"Go Nuts, It's Your Birthday!" | Silk Nutchello

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HelloNutchello #CollectiveBias

Oh, how birthday celebrations have changed. In my 20's, wild parties and all-nighters out on the town dotted the social calendar monthly, our young livers and pre-parenthood energy levels allowing us to bounce back without needing much more than a jumbo iced coffee and a couple of ibuprofen the next morning. These days? Not so much.

Now that most of my friends and I are in our 30's, recovering from crazy outings {ie. more than 2 glasses of wine} makes those kinds of celebrations way less desirable, if you know what I mean. {Read: A full weekend on the couch feeling like you got hit by a bus while your toddler repeatedly honks the horn on their all-too-realistic-sounding toy truck. No, thank you.}

Luckily, getting together with a group of friends and enjoying each other's "nutty" company can be just as fun {and way less ouch} than the celebrations of the past. 

In honor of one of my gal pals birthdays, I hosted a lunchtime party with the tongue-in-cheek theme, "Go Nuts, It's Your Birthday!" to celebrate her in a way that we could all enjoy without having to pay for it the next day.

Silk's newest product, Nutchello, {found in the milk/milk alternative aisle at Walmart stores} made for an on-theme centerpiece and signature drink for an afternoon celebration!

With varieties like Rich Dark Chocolate + Walnuts, Toasted Coconut + Cashew, and Caramel Almond + Cashew, there was no feeling like we were skimping on flavor or keeping things "light." Yet, with only 90 calories at most per serving, we could also indulge without doing too much damage!

The menu I came up with was punctuated with nutty additions to the lightened up party fare:

Menu:

Nutchello

Rich Dark Chocolate + Walnuts, Toasted Coconut + Cashew, and Caramel Almond + Cashew

Chicken Quinoa
with Walnut Pesto 

Apple Soda Bread
with Pecan-Honey Butter

Arugula and Pear Salad with Candied Walnuts

Crostini

Olive Tapenade & Zucchini, Blood Orange-Ricotta with Honey & Walnuts

Homemade Caramel Almond Granola 

with Silk Dairy Free Yogurt 

Party Favors: Vanilla-Cayenne Candied Walnuts

Fruits, veggies, healthy grains and nuts were the main ingredients in most of the dishes, and I had lots of dairy-free options for the honored guest who recently eliminated dairy from her diet since finding out that her little one was showing signs of dairy intolerance after nursing. Luckily, Nutchello is free of dairy, soy, lactose, gluten, casein and carrageenan, which means it can still be enjoyed by those who usually have to pass up creamy beverages.

As if getting nutty with the menu wasn't enough to solidify my theme, I also used nuts in the decor, adding cashews, almonds and walnuts to small vases as festive filler, then topping each with a pillar candle and adding some sparkly ribbon to bring it all together.

I chose a neutral color scheme of white and nut brown with gold accents and pops of mint green throughout and used lots of textures to make the tablescape visually interesting. A large piece of burlap worked as a simple table cloth, and instead of bothering with cloth napkins I used inexpensive paper ones in the same mint shade as the other details. I found a small wooden crate and rustic wooden chargers at the craft store and used them to accentuate the natural theme. A set of utensils was tucked into a small mint colored pail that also held gold and white straws and small drawstring polka dotted bags filled with my favorite sweet and spicy candied nuts that I gave away as favors.

I loved mixing formal plates with rustic elements to keep things looking pretty but casual, and I was even able to get away with using ornate plastic utensils {yay! Less to wash!} since they went great with the faux-fancy touches of the decor.

An afternoon celebration is a great reason to bust out the Nutchello and declare, "It's 3 o'clock somwhere!" At the end of the day, the best part of any celebration is gathering with your favorite people... you'd have to be "nuts" to disagree! ;) 

For more Silk recipe inspiration and to learn more about Silk products, head over to the Silk hub!

Meanwhile, check out my recipe for Walnut Pesto Chicken Quinoa -- a great addition to your Nutchello party menu!

