Cassie DeNisco

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Easy Berry Smoothie Recipe

As the weather gets warmer, I love a smoothie in the morning! I’ve shared my go to tropical smoothie recipe on here before but this easy berry smoothie recipe takes you back to the basics. I love a quick morning smoothie to get in your fruit for the day on the go!

I will say, this recipe is so easy thanks to my Ninja Blender. You can seriously just throw everything in and set it & forget it. This is such a high powered blender that it truly is amazing in the morning when you need to get out the door quickly.

You can shop here for the Ninja Blender I have. This is an affiliate link so I make a small commission if you choose to shop from it!

Smoothie Recipe

1 cup frozen strawberries

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1 frozen banana

1/3 cup oats

1/2 cup walnuts

oatmilk (I start with about a 1/2 cup and continue to add as needed)

drizzle of honey

2 scoops Vital Proteins collagen (shop here)

Directions

  • Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Because of the oats and walnuts, this is a slightly chunkier smoothie so if you’d prefer it smooth, omit them!

What I love most about smoothies is how easy they make it to get your daily nutritional values in. I don’t always reach for a breakfast in the morning or even a fruit so by making this I truly get everything I need in for the day and it’s only like 10am by the time I’m done!

Feel free to add some protein to bulk up this easy berry smoothie recipe! I really just make this for the fruit aspect so I know I’m getting them in each day! If you make this smoothie, let me know in the comments below! You can check out other smoothie recipes here!

Vegan Chickpea Orzo Soup

I have a delicious recipe for you today that I know you’re going to love! My vegan chickpea orzo soup is so easy to make and perfectly cozy for these colder winter months. I also love that this is a vegan recipe because I love incorporating meatless meals into my rotation! This is perfect for your new year resolution to be a little healthier!

This is definitely one of my easier recipes and really doesn’t need too much! I feel like many of us have these ingredients on hand already, so it might just be the orzo you have to actually get! I hope you love this as much as I do!!

vegan chickpea orzo soup

Ingredients:

8 cups veggie broth

1 bag orzo

can carrots

1 can chickpeas

1 tbsp flour

medium onion diced

2-3 celery stalks diced

1 tbsp garlic

italian seasoning

1-2 tbsp vegan heavy cream or milk

salt + pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. To a large pot, sauté diced celery and onions in buter, then add garlic and cook until fragrant.
  2. Add in 2 tbsp of flour and stir until thick.
  3. Add in veggie broth, orzo, chick peas, and carrots.
  4. Bring to a boil then cook until orzo is al dente. Make sure you stir often!
  5. Remove from heat and stir in seasonings and heavy cream.
  6. Serve with biscuits or bread and enjoy!!

As you can see this is literally the easiest soup recipe! I love this vegan chickpea orzo soup because it’s packed with veggies! If you loved this recipe, you can follow me on pinterest or click here for more recipes!

My Iced Matcha Recipe!

As I mentioned in my last week’s post, I have been loving this Iced Match Recipe! I look forward to it each and every morning! Matcha is so great for me because it doesn’t leave me anxious and jittery like coffee or chai does so this is a great alternative.

Before you start making matcha, you definitely want a few things on hand to make your life easier! I’ll link my go to matcha essentials below! They’re affiliate links so I do make a small commission if you purchase through me!

iced matcha recipe

Ingredients

Chamberlain Coffee Matcha

Milk of choice (i love almond)

Ice

Sweetener of Choice (I go between sugar free vanilla or caramel)

Directions

  1. Start by boiling water. Grab a glass cup and pour 1 tsp matcha into it. Mix in the hot water and use your mini electric blender to blend. (can use a regular whisk too but electric one works better)
  2. Prep the cup you’re actually going to drink out of by adding ice, 1-2 pumps sweetener, and 1 cup of milk.
  3. Pour the hot matcha over the iced cup and stir with a straw to combine!
  4. Enjoy!!

