The Bakery Down the Street

Hello beautiful people! I hope everyone has been enjoying their weekend, spending it however you please. My first week of my last semester went well! I don’t have time to be home for my meals so I’ve been making things that are easy and tasty for on-the-go. It makes not being able to eat in the comfort of my own place not seem like such a poopie idea. Atleast it tastes like I’m eating at home!

Red lentils: one of my favorite legumes.

When my mom first made her special red lentil soup a few years ago, I was in love with this new discovery! There was awhile where the only thing I’d make was my mom’s red lentil soup, and to this day the recipe remains a secret. Sorry folks, but I’m really good at keeping secrets. Actually, that just means you can trust me! So I’m not really sorry hehe. Anyway, I enjoyed these red lentil burgers with Vegenaise, with tamarind date chutney, and whatever other condiments I thought would taste yummy.

Beautiful wraps made out of collard greens are a great way to get your veggies in, and keep it mess free!

My class was let out early so I was able to enjoy this at home.

I bookmarked this recipe for flax-encrusted sweet potato balls awhile ago from Caitlin’s blog. Mine came out rather mushy, but I ended up baking them twice, and that seemed to do the trick. I tried them with mustard and sour cream, as the recipe suggested. These were very easy to make, and I made a batch to last me a week (probably)! If you’re looking for a recipe that isn’t intimidating and tastes good then may I suggest this one?

Frozen pizzas come in handy during the semester as well.

I’m usually wary of frozen pizzas, since a lot of the times they just taste bad. However, I saw this frozen pizza at the Indian store for $1.99. So if it ended up tasting icky $1.99 was all I had to lose, well it was a risk I was willing to take.

This is Deep Indian Gourmet's spinach and paneer naan pizza, in case you were curious.

The crust and sauce were tasty, but it could've definitely used more paneer cheese.

It’s a unique taste on pizza though, and worth trying for the heck of it.

Before the semester started I went to a bachelorette party for the first time, and it was unforgettable!

The Maid of Honor aka the bartender!

Deceivingly calm...

After dirty presents were opened we went down to the bar, took our blow job shots, and started the night!

This occassion called for a special straw!

Here, you try.

Brightly colored drinks were popular that night, and this one tasted like a Thin Mint!

We made our mark at a few places, and eventually found ourselves back at the hotel's bar.

We graced them with dancing on bar tops--note the bartender joined us and let us plug our music in!

We stayed till the bar closed, and then some of us jumped into the pool with our "bathing suits" aka undies.

They are pretty much the same thing, after all. Ah yes, just thinking about that night makes me laugh. I always have so much fun when I’m with this group of ladies. We’ve been wreaking havoc ever since high school. Masters of pranks, being outrageous, and just having a good time–that’s us in a nutshell.

On a different note, I was given the pleasure of reviewing some products that have intrigued me for quite some time. I’ve always noticed Bakery on Main’s granola because it just looks so delicious, and it’s got a different texture than most. Then I found out that they have more than just granola! Most importantly, their motto is: food that’s good for you should taste good too. Amen to that–I’m looking at you shots of wheat grass (blech)! Honestly, I don’t care how “healthy” something may be, but if something tastes bad then forget it. Taste is the number one thing I consider–always. Anyway, shall I show you all the goodies?

They make gluten-free granola!

First off, I love the texture of these granolas! Instead of using oats, they toast sweetened corn flakes and rice crisps. The crunch factor doesn’t stop there because there are so many delicious seeds to bite into!

Nutty Cranberry Maple Granola: Pecans, almonds, sweetened cranberries, raisins with maple sound like a great combination, right? Well it is! Sweet, but not overly so. That’s how I like it! What’s the point of having flavors anyway, if it’s just overpowered by the sugars?

Extreme Fruit & Nut Granola: Bakery on Main means what it says! I’m going to list off what’s in this granola because I just think it’s amazing that they have such a variety in one granola. Sunflower seeds, flax seeds, raisins, sesame seeds, coconut, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cranberries, pecans, apricots, and brazil nuts. Granola makers take note, and chew on that.

Apple Raisin Walnut Granola: This was the most comforting flavor out of the bunch, and I loved it just as much. There was something so satisfying about biting into the walnut halves. Once again, the texture and flavor were so great!

