Tag Archives: oatmeal

On the Brink

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Greetings everyone! Before I jump right into the post I wanted to give a special hello to my new readers. I’ve noticed some new faces have been gracing the comments section, and it always brightens my day even more when that happens. So hello, and if you haven’t commented yet but are a reader, I’d love to hear from you!

I’ve been making a batch of bite-sized treats using dates on a weekly basis.

I try to change the recipe up so they don’t become monotonous. This particular week I stumbled upon Allison’s Coconut Pretzel Energy Bites recipe, and was inspired to make something very similar. Rather than using pretzels, which I did not have, I used sesame sticks. Do any of you guys have any yummy bite-sized recipes you’d like to share?

Banana pops

They’re back! The recipe is incredibly simple, and incredibly tasty. I’m talking only three ingredients kind of simple. Check it out here.

Just what I need on a hot day.
I think little Matilda was expecting a banana pop too, and not a leaf.
Since my dining experience, I’ve been inspired to make beautiful salads at home.

I’ve also been trying to clean out my pantry, but having fun with it by finding new ways to eat my staples. Take yellow split peas for instance. I usually just cook them as a soup (delicious mind you), but I’ve been craving cooler foods so when I saw this Greek fava dip recipe I knew that was on my to-do list.

And don’t let the name of the recipe fool you–no fava beans were involved.

However, fava beans use to be used for this old recipe, but yellow split peas are easier to cook so that’s what is used today. The fava of Santorini is the most sought after, but is quite hard to find.

Anybody want to join me in the search?

In other news, guess what I’ve given another chance.

Grapefruits! I recently discovered that the trick to eating them is to completely peel off the skin, only eating the pulp. After I tried a slice utilizing my new found knowledge, I realized that I do like them! As I mentioned earlier in this post, lately I’ve been craving much cooler foods, so making grapefruit tarragon sorbet sounded like a great idea! Indeed it was.

Getting the liquid out of the coconut.

For Cinco de Mayo I wanted to make a coconut margarita recipe to celebrate with some friends. Sadly, at the store they didn’t have any cream of coconut so I decided to just make my own.

This coconut doesn’t know what it’s in for.
Dun dun dun
Well, that was easy.
Freshly grated coconut meat!

The process isn’t too difficult, but it does have a lot of steps. Though I’ve found that I’ve gotten the most enjoyment out of things when they are totally made from scratch.

And of course when they’re shared with lovely friends!
Cheers!
Pear and date compote with toasted & salted hemp seeds over oatmeal.

Now that I have time to have breakfast in the comfort of my own home I thought I’d enjoy it by leisurely making a compote, and toast some hemp seeds.

Mango, chocolate hazelnut butter, and freshly grated coconut meat.
Enjoyed in a goblet.

It’s nice to not have to eat breakfast out of a mason jar almost every morning.

Dinner is served.

This was a Thai-inspired soba noodle dish with vegetables, edamame, coconut milk, chile, curry leaves, a homemade paste out of garlic, galangal, and other things I can’t remember. Oops! I guess that’s what happens when you throw things together.

More coconut love!
Last project for my fashion photography class.

I’m almost done with the semester. Wait, wait, wait. I’m almost done with my undergrad! I still have two more critiques left, and then finito. I’m very excited for my future, and relishing in all of the wonderful things that are happening right now. My step-dad put it in a way that I couldn’t have said it better myself, “right now you are celebrating who you are and where you’re at in life.” I feel like I’m radiating this happiness that’s inside of me because everywhere I go, there’s been a blue jay on my shoulder.

Hope there’s been one on yours!

Pass It On

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Thank you for all the well wishes everyone! Taking it easy this weekend was a good idea, so I can feel and look well-rested for RVA Fashion Week’s casting today. They’ll be figuring out which models will work for each show. I’ve also got a photo shoot to go to later this day for my fashion photography class. Anyway, the other day I noticed that I haven’t posted any breakfasts lately, but that’s not to say that I haven’t been eating it. Afterall, it is my favorite meal of the day! Since I have class in the mornings Monday through Thursday, I usually just make OIAJ or something else convenient (i.e. bagels!) the night before and bring that to class with me.

However, it is nice that I get a few days in the week where I don’t have to have breakfast on the go.

Oatmeal topped with banana slices, my favorite pumpkin butter, and toasted & salted hemp seeds. Toasted hemp seeds can go with anything! I’ve been trying to use up my jars of fruit butters and jams by using them as a sweetener for my oatmeal.

Caramelized anything is fine by me!

I thought of Erica this particular morning, and was inspired to top my usual bowl of oatmeal with something special. Rather than simply slicing some apples and leaving it at that, I caramelized them. First I heated some coconut oil on a pan and then sautéed the apple slices, dates, and cinnamon sticks. After cooking them for a bit I added a splash of apple juice.

This bit of deliciousness was topped with pistachios and honey to boot!

Now on to lunch, dinner, and some lovely side dishes.