Matcha Must Haves

Electric blender- shop here

Chamberlain Matcha- shop here

Cute Cups- shop here

Sweeteners- shop here

I hope you loved my iced matcha recipe! It’s so simple and I highly recommend giving it a try if caffeine makes you too jittery! This gets my day going but in a more natural way that doesn’t give me crazy highs and lows!

If you liked this post, be sure to let me know below and check out more posts here!

My Zucchini Pasta Recipe!

I stumbled upon this recipe when I unused Zucchini in my fridge. I was craving pasta and ended up with this delicious summer zucchini pasta recipe.

This pasta is so light and tastes so fresh because you’re really using in season veggies. You can also swap out the protein to your liking but I found the sausage just really makes this great!

zucchini pasta recipe

Ingredients

1 pound rigatoni pasta

2-3 small zucchini diced

1 cup grape tomatoes diced

4 Italian sausages (I slice them open and discard the casing)

olive oil

1 tbsp garlic

red pepper flakes

salt/pepper

parmesan cheese (I used vegan)

Directions

  1. Fill a large pot of with water and boil it to cook your pasta. Follow the directions on the pasta box to cook.
  2. In a sauté pan, add a little olive oil then the ground sausage. Cook until lightly browned (no pink).
  3. Add in minced garlic, diced zucchini and diced tomatoes. Cook until zucchini is soft and tomatoes start to burst open. Sometimes I put the lid on my pan to help steam everything quicker.
  4. Once the veggies are soft, drain your pasta but save 1 cup of the water. Add pasta and pasta water to the veggie pot.
  5. Mix well and add salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Plate pasta and top with cheese and red pepper flakes.

I hope you’ll give this zucchini pasta recipe a try! I absolutely love making this once a week with the in season veggies. It’s literally so delicious and has become a staple in my house. You can even make it without the sausage and it’ll be just as good!

Be sure to check out my other recipes here! And check out my pinterest here for more content!

Brussel Sprout Pasta Salad Recipe!

Summer for me is all about a good pasta salad. I live for it at BBQs and just weeknight dinners in general. Lately I’ve been trying to really use up all the produce in my fridge and I found myself making this Brussel Sprout Pasta Salad!

This combines some of my favorite summer flavors and does well on its own or as a side! You’ll be obsessed with the flavor combo once you give it a try!

brussel sprout pasta salad

Ingredients

1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained

7-8 Brussel sprouts thinly chopped

1 package cooked orzo

1 tsp oregano

diced walnuts

feta or parmesan cheese (I used vegan)

1 tsp parsley

1 tbsp lemon juice

salt & pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

Directions

  1. Sauté your Brussel sprouts in a pan with a drop of olive oil. You just want them to be soft and not too crispy!
  2. Assemble the dressing by combining olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, parsley, and salt & pepper. Mix well and set aside.
  3. Mix together the cooked orzo, Brussel sprouts, and chickpeas then add in the dressing and mix well.
  4. Garnish with diced walnuts and cheese!

This is the most delicious pasta salad. It gives you a little more than a normal one would with the protein from the chickpeas and nuts and then the greens from the Brussel sprouts.

I also love the light dressing. Sometimes people get a little too crazy with the flavors and I’ve found this really compliments these well! If you loved this recipe, you can check out my others here! You can also follow me on pinterest @cassiedenisco for more recipes!!

My Gardening Tips & Tricks!

After a little 2 week break, I’m back with more blog posts! The summer comes on fast and if you’re not ready for it, you often get swept away with it. One thing that has been consistent though is my gardening tips and tricks!

I started prepping it back in May and I’m starting to slowly see all of my plants come to life! Having a garden has been really therapeutic for me and given me the opportunity to get some sun every day! I thought I would walk through all of my adventures so far.

List of Plants

This was probably one of the hardest parts of gardening. When you get to the store, you just want to get everything but you have to go in with a plan and know what you can actually grow in your area. There’s lots of ways to figure it out but I just Googled “What Grows in Westchester NY” and I found a full list on a website.

