With Love

You know what I think is great? It seems that there are more and more conscientious people starting up businesses. With that, means that we actually have more choices. Choices that support whatever morals and values we may agree with. Something that I prioritize is being aware of how I, a person, may affect another person or anything else in the world.  How something I may be doing could either benefit something else or contribute towards a seemingly vicious cycle. I’d say the decisions I make for myself, for the most part, are ones that I feel at peace with; from how I treat myself and others, to not littering, to the food I eat. Whatever it is that you believe in, those beliefs are expressed and reflected in so many different ways. Yeah, I know it’s not up to no one person to save the world, but we can make it a more peaceful place. Awhile back I was sent some granolas by Love Grown Foods to sample and share. I am a lover of granolas, and there are few things that make a great recipe in my eyes. First, let me share with you what Love Grown Foods is all about: Here at LOVE GROWN FOODS, we take pride in the fact that all of our recipes are made with LOVE!

• Free of Refined Sugar
• Free of High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Free of Trans Fats
• Free of Hydrogenated Oils
• Free of Artificial Flavors
• Free of Preservatives
• Free of Gluten (my gluten-intolerant mom’s stamp of approval)
• Free of Genetically Modified Ingredients

“[…] we choose ingredients that are wholesome and nutritious.”

When I read what their intentions are behind the yummy things they make–well, it’s nice to know that some companies are started have real people with hearts behind them, and actually care about people’s well-being. And honestly, who purposely adds hydrogenated oils to their food when they’re making something in their own kitchen? Although some may do it accidentally when they cook with an oil at a higher temperature than its burning point. Anyway, let’s get to the real test because in the end I’m pretty simple… it’s taste that matters to me.

What’s a shake doing here?

A shake with cookie dough balls at that?

Ah yes we’ve found the golden… er chocolate nugget

That’s actually one of my criteria for what makes a good granola–chunks! And lots of them. This was the ‘Cocoa Goodness’ flavor, for all the chocolate lovers out there. On top of the oats being dusted in 100% cocoa powder, they also use 63% dark chocolate chips. Oh yeah. This granola would say “psh and so what” to anyone that laughs it off as hippie food.

It also passed the ‘lighter than a feather’ test.

Sidenote: that ‘shake’  was Angela’s recipe (highly recommended by moi) for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ‘Blizzard’.

Next up was the ‘Raisin Almond Crunch’.

Look at all of the almonds!

Comparatively speaking, this flavor wasn’t my favorite (doesn’t mean it’s bad) out of the three I was sent, but this granola gets an A+ for texture. I’ll give it a B+ for taste.

Sweet Cranberry Pecan

This was my favorite!

The granola all the kids hated because it always got extra credit in grade school: A++…+! Personifying these granolas makes for a more interesting review, don’t you think?

You’ve got taste, texture, and oh gosh… the pecans!

How can you go wrong? You can’t. When I first tried it, it was straight out of the bag and I almost ate the whole thing. Then I thought to myself “hey, save some for tomorrow!” Actually all of the granolas had me munching out of the bag. In fact, each one lasted me two or three days tops. I think by now you can tell what I think about Love Grown Foods’ granola. Take my word for it.

Gluten-free granolas lead me to other gluten-free recipes.

Flourless Coconut Pancakes (Gluten-Free)

Adapted from Alejandra

Serves 2

Ingredients

2  eggs

1/4 cup regular coconut milk*

2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

1 teaspoon coconut sugar (you can use another sweetener)

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, finely ground

Directions

1. Mix the eggs, coconut milk, coconut oil, coconut sugar, and salt in a bowl.

2. In another bowl, combine the baking powder and ground coconut.

3. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together. Make sure to mix well.

4. Heat a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat, then warm up a bit of coconut oil.

5. Spoon the batter onto a skillet. Only make a couple at a time so the pancakes don’t ooze into each other. Let cook until edges start to brown, then flip and let cook for a minute or so on the other side.

* I suggest using regular coconut milk to get a thicker pancake, but light was what I had on hand.

*You can grind the shredded coconut into a fine powder by placing it in a blender or food processor.

Coconut flour. Check.

Delicious pancakes. Check.

My mom’s happy belly. Triple check.

I especially made these for my mom, and she raved about them. I topped them with her favorite fruits, shredded coconut, and maple syrup. I tried only a small bite since eggs are hard for me to digest, but from what I tasted it was very yummy.

Place on your favorite plates and enjoy!

Do you guys like to cook special recipes for someone you care about?

Have you tried Love Grown Foods’ granola?

p.s. I know the reading blogs may be the last thing on some people’s minds right now, but I hope that everyone that is in the path of Hurricane Irene is safe. Mother Nature’s ways can sometimes be a force that puts us humans in a very different place at times. “Storms are one of nature’s ways of moving heat around, and high temperatures at the ocean surface tend to feed hurricanes and make them stronger.” [Source.] So if you may be affected try not to think about how this hurricane is ridiculous and ruining your plans, but rather focus on staying safe and hopefully you’ve got a comedian nearby to cheer you up.

p.s.s. I loved your responses to my post on skincare, and I want to talk about that in another post.

