Mystery Lovers' Kitchen: protein smoothie

Sunday, April 20, 2025

Please Welcome Guest Daryl Wood Gerber! #Giveaway

Peg: I am thrilled to welcome my good friend Daryl Wood Gerber (AKA Avery Aames) to the blog today. At one time, Daryl was a founding member of Mystery Lovers Kitchen and I'm thrilled to see her back again today with a delicious recipe for a green smoothie.

DARYL: I’ve been busy the past year. A TWINKLE OF TROUBLE, the 5^th in the Fairy Garden Mysteries, came out in the spring. Then MURDER ON THE PAGE, the 1st in the LITERARY DINING MYSTERIES came out in October. And now, in March, the 1^st in the AROMA WELLNESS MYSTERIES came out! Lots of writing. Lots of editing. Lots of fun.

In ESSENCE OF FOUL PLAY, Emma Brennan is opening a day spa along with a gift shop and café. It’s located in a charming courtyard in Carmel-by-the-Sea. At the spa, customers will enjoy massages, facials, mindful meditations, and more. In the shop, customers can browse geodes, gemstones, and wind chimes, as well as aromatic candles and meditative guides. In the café, the chef creates “good-for-you” treats. Anything from protein bars and healthy muffins to chewy cookies made with honey and power-packed smoothies. The whole vibe is supposed to bring calm to not only the spa’s customers, but to you, the reader, as well. Yes, a murder might be in the mix, but relax. All’s well that ends well.

You might not think this smoothie is for you, particularly because it’s a “green” drink. Also, it’s made with kale, and kale can be quite bitter on its own. But fret not! The green is a minty green—quite pretty! AND You won’t taste any bitterness. The pineapple, banana, and honey make sure of that. This smoothie keeps me going all day long. I hope you’ll give it a try.

Big hint: I purchased a Ninja blender which is a perfect size for making single or double smoothies. It’s super powerful and easy to clean.

Enjoy.

Kale-Banana Protein Smoothie

(Yield: 1)

1/2 cup chopped ice

2 cups kale, chopped, no stems

3/4 cups milk

1 medium-sized banana chopped

1/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt

¼ cup pineapple chunks

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon protein powder (coconut protein powder is great!)

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter, if desired

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Easy peasy.

Emma Brennan may have her head in a cloud of eucalyptus, but her feet are firmly planted on the ground in breathtaking Carmel, California, as she prepares to open her new spa business, Aroma Wellness. But all the reiki, shiatsu, and massage in the world can’t help her relax when she’s accused of murder . . .

Everything is going smoothly as Emma prepares for the grand opening of the spa. The sales shop and café are stocked with meditative and delicious goodies, from essential oils to avocado masks and pricky pear massages. In fact, there isn’t a whiff of trouble until that morning when Emma is shocked to learn that a rival spa owner has been bludgeoned . . . with an item from the goodwill basket Emma gave her. Worse, a witness is pointing the finger at Emma . . .

With the police treating Emma like she’s the only suspect,

she’s left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Incensed by the accusation, but empowered by her cousin, her nana, and her trusted Birman cat, Vivi, Emma reviews the potpourri of possible suspects, determined to uncover the essence of foul play—before she’s cold-pressed for murder

BIO:

Daryl Wood Gerber is the Agatha Award-winning and nationally bestselling author of the Literary Dining Mysteries, Aroma Wellness Mysteries, Fairy Garden Mysteries and Cookbook Nook Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes suspense novels, including the well-received The Son’s Secret, Girl on the Run, and the popular Aspen Adams trilogy. Daryl has published a standalone Christmas romance, Hope for the Holidays, and her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies. Fun Tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She loves to cook, garden, read, and walk her frisky Goldendoodle. Also she has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. You can learn more on her website: https://darylwoodgerber.com