If you have gluten sensitivities and thought you had to say bye bye to granola, well you should try these out! Even if you don’t have to worry about gluten, you should still give these a go. You won’t miss the traditional granolas made with oats because these are on another level. Sweetness, crunch, and flavor are all here. They’re available in snack pack sizes, or bigger sizes if you’d like.

And they also make a high fiber granola if you feel like you may be lacking in that department.

Now these are made with oats but they are gluten-free. The founder, Michael Smulders, heard the complaints of many of his customers suffering from Celiac disease that the gluten-free options out there were less than stellar alternatives. This is great for people who are on a gluten-free diet because medical research shows that people on gluten-free diets tend to have less than the recommended amount of fiber. These granolas pack in 36% of the recommended daily value!

However, I didn’t like these granolas as much as the other kind. I think it was mostly the texture though, but I also think that these tasted very grainy. Perhaps some improvements could be made with that, and also making it crunchier some how. I really love the flavor choices though, and I don’t see berry granolas frequently.

Such a refreshing breakfast.

More please!

I usually eat granola with yogurt, but I wanted to have it with almond milk and it tasted so yummy that way too! While looking at Bakery on Main’s site I spotted a discussion board where people share their favorite ways to eat granola. Check it out here! Maybe you’ll find a new way you enjoy granola.

Now let’s move on to the bars, shall we?

I love when bars have big chunks of nuts.

It just reminds me that not all bars look the same, and for some reason that sticks out to me.

Out of their gluten free granola snack bars I tried the Cranberry Maple Nut, Extreme Trail Mix, and Peanut Butter Chocolate. Once again, I’m loving the corn flakes, and the crispy grains. These were crunchy but chewy at the same time. I didn’t really enjoy the Peanut Butter Chocolate snack bar though. It sounded like it would be really tasty, but there was something off about it. I’m picky about peanut butter, so maybe the flavor of theirs just didn’t do it for me. The other two flavors though were treats to eat!

They also make soft and chewy bars!

This was the Peanut Butter & Jelly flavor. I liked the taste, but I think it could use more jelly! I even spied some chia seeds! Next up I tried the Apple Cinnamon flavor. Wow! That was my reaction when I had the first bite. This bar was so good that I thought I was eating some sort of… pie? I’m not sure, but it seemed way more than a snack bar! The cinnamon was spot on, and the apple was too. Who doesn’t love that combination? Lastly, I tried the Chocolate Almond bar. There was something off with this bar too, but I had a hard time putting my finger on it. Maybe there weren’t enough almonds? I thought there was something with the chocolate chips too though. It was hard to pinpoint it.

It just looks so wholesome doesn’t it?

Clusters of chocolate chips? I like!

Anyway, if you see any Bakery on Main products in the store, I suggest you give them a try. As for their gluten-free granola, I can’t imagine anyone not liking it! Here’s some more information on their products as well. All of their ingredients are GMO free, natural, have unsulfured dried fruits, and are dairy and casein free. Moreover, if you sign up for their “Eat Better Live Better Club” you will automatically receive a coupon for $1.50. To think it all started in the small bakery of a natural foods market on Main Street in Glastonbury, Connecticut.

I hope you all enjoyed the review! I know that I enjoyed being the sampler, and sharing about this company and their products with all of you.

Let’s Get Toasted

Good morning everyone! I hope you all are doing well in your corners of the world. If not then I’m sending my energy your way. I can’t explain why I’m feeling this way right now, but who’s questioning? Even a completely flat tire on my bike couldn’t get me down. No, instead I was excited that I finally had a reason to replace my old one, and that would just mean a smoother ride. Not to mention, while waiting for my bike to get fixed I learned a few tips from the cute guy fixing it!

She wanted to cuddle longer, but I had to get ready for class!

I had a package of hemp seeds waiting to be used.

Toasting them with a bit of sea salt gave my breakfast sweet and salty flavor a lot of us like.

