Hi friends!
Hope you all had a great weekend. I’m off from my PR job today for Columbus Day, so YAY for 3-day weekends! I’ll be spending my extra day off doing blogging and health coaching work instead, running some errands, cleaning, going for a hike at our nearby favorite park, and taking my Batpuppy to the vet (just for an annual thing)…
We got into the holiday spirit with some autumn decor yesterday!
Backing it up to the beginning of the weekend, I kicked off my post-work Friday with a trip to the Del Mar dog beach on another 90 degree day:
I love it at the dog beach, it’s so beautiful and such a happy place!
We hadn’t been to the dog beach since the beginning of the summer because during peak beach months, dogs are only allowed on one section of the beach on their leashes. My dog is a maniac and doesn’t like to be constrained by a leash on the beach, so we don’t even bother going during the summer (which kind of stinks), but I’m happy to have the option to take her there from now until June! 
As you can see, there were some happy swimming pups there on Friday!
That night, A and I went out for a glass of wine and some eats before he had Marine Corps work all weekend. I had this salad with goat cheese croquettes that was so yummy…
Note to self: Make goat cheese croquettes soon!
Saturday morning I went to my 90-minute rock ‘n roll yoga class for the first time in awhile, and it was awesome! I left very sweaty with a happy heart.
Saturday night I went out for drinks to celebrate my friend Leanne’s birthday. I enjoyed a few Moscow Mules, which I have developed a newfound love for this year. Anyone else love those copper mugs?!
As any good friend would, I brought the birthday girl a sweet treat from a local pie place: a Magic Bar.
I couldn’t help nabbing myself an apple bar to try as well, and mmm, it was delicious! It was like apple pie in brownie form.
Other good food finds of the weekend included basil infused olive oil and fig balsamic vinegar, which I nabbed after discovering a local place called North County Olive Oils next to the pie shop. I absolutely love flavored oils to dress up salads and dishes!
I also found a tub of everything bagel mix at a nearby bagel store, which I got excited about. Have you guys ever seen it before?!
I think I might start putting it on meals on a daily basis, but I started off by trying it with Ashley’s Everything Spinach Chickpea Dip. So good!
In other random weekend news, check out my pepper plant! I’ve watched this pepper grow from a tiny little guy, and now I have several other little peppers budding. Having an herb & veggie garden is so much fun for a foodie! 
Other weekend eats included these strawberry & Nutella banana protein pancakes (chocolate hazelnut craving satisfied!)… 
…and this smoothie deliciousness:
Ever since I discovered that I could make a caramel-like mixture combining almond butter + maple syrup + vanilla extract in a saucepan until warm and gooey, I’ve been wanting to try it in a banana smoothie. The caramel makes the smoothie taste decadent, but it makes for a great healthy lunch or post-workout sweet treat that’ll fuel your muscles.
I drizzled the caramel into the smoothie after the banana mixture was blended. It’s hard to capture the caramel goodness since it sinks right into the smoothie once you drizzle it in, but this should give you a little idea…
Mmmm! I hope you give it a try.
Banana Date Caramel Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or any other kind of milk
- 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder I use a soy-based one
- 1/2 scoop plain or vanilla yogurt
- 1/2 TSP vanilla extract divided
- 1/2 TSP cinnamon divided
- 2 TBSP chopped dates
- 1 TBSP almond butter
- 2 TBSP pure maple syrup
- 1 g of stevia optional (I used it because my milk is unsweetened)
- Handful of ice
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, the chopped dates, almond butter and maple syrup. Heat over medium low heat, stirring a few times.
- Meanwhile, combine all of the remaining ingredients in a blender. Mix until smooth, then pour into a glass.
- Once the caramel is heated through, gooey, and smooth, spoon it into your smoothie.
- Eat with a spoon to get some caramel chunk bites in throughout your smoothie sipping!
Nutrition
Curious about other ‘caramel’ recipes? Check out:
- Salted Caramel Banana Pancakes
- Dark Chocolate Drizzle Salted Caramel Rice Crispy Treats
- Chocolate Coconut Caramel Smoothie
- Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Cake for 1
Tell me… What was the best thing you ate last weekend? Do you love the combo of sesame seeds/poppy seeds/onion found in everything bagels too?
The best thing I ate last weekend was a cheese and pepper calzone from a local Italian place. It was delicious, and I’m still eating the leftovers!
LOVEEEEE calzones. On that note, I need to make them soon!
That caramel sounds delicious! Your weekend eats all look so good!
What the HECK is in that everything bagel mix?! My Hus would LOVE that! I mean, me too….lol
I’ve seen those copper mugs lately, and I love them too! Just, all the handles have been small and your hand doesn’t fit in it…
We also found a store downtown last month that has infused olive oils, and we tried 2 different ones. Can’t remember which ones now, but they were good! haha
Yes it’s awesome! It has sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion, garlic powder, salt…
Whoa… I just want to follow you around and eat!
Can you believe this weather?! I think we’re melting in this house.
Oh my goodness! Your dog looks so adorable. I would love to dress my cats up like that, but they would hate it.
They are some happy looking dogs in the water.
Haha, yea cats usually aren’t having it with that kind of stuff. When Harley was younger she would never let me put costumes/clothes on her… Now that she’s older, she allows it more. Luckily!
It was Thanksgiving here this weekend, so I ate so much goodness! Funnily enough it wasn’t Thanksgiving dinner, but rather an apple-raspberry birthday cake that was my fav treat. YUM.
I love the idea of that caramel sauce! I’ve mixed maple syrup and almond butter before (one of my fav pancake toppings!), but you’ve taken it to another level.
Thanks, Jill! An apple raspberry birthday cake sounds really yummy.
Mmmm that spinach chickpea dip looks so good! I want to try it. Your weekend sounds perfect. I vaguely remember those pre-child days when weekends were relaxing. Haha just kidding! We had fun too!
Haaaa! It definitely sounds like you still make the most out of your weekends and do a ton of fun stuff — I’m planning on being the same way one day when I’m a mom!
Your Batpuppy is adorable! 🙂 Emma is always a squirrel for Halloween haha We take out the same costume every single year!!
Two, that caramel! I must try that asap – I always have those ingredients on hand too! And yay for everything bagel topping and dip!!! 😉
Oh my gosh, I hope you post a pic of Emma as a squirrel.. would love to see it!
YES I hope you try the caramel!!
Harley’s bat costume is the cutest thing EVER! lol And that puppy beach is gorgeous too. I bet she loves it there.
And that smoothie sounds delicious. Dates and bananas are so good together. It sounds nice and refreshing for this damn heat wave that’s apparently never going to end!!! 😉
Ah yes, she’s so happy there. I think I might take her there this weekend again!
The heat wave has ended down here I think! It’s still 80 but it’s cooler at night and breezier during the day… back to marvelous Southern Cali weather! 😉
I love the smoothie. That pepper looks good. So impressed. Hope it tastes as good as it looks.
Thank ya thank ya, maybe you’ll get to see the garden next time you visit! 🙂
Mmmm this looks good! Perfect for dessert or for breakfast 🙂 Dates and bananas are too good together!
They really are… I love putting dates in smoothies to sweeten them up!
Oh my goodness BatDog is too cute!!!
Isn’t she too funny?! 🙂