Taking It In

Hey everyone! Sorry for pulling my disappearing act on you guys without a heads up, but as we all know sometimes life just sweeps you up off your feet and you just have to go for the ride. So I’m taking this moment to say hello!

Hello!

Awhile ago I was going through a “roasted beets and grilled goat cheese sandwich” phase. That’s pretty specific isn’t it? Goat cheese and beets are typically paired together so why not sandwich the wonderful duo in between two slices of bread?

I’ve also been enjoying red lentil curries.

Can you spy the curry leaf? Mix in some basmati rice and you’ve got yourself a tasty meal.

Enjoyed the last of this jar of tahini.

I don’t think I’ll find a jar of this discounted at $1.99 anytime soon. But that’s okay because…

Welcome to Buttermilk Pancake Mountain!

Home of the world’s fluffiest pancakes.

Enjoy it the old fashion way, stacked high with maple syrup and butter.

Mmm yes… maple syrup.

Baking powder is the trick to getting them so fluffy.

Half and half

I love options!

I had medjool dates on hand and there were two recipes I had in mind. Averie’s No-Bake Oatmeal Raisin Carrot Cake Bites and Almond, Date, and Coconut Energy Balls. Before I even looked at the ingredients I bookmarked Averie’s recipe, and they were incredibly delicious! Probably one of my favorite high-raw recipes I’ve made so far. The energy balls were sweet and salty with a nutty undertone that I absolutely loved. I’ve been using that recipe, but making small changes like using cashews/pecans instead of almonds. Making small treats like this are really convenient for any kind of lifestyle, especially if you’re busy, and they’re just my taste.

Recently, I completed something ambitious and that my heart really wanted to do. A lot of people helped make it possible so I wanted to give thanks in one of my favorite ways–food!

Rolled in shredded coconut the coconut-date balls also make great little gifts.

Or thank someone special with Gratitude Granola.

Wonderful clusters

Gratitude Granola (adapted from Jeaneatte Orda’s Everyday Granola recipe)

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup rolled oats

1 3/4 cup corn flakes, crushed

1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup flax seed
3 tbl ground flax seed
1 cup dried shredded coconut
1 cup combination of walnuts, almonds, and cashews, roughly chopped
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 tbl cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
pinch nutmeg
1/2 tsp of sea salt
1/4 cup almond or coconut oil
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl stir the in the oil, applesauce, brown sugar, honey, and vanilla together. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, stirring well.

2. Lay the mixture out on a baking sheet, and put in the oven for 15-20 minutes, occasionally stirring it. Once it’s done let it cool and store in a container.

 

The honorable duty of taste-tester before you gift it to someone.

Seal of approval

The ambitious project involved driving out to the mountains…

To this retreat center…

Setting up at 5 in the morning with enthusiastic friends…

Running around to solve technical difficulties.

And finally it worked!

Whenever spring comes around I always think of Chip even more. Chip was my boyfriend during my last year of high school, but he was taken from this world in a very violent way. Since we never actually broke up so it felt really weird at first. He was a very special person and I don’t think I’ll ever meet anyone like him, but that’s okay. He ended up inspiring kindness and innocence in many who never got the chance to meet him, so I guess when he was once told that he’d be a great teacher… it was in a way that no one could ever imagine. The inspiration for this came from the idea of writing him a letter, but as a video instead. I believe in a higher power (although I’m not sure what it is) and that there is an afterlife, so the sky is a very meaningful thing to me. We were on top of a hill in the mountains and it felt like you were on top of the world. There was a white “screen”/sheet that I made so it was like the ceiling of an open tent. As the sun rose the projected video faded and the letter was sent. Chip helped me believe in some kind of heaven, and the goodness that’s deep, deep in our souls.

I think he got my message.

When was the last time you felt most alive?

