back off winter. i'm drinking my cold fighting smoothie over here and it's WONDERFUL and DELICIOUS and its KEEPING AWAY THE SICKNESSSSS with NUTRIENTS.

plus, isn't it just dreammmyyy with its pastel-y orange color. ugh. its just SCREAMING creamsicle at you. or I guess I'm screaming it at you? i'll stop screaming.

here's the dealio. (I'm traveling back to the 90's and bringing back dealio). I literally HATE being sick. and as meals go, I also dislike breakfast. I've gotten better at it, though. (I try to impose a rule that I can't have coffee until I've had breakfast. some days it works, others it doesn't. but I'm tryyyying)

the problem with my job is that I travel a lot and am working at different places all the time. which makes it difficult to rely on a decent/healthy/easy breakfast. and usually those different places require me to take various types of public transportation – aka the subway/cab/bus/trains – aka germ cesspools.

ewsies.

I'm usually pretty good about remembering my hand sanitizer (although I fully believe we're breeding super germs because of purell) but let's be real, there are days that I'm not.

there are days when I'm busy or tired or just straight up forget. and I trryyyy to tell myself that might be a little better for my immune system because I'm being exposed to different germs and that could keep me from getting sick….

^ food blogger logic – I'm obviously not a scientist

but anyway, I caught a virus a few weeks ago when I was in D.C. and it was miserable. which made me realize I CAN'T afford to get sick again this year, mainly because I hate it, and I need to give my immune system a boost.

enter: cold fighting smoothie

let's discuss the good stuff: clementines & orange – VITAMIN C. peaches – just good for you in general. greek yogurt – protein, probiotic, B12, amino acids… greek yogurt is SOOOO good for you, it keeps you full, keeps you regular, keeps you slim, and keeps you balanced. its just so good all around. vanilla bean – good for your mood! andddddd my secret weapon….

Apple Cider Vinegar!

apple cider vinegar is just SO good for you for a number of ways. the problem is that I always find it hard to drink. This recipe calls for 1/4 cup of vinegar and you can barely taste it. I didn't tell Frankie about the slight taste – that iiii obviously overanalyzed – until after he finished a glass and he had no idea…

and he asked for more…

that said… he also added vanilla vodka to his, so I don't know how trustworthy his opinion is (just kidding it was insanely delicious with the vodka and you should do it too)

he is the king of boozy smoothies though, i'll give him that.

doesn't that mess look GLORIOUS?? doesn't it. yeah. pretty great.

btw. I'm OBSESSED with those measuring cups from anthropologie. they were a Christmas present from LJ. Gurrrrrrl knows how to give a gift. (don't worry britt.. I'm using your glasses in another post coming soon!)

being healthy has never tasted so good.

^ anddddd I hate myself now.

in case anyone has been missing a beard pic, this one's for you:

Cold Fighting Smoothie

Author: Ashley Renee

Scale

Ingredients

6 clementines
1 naval orange
1 frozen banana, sliced
1/2 cup frozen peaches
1 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
10 ice cubes

Instructions

Peel the orange and clementines and divide up the segments.
Layer the ingredients in a blender, with the ice, bananas, peaches, and vanilla bean at the bottom.
Blend until the ice and frozen ingredients are completely smooth.