LIME CARDAMOM SMOOTHIE AND SAYULITA TRIP

Although I already had a big trip planned for the end of this month, when John and Amy invited me and my husband to spend a week in Sayulita, Mexico earlier this month, I couldn’t turn it down.

Especially since November in Ohio is typically cold and gray with a hint of rain and wind. Yeah.

So we got out summer clothes back out and headed to Sayulita, a small town outside of Puerto Vallarta for a week of relaxation and sun.

While I am not a beach type person per se, I do appreciate ocean views, breezy weather, and drinking margaritas on the beach. All of which we had plenty of.

It wasn’t all relaxation. (Well, maybe a little.) We walked through the town and shopped, went to the farmer’s market, released baby sea turtles into the ocean (my favorite part of the trip!) and ate amazing food.

Since food is pretty much my favorite thing ever, let me tell you about the food. It started with ceviche on the beach, included a few rounds of fish tacos, some amazing enchiladas, and even a delicious pasta dish filled with mushrooms, eggplant, and blue cheese (in Mexico — who would have thought?) Every single thing we ate was delicious, and I am not an easy person to please when it comes to restaurant food. We started every day with delicious coffee overlooking the ocean and ended almost every night with margaritas. We were both sad to have to come home to the lack of fresh caught seafood and way less tequila.

In addition to sunshine, wildlife, and delicious food, we also spent time with some great people. Amy, John, and Michele couldn’t have been nicer, and we even got to hang out with Ava Jane herself a few times.

We had such a good time that being back home was kind of a drag. It was 40 degrees and cloudy, without any fresh seafood in sight. I guess that’s what makes vacations so great right?

If you’re still reading this far, I do have a recipe for you this week. It’s inspired by my last week of great food, although I realize that I need to make up for all that eating with something fairly healthy. A smoothie seems fitting. One made with lots of lime seems even more fitting.

Smoothies are a favorite of mine because they’re easy and healthy, and you can make them with pretty much anything. This one is tart thanks to the lime, with a hint of tropical flavor from coconut milk. A pinch of cardamom compliments the aromatic avocado oil nicely. The only thing that might make it better would be a shot of tequila and a salted rim (I may just try that some day!)