Hope You Had Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Hello hello everyone! I hope you haven’t forgotten about me. I am going to have to catch you all up on things – and I have some major catching up to do for myself. I want to know what everyone has been up to! To get you guys back up to speed I decided to do things a little differently. I’m going to go backwards with two part post. This means we’ll be time traveling! If only I could time travel back to when women wore beautiful decorative hats! And then I’d go further back to BC times and listen to Plato speak.

So let’s begin! I’m going to start off with the day after Christmas!

Warm spiced vanilla oatmeal with banana, coconut oil, Cacao Bliss, and a crumbled gingersnap.

Then we got ready to meet up with some old family friends. I’ve known them since my family moved to America and I haven’t seen them in years! We decided to meet up at this Latin grocery store that’s the size of a regular supermarket. Usually, specialty stores are very small – so this was quite a treat.

They had a cafeteria-style eating area.

A machine that makes freshly-squeezed orange juice. It reminds me of the 70's.

I've never seen an arepa de choclo look like this, but it was delicious nonetheless!

Hi everybody!

Leche (milk) de moras (raspberries) and a HUGE tamal!

Afterwards we went and did some shopping. Surprisingly the mall wasn’t too crazy.

Big ornaments

A winter wonderland.

Oh my, I had to stop myself that day. We walked into a store and I was trying something on and then I turned around to my mom and said “I’m done.” I figured since me and some friends wanted to go on the hunt for some New Years Eve stuff, I should not go crazy all in one day. Save some for later! I feel my style is in the midst of another evolution. Although I always have my underlying style motto: keep it classy. But I will show you guys some things I got.

I feel like a horseback-riding, biker, crime-fighting woman of the future in these pants. And yes, I wore them out later that night.

Sequins shorts!

I seriously think I have had this extra surge of confidence go through me. I feel like being more daring. When I browse through fashion magazines I find myself “oo-ing” and “aah-ing” at all these wonderful clothes – so why shouldn’t I be able to pull it off? Besides, life is too short to be worrying about if something is too “crazy” to wear. Of course, if you don’t feel like it’s you then don’t do it. Everyone has their own style, so embrace it!

I remembered that I never showed you guys the black shoes!

Whoops! How did these little hermits and strawberries find their way here? Who am I kidding, these guests are welcome anytime!

I also got a rock star faux-fur vest.

And my best friend was rockin' it too!

Too cute to handle!

Before I forget! Matilda got a new do the other day.

And she's going to be stylin' in a super cute vest as well! Like mother like daughter.

I love this picture!

She came over and we got ready for a night out on the town. We decided to go to a place we haven’t been to yet. It was funny because when we got there we thought the lounge was very trendy and cool – a bit too dark – but we were wondering why the music wasn’t pumping. The music was good but not really heart-thumping and energizing. They did however end up playing some happy-go-lucky Beatles and James Brown tunes. So we did our thing. Then as we were leaving my friend saw there was an upstairs. Naturally, we went to go check it out. This was where the party was at!!! So we stayed for a while longer and danced our hearts out.

Random picture of the place outside.

So now let’s rewind one day and go back to CHRISTMAS! This is how it started out…

Snowmen bowls!

From a very dear friend!

This is why I love the holiday season!

My favorite ginger!

Gorgeous Brooke sent me a wonderful Christmas card and a glamorous wintery picture!

I made my dad a brochure of things around south Florida I think he'd be interested in doing + a bowl of Key Lime (R)Ice Cream.

Somethings he enjoys... opera, bike riding, spirituality, and healthy living.

Spiced pumpkin oats, a gingersnap, maple syrup, coconut oil, sprinkles, and macadamia-cashew butter for two eyes and a mouth.

Mmm butter stollen!

And Archer Farms' bread pudding yogurt!

I made my mom some macadamia-cashew butter since she can't eat solid nuts anymore.

Another recipe from The Accidental Vegetarian - Grilled Eggplant with Nuoc Cham.

We were invited to a Christmas dinner so here are some prep pictures!

Make the crust...

Macadamias, walnuts, coconut-rolled dates, maple syrup, and cocoa powder = gluten-free and vegan crust! It’s practically raw too.