Following “Orders”

You know what I’ve noticed lately? I haven’t been posting about the foods that have tickled my sweet tooth. To be honest, for the most part they haven’t been worth mentioning from the usual “oats-in-a-jar” for morning classes, bowls of cereals, or date-balls. But there is one thing that is extra-special to me and makes me antsy whenever I run out, and that’s homemade granola! I munch on granola all day: with meals, between meals, before meals, after meals. You get the point. Most of the time I end up finishing a batch before I think to snap a picture.

Clumpy & Crisp Applesauce Granola

Clumpy and crisp are two things that I love about granola. I was perusing through Kickpleat’s blog, and as soon as I saw this recipe I clicked on it to see what it entailed. Hmm.. I could check off the entire ingredient list! That was a nod from the heavens to make it happen! However, I did make a few changes. Rather than using olive oil I used almond oil, used half oats/half cornflakes, and I also threw in some cashews to the nut mix.

Delicious and addictive

Much like these chewy coconut flapjacks.

What a fun name for these! If you are oat-obsessed like the title of the recipe’s post says, then these are for you. Well, if you love sweet, chewy, and sticky delicious things in general then these are for you too; they are also what the British call “flapjacks”. I know some of you may be thinking, “but those don’t look like pancakes.” That is correct. These are definitely not pancakes. No offense to them because I love those kinds of flapjacks too!

For serious oat lovers!

I snuck in some cornflakes to these as well. I swear ever since I tried the Bakery on Main granolas, I’ve been adding cornflakes even to recipes that sort-of resemble the tree-hugging snack. But who doesn’t want to eat tree-hugging snacks when they taste like baklava?! When my roommate pointed that out, my eyes lit up and suddenly I could taste it. She was right!

Don't believe me?

You need to make these as soon as possible, and try for yourself.

Now moving on to more sweet things, shall we?

I spy poppy seeds...

But not just poppy seeds! When I had spied Katie’s recipe for these Lil’ Lemon Muffins, off to the kitchen I went. These scrumptious little treats didn’t stick around for very long. With this warm weather it was nice to have something baked that tasted light and uplifting.

This was a recipe I had been seeing in a lot of posts recently.

Heather’s famous Cookie Dough Smoothie  recipe caught my eye because of two words: cookie and dough. I usually am not in the mood for smoothies for breakfast unless I had a long night or if that just happens to float my boat that day. When I saw this recipe, my boat decided to come in the next day.

It was surprisingly filling for a smoothie...

but it didn’t quite taste like cookie dough to me. Maybe something was off in how I made it? I didn’t use coconut milk, but I mixed in some coconut shreds to try and make up for it. Oh well, who knows.

More cookies!

These were inspired by a lovely lady I mentioned earlier and a delicious cookie–samoas! I saw Katie’s recipe for Samoas Larabars and next thing I knew I was wiping drool off my chin. There’s only one Girl Scout cookie that I love and I think it’s pretty obvious which one it is. I pretty much followed her recipe, but I crushed up some Three Sisters Cereal Graham Crackerz and mixed it in with the batch after the other ingredients went in the food processor. So that was supposed to be the “cookie” part in a samoa.Then I rolled them in shredded coconut, and took a most delicious bite into one of these. Me oh my, my obsessions list just keeps getting longer!

And now, since I always eat my vegetables...

This was a very simple recipe that I threw together, wanting to use the newly purchased jar of herbes de provence.

Provençal Potato Salad

Ingredients

-1.5 lb. bag of assorted fingerling potatoes, diced

-2-2 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans

-cooking oil of choice

-1 yellow onion, sliced

-2 garlic cloves, minced

-10 oz. mushrooms, sliced

-1 zucchini squash, sliced

-2 tbl white cooking wine

-1-2 tsp herbes de provence

-sea salt and pepper, to taste

1. Boil the potatoes till tender, but make sure not to overcook them! The last thing we want are overcooked veggies… or overcooked anything for that matter.

2. Heat the pan, and then heat the oil. Cook the onions and garlic till the onions are translucent. Once they are cooked you can add the potatoes and cooking wine. Cook for about two minutes.

3. Add the sliced zucchini, and cook for a few minutes until the squash starts to get tender. That’s when you throw in the mushrooms, beans, and the herbes de provence. Let everything cook together for a couple more minutes–mushrooms don’t take that long to cook.

4. Now ask yourself how salty and peppery would you like your dish, and then enjoy!

Note: on second thought I decided to throw in some avocado and French green beans, and served it cold as a salad.

Much better.

Do you ever have that recipe in a cookbook that you keep meaning to try, and the page is permanently creased because you still haven’t gotten around to it?

Well, I finally made this one: chickpea and sweet potato curry.