Honey Glazed Carrots

This was a recipe from “The Flexitarian Cookbook” that I finally got around to making. Rather than cooking them in regular butter though, I used ghee. This changed the flavor a bit, and in combination with the honey… I just wanted more.

Parmesan-roasted Parsnips

I haven’t made a recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks in awhile! Maybe some of you can guess which book it is, but for those of you who can’t it’s Simon Rimmer’s “The Accidental Vegetarian“. I wanted to marry him because the recipes in this book are so good. He still hasn’t proposed to me, and I’m not the kind of girl who sits around waiting. But that won’t stop me from cooking up his incredible recipes!

Addictive!
Almost a mish-mosh, but not quite.

I had lots of scallions leftover and the first thing that came to mind was Thai food. Then I started thinking of recipes involving noodles since I have a lot to use up. I ended up making a spicy Thai peanut sauce to go with some random veggies I had on hand, fried tofu, and a combination of rice and soba noodles. I’d bring this with me to class, and by now whenever I pull out my meals my mates ask me what I brought this time. They also remark on how everything I bring smells so good. Well, I can assure you that not only do my meals smell good, but they taste good too.

Soup for the season

This past week I made a batch of Angharad’s curried squash and carrot soup. This sounded like one of those soups I see in stores that I don’t buy because I’d rather make them on my own. I usually don’t end up making them, and I’m just left with a reminder whenever I stumble upon one of those convenient soups. This kind of soup was new to me though. I had never made a soup with summer squash, and I was wondering how well the flavors would hold up. The curry added just enough spice, but didn’t stand alone. I find that curry picks up other flavors, and goes well with so many things. Take tabasco sauce (not a big fan), for instance, it just cuts right through everything–so acidic!

A cup of Colombian hot chocolate aka the best hot chocolate.

Why is this the best? Well, first off it’s made using a chocolate tablet vs. cocoa powder. That automatically makes it tastier. I’m going to tell you how my grandma makes it. First she pours milk (almond for me, please) into a chocolatera (and aluminum pitcher), and brings it to a boil on the stove. She’ll let me skim off the yummy layer that forms on top, which is called nata in Spanish. There is a cake that is tediously made entirely of those delicious layers called postre de natas. After the milk is boiling she puts in the tablet of Colombian chocolate and takes a molinillo (a wooden whisker) to froth the melted chocolate. Then it’s lovingly poured into a cup for whomever is dear to you, that includes yourself! In Colombia it’s typical to let a chunk of queso blanco melt in the cup of rich, frothy hot chocolate.

I think you should try it.
The other day I brought in a non-conventional battery to my class.

This was a for a mini-project for my time-based sculpture class to help us think outside of the box. Food can be fuel, and I remembered reading a recipe in Brendan Brazier’s “Thrive:…” that offered fast energy. I didn’t bother explaining the science behind the dates and coconut oil to my class. Instead I just let them enjoy, which they did! Speaking of energy I have a little challenge for you…

 

“The heart has reasons that reason cannot know."

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I had planned for this post to be another one I’d been working on, but I wanted to get this off my chest and I think Blaise Pacal’s words put it quite nicely. The other day Gillian, Kailey, a few others ladies, and I were discussing the topic of justification. Specifically, the justification of food. It’s funny because this is mostly a food blog, but I don’t label myself as anything more detailed than that. I know that I get tagged a healthy living blog, which there’s nothing wrong with, but I personally don’t see myself as that. I’m just a young woman who likes to share some things that perhaps others can enjoy. I also love to cook things out of scratch, so that means I simply use food that comes from this good earth.

Frankly, I don’t like how the word “healthy” gets used sometimes. Moreover, I don’t like dubbing things as “junk”. If someone wants to “healthify” recipes go ahead, but for some reason it bothers me when people say that. It keeps that mentality of x vs. y going–because this bread is made with apple sauce instead of oil, and a cookie made with butter can get a bad rap. Take out the oil, and that may make a person feel less anxiety. There’s nothing wrong with apple sauce for moisture or for taste, but if it’s done to avoid feelings of guilt I think one should think twice then. Let’s do ourselves a favor and catch ourselves when we start comparing. Instead, let each thing simply be what it is. In the end, what do these ideas really amount to? A cookie may be pivotal because of how delicious it tastes, but as far as the end all be all of someone’s diet… it doesn’t even come close. Granted, perhaps if no one sought out an alternative option for people who can’t digest things or choose a certain lifestyle some of my favorite things probably wouldn’t exist; like almond milk, coconut milk ice cream, some gluten-free granolas, and agave. Now, I know I am speaking in very general terms here but it’s for the sake of not writing a novel. I realize there are some who have diabetes or other dietary circumstances, but I think you know what I mean. I’m discussing the mentality.

I think what has a lot to do with the issue of making food more than what it really is, is the power of words. Sure actions can speak louder than them, but words also have the power to reinforce ideas. I mean that’s why I’m taking the time to write this. Don’t we all start to believe what we tell ourselves? These ideas of right and wrong, what makes us happy, or how things “should be”. How often do you hear people saying something is better because it has less calories, less fat, or less carbs? Sometimes we get bombarded with so much information that we forget to just live. Fortunately, we have the power and choice to step aside from the noise and not let it take over. I like to call this taking responsibility for ourselves.