It’s essential that you grow what you know will flourish so that it’s not a waste. What I did that I loved was once I made my list, I put it in a Google Doc that I not only shopped from but now I have it forever and can refer to it next season too!

Planters

After you decide what you’re growing, you have to decide what you’re putting it in! I went with these two versions of planters on Amazon. Both are great because so far my plants are really doing well in them and they’re holding up well.

I will say I feel like the metal ones are a little bit better price wise but the wood ones are great if you don’t want to be bending down to water the plants! These are affiliate links so I make a small commission if you choose to purchase from them!

Metal Planters: Shop Here

Wood Planters: Shop Here

gardening tips and tricks

Watering & Pruning

One part of the gardening process I really love is watering. It’s like a treat to be outside and getting to look at all of the garden progress each day. So far I’ve only been watering once a day, but now that it’s getting warmer, I’m going to increase to twice a day!

Pruning is also kind of fun because you get to get rid of all of the yucky leaves that aren’t helping your plants grow. I didn’t love this part but once I got a great pair of gloves, I’m able to really get in there and clean out the plants!

Gloves: Shop Here

gardening tips and tricks

I hope this post inspired you to at least get out there and give it a try. I know gardening seems so daunting but I’ve really grown to love it. If you liked this post of gardening tips and tricks, let me know! I’d love to continue sharing more!

Check out my latest blog post here!

My Homemade Salad Pizza Recipe!

I’ve been on a serious pizza kick after learning to make really great dough! Being dairy free has left me somewhat limited my pizza choices these days. I’ve been making this homemade salad pizza recipe on repeat because it’s so good!

This recipe is great for a leftover night when you have salad and veggies you’re just trying to finish up. I’m excited to make this over the summer once my veggies are ready to harvest from my garden. It’s going to be so fresh and delicious!

Ingredients for Dough:

1 packet active yeast

2 cups water

5 cups flour

2 tbsp salt

olive oil

Ingredients for Pizza:

Pizza sauce

Mixed Greens

1 diced red onion

1 diced tomato

1 large shredded carrot

1 diced cucumber

Directions:

  1. The dough is going to take the longest so make sure you leave ample amount of time for it. Start with your 2 cups of lukewarm water and slowly mix in active yeast packet. Let sit for about 5 minutes.
  2. Add in your flour, salt and knead. Let this sit for about 2 hours and then kneed again and place in a clean bowl with a little bit of olive oil. I let it sit for another 3 hours just to make sure it’s set. Next I roll it out with just a sprinkle of flour!
  3. Preheat the oven to 425 and leave your pizza pan in the oven while it preheats. This is a pro tip to get the bottom crisp.
  4. After you roll out the pizza and form the crust, place your sauce on top and bake for about 10 minutes until everything is golden brown.
  5. While it’s baking, prep your veggies! Layer down the mixed greens first and then any toppings you love! I listed my favorites above!

As you can see, this is the easiest homemade salad pizza recipe ever. You get a delicious and healthier pizza in like no time. I’ve found that making my own dough is so rewarding and honestly just tastes so good. You’ll be just as obsessed as me if you make this!

Be sure to follow my blog and check out my pinterest so you don’t miss anything from me!! You can check out more summer recipes here!

My Go To Greek Salad Bowl

As the weather gets warmer, I become more obsessed with salads and bowls. I’ve been making this Greek salad bowl on repeat and I just had to share it with you. The flavors are so fresh and I feel like everyone has these ingredients on hand in the warmer months!

