasons. I love her cooking show so much that I have it scheduled to record on my DVR so I don’t miss an episode.

The recipes in "Valerie’s Home Cooking" cookbook are just as great as all the recipes she makes on her show.  This cookbook is absolutely gorgeous from cover to cover and full of mouthwatering photos inside.  The recipes are definitely fun and ones you will want to share with your family and friends.  Valerie’s cooking is just like her personality: friendly, fun and comforting.  She makes you feel comfortable in the kitchen because all the recipes that I tried were easy to follow and I could even get my kids to help me in the kitchen. 

Valerie shares a lot of family recipes that have been handed down from her grandmother and her mother. I love all the personal family stories and anecdotes because it’s like cooking in the kitchen with a good friend that you have known for so many years. The cookbook is not just full of wonderful recipes, but some of her great culinary tips and tricks as well.

The recipe I wanted to share with you today was one I tried out several times and is definitely one of my "go-to" recipes from now on for breakfast.  I always say the hardest meal for me to get excited about is breakfast because I am usually in a rush to start my day and I don't have time to sit down and eat.  A smoothie is a perfect option to get some great nutrition in fast and it keeps me satisfied until lunch time.  I simply love this “All-in-One Breakfast Smoothie”.

***Here is an excerpt from Valerie’s Home Cooking:

This is the perfect breakfast for when I’m in a hurry. I add all the ingredients, blend, and it’s ready in minutes. But the fresh, healthy way it tastes and jump-starts my energy level at the same time is the real luxury. It’s also efficient. I always have frozen bananas on hand. As soon as the bunch I brought home from the market starts to go dark (and I know I’m not going to make banana bread), I slice them up, store them in a baggie, and pop them in the freezer. Voilà, fresh bananas. Since I use coconut milk and almond milk in my coffee, they’re also staples in the fridge. The same goes for almond butter. And the coffee in this recipe? Just make an extra cup. You get the idea. This one’s easy, it packs a nutritious punch, and it’s great to drink on the go.

Photo Courtesy of Valerie’s Home Cooking

All-in-One Breakfast Smoothie

Serves 2  Hands-on 5 minutes Total 5 minutes

2 ripe bananas, peeled and frozen

1 cup ice

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2 cup brewed cold-brew coffee

½ cup uncooked regular rolled oats

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons almond butter

2 tablespoons chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans

1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate-covered espresso beans,
for serving

2 mint sprigs, for serving (optional)

    Process the bananas, ice, milk, coffee, oats, honey, almond butter, chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans, coconut oil, and vanilla in a blender until smooth. Pour evenly into 2 glasses. Garnish with the chocolate-covered espresso beans and a sprig of mint, if you wish.

***Excerpted from Valerie’s Home Cooking by Valerie Bertinelli. Copyright © 2017 Oxmoor House. Reprinted with permission from Time Inc. Books, a division of Time Inc. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

Some photos from the book...

“Valerie’s Home Cooking” has over 100 recipes.   The chapters are perfectly organized from options to start your day, lunch, happy hour, dinner and of course finishing off with some sweet treats.  I have tried out several of her recipes so far and I can’t wait to try even more.   

 Some of the other great recipes in the book are:

·       Arugula, Apple, and Fennel Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette and Three-Cheese Crostadas

·       Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Shrimp with Cherry Cola BBQ Sauce

·       BLT Pasta

·       Individual Blueberry-Nectarine Crumbles with Honeyed Lime Yogurt

·       Brown Sugar Sriracha Bacon Bites

·       Hamburger Helpa

·       Lobster BLTs

·       Mom’s Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

·       Roasted Eggplant Pesto Pasta

·       Scalloped Potatoes

·       Slow-Cooker Pasta Bake

·       Slow-Cooker Sweet-and-Sour Chicken

·       Spicy Arrabiata Penne

·       Steamed Clams with Spicy Garlic Bread

I always knew I was a fan of this talented actress, but I think my may be an even bigger fan of her recipes.  This is definitely a beautiful cookbook and I am going to cherish it for years.

Photo Courtesy of Valerie’s Home Cooking by Valerie Bertinelli. Copyright © 2017 Oxmoor House

Disclaimer:  I was given a complimentary copy of from Valerie’s Home Cooking by Valerie Bertinelli to review.  All the opinions expressed here are my own.

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