On my blog when I was focusing on foods that were more beneficial for my liver, I was a little weary of writing about it. The information I was finding during my research was all very interesting, but I was afraid that some would focus on that too much. I know that I didn’t take it too seriously, but I didn’t want it to become what my blog was about. Acknowledging the wonderful benefits that some foods have is such a gift, but it is not my focus. I eat what I think tastes wonderful! I eat things that I would want to share with others if they were sitting right next to me, or pass along a recipe that could bring a person back to another place or time. That’s what I love about food. I don’t feel the need to justify what I’m eating because of its nutritional value or lack thereof. I eat what I like. I like ketchup with mayonnaise, and I like cured manchego. In fact, there’s nothing in this world that can replace the complex flavors of cheese. I like white chocolate, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate. I also like coconut oil mixed in almost everything, and sweet potatoes are just so good. I think olives are gross, nor have I ever really liked fish. I like sandwich bread, artisan bread, and sprouted bread. I think high fructose corn syrup is pointless as an ingredient, but has become an ethical issue and really just exists to give some people a paycheck and save some money. But hey, that’s just me. You are you, and that’s also cool!

Do you ever unnecessarily find yourself justifying why you do the things you do?

On that note, let us enjoy some tasty food, shall we?

Chocolate was on my grocery list last week.

Any Chocolove bar I’ve tried has been a special treat. Not to mention, they come with a love poem inside. So you can love the chocolate your eating, and feel loved too!

Remember this place? Ah yes, it's only natural that I went to the chocolate shop.

(Oh how I wish the weather would be warm enough to go out with bare legs!)

I'm actually containing my reaction to how surprisingly tasty this bar was.

I love crystallized ginger, but I wasn’t sure how this would taste. Adventures always involve some sort of risk though! The ginger wasn’t overpowering the dark chocolate, and they complemented each other wonderfully–you get bits of sweet and spicy ginger while the dark chocolate melts in your mouth.

I wanted to do something a little different for breakfast.

One baby step in making my 15 lb. bag of basmati rice a little lighter–”Project Clean Out” is still in progress!

Hot Rice Cereal with Dried Mango and Toasted Coconut

In addition to the recipe, I chopped up some medjool dates, stirred in some coconut oil, and also toasted some hemp seeds with sea salt. I love the nutty and roasted flavor that hemp seeds get when you toast them. It kind of reminds me of popcorn actually. Anyway, I had an inkling that it would be a tasty addition to this sweet recipe, and indeed it was.

Speaking of popcorn... I was greeted by this man at the door.

On the way back from my last trip to Florida I tried these new-to-me chips called “Popcorners“. They were one of the options for snacks on my JetBlue flight, and I was curious about them. I ended up liking them so much that I asked if I could have another bag! Sadly, I had never seen these chips in stores, but I wanted to try more. The people over at Popcorners kindly sent me this funny box filled with all of their flavors! The texture of popped food is so satisfying to me.

I think it's the crunch!

He decided to surprise my roommate.

A couple times actually.

Have you tried these before? Or even heard of them?

After trying all of the flavors, I’ve come up with a list that goes from my favorite to least favorite (but that doesn’t mean I didn’t like it!): Kettle, White Cheddar, Butter, Cheesy Jalapeno, and Sea Salt. Now I just want to munch on them! You can find out more about them on their Facebook or Twitter sites as well. Also, their website has creative ways to use their chips in all sorts of recipes!

The other weekend I picked up a bag of Bare Fruit dried d'anjou pears at the store.

I was curious as to what they’d be like. They’re great for snacking on, but I wanted to try them with something else.

Topped with sliced almonds and leftover streusel.

Making oatmeal a bit more deliciously complicated.

I had some rice noodles just sitting in my pantry.

While searching on the CHOW website I came across this recipe which used rice noodles. I think next up I want to make Pad Thai.

Tofu and Broccolini Pad See Ew

I omitted the eggs since I’m not a fan of them. Anyway, I have enough for leftovers to have throughout the week!

In other news, I recently went to a casting call for a commercial for Richmond Fashion Week with one of my favorite persons, David!

[gigya width="440" height="420" src="http://v7.tinypic.com/player.swf?file=2kofo1&s=7" quality="high" flashvars="gig_lt=1296412375972&gig_pt=1296413371035&gig_g=1&gig_n=wordpress" wmode="tranparent" ]

I ended up not being chosen to be a part of the commercial, but that’s alright. Just giving things a shot is enough for me sometimes.

Anyway, I’d like to know your thoughts about the beginning of this post.

