Ahh, though Christmas is still ahead, my plans for New Years have taken center stage in my planning. Still not quite decided on a menu, I also have begun thinking about beverages. And the quintessential beverage for New Years Eve is, obviously, champagne. For me, champagne holds a dear place in my heart, and I have had the pleasure of enjoying some of the finer offerings available. Lately, I have ventured towards the California sparkling wines, but I had already decided that this year, it was going to be a real Champagne kind of celebration. Which inevitably leads to the price vs budget dilemma. Fortunately, the New York Times food and wine editors offers a well rounded review of under $30 Champagnes, with some basic Champagne info thrown in. Personally, I've always liked Blanc de Blancs, and will seek out the Paul Goerg, before the other 5 people in Tampa who read the NY Times Food and Wine section, or this blog (might be the same people) grab them up.

I have always played around with drinking smoothies, both at home, at health food stores and smoothie shops. I've probably tried just about everything under the sun in a smoothie. However last week and made this smoothie, and I swear it has made a hug difference in my overall well being (aside from that episode Saturday, but that's for a different blog...) First, a little trick. Freeze your fruit. That way, you don't have to water down your smoothie with ice, to get that cold, creamy texture. For bananas, I peel them, place them on a plate, and then freeze. Once frozen, they can be put in a ziploc bag and stored easily, and you can easily remove a single banana at a time.
So, for the smoothie, I'm using 1 frozen banana, about 1/3 cup of blueberries, 3/4 cup fresh pineapple, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1 tablespoon each of honey and flax seed, and approximately 3/4 cup plain soy milk. (I pour just enough soy milk to cover all the fruit). Blend until smooth, drink, and be healthy!