Often salads can be so daunting because they’re just not filling but I make sure to hit all my bases with a salad that is well balanced. From protein to fiber and carbs, this salad will have you wanting it for dinner all week long!

greek salad bowl

Ingredients:

pickled red onions

canned chickpeas drained & rinsed

diced cucumber

diced tomatoes

dill

lemon

tzaziki

pita

cooked farro or couscous

greens of choice (I like a 50/50 blend)

Directions:

  1. Add diced cucumbers, tomatoes, chopped dill, and the juice of half a lemon to a bowl and let set for about 30 minutes.
  2. Warm your pita by preheating oven to 350 and baking until brown on each side but not too crisp.
  3. Assemble your salad with greens, cooked couscous, tzatziki for the dressing, cucumber tomato mix, chick peas, and picked red onions!
  4. Enjoy!

Salads like this really keep you full because they have the greens but they have the the grains that do the heavy lifting. I used to avoid salads because I knew I’d be so hungry after eating one but looking at one like this has changed the game for me.

This greek salad bowl is honestly my new obsession! I have a few other salad recipes here on the blog or you can check our my pinterest for even more recipes!

Homemade Crunch Wrap Recipe

Looking to spice up your taco night? I have you covered with this homemade crunch wrap recipe. I seriously love this recipe when you’re not in the mood for just a regular taco night.

This is essentially a taco bell copycat recipe and it was an instant hit for dinner here. Obsessed with how easy this recipe was and how seriously yummy it is too!

crunch wrap recipe

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey or beef

2 tbsp taco seasoning

soft tortillas in wrap size

crunchy circular tortillas

diced yellow onion

1 diced tomato

chopped romaine lettuce

jalepeño

hot sauce

Directions:

  1. Cook your meat and add taco seasoning.
  2. Microwave your soft tortilla for 10 seconds so you can easily mold it.
  3. Assemble your crunch wrap with your favorite filling with the soft tortilla down first. I love ground turkey, tomatoes, lettuce, vegan cheese, jalepeños, onions, and some hot sauce.
  4. Warm a frying pan with a little bit of butter.
  5. Place the crunchy circular tortilla on top then fold your soft tortilla over. This is the hardest part because it’s so tricky. As soon as it’s all assembled place it seam side down in the pan. This will seal it so it doesn’t explode.
  6. Flip after about 2-3 minutes to crisp the other side and then enjoy!!

I cannot tell you how badly I want to remake this as I’m writing this. It just elevates your taco night and creates something so filling and yummy. I am huge on making sure your dinner hits all the points to fill you up and this combo definitely does!

If you loved this homemade crunch wrap recipe be sure to check out some of my other recipes here! You can also check out my pinterest as I am super active on it here!

My Chickpea Orzo Salad Recipe!

I definitely have summer on my mind after these really cold days! There’s truly nothing I love more than a pasta salad in the summer so this recipe is getting me in my feels. I turned chickpea orzo salad recipe into a summer staple and really it became and instant hit.

Pasta salads can get really receptive and seem all the same after awhile but this one pairs chickpeas with a lemon vinaigrette and is just so yummy! You could even turn this into a meal and just pair some protein like grilled chicken with it on top!

chickpea orzo salad

Ingredients

1 lb orzo

1 can chickpea

1/2 red onion diced finely

2 tomatoes diced

2-3 mini cucumbers diced finely

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp basil

1/4 c olive oil

juice from 1 full lemon

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp fresh minced garlic

1 tsp oregano

salt & pepper

red pepper flakes

Directions

  1. Cook orzo according to package. Once cooked, drain and then put in a big bowl.
  2. Mix in chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, nutritional yeast, basil & parsley.
  3. Assemble vinaigrette by wishing together olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic, garlic, oregano & salt + pepper.
  4. Combine bowl with dressing and mix thoroughly. Let cool and serve with red pepper flakes on top!

I love a good pasta salad and this chickpea orzo salad is delicious! Its so refreshing with the lemon juice in the dressing! The protein from the chickpeas helps to elevate this and make it even more filling!

Let me know if you loved this recipe and check out more recipes from me here! Be sure to follow me on Pinterest @cassiedenisco for even more content!