My mom’s friend gave me William Sonoma’s vegetarian cookbook a couple years ago for my birthday, and I’ve slowly been checking off the recipes I wanted to try. This particular recipe always stuck out to me, but I never seemed to have all of the ingredients on hand. Okay so I have something to tell you. I love to cook, bake, follow recipes, make my own… the whole shebang! But I usually don’t go out of my way to get all the ingredients I need for a certain recipe. The recipes I gravitate towards are based off of things I already have, not things that I need to go out and buy. There is the rare occasion though when there’s a recipe that I’m just dying to make and I will go out and buy the 3 tubs of mascarpone for it! This may come to a surprise to some of you, but I’m actually a very practical person (who knows how to have fun). I like to keep things simple. I’m a one block of cheese at a time kind of person. Definitely not a hoarder, and I rarely have the impulse to buy something on a whim. However, when I do get something on a whim I don’t feel bad about it–hello balance! Anyway, I think that kind of practicality has led me to get creative with the things I do have on hand, or maybe that childlike sense of wonder just never left. What kinds of sandwiches can I make with this cheese? How can I prepare something in a new way? With a new flavor? In an unexpected cuisine? I do have a lot of ingredients on hand though, but they’re all things that I use–not to be left in the cupboards to collect dust. You’d find all sorts of spices, dried herbs, legumes, oils from almond to avocado to truffle, a 10 lb. bag of basmati, nuts, a 2 lb. tub of dates… those are just a few of my kitchen staples. Perhaps, I will do a post on my kitchen staples. I know Holly has expressed interest in that a few times.

My taste buds were happy that I finally had all of the ingredients on hand.

Speaking of new ways to eat things...a new way to eat red lentils!

I usually eat red lentils as a dhal, a soup, or curry. I’ve been wanting to venture out though so last week I made a hummus, and this week I prepared them as part of a salad… an Indian inspired Rice Red Lentil Salad. I don’t have peanuts so I used pistachios instead, and it turned out wonderfully! Refreshing, slightly sweet, full of flavor, and just what I’ve been in the mood for. When you make this recipe you can’t forget to make the dressing! That would be like yin with no yang, which is impossible.

I know I always share recipes with you all, but this one is an order!

Come to think of it, this post is full of “orders”. I’ve been quite the queen when it comes to cooking up delicious recipes and coming up with some of my own if I do say so myself. I hope you’ve all enjoyed feasting with your eyes, and will soon head to the kitchen to create something tasty to eat! Who knows… maybe you’ll follow one of my “orders”? Or maybe you have one that you’d love to share.

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?

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.

On the Topic of Food and Blogging

Hi everyone! Remember when I mentioned that I would be participating in Foodbuzz’s Project Food Blog challenge? Well, the time has arrived! The first challenge is to make a post about what defines me as a food blogger, and why I have what it takes to be the next food blog star.

Where to start? I’m a foodie because I find myself frequently mentioning how wonderful food can be throughout the day. Food is truly nourishing for the mind, body, and soul. I am a food blogger because I love sharing that same appreciation with people all around the world. Actually, because of blogging I’ve had the honor of having a friend’s mother’s secret baked ziti recipe passed down to me! As a food blogger I’m constantly being introduced to new ways of trying and preparing what I eat. Sometimes I’ll include a goofy step by step tutorial on how to enjoy some of the delicious things I’ve stumbled upon. Moreover, the artist inside of me flourishes when it comes to making magic in the kitchen. Looking back on my posts I can definitely see that I pay attention to the way things look. I firmly believe that we eat with our eyes first. When you go out to eat, doesn’t the meal just seem that much better when it’s presented well? I figure that I don’t have to go to a restaurant to feast on food that looks nice; I can do that myself! And you bet I’ll be taking a picture of it!

As far as having what it takes to be the next food blog star… I can try to express how my heart and eyes light up at the mention of this coveted title! Part of the reason I blog is because I care. Some readers have expressed to me that my blog has the ability to put them at ease or given them inspiration; these things alone remind me why blogging makes me happy. Each post is a piece of me, and when someone can sense my spirit through my words and pictures, well I’ve done my part. Also, since I am a conscious eater, I like to inform myself and others of observations, philosophies, and other useful information that I’ve found. I enjoy giving my readers “food for thought”, and vice versa. As people we learn something new everyday, right? Which brings me to another reason. I have this… illuminated curiosity that leads my taste buds to uncharted territories. Picture a young lady sitting at the table with countless ingredients out, taste-testing different flavor combinations. My journey with food has sparked some exciting culinary experiments, strange but delicious combinations, and recently using food to heal. No matter what though I never feel alone on my food adventures because I get to share them with you all!

Bagels for breakfast!

One half of the bagel was topped with tahini + honey, and the other had ghee + fig preserves. Both were sprinkled with cinnamon, naturally! May I also mention that these multi-grain bagels from Rudi’s Organic Bakery were so yummy? Okay, good because they were!

