Kombucha Thyme

*I take my brand partnerships very seriously and will always tell you when posts are sponsored. This post is graciously sponsored by Health Ade, my absolute FAVORITE kombucha brand! All opinions are my own, as always.

Happy October! I’m thrilled to welcome cooler temperatures, cozier clothes, and more reasons to make soup and drink apple cider. Go ahead and call me basic or whatever word is used to describe total predictability, because I have ALWAYS loved fall, even before it was trendy, and I don’t plan on stopping that love affair anytime soon.

Yesterday, we went to Minneapolis with my brother and sister-in-law who were visiting from Colorado. We spent much of the day outside. It was hot and humid and pretty much my least favorite weather. There is something about heavy, humid air that makes me feel claustrophobic. So waking up this morning to cold, rainy weather was a huge relief. I’m sitting in front of the fireplace wearing a warm sweater and feeling thankful for my first fall in Minnesota in a very long time. To make up for lost time, I’m OF COURSE putting apple cider (not hard cider, just in case any of my UK friends are reading) in all the things! From cocktails to pancakes to donuts. And now in my kombucha!

Want to know how I like to mix up two of my favorite beverages?

This is less of a recipe and more of a suggestion for dressing up your daily kombucha to make it perfect for fall! Start with Health Ade Grape Vibes Kombucha poured over ice. Add a splash of apple cider and a sprig or two or thyme (rosemary also works beautifully) and sip away!

Ginger Lemon Kombucha Smoothie

This post has been kindly sponsored by Health-Ade Kombucha. As with all sponsored content on Set the Table, this is a product I already use and love!

I’m not so good with allowing quiet into my life. For some reason, I’m always looking for something to look at, listen to, or do with my hands. It’s no wonder that it has gotten more difficult for me to sit down and write something that matters. I can’t tell you how many times I sit down at my laptop and alternate between typing and deleting the most mundane sentences. It’s simply because my brain cannot process thoughts of substance clearly when I have too much stimulation. There was a time in my life when I could do this, but that time has passed and it is dying a slow, painful death. My brain just cannot handle multiple tasks at one time unless it is parenting-related. And, let’s be honest, even that is a little dicey. 

I’m sure some of this is due to smart phone usage and the immediacy of information. And some of it is likely due to age. And anxiety. And a smattering of other things I cannot yet identify. I’m working on it. Slowly but surely, I’m working on taking things on one at a time rather than all at once. Funny thing: getting sick reminds me of this practice almost every time. 

Recently, like many families I’ve talked to, we have dealt with the dreaded Stomach Bug. It hit me quickly and first, then took down the rest of us in 2 day increments. For me, the recovery from an illness like this means taking it super slow. Reintroducing foods one at a time, listening to my body extra carefully, and thinking carefully about what I put on my plate. If only I could learn to take such care in other areas of my life. 

After our recent bout of the Stomach Bug, I made it a point to get more probiotics into my system. I take LoveBug probiotics, so that was a given. I also am a pretty big fan-girl when it comes to Health-Ade Kombucha, so their Ginger-Lemon flavor was on repeat for days. Of course, at some point, for my sanity, I needed to mix it up. Enter: this tasty smoothie! It’s creamy and flavorful without being too overwhelming on a sensitive digestive tract. #sorrynotsorry for being honest here. Just keeping it real! 

Ginger Lemon Kombucha Smoothie

makes 2 small smoothies or 1 large

*A coupe notes: for some, the acidity of pineapple may not sound great until a few days after being sick. If that’s the case, I’d recommend swapping milder mango or leaving out any fruit except for the frozen banana. Ice is always another great option to add in! You know your body better than anyone, so listen to it and don’t push it!

• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple

• 1 frozen banana (not required to be frozen but I like the texture better if it is)

• 1 1/2 cups Health-AdeGinger-Lemon Kombucha

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Detoxing Blended Green Juice

I am late to the juice game. To be honest, I never wanted to buy a juicer because they seem so clunky and messy. (If anyone wants to send me a juicer that is neither clunky OR messy, I’m willing to give it a try!) But then we moved close to an amazing smoothie/juice spot and my love affair with green juice began. The only problem? The price tag. Who can even afford to get a green juice whenever they want? If you can, I’m very happy for you and I would very much appreciate it if you could send me a gift certificate to Nekter Juice Bar on a regular basis. THANKS.

Long story short, I started making my own green juice with my trusty blender at home. And you know what? It’s actually really, really delicious and just the thing I need when I’ve overindulged (read: all of December).

They key here is to use a high powered blender. Beyond that, it’s a balance of greens, citrus, an apple, and a touch of cayenne!

Detoxing Blended Green Juice

Makes 2 servings (or 1 large serving)

• 2 cups baby spinach

• 1 lemon, peel removed

• 1 small green apple, peeled, cored and cubed

• 1/2 inch knob of fresh ginger, grated

• 3 cups water

• 1/2 teaspoon-1 teaspoon cayenne

1. Combine all the ingredients in a high-powered blender.

2. Blend on high until smooth.

3. Pour over ice and enjoy!