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amy_chen_design_honey_basil_pineapple_banana_smoothie_1.jpg

Honey Basil Pineapple Banana Smoothie

June 23, 2015

Summer = smoothie season! And since summer started on Sunday... 'tis the season! ;) My blender and I are *besties* during summatime -- and there is nothing more refreshing than a cold fruit smoothie to cool you down on a hot and sunny day! Plus, they're a great way to get vitamins and nutrients into your body (giving you a healthy boost of energy) - so you can't go wrong! 

Yesterday, I was in the experimentin' mood and decided to add a few things that I don't normally throw in to my Monday morning breakfast smoothie. The first of these things was basil. We recently bought a basil plant, so I have been adding it into all sorts of things - and let me tell ya - fresh herbs are a TOTAL game changer. They add this irresistible layer of freshness to just about anything - and did not disappoint in this smoothie combo! The second thing I added was honey - because I knew honey / pineapple and honey / banana were great pairs. I suspected that when the 3 combined together, it would be nothing short of mAgiCaL. I also added a little bit of vanilla extract because, well, who doesn't love vanilla extract?! The end result was diviiiiiiiiine to say the least!

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In food Tags pineapple, banana, honey, basil, smoothie, clean eating, healthy eating, summer
amy_chen_design_alstede_farms_1

An Afternoon at Alstede

September 22, 2014

Yesterday, I spent an afternoon at Alstede Farms (Chester, NJ) – and it was seriously the best day. It was the perfect mix of food and adventure, so it was right up my alley. ;)

The leaves in New Jersey are starting to change colors, and the air is finally getting crisper and cooler. Fall is my favorite season, and it’s finally arrived! I’ve never been to Alstede before, and can’t believe my family has never gone since we only live about 20 minutes away. While I was there, I overheard people talking about how they had come from hours and hours away. After spending the afternoon there, I totally don’t blame them for coming from so far away. It’s absolutely worth it.

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In food, wanderlust Tags fall, apple picking, pick your own, PYO, CSA, organic, farming, eat local, clean eating, New Jersey, Chester, agriculture, jersey fresh, corn, harvest, farm, Alstede Farms, eat clean, butterfly, monarch butterfly, donkey, healthy eating, pumpkin picking, pumpkins, pumpkin patch, fruits, veggies, farmland, sunflower, ice cream, doughnut, peacock, pig

AMYVENTURES

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@AMYVENTURES
breakfast with the biggest bird on the block 🐦🥯🏙️

stopped at @russanddaughters to grab a bagel omw to @nychighline to bid farewell to “dinosaur” on saturday 🥲 such a fun experience walking up to it on 10th ave, and sitting with it to
one of the first 70 & sunny days after the longest winter called for a beach day 🌞🐚💦

#jerseyshore #jerseycollective #njisallgood #sandyhooknj #beachday
welcome to Chinatown @aokomatcha 🫶💚🍦🍵✨

📍 81 Christie St. (soft opening now; grand opening April 3 🥳)

I ordered the matcha soft serve latte today (an iced matcha latte with matcha soft serve on top 😋) 

they’re known for their matcha ge
backlog of nyc glimmers on my camera roll from the last couple months of winter ✨

blanket of snow in front of @chrisriggsart mural at @orchardstnyc ❄️

@shopofthings cutie hello kitty themed chalkboard sign 🎀

dressing room of dreams @bigbudpress ?
chinese new year / lunar new year highlights 🧧🏮🐴🔥🎊🌕 

@welcome.to.chinatown lny market at @kamman.canal 

lny spongie (apricot orange) from @spongiescafe 

lo bok go (turnip cake), fa gao (steamed cupcake), and flat rice noodles at home

painte
matcha shortbread cookies dusted in powdered sugar, drizzled with white chocolate, and sprinkled with crushed freeze dried strawberries 💫🍵⭐️🍓✨

#shortbreadcookies #matchastrawberry #matchawhitechocolate #matchacookies #bakersgonnabake
my galentine spread from last weekend’s junk journal meet up with @artsncraftsnyc at @bananas_nyc 💘💋💌❤️💕✨

if you’re going to tonight’s event, have the best time! 😘

#galentines #valentinesday #junkjournal #scrapbooking #things
valentine sweet treat round up 😘❤️💕
- chocolate orange marmalade linzer cookies (regretted not making more of these for christmas so made them again 😏)
- chocolate covered pretzels & strawberries 🍓🥨🍫 (annual classics)
- sweet potato peanut
a peek behind the (photobooth) curtain last week at @autophoto w/ @lomographyusa 📸♥️🎞️

was thrilled that the color paper (discontinued in 2005) was still available in the MTV model 21 booth 🌈 (since then, it’s run out again and is ba
a very snowy and cold second half of january 🥶❄️ still getting out for our daily walks the best we can 😅, but my knees will be thrilled when this all melts 💀 savoring hot drinks and soup and couch snuggles til further notice 🙃

#january #winter #
a very fun ✨girls day✨ / joint birthday celebration with @rebeccaedenphoto and @sarabryn 🥳🎈🎂