I also enjoyed some fresh figs and dates with Greek yogurt and cinnamon

More comfort food!

I made a spiced red lentil dhal, served over a sweet potato with ghee. On the side I stir-fried some red cabbage and yellow onions, then threw in some mango chutney and fresh thyme.

I also recently tried out a new-to-me Coconut Bliss flavor, Pineapple Coconut.

You can tell by my face that me and this pint are up to no good, mwahaha! Well, that is if being bad means not sharing. I still can’t get over how Coconut Bliss gets their dairy-free ice cream to be so creamy!

I made a granola the other day–inspired by two beauties.

After seeing Averie’s granola re-created in Kristie’s post, I felt compelled to finally make some! I haven’t made my own batch in awhile, and I had been craving granola for a couple of weeks. I knew that buying just any old granola wouldn’t satisfy me though. Does anyone else have that problem? It’s not that I’m a picky-eater, I just know what I want. And sometimes what I want cannot be found in stores. Anyway, on Averie’s recipe page I saw Bekah’s recipe for her Coconut Chia Granola. I actually had the pleasure of tasting this before, since this lovely lady sent me a delicious batch she made herself! Looking at the two recipes had my mouth watering, and I knew that I just had to combine them. Especially since I had just won a big of chia seeds from one of Averie’s amazing giveaways!

Best of Both Worlds Granola

3 cups old-fashioned oats

2/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/4 cup pumpkin seed butter, or nut butter of choice

1/4 cup almond oil

1/2 cup brown sugar, or preferred sweetener

1 tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon, to taste

2 tbl chia seeds

1. Melt the nut butter and brown sugar on the stove using a heavy-bottom pan. Turn the heat off.

2. Mix in the oil, coconut flakes, chia seeds, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Then add the oats.

3. Bake at 375 F for 25-30 minutes. I periodically tossed the granola around while it was baking to keep it from burning.

Check out the clusters!

I’ve been enjoying this plain, with yogurt, sprinkled over my oatmeal, and even almond milk. And on that delicious note…

Being in the kitchen can be fun!

Remember, voting opens at  6 AM Pacific Time, September 20th through 6 PM Pacific Time September 23rd. My profile can be found here! And don’t worry, I’ll definitely be reminding you all to vote hehe. It’ll be like leaving milk and cookies out for Santa to make sure I get some presents!

Magic in the Kitchen

Hello everybody! Yesterday was a pretty upsetting day for the German team and everyone rooting for them. I was sulking around for awhile, but I decided to bake and my friend came over–Sex and the City marathon! I don’t know what it is about the World Cup, but my heart goes into it. I’m going to be sad once the games are over. Every four years this tournament becomes a big part of my life, and I find that my conversations are about the games or somehow find their way to that topic. Moreover, I loved reading all of your answers on my last post about style. And thank you so much for the compliments! I can tell that one of those shirts is “my new favorite thing”. I also saw that many of you commented on how nice the pictures look. Well, one thing I’ve been taking more into consideration is lighting and composition. The third eye never closes! It’s funny though how these little changes are noticeable. Anyway, here’s some candy for your eyes!

Vanilla Macaroon Granola... you are so good to me!

When I was at the bulk bins the other day I went over the granola selection to see if I spied anything new and interesting. Then I saw the words “vanilla macaroon” and I nibbled on a bit to see if I approved. Yes, very much so! Oh! And those little raspberries came from our garden. It was so exciting to see that our plant was finally producing fruit.

Sleeping baby got a new bed.

This is something I definitely have to make again!

This was a spicy curried sweet potato and tofu dish. I sautéed some onions, then fried the baked sweet potato and tofu in coconut oil with some freshly ground spices and curry leaves. Next, I added the spicy coconut milk mixture I made and let everything absorb it. Towards the end was when I added the spinach till it wilted, salted to my liking, and sprinkled some toasted coconut shreds on top. Voila!

Something else orange in my life, recently!

When I was at the market the other day I spotted a kabocha! I haven’t seen one or had one in months. Maybe even since last year? Anyway, I was so excited that I practically hugged it in my arms instead of simply putting it in the my basket.

I wanted to make something special.

I was inspired by Amanda’s Pumpkin Chili Mexican Scramble recipe. I grinded up some spices often used to make garam masala (as far as flavor goes, grinding spices yourself is the best). I fried the spices first, then I sautéed the onions and garlic. After that I threw in the kabocha with some water and let that cook. Once I could stick a fork in the cubes and the water was absorbed, I threw in diced red and yellow bell peppers.

What could this be?

On the side I mixed together a “scramble” concoction with: tofu, garlic powder, onion powder, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, turmeric, and black beans. That mix went into the pan as well with some coconut oil. I had almost forgotten the two ingredients I definitely wanted to use for this dish–hickory smoke and vegan worcestershire sauce. The deal was pretty much sealed by then and I knew I was going to be serving a delicious Friday night dinner to my family.