Walnut Pesto Chicken Quinoa 

For Walnut Pesto

About 4 cups loosely packed basil leaves 

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

1 garlic clove

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil

1. In a food processor or small blender, pulse together all of the ingredients until almost smooth. {You may need to stop once to scrape down the sides.}

Set aside until ready to use. 

For Quinoa:

1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions*
1 large cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into small pieced
2 Roma or plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/3 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

1. Place cooked quinoa in a large bowl. Add cooked, diced chicken and diced tomatoes. Toss to combine.

2. Pour Walnut Pesto over quinoa mixture and mix until pesto coats all ingredients.

3. Sprinkle toasted walnuts over top.

Serve warm, room temperature or cold as a salad.**

*1 cup of uncooked quinoa will fluff up to about 3 cups cooked.
** Refrigerating for a while before serving may dry out the pesto a bit. If this is the case, just drizzled with a bit of olive oil and toss before serving.

Caramel-Nog Split Second Cookies | Silk Holiday Nogs

A few years ago I started a family tradition of hosting a ladies' cookie party around Christmas time. The idea started out as an attempt at executing a legit cookie exchange, but it turned out I was the only one who was interested in actually baking my contribution rather than picking up some treats from the bakery or grocery store. {Ain't no shame, but I could buy those any old time!}

So, instead of getting all rule-followy and asking everyone to buy -- ahem, bake -- a dozen cookies per guest and blah blah blah, I just omitted the word "Exchange" from the invitation and henceforth hosted a "Cookie Party", where the terminology was vague but the intent was not. There would indeed be cookies and we would for sure party.

So, everyone would come over, sit around and eat cookies at my house. {Sometimes in Christmas pj's, often while working on a festive craft project together, and always with our favorite Christmas tunes playing in the background. It wasn't just a cookie free-for-all, you know.}  We know that's what they all wanted to begin with.

Cookie Parties of years past . Top left: Decorating cookies with my sisters. Top Right: Making salt dough ornaments.
Bottom Left: A platter of cookie goodness. Bottom Right: Me hosting the inaugural Cookie Party.

Anyway, it's a tradition that I look forward to every year {and one that I skipped last year since I had a newborn baby}, but I always like to throw in a little twist to liven it up and keep things fresh.

I haven't had much time to give this year's special touch much thought, and then it came to me: A Nog Bar!

Since we definitely need something to wash down all those cookies with, I thought this would be the perfect idea. Now, classic eggnog is delightful {for most people anyway; it seems to be a polarizing beverage!}, it's also pretty calorie-laden what with all the eggs and nog and such, and with all the cookie-nibbling that goes down at a Cookie Party we've already got our fair share of holiday calories. So, in an effort to lighten things up, I found a great alternative: Silk Nog!

This year Silk Nog comes in its classic soy-based version as well as an almond milk version which I thought was pretty cool and perfect for dairy-free family and friends. And for those of you who still haven't had enough pumpkin this year {really though??}, there's also a Pumpkin Spice rendition! At 80 calories or less per serving, these nogs will give you the flavor of the holidays without the pudge. Can't say the same about the cookies!

As yummy as these nogs are on their own, they're even better when you set out a bunch of toppings and add-ins for your guests to customize their own Nog. You can get as creative as you want, but here are some ideas to get you started:

Nog Toppings Bar

So Delicious CocoWhip

Cocoa Powder

Ground Cinnamon, Nutmeg or Ginger

Gingersnaps/Biscotti/Christmas Cookies

Candied Bacon

Toasted Nuts

Toasted Coconut Flakes

Toffee Bar Bits

Candy Cane Bits

Caramel Sauce

Chocolate Sauce

For the Naughty Elves:

Brandy

Rum

Bourbon

For Garnish:

Cinnamon Sticks

Peppermint Sticks

Rolled Wafer Cookies

*Note: Some of these toppings are heavier than the nog and will sink to the bottom, so I suggest starting off with a dollop of CocoWhip or whipped cream to "catch" the goodies you sprinkle on top!

The possibilities are really endless!