Who Would’ve Thought

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Hello everybody! I wanted to update you all, and let you know that I won’t be posting as frequently. I won’t be getting a laptop until the end of November or December, so I’m taking a deep breath until then. It seems like recently my life has involved practicing letting go of modern conveniences like cars and computers. It’s been very refreshing actually to live life at a more human pace. Of course these things are useful, but when do we start becoming dependent on them. Take cell phones for instance. You send a text message or make a phone call, and it expresses this notion that this person should always be available. I guess in a sense I’m claiming my time back and becoming more creative with it. Even just sitting there and doing nothing is absolutely fine by me.

When modern conveniences leave your side for a bit, do those moments seem like a blessing in disguise for you?

Playing hide-and-seek...

Or pretending I'm a wild animal on the loose!

Oh my gosh! Ants have attacked my breakfast!

Oops, those are just chocolate sprinkles.

A delicious bowl of lentil curry with aromatic basmati rice.

Sitting down and eating with no distractions...

Enjoying some of the best bread ever from a German bakery.

Spread on a thick layer of mascarpone and pumpkin butter, and you're in for a treat!

And top some yogurt off with homemade granola.

I made this batch using a simple recipe I found in , but made it special by also adding in puffed millet and chia seeds.

Making it feel more like October by making a batch of pumpkin pie hummus.

I haven’t made pumpkin pie hummus in ages! I had a friend try it, and he said that it tasted like pumpkin pie filling. Perfect! This morning I served it over a warming bowl of oatmeal, along with medjool dates, walnuts, granola, and cinnamon. I like thinking of all of the different kinds of hummus flavors I can make, and who knew that a sweet hummus would be a success! Try it out and let me know what you think.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I’m hoping to go apple picking with some of my best friends up in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains. I’m going to make sure to take in all of that fresh air and beautiful scenery while I’m there.

Oh wait! Here’s a random question before you go! Name an item of food, i.e. pasta, squash, lentils, apple… you get the picture!

p.s. I ended up not advancing to the next round of the Project Food Blog challenge, but I wanted to thank you all for your support! It was really wonderful to see that people had faith in me and were excited about it like I was. Also, I ended up getting to do my favorite challenge anyway (the dinner party)!

The Extra Special Things

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Oh my goodness! I made it into the third challenge! Thank you so much for supporting me. Honestly, the amount of support and encouragement I’ve been given has floored me. I’m very much looking forward to the next challenge. It’s actually coming up very soon, but I’m trying to not let it stress me out to the point where I feel like it’s a daunting task to face. Nope, won’t go there. Moving on is incredibly exciting, yet humbling at the same time. I think it’s because I know that it’s not just all me. So yes, I just want to express again how grateful I am to everyone: the panel, my fellow contestants, and of course all of my friends.

Remember the tasty little bites I posted in my last entry?

Some of you were asking if I made them, and indeed those muffins are homemade! I just used my secret oat-bar recipe that I’m continuously experimenting with, but made them into scrumptious little muffins instead. Also, topped with coconut butter makes them extra tasty! Actually, doesn’t it make anything tastier?

Bubbling kitchen experiments?

This adventure was quite a simple one, but hadn’t been done! I looked up recipes using the keywords: figs and apples. That’s when I stumbled upon this delicious apple-fig compote recipe. The smell was incredibly comforting; Imagine the scent of a fruity elixir dancing through the air. Well, it really felt like it was an elixir because when I served it over some oats in the morning, I was so happy to be awake and enjoying that delicious meal. I enjoyed it so much that I found myself boasting about my wonderful breakfast throughout the day.

The most delicious thing I've ever served over a bowl of oatmeal!!!

Then topped with Greek yogurt, chopped walnuts, dates, and ground cinnamon.

Seriously go make a compote to add to your breakfast, or simply to enjoy alone--you will be so happy you did!

I got myself a tub of mascarpone and used it instead of cream cheese on my bagels.

I smeared one half with mascarpone & honey, and the other half with mascarpone & fig preserves. What a special ingredient for something as simple as a bagel, but who says you’ve got wait for a special occasion to enjoy the things you love. What’s something extra special to you that you like to enjoy on any occasion? I also had a bowl of Greek yogurt topped with a medley of fruits, granola, walnuts, tahini, and honey.

I made a deconstructed version of Veganomicon's BBQ Seitan and Coleslaw Sandwich.

I was risking a bellyache by eating raw cabbage, but I love slaws and it was a risk I was willing to take.

I think my taste buds were way too happy for my belly to even notice because I felt a-okay.

Oh my beautiful beets...

I loosely followed this recipe for “caramelized beets with caraway seeds & walnuts“. I didn’t have caraway seeds on hand so I used cumin instead, and I tossed in some roasted butternut squash as well. The fall harvest is something I definitely don’t mind. What are some of your favorite things about fall?

I felt like using one of my special bowls for this soup!

The other night I made a big batch of roasted butternut squash and sweet potato soup. Oh me oh my! Roasting the vegetables beforehand really does add flavor to this recipe, and it turned out so thick and creamy–my favorite! I served it with some chickpeas roasted in coconut oil & cinnamon, and a bit of tarragon.