It tasted so good! After reading about hemp in one of Brendan Brazier’s books, I became even more interested in this fascinating plant. It’s crazy to think of why it was probably made illegal to grow this crop in the United States anyway. Let me just mention that the Rockefellers had a lot to do with this decision, and they are synonymous with crude oil. Henry Ford actually intended for his cars to run off of hemp seed oil. See a connection? Anyway, this plant has a lot of health benefits. It contains the protein, globulin edistin, that’s found in our DNA and it contains the highest amount in the plant kingdom. “More importantly, they are responsible for both the natural and acquired immunity a person has against invading organisms. The body uses globulin proteins to make antibodies which attack infecting agents (antigens) that invade the body. Globulins like gamma globulin are absolutely essential to maintain a healthy immune system. They neutralize alien microorganisms and toxins.“

Trying to figure out which veggies taste good with this ginger vinaigrette.

Do any of you have suggestions? Maybe I should try putting it on some vegetables and grill them!

The other day I checked out this interesting exhibition featuring South African artists.

I haven’t been to this art center since its renovation.

The exhibition made me think of all of the changes South Africa has undergone. Especially because it presented artists from that part of the world from four different generations. It was interesting to see what kind of work came out during the apartheid and after the era. It also made me think about how I would feel if I was living in a country where my ancestors came from, and then my rights were taken away by a group of people that settled there. I find it empowering that despite the circumstances, some people were able to manifest their struggles into something greater by trying to change things. Although some of those tactics were violent, it’s incredible to see a human spirit holding on and not being broken. On a much smaller scale, this is why I think it’s important to hold on to your beliefs, but still keeping an open mind. Knowing where you stand gives you confidence, but being able to listen I think also leads to a better understanding of each other.

I came home and I made a poor man’s paella!

Poor Man’s Paella

(for the spices I didn’t measure, so it’s up to your taste)

1 1/2 cup brown rice

Turmeric, (I used turmeric since I don’t have saffron, but you guys have saffron threads)

Spanish smoked paprika

Ground cumin

Dash cayenne

A couple splashes of hickory smoke sauce

4 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped

3 cups red kidney beans, cooked

2 3/4 – 3 cups vegetable broth

2 medium zucchini, sliced

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

1 can artichoke hearts, rinsed and cut into quarters

Extra Virgin olive oil

Sauté onion and garlic in a deep non-stick skillet. Add the rice and turmeric and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes. Add paprika, cumin, cayenne, tomatoes, peppers, and 2 3/4 cups vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to very low, and cook covered for till the rice is cooked.

Check to see if more broth is needed. If it looks dry, add the remaining vegetable broth. Throw in the beans, and place the zucchini on top of the rice and re-cover. Cook for about 5 more minutes, until rice is done. Remove the cover, stir in the peas, and cook uncovered until peas are warm and all liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Arrange the artichoke hearts on the top and serve. Add salt at the table, if necessary. **And drizzle on some olive oil at the end.

Makes about 6 servings.

And I tried the pepper one of the vendors at the farmer's market gave me--no turning back!

It actually wasn’t spicy, but maybe it’s because I took the tiniest bite. I’m such a scaredy cat when it comes to spicy things!

I decided to give the hemp protein another go with my oatmeal.

Mixed with honey, peaches, dates, banana, and coconut milk it wasn’t bad!

Oh I will definitely be making more of this dish during the cold seasons!

I kind of followed this recipe for roasted sweet potato salad with warm chutney dressing. I didn’t have pepitas on hand so I used my curried sunflower seeds instead. Oh my goodness this was brimming with flavors from the sweet potato, sweet dried cranberries, onions, the seeds, rosemary, and the dressing of course!

I've also taken some time for personal reading before the semester gets busy!

And Matilda is a smart pup peering over my shoulder.

I think I'm also fascinated by hemp protein's green color!

I think it looks so cool with different berries like blueberries and strawberries, then contrast it with something white like coconut milk. Yeah, this is my thinking process sometimes when I put meals together.

First day of my last year in college, looking like I came straight out of the 70's.

As Conan O'brien would say, "keep cool my babies."

It’s Friday–enjoy!

And don’t forget about your chance at winning some Kroeger Herb goodies!

1. Go to their site and comment on this post telling me something you learned.

Additional entries (don’t forget to comment on this post telling me you did these things):

2. Sign up for their newsletter.

3. Follow them on Facebook.

4. Follow them on Twitter.

Make sure to get your entries in by today, Friday, August 27. Best of luck everyone!