Bon appetit!

For the finishing touches I threw in a diced tomato, cilantro, crumbled corn chips, avocado, and cottage cheese (you could use sour cream, but I didn’t have any on hand). Magic in the kitchen! And now for some more magic…

I used the banana bread recipe from the "Veganomicon" to make muffins instead.

I changed the recipe a bit by using coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, and using half rye flour and half whole wheat. I love the flavor coconut oil lends, and I wanted to see how baking muffins with it would turn out. Scrumptious, delicious, and it reminded me a bit of Lebkuchen because of the rye. I have some more recipes in mind using rye. They taste so yummy plain, with coconut oil, peanut butter, ghee, and…

Crumbled over my breakfast.

I’ve been putting chia seeds in my breakfasts every morning now, and I also got a new protein powder: Jay Robb’s vanilla rice protein. I just wish it weren’t so pricey! I tried a few to see which one I liked the most. I’ve come to realize that there’s no escaping the slight texture change that a lot of plant-based protein powders give. Also, notice the different colors? When you can’t choose, just choose them all! I went ahead with pumpkin seed butter, peanut butter, and Cacao Bliss to top the melting banana soft-serve.

I cant tell that these muffins will be frequenting my breakfasts.

Another batch of bars!

This time I used a variety of nuts: pistachios, cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts, and almonds. For the dried fruits I used banana chips, dates, and dried cranberries. Of course the usual coconut shreds went in the mix. I also added some honey. Other than that I kept the recipe the same pretty much since I liked how my second batch turned out. I plan on going to the store and getting some chocolate chips and who knows what else!

Oops these got a bit burned, but they taste good anyway.

Perfect for snacking on-the-go

My mom has been loving the weekly batches I’ve been baking.

The other day when me and my dad went shopping we stopped by the Lindt store.

It’s great because it’s basically like a buffet of chocolates. You can choose from all of their Lindor truffles and European specialities, then just pay by the weight. Not to mention they were having a sale going on–10 bars for $15! I chose their Tiramisu petits desserts, and the dark chocolate Mozartkugel. On the topic of sweetness, how about I leave you off with this one… tomorrow is Friday!!!

Greetings Earthlings

Oi! A lot has been going on for me since I last updated. Lots of it was stressful. First off, my apartment situation was totally up in the air, and it seemed like my potential room mates were impossible to contact. Does anyone find that lots of people avoid being straight forward if they’re the bearers of the words, “I can’t” or “no”? Honestly, I’d rather have a straight forward answer than none at all because instead you’re left waiting, and with certain things you just can’t do that. But you know what? I also realized that I have to watch out for myself, and if I did all I could to inform them of the situation then my ship could sail. Fortunately, eventually it all got straightened out and I have a place to live when I go back up to Virginia. I was so stressed out about this that I even forgot my pin code as I was checking out at the store–brain fart! Then I had my recent computer melt down. I’m glad to report that I have a new hard drive (more room than ever before hoorah)!

During these past couple of weeks I found myself repeating one of my mantras to my self, “rise above the stress.” Some times though it was really hard, and things got under my skin very easily. It’s funny because I was totally aware of my irritability and I didn’t like it, but at the time I couldn’t help it. I think it’s totally healthy to express an array of feelings be them happy, sad, frustrated, or simply content. My frustration to led to mini-outbursts which are quite humorous looking back on them now. It’s like when my mom gets so snappy and annoyed when she’s hungry–my dad and I have learned to not take it personally, and quickly find her something to munch on! Anyway, my point with this is that it’s okay to not be happy all the time. Whenever a friend of mine is crying, I let them cry and not because I like to see that, but because it’s good to just get it out. Jump for joy, sulk in disappointment, but whatever it is… acknowledge it. Then… let it go. Life keeps coming at you so remember to keep your eyes open, or you may miss something.

Ah, now that I got that out, how about we start with a bowl of pumpkin country spice granola.

With Greek yogurt, a diced apple, and medjool dates, please. Oh! And don’t forget the peanut butter!

Or toasted coconut flakes perhaps?

You never know what treasures you may find for sale on the side of the road…

Lychee grown in someone's backyard!

The vendor gave my dad some hope and advice, so now we're trying to grow a date tree!

You know what else happened recently that was exciting? Guess!

Getting warmer...

Here's a hint: a table for two and free champagne for the ladies till 8:30...

Look at who I got the pleasure of meeting!

Maya was in Miami for a few days for a conference, and I was so happy to get to meet another blogger! This was especially exciting because I’ve never had a blogger meet-up in Florida. Hellooo, are there any south Florida bloggers out there?

I picked up m’lady from her hotel and then we headed over to Coconut Grove–a perfect place for people watching. We decided to go to GreenStreet Cafe, and when we got there we knew we had to sit outside. Anywhere we want… really? Of course we decided to sit on these snazzy lounge seats they had.