Gosh, I have really been treating myself with all of these tasty dishes! I’m glad that I can share the recipes with you all… well except for my secret oat “bar/muffin” recipe of course mwahaha. Maybe one day… maybe. Anyhoo, I hope you all enjoy this crisp and chilly weekend. Just thinking about Sunday makes me all giddy inside; you’ll know what I mean by tomorrow! Is there anything exciting going on for you?

There Are Many Things to Admire

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Good day to you and Autumn!

My friend (also happens to be my roommate) and I went exploring the other day.

We went to a museum that had been undergoing renovations for many years. Both of us were taken away by the beauty of the Art Noveau pieces. Imagine being completely surrounded in a world where everything around you is breathtaking.

Like these stained glass windows that were built for someone’s home.

On the topic of being surrounded by beautiful things. I’m sure many of you know about Project Food Blog by now. Well, you know what? It didn’t occur to me how many connections I would making with new people! It’s really wonderful. I love that I’ve been able to check out so many other posts, and nod my head in understanding throughout. It always amazes how much people are alike, but sometimes we feel alone or like “no one understands.” Of course there are differences that make us unique, but there are certain things that I like to call “universal truths.” Here are some posts that really struck a chord with me:

Liv is further pursuing her passion for cooking.

Heather has known about her calling in the kitchen since she was a wee one!

I often find myself thinking that me and Lauren share a brain.

Amanda has got these incredible recipes that make me swear that I can taste them already!

Who wouldn’t fall in love with Kelsey?

Liren makes a great point about proudly being an emotional eater.

Gillian’s charm will never fade.

I’m always wishing I could hang out with Lynn when I read her blog.

Sophia has got this gift with words and coming up with awesome recipes!

If you’re a food blogger you’ll definitely relate to Sabrina’s post.

I love Maggie’s embracing vibe.

There are so many more wonderful entries out there, and can click here to check them out.

Let’s continue admiring beautiful things, shall we?

The other day I was in the store, and I bought the rest of the peaches that were left. I felt like I was stealing them! Here I sliced one over some spiced oatmeal, with banana slices, walnuts, chocolate almond butter, and sunflower seed butter. I’ve been missing the crunch of whole nuts! I love nut butters, but sometimes I want some crunch.

Roasted chickpeas for breakfast?

I was inspired by Brittany’s cinnamon roasted chickpea recipe and this roasted chickpea recipe as well. I basically used the spices that Brittany used, tahini, honey, and sea salt. The smell was so wonderful when roasting, and just hard to ignore! I love the coating the tahini gave these chickpeas after roasting. Chickpeas are so versatile; I thought I’d share a link with you that has a bunch of recipes on how to make them in different ways… sweet or savoury! “15 More Ways To Flavor Roasted Chickpeas“

Coincidence! I made pumpkin pie inspired bowl of oats on the first day of autumn.

I cooked the usual oats with pumpkin puree, in the morning I cut up some dates and crystallized ginger cubes. Then I topped it off with the pumpkin pie spiced roasted chickpeas, more almond milk and spices, brown sugar, walnut nut butter, and tahini. Oof this bowl was delicious! I love starting off a new day with yummy things like this.

I made another great recipe from “The Veganomicon”

It’s been awhile since I last cooked a recipe from this book. I had gotten a head of cauliflower at the store with intentions of making a curry, so I went through my cookbooks in search of one. I decided on the Red Lentil Cauliflower Curry, but de-veganized it by using ghee. I just can’t get over how wonderful ghee is! This recipe called for a surprising ingredient: parsnips! Cooking curries is such a great experience since they are so aromatic. So far I’ve served this with basmati rice, sweet potatoes with curry-ketchup (pictured above), and now I’m wanting to try it with naan bread.

The other day I made the best burrito I’ve had in awhile… make that ever!

I prepared some black beans with rice, onions, sweet pickled mango, garlic, sweet pepper jelly, cumin, cinnamon, and ketchup (hey I had no tomatoes on hand!). Topped it with diced avocado, corn, cilantro, and Greek yogurt (or sour cream if you have that).

Got to wrapping.
And with that, I was off to class!

Who knew I could spice up a burrito’s flavor so much? Thank goodness for curiosity because this was indeed the best bean burrito I’ve ever had. What’s something that recently made you wonder and try something new?

p.s. the last day for voting for the first Project Food Blog challenge is tomorrow so make sure to get your votes in! Fingers crossed!

p.s.s. I just had my first critique of the semester for the video I made. You can watch it by clicking this link, and let me know what you think! Thank you.

What Summer Entails

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I loved reading everyone’s answers on how they’ve been enjoying the last bits of summer. Lately, these are some of the things I’ve been enjoying…

Delicious and beautiful breakfasts

My usual bowl of oats but topped with a sliced locally grown peach, and the deconstructed version of the raw vegan fig tarlets I made with almond frangipane kream. I must say that the walnut “crust” is my favorite part of that dessert recipe; it’s just so good!

Not my usual bowl of oats!

I used rice instead.

