Guest Post: Asiya of Chocolate and Chillies

Hello Friends!  Today’s post is one that I’m very excited about.  I’ve been thinking about starting a series of guest posts in which I can coordinate with some of my favorite bloggers and introduce them to those readers who aren’t already familiar with them.  It only made sense for me to begin this series with one of the bloggers who inspired me to begin blogging, and one whom I’ve grown very close to both online and personally- Asiya of Chocolate and Chillies.

I stumbled upon Asiya’s blog well before I started blogging, and to be honest I don’t even remember what led to me finding her.  Those days, I wasn’t familiar with the email subscription options, so I had Chocolate and Chillies, along with a select few other food-related blogs, bookmarked on my laptop.  After my husband would leave for work (at an ungodly hour), I would have an hour or so before I got to work on my daily routines.  I would take advantage of the opportunity for some “me time” and catch up on these favorite blogs with the company of a mug of piping hot tea.  To this day, I have the same routine, albeit a little more rushed considering the fact that I’ve got to get all of my important work done before my rambunctious toddler wakes up 🙂

Now without further ado, I introduce you to my good friend and inspiration, Asiya…

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Thank you Henna for the opportunity to guest post on your wonderful blog!

Henna and I “met” through our blogs.  I don’t even remember how I discovered her blog.  I noticed early on that we would post similar recipes.  I remember when I would visit she would make things that I had recently also made or things that I would most definitely want to make.  We both posted the same Spinach Quiche and Wheat Thins recipes.  Henna posted a recipe for Garlic Knots which I had also made but never posted about because they over rose and where humungous!  I had long ago pinned the Jalapeno Popper Chicken recipe she posted but have never gotten around to making it because half of my family are not cheese fans.  We really started to connect earlier this year in February when my father had passed away.  She offered me support as if she had known me for years.  Since then we have exchanged emails and we even had the pleasure of having Henna and her family over at our home.

So when Henna asked me to do a guest post for her I immediately said yes!  When Henna visited us she gave me these awesome paper straws.  I’ve seen them in lots of pictures but have never seen them in the stores near my home.  Henna was so kind to bring me some :).  I wanted to do a post where I could use these straws so I decided on a Skinny Oreo Banana Milkshake.  This was a hit with everyone in our home except for my eldest son who lately seems to be adverse to anything with bananas in it.  I’ve tried making this with coconut sugar and I found it gave it a strange taste so in the end I stuck with granulated sugar.  If you make it and store any leftovers in the fridge it will darken due to the banana.  This is a skinny version of an Oreo Milkshake as other recipes use many more Oreos and ice cream although for me it is still a treat since Oreos do have a lot of sugar and fat.

Thank you again Henna for allowing me to guest post on your blog!

Oreo Banana Milkshake

Adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie

1 banana, cut into slices and frozen (do this ahead of time)

2 Oreos, each twisted open

1/2 cup milk

1-2 tbsp sugar (depending on how sweet you would like it)*

1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar

* You could substitute honey for the sugar but I haven’t tried this.  I suggest to NOT use coconut sugar as it gives it an odd taste.

Add all ingredients to a food processor.  Process until everything is smooth.  Enjoy!