The OJ Pre-Dance Protein Smoothie!

      I promised more posts, didn't I? This is my all-time favorite smoothie to make at home (if I had the option, I'd be at Jamba Juice everyday) and it's the perfect snack before dance!
      I'm going to preface this by saying that the reason I'm not using any fresh fruit right now is because I'm allergic to things like srawberries, rasberries, etc. So this is the easiest smoothie for me to make, especially when I'm in a hurry. I do eat lots of other fresh fruits, just not necessarily in my smoothies.
      My parents used to make this smoothie for me when I was really young with a lot of honey and ice, so it was more milkshake than smoothie. I've always loved the flavor, so a while ago I started to play with the ingredients to see if I couldn't make it a little bit more suitable as a healthy snack.

   You'll need to begin by making sure you have all of the ingredients. Most of these are things you would have around your house anyway. For this smoothie you're going to need orange juice concentrate(I use he kind with added vitamin C), plain or vanilla yogurt(I usually use greek, but we were out), milk, any kind of powdered supplement or superfood(mine is from Whole Foods), and honey to taste.

   I like to start with about a cup of yogurt, though right here I'm using a little less. I don't really measure anything in this smoothie.

   Then add a couple big spoonfuls(about 2 tablespoons?) of orange juice concentrate and around a 1/4 cup of milk.

   Last but not least, one or two heaping spoonfuls of your supplement of choice, and honey to sweeten if desired.

  I'm using the Cuisinart Smart-Stick to mix up my smoothie, but you can add ice and use a normal blender or food processor if you have one. (We do have a real blender, but I'm lazy and the stick is easier to clean.) This should make about 12 ounces of smoothie, but feel free to add or subtract from that size.

The supplement and lighting discolor it a little, but I promise it's orange.

    Especially if you're using Greek yogurt, this smoothie has a ton of protein, along with enough carbs to get you through a good class. It also tastes great when you add fresh or frozen pineapple. :)
 
I hope you enjoyed this post, there's a lot more to come, and let me know what you think of the smoothie!
~Savanna




 
 

Fun Photo Shoot Tips! And a new series.

Hello again! I actually have a real post this week. I know, shocker, right? I loved my time at Ballet West Academy's summer intensive. The summer weather was gorgeous and the scenery was beautiful. But I'm happy to be back.

 About halfway through the summer, my friends and I decided to have a full blown photo shoot, and the results were amazing. Honestly, it's incredible what an iPhone camera can do. So I'll share a few pictures with you all today! If you want to see more cool pics, Check out my Instagram account.


Tip #1: Location
Find the most interesting, cool, scenic place around and shoot there, if possible. If not, go second best. Try to pick a place that has interesting lines that won't distract from the ones you plan on making.

My friends and I chose a really neat bridge in the area for one location. 

 Tip #2: Lighting
Lighting is key to any picture. We've all seen what happens when the flash goes off and turns a great family photo into a roomful of red-eyed weirdos. That said, if it's too dark, the picture won't work either. We decided to take pictures outdoors, so we really just used sunlight. In my experience, sunset or early morning are the best times to take pictures.

Tip #3: What to Wear

Wear something simple that you feel great in. Your most flattering leo with some black tights. A cute wrap skirt. Printed leggings. Just make sure that whatever you wear stands out from your background!

 Tip #4: Candid Camera
I am not usually a photogenic person when I'm trying to be. This picture thing only works for me when it's natural. So don't turn off the camera while no one's posing. Sometimes the best photos are spontaneous.

Totally candid. I promise.

    So I promised you all a new series, and it's one that I've been working on for a while, so don't worry about a lack of posts coming up. I'm calling it my Back-to-Dance Series, and it will include some dancewear tips, quick pre-dance snacks, and my daily school/dance routine. I might try to squeeze in a video at some point, but for now I would plan on checking back here every week for more new posts! 

~Savanna