The cake part...

Tofu, coconut cream, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and some very ripe bananas.

Now into the oven it goes!

My dad looks like he's up to something.

Moroccan Stew

I followed the recipe that the lovely Lauren sent to me. Thanks so much girl! This recipe was a winner and I’m so glad I had leftovers. Actually, I just finished the last bit that was left. All the spices, veggies, and chickpeas cooking together for hours just made it out of this world. On top I garnished it with the “scented” almonds Bekah sent and cilantro. Mouth-watering.

They made pop-overs as well and had teenie roasted potatoes!

Look at what found its way on to my plate and I wasn't even looking for it!

This was such a cute little happy surprise. April! It’s a teeny purple potato!

Then it was time for coffee and dessert!

Happy with homemade tres leches complete with whipped cream and a cherry on top!

There was also a postre de nata which is basically a cream dessert. All these Colombian desserts! Where is the one I made?

A vegan banana coconut cheesecake with chocolate macadamia crust

Wow! That’s a mouthful (a delicious one). Here’s the recipe for the cake. Although I would make a suggestion: use a bit less banana and up the vanilla extract. Everyone loved how fresh tasting this cake was. And the crust… the crust was to die for!

Some of them were fellow vegetarians!

They shared stories of the different parts of the world they’ve been in and the various interesting people they’ve come across. They were so intriguing themselves. You can literally see their inner-glow in this picture! This was such a fabulous Christmas dinner. There was great food, wonderful company, and new friends.

More wonderful family friends!

Mom and I!

Passing a childhood book on to a new family.

This was such a reminder of what Christmas means to me. The whole day I was constantly reminded of how precious our lives are and the ones who are in it do care. And it’s so wonderful to feel that.

‘Twas the night before Christmas…

My dad walked into the house and told me I had a package!

It was from Maya!!! Look at the gingerbread people doing yoga poses! This was such a sweet package and not just because of the goodies. Maya, your words mean so much to me. Seriously, if you don’t now this young lady – you should. She’s one of my role models.

A yummy package from Maya! Jam thumbprint cookies, homemade marshmallows, pumpkin seed brittle, and world peace cookies!!

Homemade marshmallows - I'm never going back! You hear that Jet-Puffed?

So that is all for right now. Next post will be a blast further back into the past!

I hope each and everyone one of you have been able to spend the holiday season with dear ones and warming up with their love.

Busy as a Bee

Hello everyone! This week turned out to be a good week to not have a computer aka distraction. I have spent the past few days literally being on the go from the moment I wake up till I pass out at night reading my books for school. However, there were some quick breaks where I could quickly read some posts on my iPhone. I always feel weird using my iPhone for internet purposes though… it’s a tiny computer!

Anyway, moving on.

Busy Tuesdays!

Last week I received a package from 18 Rabbits for me to review their granola bars. Perfect for my Tuesdays because I don’t have time to make breakfast. I didn’t realize how red everything was! So let’s get to the review shall we? This is how a granola bar is suppose to taste. It seemed there was no skimping on anything when making this bar, and it was just sweet enough. I tried the Cheeky Cherry Chocolate bar. I loved the plump dried cherries, but I couldn’t really taste the chocolate. Nonetheless, this was the best granola bar I’ve had in maybe ever? I could easily crumble this over some yogurt and enjoy every bite.

Then I got dressed and excited about my outfit!

You ever have those days where your outfit is just perfect and you want to run a billion errands because the world needs to know how cool you are? I wore these shoes I found, they’re actually Timberland boys’ shoes. So they’re not as clunky as the popular ones.

They look a bit like these except more muted.

Then I had a two hour break in between my class and got some groceries. Sometimes I go to the salad bar when I want produce but not too much of it. Afterall, I’m only grocery shopping for one.

Feta cheese, roasted red peppers, and artichoke hearts.

I had to gather materials for my sculpture, and that involved looking for big branches. I knew the perfect place.

The great outdoors.

