I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!  This year, we had a quiet Christmas at home.  It was just my husband, daughter and I, but we couldn't have asked for a better day.  Watching Sienna open all of her gifts was so much fun.  And when she was done playing with her toys and jumping around in the wrapping paper, she took a much needed nap.  She passed out surrounded with her new toys while still in her Christmas jammies and Cinderella dress- it was the cutest thing!

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #muBARista #CollectiveBias The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older.

There’s something so comforting about curling up on a cold day with a warm drink.  That’s something I miss about living in New York City.  Not that I don’t appreciate the beautiful hot weather we have in South Florida.  I definitely don’t miss trudging around the snow-laden streets of Manhattan in my winter boots.  But I do miss the feeling of coming home, taking off said winter boots, and enjoying a comforting drink that warms you up from the inside out.  Especially during holiday season when the Christmas tree lights are up and the radio stations are all playing holiday music (yes, I’m a sucker for holiday music). 

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I love a good cup of coffee in the morning.  For years, when I lived in NY, I would set the timer on my coffee pot at night and then wake up in the morning to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.  That was until I moved to South Florida.  Now it’s all about iced coffee.  Nothing beats a tall glass of home brewed iced coffee in this heat, especially in the summer when the temperature is usually 90 plus. 

I had heard about cold-brewed coffee and seen it on the menu at coffee shops but never really thought about making it at home.  I was used to brewing hot coffee and then pouring it over ice or refrigerating my leftover hot brewed coffee and then using that to make iced coffee.  Then I tried making cold-brewed coffee at home and I haven’t gone back since.  

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If you’re looking for the perfect drink to quench your thirst on a hot summer day, then my Strawberry Coconut Lassi is for you.  Lassi is a classic yogurt-based Indian drink.  Served cold, lassi can be savory or sweet.  I grew up drinking salted lassis in the summertime, which my parents would make by blending yogurt with ground cumin, salt and ice.  Sweet lassi, on the other hand, is made by blending yogurt with sugar or fruit along with other flavorings like cardamom and rose water.  Mango lassi, which is very popular in Indian restaurants, is made with yogurt and mango puree.  You can make your own flavor lassi at home by blending yogurt with your favorite fruit and sweetener.  Any type of berry or tropical fruit like papaya, pineapple or banana would work well in this recipe.  You could even try making it with stone fruit like peaches, plums or nectarines.  

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This year, Mother's Day has special meaning for me because it's my first Mother's Day as a mom.  Sienna was born on May 22, 2013 so I just missed it by a couple of weeks last year.  I'm looking forward to a quiet day at home with my family, although we will be celebrating a day late as I'm working on the actual holiday- the life of an ER doctor!  Unfortunately I won't be seeing my mom or my mother-in-law for Mother's Day this year but if they were close by, I would love to cook a homemade meal for them.  For my mom, I would prepare Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce followed by Lemon Risotto with Spring Vegetables, Shrimp and Grits and finally Banana Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries.  For my mother-in-law, I would start with Lemon Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes and then move on to Greek Zucchini Fritters, Spinach Gnudi and Chocolate Tofu Pudding.  This year celebrate your mom and show her just how special she is by making her a nice home cooked meal.  I've listed a several recipe ideas below to get you started.  Happy Mother's Day to all of you wonderful, hardworking moms out there!



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Here's an easy, delicious smoothie recipe to get your day started. My Cherry Almond Smoothie is packed with flavor and nutrients. The base of this smoothie is made with almond milk, which gives it a nice nutty flavor. Almond milk has become particularly popular in recent years because it has a lot of great nutritional properties.  You can buy it at the store or make your own at home by soaking almonds in water overnight and then pureeing them. 


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