Hope You Had Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Part II

Hold on to your seats ladies and gentlemen we’re blasting back a little bit further into the past!

Granola girl is back!

I had this bowl of Udi’s Au Naturel granola with the apple grahams Holly sent me, spiced applesauce, Sunland’s caramel peanut butter, and vanilla yogurt. This granola is really good if you want to keep it simple or basically, it would go well with anything! The Au Naturel flavor is basically a wildflower honey sweetened granola.

Looks like I couldn't help but take a bite of the tortilla before I took the picture!

I just stuffed it with black beans, peach salsa, sour cream, nutritional yeast, and cilantro.

Whoa mama!

I hadn’t had banana soft-serve in forever! Size does matter when it comes to this – the bigger the banana the better (you get more)!! My toppings: coconut milk, Artisana Cacao Bliss, and Bekah’s scented almonds. YUM to the 10th degree!!! I’m talking love in exponential amounts.

Have any of you guys ever taken or heard of Zumba? Well this is a dance class I go to whenever I’m down in Florida. My mother and I love to dance and all of those classes have so much energy and happiness from everyone that you can’t help but have fun. There are even some professional ballroom dancers that attend the class. Everyone in that class just lets loose and gets down. For real!

With some friends from the old dance academy.

And with Wilson, one of our old instructors!

We also did the hora!!!

The dance instructor was touched by the students' card and gift to her.

Santa Claus came!

There was never a boring moment in that class!

After the dance class my best friend came over and Matilda got some presents! But I guess she really liked the necklace I got.

I went to go meet up with a friend for coffee.

Keeping it natural.

I tried Udi’s Muesli that morning – muesli is one of my mom’s favorite breakfasts. This was a really good muesli!!! There were lots of dried fruits – which I find to be lacking in a lot of pre-packaged cereals.

Agave-Lime Grilled Tofu with Asian Slaw and Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Another recipe from ‘The Conscious Cook’. The best mashed sweet potatoes ever!!! You mash it with a cashew cream, butter, and chipotle pepper. Everything in this dish was incredible and complimentary to each other. I love when a meal touches so many different kinds of flavors. This took my taste buds on a delicious ride.

Pistachios

My dad came home form the store with a container of pistachios! I love these nuts, especially with dried cranberries and golden raisins. I really want to make a pistachio butter. Has anyone tried pistachio butter? Do you like it?

And I FINALLY wore the shorts my mom got me on her trip to Germany.

They gave me two coffees but I had only ordered one! Maybe I should've played the lottery that day.

I've known her since I started middle school!

Later on we went to Target and they had me try on the new Rodarte dresses. I didn’t know Target had such cute things!!!

My friend up at school sent me a little box of treasures!

And the ring lights up!!!

Tempeh Creole

Dinner that night was something special. I made another recipe from ‘The Conscious Cook’. I love the variety of flavors this book has. I usually stick to using the same spices and seasoning when I cook, but this was different from what I usually use. I served it over some brown basmati rice and with a colorful pepper medley on the side.

Breakfast is a calling!

Looks like I had English muffins for breakfast that morning. One slice with butter and the other with pumpkin butter. I also tried the egg nog flavored yogurt with a lot of cinnamon sprinkled on top. Does that count as “sprinkled” still? It looks like it was actually doused! I also had apple slices with caramel peanut butter = delicious.

Yummy snack

I know some of you are always keeping your eyes out for new snack ideas. Well I found one that is not messy and perfect for when you’re on the go! Not to mention it tastes really good. I tried Udi’s granola nuggets! Let me quote them , “Snack-perfect granola chunks made with honey, oats, and lots of nuts.” They contain almonds, cashews, and sunflower seeds. I tried the little nuggets with Wallaby’s Downunder Mango Tangerine flavor.

And now we’re going to blast somewhere else into time.

Personally, I like raw collard greens better than cooked.

I tried cooking them the other day but I wasn’t too keen on the flavor. Anyway, these collard greens made for perfect wraps for the leftover Moroccan stew. There wasn’t much liquid left so I didn’t have to worry about stuff spilling out. I also had some Mestemacher bread with mashed avocado, tomato slices, and horseradish sauce.

Check it out!

Look at what my mom made!