I thought I'd share some of my coolness with Matilda.

She's so elegant!

My baby is growing up.

I brought a little snack with me.

I’m sure you’ve all heard of the vegan energy bars, Heart Thrive. I had packed the apricot flavor and I was eager to try it! Especially after hearing all the rave reviews. What’d I think? I loved the texture and how it wasn’t sticky at all, but it was a bit dry. It was also nice to bite into bits of dried fruit which made it extra chewy. Oh and if you guys are interested in ordering them don’t forget to mention my blog! I can’t wait to try the other flavors.

Since they're vegan I felt safe sharing some with Matilda.

Dinner time!

I sautéed the rest of my kale in sesame oil and sprinkled on some toasted sesame seeds afterwards. I’m loving the sautéed kale! I also made an award-winning sandwich that night. A Veggie Stuffed Hummus Sandwich; This is Brittany’s, a fellow Richmond blogger and sweetheart, creation. This is the recipe that got her spot in the last Foodbuzz Festival in San Francisco!

And I got to taste why it was a winner!

Wednesday's breakfast...

I made a vanilla protein shake and sprinkled some cinnamon on top. I also added in a sliced banana and an apricot Heart Thrive. I decided to spread some coconut oil on the Heart Thrive this time and it made it deliciously moist.

A little something special. I decided to wear a vintage brooch that day.

I met up with one of my best friends for lunch that day.

I’d been at the European Market once to eat, and many time to just browse their gourmet market. I’m going to give you all a link to their menu because I have a feeling you will be inspired by their sandwiches. Here you go! Yeah they’ve got sandwiches with combinations like turkey, apple, fig jam & Teleggio cheese with aioli on baguette (can easily be adapted for vegetarians).

Check out the chocolates!

Neela they have Milka und Kinderschokoladen! They also had Rittersport and Marzipan for my favorite twins. I know Katie would love this too! Actually, who wouldn’t? Germans make the best chocolate in my opinion.

They also have many wines and beers.

She also had a cute little vintage strawberry brooch!

I ordered the Spanish Garden Sandwich and a house salad.

The sandwich had zucchini, eggplant, tomato, fresh basil, greens & idiazabal cheese on ciabatta. I never had idiazabal cheese before but it reminded me of manchego and the man at the market said it comes from the same area.

And she ordered the Arc de Triumph with a side of Butternut Squash & Apple Curry.

That sandwich consisted of roasted turkey, brie & bacon on baguette with aioli. I’m glad she’s one of my best friends because I did not hesitate to ask if I could try the curry. Yum!!! What a great lunch to have before I headed to my Literature class.

Then my day got even better!

The incredible Holly sent me a package full of Wisconsin goodness! She also wrote me an incredibly sweet letter. Thank you so much Holly. You have no idea how excited I was when I saw this package sitting in all it’s glory on my kitchen counter… just waiting for me! The goods? Apple grahams, a medley jam, cashew Christmas gourmet toffee, and homemade vegan pumpkin molasses cookies. This little lady rules!

Oo a new bar to try out.

Someone at ProBar had contacted me asking if I wanted to try out their new line of bars called Fruition. Of course! I love ProBars, so why not? Can you believe each bar packs in 2 servings of fruit? Here’s a little more info on the bars from their site.

“fruition™ is the latest addition to the PROBAR family. This fruit-based, superfood snack bar is designed to be satisfying on-the-go without the extra fat and calories. fruition is the marriage of dates, oats, chia seeds and cashews in 4 mouth-watering real fruit flavors. With superb fruit flavors, robust texture and blend of organic ingredients, fruition is Simply Real.”

So this was the Strawberry flavor. I really enjoyed the taste. It reminded me of a NutriGrain bar but not as dry and a bit denser in flavor.

Well ladies and gentlemen, that’s it for this post! I’ve got something fun in store for you all in the next one. Let’s just say there’s going to be a bit more life to it. I hope you all had a great week. Do any of you have anything planned for the weekend??