I just soaked the cooked rice in almond milk overnight, and come morning I added some frozen banana slices, cinnamon, the fig “filling” (for the tartlets), and almond frangipane kream. This reminded me of rice pudding; all that was missing were the raisins!

Mixing roasted veggies with raw

For the veggies I tossed them in a mix of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, black pepper, and salt. Then I roasted them in 400 F for about 30 minutes. Delicious!

Wonderful friends

Speaking of roasted veggies and wonderful friends…

Guess whose place I went to!

My beautiful friend Brittany and I finally got to reunite, and it was filled with what summer nights should entail!

It's prep time!

It was so nice to cook with her, and we also got to catch up. I think I found a new cooking buddy! Brittany also shares a love and appreciation for ethnic food–yum yum.

Then it was veggie grilling time... or so we thought.

We couldn’t figure out how to turn the grill on, but luckily her beloved was on his way home to come to the rescue!

I was also kindly offered some espresso vodka, which tasted like chocolate-covered espresso beans!

In her zone; this is how adorable us food bloggers look!

We decided to enjoy the meal outside, taking in the last bits of summer.

We also opted to serve ourselves and pile on the ingredients.

Ready, set, go!

So beautiful!

The walnut dressing and the cheese...

Salt from the dead sea!

Ta-da!

This was a recipe that I had found while perusing the current issue of Food & Wine magazine: Barley and Grilled-Vegetable Salad, which called for the Vegetables with Walnut Dressing recipe. This was such a great meal, and me and Brittany practically polished off all of the veggies. Grilled vegetables are always incredibly flavorful in my book, and served over barley gave this dish some substance with a chewy texture. The walnut dressing turned out a bit chunkier than expected, but who cares as long as it tastes good, right? We both agreed that the pecorino cheese really sealed the deal though. It’s saltiness, nuttiness, and overall sharp flavor really took this to another level and brought it all together.

Afterwards, we went inside and I discovered that Brittany likes to tease vampires!

Her and her beloved have been enjoying roasting garlic bulbs. It looks like Brittany is about to prick herself with a knife, but she is actually trying a roasted garlic clove. Imagine if a vampire was watching this! It was so nice to see her again, and I’m hoping that we will see each other very soon; before the grilling season is over I hope!

Wow, in the past week I was able to meet up with two special people who I’ve met through blogging. Have any of you made any friends nearby through blogging?

Let Me Count the Ways I Love Thee

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Thank you so much for the kind words everyone! I read the comments to my mom, and it definitely made her day. Actually, I think it made her week. Also I had mentioned that I wasn’t wearing foundation. Then I realized that I don’t ever wear foundation. I used to use a popular mineral one, but I looked it up and found out that sometimes it may irritate the skin further. With that, I decided to let my skin breathe and it ended up helping clear it up a bit. Anyway, enough talk about that…

I tried a new kind of kale.

Red kale is also known as Russian red kale. It has a sweeter taste compared to other types, and it even smelled like roses! “Green is associated with Spring – a time of renewal and refreshing vital energy. In oriental medicine green is related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity.“

First, I enjoyed it raw, massaged with flax oil and another dressing.

Alongside, came a sweet potato exploding with beans cooked in shredded mango chutney and thyme.

I love adding thyme to sweet recipes now–especially that one.

I usually prefer purées over brothy soups.

I followed this recipe for pea and watercress purée, except I used ghee instead of butter. It was deliciously fresh tasting, but comforting at the same time. I have fond memories of pea soups and peas in general. When I was younger, one of the daycares I went to always served them. As you can see I love stuffing my sweet potatoes with beans. My dad asked me where I got this great idea from, and where exactly I don’t know–but it’s one of the great things I’ve stumbled across on blogs!

Sweet potatoes another way!

Here I cubed a sweet potato and mixed it with onions, beans, and zucchini cooked with mango chutney. I topped it off with ghee, flax oil, and toasted coconut shreds!

A delicious way to satisfy sweet and savoury flavors.

This sweet potato went to funky town!

Then to salad town with some ghee, beans, and hummus!

The other day I was running some errands to prepare for my move back up to school.

Look at what I spotted when I went to Target!

I thought of you Holly! I wanted to send her a picture text message but then I realized I didn’t have her number hahaha. So instead I whipped out my big DSLR camera to take this picture. I had some onlookers–what? I’m fascinated by peanut butter! If they tried it on top of their oats, sweet potatoes, carrots, or anything for that matter besides just bread… well they’d understand.

Some of my supply to take up to school with me!

I would have a hard time if I were living in the dorms, wouldn’t I? I’m bringing things that are convenient for student-life, and of course to help keep strengthening my liver!

Since I've been adding the pulp from juicing to my oats I've had to move to bigger bowls...

Exhibit A

Beet pulp!

I had leftover spiced cobbler "crust" and served it with peaches and apricots instead of blueberries.

Which I enjoyed poolside!

Tutti-fruitti!