We had to use up a bunch of veggies that we had in the fridge so this was a mish-mosh of things! She even cooked daikon radish! I’m not sure what she put in here exactly but I’ll tell you what I do know – besides that it tasted delicious – cauliflower, yellow squash, daikon radish, mushrooms, yellow onion, turmeric, fenugreek, coconut milk, and other things!

Another nighttime snack

A bowl of fruits with coconut milk is something I’ve been eating daily while in Florida. That night I remembered that I still had some Fig Newmans! I love the chewiness of these fig cookies.

So that was the time traveling adventure! Now that we’re all back up to speed, I have a story to share with you all. This was shared with me over Christmas dinner and I thought it was inspirational. They told me about a writer who was diagnosed with cancer but wasn’t going to give up without a fight. So what did they decide to do? They had heard of “laughing clubs” in India and other countries, so they got their wife to go to the library and find a bunch of comedies. Everyday the two would wake up and watch a funny movie. Eventually he was able to cure his cancer with laughter. So never underestimate the power of bursting out in an uncontainable laughter or even just a giggle will do. What’s a miracle you’ve had in your life?

It’s a State of Mind

It’s been far too long since my vivacious mother has graced the pages of my blog! When I think of my mom I think of what someone who has a passion for life. She has this youthfulness about her and I believe it can be a state of mind. How you carry and perceive yourself really reflects a lot on how people see you. This brings me to my number one fashion tip: wear it with confidence! When you’ve finally decided what outfit you want to wear, or if you just threw something on, don’t forget to walk out your door with a good amount of self-esteem and work it!

First off I started my Thanksgiving day with some homemade granola!

I used the soybean pulp, coconut oil, honey, shredded coconut, and vanilla extract

Granola + vanilla Greek yogurt/pumpkin puree + raisins

After straightening the apartment up and running some errands, I picked up my mother at the airport and gave her a tour of the place. It didn’t take too long though since it’s quite small. She came bearing gifts from her recent trip to Germany!

German goodies!

Neela definitely understands that Germans have mastered the art of baking bread and Kuchen! Oh and making chocolate too!

Choco Gummibaerchen

Then we started cooking up a storm for our Thanksgiving dinner.

Mom also helped!

Then we set my coffee table and sat on pillows.

Looking cute!

Shall we eat?

This was on the menu:

First time trying Swiss chard!

Swiss chard with toasted pine nuts and raisins

Indian-spiced Kabocha mash

Stollen my mom brought back from her trip to Germany

Sage and pumpkin seed encrusted "chick'n" with cranberry cabernet sauce

I used Gardein scallopinis for the “chick’n”. I also baked some maple cornbread and mushroom gravy.

All together and what have you got?

Afterwards we went on a walk with Matilda.

Then we watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s. I had never seen that movie, and now I see why so many people love it!

Next morning, mom and daughter breakfast

My mom had some of the gourmet cashew toffee Holly sent me, a Fig Newman, banana, toast with sunflower seed butter (her first time trying it), and an arepa con choclo. Her and I actually split the delicious arepa. For myself I tried the chocolate Heart Thrive over some vanilla Greek yogurt, cashew butter, some Newman’s Own Organic dark chocolate, and a sliced banana. I think the Heart Thrives are getting better and better with each new flavor I try. I heated this one up and I loved the melted chocolate. This one in particular tastes like a cookie. Can you guess which kind? Then we got ready for some shopping!

Dressing room photoshoots - commence!

I tried on this incredible black dress!

So awesome!

Since I’m going to Art Basel this coming weekend, I need to come up with an extravagant outfit!

I'm thinking something along the lines of what I wore to my "End of the World" party.

Also tried on an incredible top.

A dress like in Breakfast at Tiffany's!

My mom likes playing with my camera!

Matilda went shopping with us too!

We were being goofy in the store!

On to the next store – my favorite!

Of course Anthropologie has adorable ceramic egg trays! (far right)

Now it's Mom's turn to model!

I think she wanted to go to the dog bakery!

She makes me smile

Now both of us!

Awesome overalls!

A shame they were too small.

A gypsy shawl!

Then we went to Sur la Table

The cooking class that day was entirely based around chocolate. Katie, I thought of you!

Minus my feet being cut-off, my mom took a cool picture!

We were done shopping and decided to head home for some lunch. Well the day before my mom flew in I had decided to bake something for us.

