Welcome the day with a cup of coffee and a slice of light and fluffy banana bread with a tropical twist! My ultra clean, ultra simple Allergy Free Aloha Breakfast Bread is full of healthier, natural substitutions and free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar — perfect for those of us with food allergies, intolerances or sensitivities. This tropical banana bread combines a crisp, caramel coloured exterior with a light, airy centre and the intoxicating flavours and aromas of coconut and lime. If you’re looking for a fresh answer to summer baking and have a bunch of frozen bananas you need to use up (is anyone else’s freezer at max capacity during the summer?), I’ve got you covered! This mellow, coconut-centric, lime kissed loaf will transport you to azure waters and white sand beaches!
smoothie
JULY BEAUTY FAVOURITES
Welcome back for another Monthly Beauty Favourites post! This July I fell in love with a gorgeous new summer fragrance from Givenchy, discovered a budget friendly liquid eyeliner that rivals my high end favourite, wore my new Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche lipsticks to death and found the perfect coral lip liner to go with them!
It was a pretty low-key month for be beauty wise and I tended towards pairing bolder lip colors with a simple winged eye — which is one of my favourite summer looks. I also used my favourite eyeshadows from Makeup Geek almost everyday! If you’re looking for great summer beauty and fragrance recommendations, stay tuned for a healthy mix of drugstore and high end discoveries. I also take you along to Givenchy’s Art of Perfumery presentation at Anju!
GOLDEN KIWI PIÑA COLADA POPSICLES
Happy Saturday! Today I’m sharing the recipe for my Golden Kiwi Piña Colada Popsicles — a nourishing summer treat made with freshly blended tropical fruit, nutritious greens and decadent coconut cream. These popsicles are all-natural, vegan and free of refined sugar and gluten. Although they taste like a tropical cocktail, they’re made with just 5 ingredients and they’re fun, quick and easy to prepare! They’re picky eater tested and kid approved, making them family friendly and a perfect sweet indulgence for hot summer days. I’ve said it many times here at JustineCelina, but I believe you can nourish and treat yourself at the same time. These cheerful summer popsicles are packed full of so many amazing vitamins and nutrients — largely in part to the gorgeous, golden kiwis used in this recipe. If you like piña coladas… well, then you’ll love this clean twist on a tropical classic!
TROPICAL PINEAPPLE TURMERIC COOLER
Man, it’s been hot in Calgary lately (not that I’m complaining)! I’ve been craving lots of tropical fruit and fresh juice to help keep me cool and nourished, so today’s recipe is my latest fresh juice concoction! My Tropical Pineapple Turmeric Cooler is a blend of sweet pineapple, powerhouse carrot, hydrating watermelon, spicy ginger and healing turmeric, rounded out with a bright splash of lemon. I’ve been enjoying it lately post-morning workout, but it’s a versatile recipe that can be enjoyed anytime of the day or night when you need a fresh, sunny pick-me-up! The invigorating ingredient deck always gives me tons of energy to fuel the rest of my morning and it also aids in digestion. Whip up a batch in the A.M. for a tropical kick-start, or enjoy it with a little Caribbean rum on a hot summer night (go on, put some rum in your fresh juice — I’m not gonna judge you!). Cheers to a happy, healthy summer!
RAINBOW CARROT AND YELLOW PEPPER SOUP
It was a cold, rainy spring Saturday in Calgary. I’d just had a beautiful, inspiring lunch at Shokunin the day prior with fellow food blogger Heather’s Eats. During lunch, my Maki roll came garnished with gorgeous edible petals and chef Darren stopped by to chat with us about his vision for the restaurant. Earlier that week I had tons of photoshoots involving flowers and the leftovers were scattered all over my living room in a beautiful mess. Rebecca and I had been chatting about ideas for edible flower posts, so that was dancing around in the back of my head. I had a whole bunch of carrots and yellow peppers that needed to be used up, and a can of coconut milk sitting half-full in the fridge. I was craving a comforting, pureed soup and realized I hadn’t made one since the fall! It seems that on dreary, grey days I crave the most colour — and I’ve been really into yellow in fashion this spring.
All these things inspired this fresh, nourishing and colourful spring soup recipe! The best part? You only need 10 ingredients (including seasonings) to make my Rainbow Carrot & Yellow Pepper Soup!
There’s just something about spring that makes me really want to experiment in the beauty department! After our long, dreary (and extremely colourless) winters here in Calgary I feel so energized and inspired by the fresh beauty of spring. It’s a time where I try a lot of new products and discover new beauty favourites. So today’s post is something a little different — I’m sharing my favourite 5 Unconventional Spring Lip Colours! Pink and peach are great standbys, but this post is all about trying something totally outside of your comfort zone. I like to keep up with what’s going on in both fashion and beauty, so today’s picks combine a bit of runway inspiration with spring beauty trends. I love affordable beauty products and am always on the hunt for the next drugstore gem — each of my recommendations today is under $20! If you’re looking for some spring beauty inspiration or some fun, on-trend spring shades, this post is for you!
ROASTED SWEET POTATO FRIES WITH LEMON TAHINI SAUCE
I’ve been on a major sweet potato kick lately! I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I go through phases with food — and right now I can’t seem to get enough sweet potatoes. My Roasted Sweet Potato Fries with Lemon Tahini Sauce couldn’t be easier to make and it can be on your table in less than 45 minutes! Ever since my New Year Detox Salad with Pink Tahini Dressing recipe I’ve been experimenting with tahini-based sauces and dressings and really enjoy them with roasted veggies and pepitas. Today’s recipe combines all of those things with one of my favourite spring herbs, thyme! The sweet potato fries are infused with fresh thyme and oven roasted — they come out crisp on the outside and soft and velvety on the inside. My Lemon Tahini Sauce combines tahini paste with lemon, maple syrup and a touch of cayenne power for a little kick, resulting in a bright, protein packed sauce. It’s incredible drizzled overtop of the fries and sprinkled with pepitas for some extra crunch! Try this recipe next time you’re looking for light, spring side dish with a fresh, citrusy twist!