I hope you are all enjoying this beautiful weekend, and I hope it’s as gorgeous and sunny where you are as it is here. We arrived in Montreal a couple days ago and are staying here for the week. We’re into birthday celebrations this weekend – a friend just turned 40 and my older sister just turned 35! And with the official arrival of summer, there’s another great reason to celebrate.

Who says Summer says strawberries, and it turns out Quebec strawberries are my favourites. I’ve been munching on them non-stop as an afternoon snack and I have no intention on stopping anytime soon. I used them here in a creamy shake, with some cashew butter, frozen bananas and homemade cashew milk. I mashed a few strawberries with a tiny bit of maple syrup for a bit of texture and because shakes are always prettier when they come with layers. This thick, dreamy drink would be wonderful as a snack on a hot summer day, or delicious as a breakfast to start the day on a high note. It’s quite rich and filling so it will keep you satisfied for a few hours.

Now onto the links that caught my attention this past week.

Links

We have a family BBQ/potluck later today and I’m bringing Laura’s gorgeous Citrus Miso Slaw.

If you like Laura and her blog as much as I do, you’ll want to check out the lovely interview she did earlier this week on Nourish Atelier, as part of Nina’s Breakfast Club Series.

My sister and I made Lindsey’s Cookies ‘N Cream Birthday Cake for our sister’s birthday cake this weekend. We haven’t tasted it yet but it looks amazing. I can’t wait to dig into it, and I have a feeling it will be a quite a hit.

If you follow me on Snapchat (sophbourdon), you’ve seen that I was lucky enough to attend an intimate cooking workshop earlier this week with the inspiring founder of Prana, Marie-Josée Richer. I was already a fan of Prana’s products and attending the class made me love them even more. I admire Marie-Josée’s passion and dedication to making organic food accessible to as many people as possible. She’s done a lot for the Canadian healthy food landscape and she is a great inspiration. Prana is now making its way into the US and I have a feeling they will get there the same success they are having on this side of the border. Their products are truly outstanding. (This is not sponsored by the way, I just truly, honestly love them!) Marie-Josée made these Almond Cookie Sandwiches with Avocado Cream during the workshop and they were out of this world.

I’m all about cold refreshing drinks lately and I’ve got my eyes on Jodi’s Hibiscus Vanilla Thai-Style Iced Tea and Shelly’s Spicy Watermelon Sodas.

Good news for all of us coffee lovers out there! The World Health Organization just released a new report concluding that coffee may protect against at least two types of cancer.

After white, rosé and red, blue wine is apparently now a thing.

Tomorrow is the Summer Solstice and it happens to fall on the exact same day as the full moon. It’s a very rare event that happens only once every 30 years. It’s a great occasion to set up new goals and intentions, to release the old and make space for the new in our lives.

To get more inspiration all week, follow me on Pinterest and Instagram.

Print Strawberry Cashew Shake Servings 2 Ingredients Shake 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries fresh or frozen

2 frozen bananas

1/4 cup raw cashew butter

1 cup unsweetened cashew or almond milk

1 1/2 tbsp maca powder

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp lemon zest

Small pinch sea salt

A few ice cubes optional Base layer 1/2 cup sliced strawberries

1 tsp pure maple syrup Instructions Shake Blend all the ingredients except the ice cubes in a blender until smooth. Check the consistency and add a couple ice cubes if desired. Blend again. Base layer Muddle strawberries with maple syrup in a narrow glass. Divide the mashed strawberry mixture into two glasses. Pour the shake layer on top and gently stir with a spoon. Enjoy immediately,