If you're heading to a Cookie Exchange {or just a straight up Cookie Party like mine}, you can bring the Nog in more ways than one with these super easy Caramel Nog Split Second Cookies! The addition of a few tablespoons of Silk Nog to the cookie dough gives these sweet little bites a soft hint of holiday spice, while gooey caramel filling brings it home for the ultimate Christmas cookie.

Whether your family's holiday traditions include cookie baking, craft making or anything in between, these Nog-filled ideas are sure to bring a special touch to your holiday celebrations this year!

For a free digital holiday recipe book, coupons and more, head to Silk's website!

Caramel-Nog Split Second Cookies
Adapted from Olga's Flavor Factory

6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Silk Nog
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup caramel sauce* or melted caramels
Optional: Powdered sugar for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking pan by lining with parchment or a silicone baking mat and set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add in Silk Nog and vanilla extract and beat until fully combined.

3. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly mix it into the butter mixture until a dough forms. Do not overmix.

4. Scoop the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and, with floured hands, knead it a few times to form a ball. Divide the ball into 4 pieces.

5. Roll each piece into a rope, about 10-12 inches long. With the handle of a wooden spoon, create an indentation lengthwise to serve as a well for the caramel. {Try to round off the ends of each rope so to keep the caramel from leaking out during baking.}

6. Carefully pour or spoon the caramel into the well and smooth out. Repeat with all 4 pieces of dough, leaving a few inches between each piece. {They'll spread a bit during baking.} Place in the freezer for about 30 minutes to harden the dough -- this will help them spread less during baking.

7. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the dough is just set {it won't brown too much} and the caramel is just starting to bubble.

Remove from oven and let the cookies sit for about 30 minutes to cool before slicing diagonally into individual pieces {about 1-2 inches thick}. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.

*A thick, store-bought version is best for this type of recipe.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk . The opinions and text are all mine.

Hummingbird Cake Smoothie | Silk

My husband makes smoothies every morning. The whir of the blender echoes through the house and I know that there is some combination of bananas, strawberries, greens and protein powder happening in that blender jar. Nutritious, yes, but also ho-hum.

I'm all for smoothies, but it's easy to get into a rut and enter the realm of "Blender Boredom." And there's just no excuse for such things, especially when a little creativity is all that's required to make something that's exciting to sip on.

Left to my own devices, I can't help but create smoothies that resemble my favorite thing: Dessert. 

I mean, it's not like I'm tossing a piece of cake in the blender along with my fruits and veggies... but I see nothing wrong with making my mouth think I am. 

What happens when you combine banana, pineapple, vanilla, cinnamon, pecans & creamy Silk Cashewmilk? You get a Hummingbird Cake smoothie.

Hummingbird Cake is a popular Southern spice cake that happens to have many of the same ingredients that work well in a smoothie. The tender cinnamon-spiced cake is anything but dry with mashed banana and sweet crushed pineapple incorporated into the batter and smooth cream cheese frosting slathered on top. Crunchy pecans lend some texture and nuttiness to this yummy dessert.

Eating a slice of Hummingbird Cake on-the-go? Probably not the easiest task. But whipping up a tasty {and guilt-free} alternative for the road? Totally doable.

So, if like my dear husband, you're going to blend up a smoothie every day... why not make it an enticing one?

Silk's recipe page has a multitude of exciting "Smoothie Solutions" made to banish "Blender Boredom": Lemon Cream Pie Smoothies, Chocolate Covered Cherry Smoothies, Silky S'mores Smoothies... you won't know if you're in your kitchen or at a bakery!

Have some creative ideas of your own?  Silk's Smoothie Solutions contest, live from May 4 to June 5. {Nab a coupon by signing up for Silk's Newsletter!}

Hummingbird Cake Smoothie

1 banana {frozen for a creamier texture}
3 tablespoons crushed pineapple
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons chopped pecans
4 ounces Silk Original Cashewmilk

1. Place all ingredients in a high speed blender. Blend until smooth.

2. Pour into a glass and garnish with extra pecans, if desired. Enjoy!

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.