Two mamacitas enjoying a perfect evening in Miami.

I ordered the "Fig Salad, Mixed Greens, Dried Figs, Tomatoes, Aged Cheese, Pita, Caramelized Pecans"

Maya ordered the vegetarian pizza with: Fresh Tomato Sauce, Broccoli, Eggplant, Mushroom, and Goat Cheese

We asked if they could substitute goat cheese instead of what was on the menu. The waitress happily customized the order for us–free of charge! Lots of places make you pay extra for something little like that. Naturally, we split our plates and both were oh so good! We agreed, however, that the fig salad was the star of the show. We couldn’t get enough! Maya and I talked for hours. No joke, we could’ve talked our heads off if we had more time.

Creepy looking boats

After our dinner we walked around Coconut Grove and ended up just wandering off to the residential area that brought us to another part of the world. It felt like a mix of Spain with the jungles of South America. We both swore we smelled paella as we were walking past a villa. At one point it started to drizzle, but it was so refreshing. Eventually, I had to take her back and we said our… see you laters! That’s one of the greatest things about meeting other bloggers… I never feel like I’m just meeting that person. Instead I feel like I’ve already known them for ages!

A hop and a skip over to my beloved German restaurant...

They opened early for the soccer game--that means breakfast!

And yes, beer was being served in the early hours of the day!

Deutschland had a victory!

I can’t wait to watch them play with Argentina on Sunday!

After the Germany vs. England game we headed over to a Colombian restaurant to watch Argentina vs. Mexico.

At first I was nervous about Argentina’s win over Mexico because they are such an amazing team, but you know what? Either way it will be a great match. Let’s just hope Germany wins though hehehe!

And I leave you with this...

I’m working on fine-tuning the recipe for these bars. I’ve already made a second batch and they are so much better than the first. I’m loving coming up with the different combinations, and figuring out what I need more or less of. I’m actually hoping to sell these, and I know my mom’s friends at her work are interested! What are some of your favorite combinations for bars and granola?

When Life Gives You…

Hey everybody! Thanks so much for the compliments on the blue… dress? I forgot to say that it’s actually a blouse haha, but that doesn’t really matter! But finding some matching bottoms does, and I’m on the hunt for some. Oh, and Matilda says thank you as well. She knows she’s a little cutie-patootie, but she never minds being reminded by others. Also, I found an unused notebook sitting around the house so I’ve already been compiling some things for my cookbook. I’ll definitely keep you posted on how it’s coming along!

A new grain for breakfast?

My mom recently came down with a stomach virus–uh oh–so she had to have things that were easier on the tummy for her. That’s when we realized we had a bag of Bob’s Red Mill 10-grain cereal. This is made with stone ground high protein hard red wheat, rye, triticale, oat bran, oats, corn, barley, soy beans, brown rice, millet, and flaxseed. I really liked it! The flavor that stood out to me the most was the corn. I thought about what fruits would go well with this. I opted for a sliced banana, and dried fruits like dates, golden raisins, and cranberries. Then I decided to put a big spoonful of my favorite crunchy peanut butter on top!

And what could this be?

The other day when perusing through Whole Food’s bulk bins I spotted Toffee Almond granola. Uh… what else is there to do besides fill a baggie up with it? Well, besides taste-testing it first, nothing! It is so so SO yummy, especially with Greek yogurt, sliced banana + dried dates, and chocolate almond butter. I also picked up another granola, but I’ll save that for another time!

Greetings!

Last weekend I went to a belly dancing party hosted by my mom’s friend.

Pulling out some moves I learned from belly dancing classes.

This furry little friend made lots of photo opts!

Doh! Too cute to be real!

She is one of my favorite people that I’ve met at our family friends’ house.

The wonderful hostess herself!

The decorations were awesome.

And some of the yummy food.

The princess woke up!

And we made a toast–laheim!

Oh hi!

Then the belly dancer came!

Only a few of us were filled in on the secret. And the people who weren’t in the know were definitely surprised!

In awe

And then the rest of us joined in.

Then the dancers took a break to pose for the camera hehe.

The party was so much fun, and themed parties are my favorite! My friends and I use to throw themed parties a lot when we were in high school. One party we never got to throw was one called the “Dream Team” party. Basically, we’d go as whoever we thought was the coolest person dead or alive. Maybe it should’ve been called “The Impossible Cool”.

The next day was Father’s Day I had something in mind.

I saw this as the perfect opportunity to give a shot at grilling. I have definitely eaten grilled things, but I’ve never been the one behind the heat. This was also a chance to try some goodies sent to me courtesy of Foodbuzz and Nature’s Pride. They sent me their new Premium Harvest line: country white bakery buns and deli rolls, and whole wheat bakery buns.

It was father-daughter bonding time.

Yum yum

The veggie spread…

Grilled eggplant with mango chutney, grilled key lime ginger glazed chayote, and the famous parsnip fries. Wow, the fries were delicious and everyone fell in love. We loved them so much that we actually asked “who gets the last one?”