When I watched the movie “Eat. Pray. Love” I learned that tutti in Italian means “everything” or “all”. Now the name of the flavor makes sense! Anyway, I wanted to give you guys a tidbit on a fruit in this breakfast that I haven’t featured much on my blog. Enter the fuzzy kiwi! They are full of vitamin C, which is one of the most beneficial antioxidants for liver health. It  provides protection from free radicals and reduces damage to liver cells from harmful chemical toxins. other sources are citrus fruits, berries, broccoli, cucumber, and spinach. Kiwis are also a good source of beta-carotene and vitamin E. A little interesting scientific factoid I found out about vitamin E actually that actually makes sense: “Vitamin E is a fat soluble antioxidant. It protects fats from becoming rancid due to free radical attacks. The cell membranes that protect the liver are fat based. So vitamin E helps protect the cells that protect the liver! A study has also shown that vitamin E can reduce the scar tissue in liver – which can lead to cirrhosis.” Now I just imagine vitamin E as a nice comfy cushion that can protect me! Almonds are also a good source of vitamin E, so your comfy cushion can even be a nice, big spoonful of almond butter.

More kiwis--served with Ani Phyo's coconut ice kream.

Also in this bowl is a fruit I mentioned in my last post. A lot of you had something to say about apricots. I’ve been eating them often, but I realized that I like dried apricots more than fresh. I think it’s because they’re sweeter hehe.

Many of you have been asking which Ayurvedic book I’m using “Ayurvedic Cooking for Westerners” by Amadea Morningstar

Anyway, I'm back up at school!

It’s funny how between Florida and Virginia, the background for my food pictures changes. In Florida you may recognize the place-mats and glass table. However, while I’m up at school I use my desk’s stationary pull-out as the background. My actual kitchen gets no natural light, and you know how I feel about that as far as photography goes!

And now that I'm near a Trader Joe's again I can re-stock this, but nothing beats McCutcheon's pumpkin butter.

Here’s a little hint for my next post…

I went to Sur la Table...

To get a brioche mold; but what for?

And that is what you will find out later! Till then…

I hope everyone gets to relax some.

Looking Forward

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23

Hello everybody! Recently, I’ve made some relieving discoveries in my life lately. Most of my past days have been spent researching… (and decorating)! Researching what? Well, it all started out with a painful pimple I got last week. The day after the nasty bugger popped up I had to think to myself, “what did I have the other day that might’ve been different?” Hmm… I’m pretty sure it was all of those cookies and chocolates I had when I went to Ikea. Over the months of observing what could be triggering breakouts… stress, periods, or even foods, I realized that it was mostly processed sugars triggered my breakouts. I definitely knew hard liquors did it for me, but when the next morning I woke up with a painful pimple on my cheek I had an inkling it was the all of the sweets I had the day prior. And that’s when Detective Katharina showed up. After reading many studies, books, and articles; I came to a possible answer. Let’s just say I was enlightened. I don’t believe it’s the sugars that directly trigger my breakouts, but rather that my liver isn’t as strong. Which is why the things that the liver normally processes out, pretty much come out on my face. I’ve dealt with this problem for years, and I’ve been longing for clear skin for so long. No matter how many creams I’ve been prescribed, they never seemed to tackle the issue. And I believe it’s because the doctors really only assessed the problem at a superficial level. The body is a wonderful thing, and communicates to us in many ways. Sometimes the real source of it is further than what meets the eye. I’ve been reading a book on Ayurveda–when am I not reading something about Ayurveda–and it makes so much sense. My approach to things in general is a very holistic one. Rather than only focusing on one component, I look at how it might be connected to something else, and maybe the solution lies within that. Gosh, I have so much to say on this, but I think my upcoming posts will give me more of an opportunity to talk about this more. Perhaps I’ll make a video post… yes? I wanted to share that with you, but let’s move on to some feasting for the eyes that will maybe inspire you to create a feast for you taste buds and belly!

This…
with the sweet addition of my long forgotten lavender honey…
All together now… yum!
When was the last time I had a bowl of “carrot cake” oats?
Oh, it’s been too long!
I spy something golden…
It’s all in the details.
Next thing you know I was transported to someone else’s living room.
Ikea’s living room that is.

It was also the day before I had my “epiphany”. But back to my day at Ikea… After hours of looking and shopping around we went back to my friend’s house.

Isn’t her kitty adorable?
And kind of crazy too!
My friend wanted to surprise her mom with a newly decorated and rearranged home!
A little more to the right…
Look what I did! Her little sister let me use her glow-in-the dark marker set.

It’s a blind contour drawing of her kitty when she was sitting on my bags, if you couldn’t tell hehehe.

Eventually I came home and I was inspired and still in my zone…
My friend had given me decorating fever!

Check out the new bowl! Banana and peanut butter is a classic combination.

With coconut? I think you can already guess what I’m going to say.

I went to the store and recruited my army.

Together, I think we will be victorious!

