In case you’re interested in the Dirty Dash Boise race but haven’t yet signed up because the entry fee just went up AGAIN last week, I think you’ll want to check out this post for a sweet giveaway! They’ve added more waves like they do every year and when the rep from the company dropped off 2 free entry cards to me the other day she also gave me a code to give out to my clients, family, and friends to get 20% off registration. So drop me a line if you want it!

More on how you can win one of two free entries in a bit. But first…I’ve got a new green smoothie recipe for you that you’ll love if your basil obsession mirrors mine. And if you’re new to green smoothies (smoothies made with spinach or kale, usually) and you’re thinking it sounds gross, well…you’re wrong. ;)

For the most part I typically use baby spinach because it’s really mild and I honestly don’t even taste it when I blend it up with all the other ingredients. So you get all that green vitamin-packed Popeye goodness without feeling like you’re sipping bitter grass. Another little trick when making green smoothies: A banana makes a world of difference. I always add one.

This is my new favorite smoothie recipe and I can definitely see me drinking it most mornings over the course of the basil season. It’s light, refreshing and the right amount of filling!

Cherry Basil Green Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or your favorite milk/milk substitute
• 1/2 cup frozen cherries
• 1 banana
• 5-10 leaves fresh basil (I used closer to 10 leaves because. as I mentioned, I really like basil)
• 1 cup or heaping handful baby spinach
• 6 oz container plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp. ground flaxseed
• 3-4 ice cubes (especially if you’re not using frozen fruit, the ice makes a difference)
• 1/2 tbsp. vanilla extract
• Optional: 1/2 tbsp. bee pollen granules (I throw this into all my smoothies to help keep my allergies at bay. Some people can’t stand the flavor, I honestly don’t notice it anymore. Von thinks it tastes like he imagines bee poop would, so there’s that visual for you.)
• Also optional: Drizzle a small amount of honey or pure maple syrup as you’re blending if you like it a little sweeter.

Blend it all together until you have a smoothie that looks kinda green/kinda purple/kinda red, depending on various things you’ll have no control over.

So good!

If you’re interested in the nutrition stats, here you go:

(This does not include the bee pollen or honey/maple syrup)

378 calories, 7.4g fat (0.8g saturated), 274mg sodium, 1263mg potassium, 48.8g carbohydrates, 10.3g fiber, 28.6g sugar, 23.5g protein

So about that giveaway!

Right now entry for the Boise Dirty Dash (held Saturday, August 2nd at Bogus Basin) will run you $60. I would love nothing more than to help two of you get in for FREE! Okay, I would like some things more, like my own personal assistant to bring me wine and cherry tomatoes whenever my cravings strike. But seriously, if you’ve ever wanted to try the Dirty Dash or have done it and want to see how they’ve up’ed the ante this year, here’s how you can win:

Simply comment on this post by telling me what your favorite summer outdoor activity is. That’s it! I’ll choose 2 lucky winners at random and will announce them this Thursday, July 17th. Really, it will be random and if you’re worried about any favoritism I’ll even the playing field and let Luke pick the winners based on his responses to your comments. He pretty much says “no” or “yeah” to everything, so I don’t know how it gets any fairer than that. And if you don’t win but still want to register, contact me for the 20% off code!

And please, don’t mess up your ankle like Von did last year while doing the tire runs. While I am proud of him for finishing the race on one leg and without complaint, I don’t wish the resulting walking boot on anyone! Except for that jerk at the grocery store who rammed into me with her grocery cart…