The ingredients!

I used French Meadow Bakery’s gluten-free pizza crust! Pizza 1: basil pesto pizza sauce, goat cheese, caramelized onions (in brown sugar), portobello, roasted eggplant. Pizza 2: basil pesto pizza sauce, goat cheese, caramelized onions (in brown sugar), portobello, roasted red pepper and artichokes.

Pizza No. 1

I must say that I was surprised at how normal the crust tasted. In fact, it didn’t occur to me till later that, “Oh yeah! This is gluten-free crust. Wow!” After lunch we were headed out again and I had forgotten something so I went back. Then I realized I had locked us out of the apartment and my roommate was out of town. Oops! Thank goodness through some guardian angels were watching out for me and my neighbors walked into the building at the right moment. They had a way of getting me into my apartment. Imagine poor Matilda waiting for us!

Dinnertime!

We each had Sunshine Burgers topped with diced tomato, seasoned avocado, and ketchup. I also sauteed some kale in balsamic vinegar and honey + grated parmesan. Lastly, we split a beautiful persimmon! I asked my mom what she thought of the Sunshine Burger. Her response: “DELICIOUS!” After dinner we got ready to go to the movies.

And I packed some movie snacks for us.

We went to go see Julie & Julia.

The movie made me smile so much because I totally feel the same way!

The movie theater itself is so beautiful!

After the movie we wanted to go get some drinks.

We went to this French brasserie called Can Can

My friend was working so she took some pictures of me and my mom.

They brought out the bread - They ended up giving us a free baguette and another loaf!

A toast to us!

With a blackberry Bellini for me and an Indian Summer for my mom.

We also ordered a dessert.

A sweet potato tart with ginger creme anglaise and cranberry ice cream.

After a couple of hours of talking we headed home and laid our little heads to rest.

You are all so sweet and I’m incredibly thankful for each and every single one of you. I can’t remember exactly what sparked me to start a blog, but whatever that reason is – it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that it brought me here, with a bunch of wonderful friends. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are enjoying all the delicious leftovers. Cooking shouldn’t be a problem for the next few days!

Inspired Eats

Hello hello there! I am so happy to say that these past few days have been awesome. I think it’s the whole mentality I’m trying to maintain to get me through the winter.  It was actually the title for a recent post of mine, “life is what you make of it.” The winter doesn’t have to suck the life out of me (okay I’m being dramatic here), but instead I focus on what I’m doing now and all the positives of this holiday season. And all your answers really stuck with me and reminded me of so many things I have to smile about. Don’t we all?

Here are few of my reasons, inspired by some of you, in the past couple of days.

A different version of frozen yogurt

I took a container of So Delicious coconut milk yogurt and stuck it in the freezer.

Two cookies for good measure!

The night I received the package I had a couple of Holly’s homemade vegan pumpkin molasses cookies. Wow! These were so good, I’m glad she shared her recipe.

Inspired by two very special ladies.

The other day I saw that Maya and Eliza had each made a bowl of gingerbread-inspired oats. Do I need to explain? This is why I love breakfast. When I’ve had a delicious breakfast then I know it’s going to be a good day.

On my day off from classes I felt like dressing-up.

One of my favorite scarves - it makes me feel like Mozart.

And a skirt I should wear more often.

Along with some dark grey tights and red Mary Janes flats.

I had recently gotten a ton of basil.

So I decided to make a pesto. Rather than using raw pine nuts I toasted them first and it really made a difference in the flavor.

Afternoon snack

These are the Apple Grahams that came in the package Holly sent me. I’ve tried them plain, with the medley jam she also sent me, pumpkin butter, dipped in Sugar Cookie tea, and pumpkin spice soymilk. I have yet to crumble them on a nice warm bowl of oatmeal.

Almost forgot about lunch!

For lunch I tried another Gardein product. This time it was the chick’n scallopini. I really liked how they lightly-seasoned these, and they were also a really nice size. There are some vegetarian products out there that give such small portions and that can be frustrating. I decided to cook up the rest of cauliflower and chick’n scallopini in a Sweet Pepper and Coconut cooking sauce. Served with Nishiki rice. So good that even my little Moofia toy wanted some.

I recently picked up a new item at the grocery store.

