Chocolate Banana Protein Smoothie

I found this protein smoothie recipe in Tony Gonzalez's book The All-Pro Diet. That entire book is great but I particularly love the smoothie and protein shake recipes he included. This one is awesome...

Chocolate Banana Protein Smoothie

1 cup 1% milk (or plain hemp, almond, or rice milk)
1 frozen banana, slightly thawed
1 scoop protein powder

Blend in a blender. Drink immediately.

Songs for the Missing -- Steward O'Nan

Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Overall I enjoyed this story--though given the subject "enjoy" doesn't quite seem to be the right word. The author's writing style is a little difficult to follow at times. Specifically, in some places it was tough figuring out who was the focus of that sentence or paragraph. One thing done really well is the great amount of description in this novel. O'Nan also created fully developed characters that you wanted to get to know. One last note: The Killers are from Las Vegas. I appreciate when an author does his or her homework on pop culture references. This story would have benefitted from some fact-checking.



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White Bean Mash

White bean mash shown served with pan-seared sirloin medallions and sauteed spinach.

Cannellini, navy and great northern all work but our favorite is cannellini.



Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ medium-sized onion, finely chopped
½ C vegetable or chicken stock
Lemon
Salt and pepper

Method:

In a small skillet, saute onions and garlic until soft and translucent. Meanwhile, heat rinsed and drained beans into a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Add cooked onions, garlic, stock and juice from half of the lemon. Bring to a simmer then mash, off heat, with a submersion blender, standing blender or hand masher until desired consistency. Return to medium-low heat for a couple more minutes then salt and pepper to taste.

Room -- Emma Donoghue

Room by Emma Donoghue

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I could not put Room down. The characters were well-rounded, particularly Jack. He was such a vibrant character and, after getting used to his voice, it was fun to experience the story through his eyes. There were a few things I did not care for in the story, but to avoid spoilers, I will keep those to myself. I enjoyed the story overall and found it difficult to put the book down.



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