@12.matcha - for matcha lattes (duh), matcha / hojicha / mango ice cream, and yuzu madeleine 🍵
@liz.christy.garden - was so surprised to see the snowdro
a look back on 2025 through my junk journal (I finally finished the last few holiday spreads last night 🎀) - I’ve kept written journals my whole life, but this was my first full year of journaling in this format, and it is really fun to flip t
breakfast with the biggest bird on the block 🐦🥯🏙️

stopped at @russanddaughters to grab a bagel omw to @nychighline to bid farewell to “dinosaur” on saturday 🥲 such a fun experience walking up to it on 10th ave, and sitting with it to
a full flip through of the little zine I made during “swap & scrap” (& yap) hosted by @artgurl__ yesterday @inthecraftnook 💖

my favorite part about these types of crafty events is the variety of materials there are to work with
one of the first 70 & sunny days after the longest winter called for a beach day 🌞🐚💦

#jerseyshore #jerseycollective #njisallgood #sandyhooknj #beachday
a little spring refresh 🌼 - swapped out the snowdrop hand soap for lilac and plugged in @mrsmeyerscleanday’s new lavender scented oil diffuser 💜 makes our tiny bathroom smell like a spa day 😌🫧💧🪻✨ #mrsmeyerspartner 

#spring #springcleanin
DIY origami seed packets ♻️✂️🌱

my favorite way to reuse paper shopping bags / food takeout bags (but you can use any paper you have)

great for sharing seeds with friends or exchanging  seeds at your local community seed swap 🥰

* originally learn
welcome to Chinatown @aokomatcha 🫶💚🍦🍵✨

📍 81 Christie St. (soft opening now; grand opening April 3 🥳)

I ordered the matcha soft serve latte today (an iced matcha latte with matcha soft serve on top 😋) 

they’re known for their matcha ge backlog of nyc glimmers on my camera roll from the last couple months of winter ✨

blanket of snow in front of @chrisriggsart mural at @orchardstnyc ❄️

@shopofthings cutie hello kitty themed chalkboard sign 🎀

dressing room of dreams @bigbudpress ? chinese new year / lunar new year highlights 🧧🏮🐴🔥🎊🌕 

@welcome.to.chinatown lny market at @kamman.canal 

lny spongie (apricot orange) from @spongiescafe 

lo bok go (turnip cake), fa gao (steamed cupcake), and flat rice noodles at home

painte matcha shortbread cookies dusted in powdered sugar, drizzled with white chocolate, and sprinkled with crushed freeze dried strawberries 💫🍵⭐️🍓✨

#shortbreadcookies #matchastrawberry #matchawhitechocolate #matchacookies #bakersgonnabake
the second blizzard of the month just when we were starting to see the grass again 🥲 it’s pretty, but I’m desperately longing for warmer days 😅🌸🌿 luckily @mrsmeyerscleanday rose room freshener is making the inside of our cozy abode sm
can’t wait for the snow to be higher than my boots again 🥲

#dogwalkersofinstagram #dogwalking #dogwalkinglife #olympics #milanocortina2026
happy year of the horse! 🔥🐴🧧🎊🏮 took a little time to myself to decompress and celebrate chinese new year by painting this year’s chinese zodiac animal (the horse) 🎨 - I started this project last year with the snake 🐍… should I sti
my galentine spread from last weekend’s junk journal meet up with @artsncraftsnyc at @bananas_nyc 💘💋💌❤️💕✨

if you’re going to tonight’s event, have the best time! 😘

#galentines #valentinesday #junkjournal #scrapbooking #things valentine sweet treat round up 😘❤️💕
- chocolate orange marmalade linzer cookies (regretted not making more of these for christmas so made them again 😏)
- chocolate covered pretzels & strawberries 🍓🥨🍫 (annual classics)
- sweet potato peanut
long overdue desk deep clean with @mrsmeyerscleanday’s dewdrop 😌 has me dreaming of spring and warmer days 💧🌿✨ #mrsmeyerspartner
a peek behind the (photobooth) curtain last week at @autophoto w/ @lomographyusa 📸♥️🎞️

was thrilled that the color paper (discontinued in 2005) was still available in the MTV model 21 booth 🌈 (since then, it’s run out again and is ba a very snowy and cold second half of january 🥶❄️ still getting out for our daily walks the best we can 😅, but my knees will be thrilled when this all melts 💀 savoring hot drinks and soup and couch snuggles til further notice 🙃

#january #winter # a very fun ✨girls day✨ / joint birthday celebration with @rebeccaedenphoto and @sarabryn 🥳🎈🎂

@12.matcha - for matcha lattes (duh), matcha / hojicha / mango ice cream, and yuzu madeleine 🍵
@liz.christy.garden - was so surprised to see the snowdro
love a good rainy day to deep clean the kitchen 🫧😌🌧️🧼✨ … can’t remember the last time the sink was free from dirty dishes or the counter was this spotless 😅 - thanks @mrsmeyerscleanday for the assist (and making the house smell like
a look back on 2025 through my junk journal (I finally finished the last few holiday spreads last night 🎀) - I’ve kept written journals my whole life, but this was my first full year of journaling in this format, and it is really fun to flip t

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