What could it be? A rutabaga! I’m pretty sure I’ve never tried one before. My darling darling, Brooke, said this was one veggie I needed to try. She recommended to try them with cranberries, so of course I listened! I roasted the rutabaga and an apple with sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. I also had a Tofurky Kielbasa decorated with ketchup, beer-brewed mustard, and a bit of sweet relish. Yum! I definitely was looking up more rutabaga recipes after this.

This was a special bowl of oatmeal...

In Brooke’s survey one of the questions was, “bowl of hot cereal you have been wanting to try.” And I answered a banana rum cake-inspired oatmeal. Lynn thought it sounded good too, so I decided to make it! I made my way to the liquor store and got a miniature bottle of Captain Morgan’s spiced rum. I did not prepare my oatmeal as I usually do because I additionally cooked it with a couple spoonfuls of spiced rum and a bruleed banana. I topped it with a sliced banana, some pecans, New Morning Honey Grahams, and a ZenSoy banana pudding cup.

I even mixed spiced rum in the banana pudding!

I wanted to be drunk for my Taoism class! Kidding of course!

I hadn't worn this blazer in ages!

Lunch was surprisingly yummy.

I wanted to try out something different for the wee bit of kale I had left. It was just enough to help make this sandwich (I just boiled it). I assembled the sandwich with French Meadow Bakery’s gluten-free sandwich bread, cashew butter, kale, and pumpkin butter. This was a new combination I thought of and wanted to try out; I think some onion jam would’ve definitely sealed the deal, but this was delicious as well. I had some of the leftover hummus from Brittany’s sandwich recipe – perfect for the broccoli!

Bright and early on a Saturday!

Since I have to wake up really early on a Saturday morning (and I hadn’t gotten home on Friday till 4:30 am), I just want as much sleep as I can get. So when I woke up I quickly put my breakfast together. I tried another 18 Rabbits flavor that was sent to me; that morning I decided to try the “Nibble a Sultana” bar. I had it with a container of vanilla Greek yogurt, a diced apple, and cinnamon. I’ve seen sultanas baked with apples in little tarts. This bar didn’t have that same perfect granola-y flavor the other one had. It was okay, but I probably wouldn’t buy it for myself.

Carrots and rutabaga mash + sandwich

With the rest of my rutabaga I followed Brooke’s advice again and made a mash out of it! I stumbled upon this recipe and I knew it would be nothing short of delicious. However, I ended up sprinkling on some pumpkin pie spice and mixed some coconut oil in as well. This had me licking my bowl clean. The sandwich was inspired by a local coffee-shop item on their menu. It had my homemade basil pesto, Gardein chick’n scallopini, roasted red peppers, and goat cheese. Wow! Do any of you ever recreate restaurant recipes?

I just had to!

After going on a long walk excursion with a friend I came home to work on my project.

And I got kind of side-tracked...

Okay, really side-tracked!

Then I finally got back to work.

Then, next thing you know dinnertime rolled around! I had become so focused that I had totally lost track of time.

Yin and Yang

I made sweet and sour lentils and had it with leftover Nishiki rice and coconut oil.

Korean-Russian Carrot Salad

I’ve had this recipe saved for a really long time and totally forgot about it! This tasted very different from what I usually eat, sweet and spicy, but it was a very pleasant change.

Later that night I ended up going to some of my friends’ art exhibit and met up with another friend. Afterwards we went to a birthday celebration and eventually I came back home and I woke up with two thoughts on my mind. “I have on last night’s makeup” and “April’s pumpkin French toast sticks.”

An example of a perfectly delicious Sunday breakfast.

April’s recipe also calls for a peanut butter frosting. I changed it around a bit and made it vegan by omitting the eggs, and used Pumpkin Spice soymilk (highly recommended!!!) and a thickening agent. I used two thick slices of Rudi’s 100% Whole Wheat bread. The toppings include: diced apple, more pumpkin pie spice, and some Apple & Maple syrup. This breakfast was such a great way to start a beautiful day.

Well now I’m off to enjoy the sun and walk to the Farmer’s Market with Matilda. I hope you all had a relaxing and fun weekend! I’ll leave you all with a clip from a new hit TV series aka a video recording I made:

Original Video – More videos at TinyPic

Much love!