“Okay okay.. I guess you can have it since it’s Father’s Day”

My plate

I made a batch of snobby joe lentils and grilled sun-dried tomatoes and onions to go with the country white deli rolls, and all of the veggies plus some goat cheese. I thought the deli rolls smelled sweet so I wanted to try them ASAP. They went on the grill as well, and they did not disappoint.

None of the meal disappointed!

And look! I picked a pocket-sized papaya the other day!

The tree has produced papayas of all shapes and sizes!

The country white bakery bun with a homemade backyard black bean burger.

I was intrigued by the use of cornmeal in this recipe, which turned out to be delicious. It was kind of freaky though how much this bean burger resembled an actual hamburger. Topped with avocado, baby spinach, and ketchup in a bun it was ready to be eaten! This Nature’s Pride bun wasn’t bad, but nothing really stood out about it. Since I didn’t want to waste these buns, I looked up different ways that I could make use of them and I got lots of results! There were suggestions like bread pudding and French toast. I opted for a very simple solution…

Enter the incredibly easy croutons!

You know what? I would buy these bakery buns just to make these croutons because they are addicting!

Leftover Bakery Bun Croutons

-Three bakery buns

-6 Tbl Olive oil

-1/2 tsp sea salt

-1/2 tsp dried oregano

-1/2 tsp garlic powder

-1/2 tsp onion powder

-1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 F.

2. Take the three bakery buns and slice them into cubes.

3. Mix the olive oil with the seasonings. Then toss the bread cubes in the mix, making sure they’re coated.

4. Put into the oven for 15 minutes, turning them over half way through.

Then just see how long these croutons will last before they disappear. Afterwards I thought of trying them with parmesan next.

Another bun, hun.

Last but not least, I tried Nature’s Pride whole wheat bakery buns. I liked these better than the country white actually. I usually prefer things that taste grainier, but my favorite from all three were the country white deli rolls. Although they weren’t grainy, they were sweet and had sesame seeds on top. The country white bakery buns didn’t have anything special like that. Maybe they can try adding sesame seeds to the buns as well?

And another bean burger.

Having all these buns in the house, got me looking at bean burger recipes. So I made another variation. These vegan bean burgers caught my eye when they were featured on Kath’s blog. You should definitely give these a try! I loved how some of the beans were kept whole which gave them a great texture. The spices also included cinnamon (which is one of my favorites), coriander, and cumin. I would say that this bean burger recipe is creative, and those are usually the types of recipes I’m drawn to… something with a twist! Also, read the comments on that page for suggestions on adding and substituting ingredients.

These may look pretty...

But I kind of messed up!

I stumbled upon Katie’s Banana Chip Muffin recipe, and changed some things around. I added sesame seeds and used oat flour and brown sugar instead of what was originally called for. Because I over-baked them the white chocolate chips melted into oblivion–oops. I also thought these were mini-muffins, but I only had a regular muffin tin so I tried to spread the batter out more. I knew it looked like too little batter for each muffin, but I went ahead with it anyway. Later on I found out that they were indeed suppose to be regular-sized muffins. Oh well!

When life gives you bad muffins... make toasted crumbs?

Remember Me?

Oh wow! I can’t believe it’s already June. It’s been awhile since my last post hasn’t it? Well, there’s a lot to catch up on. I foresee recap posts in the near future! And don’t worry I won’t disappear on you again. I have quite a bit of catching up to do myself.

Let me just rewind a couple weeks back to when I was at the beach. I mostly ate a lot of…

Sun-dried tomato hummus!

Almonds, honey, dried cranberries, and white chocolate chip granola

And platefuls of delicious pasta dishes!

Now here are pictures of some of the fun that was had!

Losing my Chat Roulette virginity!

There I go making everyone lose their balance.

Headed out to go dancing!

Texting wars were had.

Hole in the wall places.

She was happy to have a warm meal.

That's right girl!

I spy a domestic hottie!

Now I spy lots of hotties!

Being sneaky and capturing some brave guys on the beach.

Lots and lots of relaxing

Okay let's see if I can get a good one!

Wee!

Limitless

Catching the sunset while eating

On the hunt for ice cream

The beach trip was exactly what I needed. Despite being in a house full of estrogen (which can often be a recipe for disaster), it was relaxing. I’d wake up and leisurely make breakfast then hang around. I was able to do yoga outside on the deck and get the full effect of sun salutations. After lunch we’d all cross the street and we were already on the beach. Our hungry bellies would guide us back to the house and we’d just hang around till the nightfall. The witching hour meant card games, movies with heart throbs and lessons for life… just hanging out with friends. Some nights we would go out and dance, and I’m always up for that! The day I got back from the beach I had to do my laundry, pack, and organize some last minute things because my flight to New York was just a few hours away. Luckily, I finished all the tasks at hand and caught my flight. I can’t wait to share my recent trip to New York with all of you.

