Baguette Gazette: Things I'm loving + the banana smoothie I've been drinking for a decade
An apropos read, an amazing chia pudding + summery perfume 🗞️
Hi friends! Welcome to the latest “Baguette Gazette”. (If you’re new here, this is a monthly catchup where I share recommendations, personal updates, and what’s going on behind the recipes at TNB HQ.)
Everything Catherine Perez (a.k.a. Plant Based RD) posts on her Instagram is absolutely delectable - I hit ‘save’ on basically every recipe. But when I saw her strawberry chia pudding, I had to try it immediately; it turned out just as amazing as promised. It’s a great make-ahead breakfast option/something healthy to have around for a midday snack. (Note: I did away with the yogurt and only used oat milk, and opted for fresh strawberries instead of frozen.)
I picked up Misbelief by Dan Ariely not knowing much about it, and basically only because his Predictably Irrational is one of my all-time faves. It turned out to be about conspiracy theories, what makes them attractive to certain people, and what to look out for when deciphering whether something is real or misinformation. It’s an insightful and entertaining read, and I highly recommend it ahead of our upcoming election.
It’s pretty unusual for me to experiment with new perfumes (I’ve basically been wearing the same two since I was 20), but after spritzing Glossier’s “You” at their futuristic Williamsburg boutique, I couldn’t stop thinking about it and alas succumbed to the purchase. It’s fruity and citrusy but not sweet, and just feels fresh and energizing. It’s safe to say it’s my new go-to for summer.
There was a time a decade-plus ago - when I first became interested in health-supportive eating - that I drank a homemade juice or smoothie every day. This was before I learned that juicing effectively removes the most important element from fruits and vegetables (the fiber), and that guzzling down kale in a smoothie started to give me indigestion because high-fiber vegetables should be chewed, not just swallowed.
Although I no longer blend raw vegetables into my smoothies, there is still one smoothie I love drinking and presume always will. It’s easy to digest, packed with nutrients, and makes a great light breakfast or midday snack on hot summer days.
The star of the smoothie is a frozen banana, which makes for a sweet creamy smoothie and eliminates the need to water down it with ice. Then there are oats, which add fiber and iron, chia seeds for protein and calcium, and peanut butter, also for protein, as well as healthy fats that keep you feeling full. All in all, it kinda tastes like dessert.
When I wanna take it to the next level, I also add a dash of cinnamon and a pinch of turmeric (always with a pinch of black pepper to activate its antioxidant properties).
The Recipe:
In a blender (I use a Nutribullet), combine 1 large frozen banana, 2 tablespoons oats, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter (or whatever nut butter you like), and 3/4 cup plant milk (sometimes I do half milk and half water). Add pinches of cinnamon and turmeric + black pepper, if you’d like. Blend until smooth and creamy. (Add a couple ice cubes if you prefer icier smoothies.)
Let me know if you try it this summer!
P.S. In case you missed any of July’s new recipes…