In latest news, Late July is giving away coupons and the chance to win an organic beach bag filled with organic goodies for your summer road trips this summer!

To enter send an email to offers@latejuly.com with your mailing address and post a comment on Facebook or at www.latejuly.com to tell them where you’d like to take your family this summer or please share a special trip experience from the past. Their trip this year was their favorite, but they’re hoping to get a few good ideas from you for next year. All submissions will get coupons, but their favorite will also WIN a Late July Beach Bag filled with at least $50 worth of Late July Organic Snacks, a $25 iTunes gift card and they’ll also carbon offset your trip!

p.s. while I was on my mini-hiatus I turned 22! The big two-two? What will this year behold for me? Who knows, but I’m looking forward to it! Stay tuned for my New York recap. I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the season!

Giving Nature Credit

Hello everyone! So I survived the semester and I’m currently at the beach for the week with my ladies. First night was so much fun. I lost my Chat Roulette virginity. Let’s just say that we did our fair share if screaming in shock! I also may not be posting regularly since I’m at the beach and the day I get back is the day I fly to New York!

Anywho, there are a few beliefs I have and one of them is that I don’t think it should cost an arm and a leg to eat well. Especially when essentially most of the things I eat come straight from nature. I’d like to say that I eat well. When I say well I mean that I don’t sacrifice good taste just because something has nutritional value. Shots of wheat grass? No thank you. Maybe I’m a food snob, but I don’t care because I eat what I like and try new things as well. Sometimes I give things a second chance like my beloved brussels sprouts. And there are some things that I loved in my childhood that never get old. As a college student and a lover of food I’ve learned how to cook deliciously on a budget. I’ve learned that hummus is a cinch to make and usually ends up tasting better than what I get at the store–aside from Sabra’s miraculously creamy hummus. Some secrets are just too good to give out I guess. Oh well, I have a few of my own too!

I made my own creamy tomato sauce recipe!

And I am definitely sharing this one! Although I must warn you that the measurements aren’t precise because as usual when I cook, I just put in things by my taste. Mine turned out more like an arrabiata (spicy sauce) since I was generous with the black pepper. Oh! And it’s also vegan. Since I didn’t have any creamer on hand I opted to make a vegan alternative I’ve done many a time and have loved each time: cashew cream.

Vegan Creamy Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

Canola oil for cooking

3/4 cup onion, finely diced

1 bay leaf

1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

Sea salt

2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press

1 grated carrot stick

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

Sliced sun-dried tomatoes

A little less than 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes with juice

1/3 cup cashew cream

Fresh ground black pepper

Dried sweet basil and tarragon

1. Heat pan first then canola oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, bay leaf, pepper flakes, and salt and cook, uncovered, stirring often, until onion is soft and beginning to turn golden.

2. Add garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high, add tomato sauce, grated carrot, dried basil, tarragon, and sun-dried tomatoes and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly darkened, about 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Add balsamic vinegar and cook, stirring often for about 2 minutes. Add can of crushed tomatoes and bring to the boil.

4. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, stirring often, until sauce reduces and is thickened, about 25 to 30 minutes.

5. When sauce has thickened, remove and discard bay leaf. Stir in the cashew cream, and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Voila!

I served the sauce with sautéed garlic, yellow squash, onion, mushrooms, and cannellini beans over penne pasta.

Up next…

I also made another batch of granola!

Honey Cranberry-Almond Granola

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups oatmeal

1/4 cup chopped almonds

1/3 cup honey

1 1/2 tbl canola oil

1 tbl almond extract

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Shredded coconut

White chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the dried cranberries, shredded coconut, and white chocolate chips.

3. Spread out the granola on a nonstick baking sheet.

4. Bake the granola for about 30 minutes, stirring every 8 minutes or so. Halfway through sprinkle on the shredded coconut when stirring. Remove from oven, allow to cool.

5. Once cool mix in the dried cranberries and white chocolate chips

It’s so easy! I love coming up with combinations, and they’re perfect as yummy gifts. Just think of the flavors a loved one enjoys and make their very own mix. You can put it in a mason jar with a delightful tag, and I’m sure the lucky recipient will name their first-born after you.

Almonds, dried cranberries, and white chocolate chips is one of my favorite combinations.

And…

Homemade hummus too?!

Sun-dried Tomato Hummus

Ingredients

4 garlic cloves, minced and then mashed

2 15-oz cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed

1/4 cup avocado oil

Sun-dried tomatoes

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1. In a food processor, combine the mashed garlic, garbanzo beans, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice, 1/2 cup water. Process until smooth.

2. Slowly add in the avocado oil. Add salt, starting at a half a teaspoon, to taste.

Serve with anything your heart desires.

Gosh it feels good to share my own recipes with you all again! During the semester it’s hard for me to actually sit down and think about that. Even though I’m an only child, I love to share. So being able to share these recipes is awesome–from my kitchen to yours!