Here are some foods that your liver will be giving you extra thanks for: broccoli, watercress, kale, celery, artichoke, carrots, turmeric, garlic, onions, mango, beets, berries, oranges, spinach, Swiss chard, and the list goes on! Also, fresh squeezed lemon juice in warm water first thing in the morning helps produce bile. How could I almost forget! Papaya is also on that list. Hooray for having a papaya tree in my backyard! I’m so happy that there are so many foods that will help strengthen my liver.

Omega-3's are your friend.

Since I’m a vegetarian I did some research on ways I can get great sources of plant-based Omega-3′s. It’s also important to note that the ratio of Omega-3′s is higher than the Omega-6′s in your source. Some examples would be flaxseed (ground or oil), chia seeds, and hemp seeds.

Also got a new plate and placemat as well.

More importantly, what's on the plate?

Kidney beans cooked and mashed with spices and herbs like cinnamon, oregano, a bit of chili, and cumin. I served it with a fresh salad, rice, avocado, and cilantro. I also poured on some flaxseed oil–my liver said thank you!

A grateful liver breakfast... that sounds gross actually, but this wasn't!

I purchased some golden flaxseeds at the store the other day and ground them to reap their benefits. Mandiee has this all the time, and it definitely sparked my curiosity! I served it over oats mixed with another ingredient which is now apart of the “usual”. Enter maca powder, known for its hormone balancing properties. I’ve known that my hormones have been out of whack since last summer when I went through a long period of medical testing. Come to think of it, I don’t remember mentioning it on my blog. I decided to bring this issue to the forefront though because you know what? You never know who may be going through something similar, and it may help them out! Anyway, this bowl was incredibly delicious with all the cherries, blueberries, kefir, pumpkin seed butter, the whole kit and caboodle. Surprisingly, the maca powder did not make this bowl of overnight oats taste icky.

Such a delicious soup and calming as well.

As soon as I read the words “Butternut Squash Pear Soup” from Joy’s list of fantastic recipes, I knew I had to make it. Not to mention, this was incredibly easy to make. Just the simple addition of pear took this soup to another level. I also served it at a temperature that felt comfortable for the warm weather–not completely chilled and slightly warm.

An incredibly creamy hummus... and it's homemade?

I added in a special ingredient to this classic hummus recipe. Actually, I added in a few! While making the artichoke hummus I kept a reader’s comment in mind. Awhile back when I posted my sun-dried tomato hummus recipe, I remembered that Phoebe had shared this greatly appreciated tidbit with me: “the secret to amazing hummus is blending your together the lemon juice , oil, garlic and tahini in the food processor to make an emulsion, before you add in the chickpeas, then (this is the secret bit) you add a tablespoon or two of plain greek yoghurt, its typical of turkish hummus, and absolutely delicious!” So I did just that. You must take her word for it!

A "snacky" lunch

I finally decided to pick up a box of Mary’s Gone Crackers when I was at the store the other day. The fact that they have flax seeds in them is just another incentive! Have any of you tried them? I was thinking of getting the black pepper or caraway flavor, but I opted to stick to the original since it was my first time trying them. I just steamed some kale and broccoli, cut up a carrot, some cherry tomatoes, and marinated artichokes. Served with artichoke hummus and flax seed oil drizzled on everything! Honestly, it’s amazing because I can already see changes in my skin, and I’m not the only one commenting on its noticeable clarity.

Since I like to keep things light, airy, and fun–not dark, dreary, and dull; the mentality of focusing on what I can have versus what I can’t have will make this easier. No strict regimen for me! Not to mention, I’m so excited about clear skin and new recipes that I think my positive outlook will help greatly on my little journey. By the way, if you have any recipes that you’d like to share that crossed your mind when reading this post, please let me know! Just because I’m going to have to be more concentrated on certain foods, doesn’t mean my eats have to become boring and routine. I like to add that “spice to life” no matter what may come my way.  Plus, in the end I know that once I reach the light at the end of the so-called tunnel, it’ll all be worth it. Afterall, it’s not something that is going to take forever.

What do you have to look forward to?

p.s. any advice is always greatly appreciated!

Not Quite a To-Do List

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Wow! Thank you all so much for the kind words. Now there’s only one thing I ask of you… consider it your excuse to look extra cute! How about wearing something today that makes you feel your absolute best. Trust me, you will shine!

On a random note. Apparently while someone was searching for “at this point my buttcrack was showing” my blog was their answer… Anyway.

Looks as refreshing as it tasted!
A bowl of orange slices, mango, pumpkin seed butter, coconut flakes, and sunflower seeds on top of my oats.
Something was missing though… a-ha!
I couldn’t help but notice how colorful my mom’s eggs looked that morning.
Speaking of my mom… I leave the spinach soup to her since she makes the yummiest.
But I’ll leave the split pea soup to me!

I pretty much followed 101 Cookbooks’s vegetarian split pea soup recipe except I added thyme and carrots. I really recommend that you add the extra olive oil when serving. It really does tie this easy peasy dish together.

So comforting and yummy.
And then a bit of sweetness to polish off the meal.
And this fig preserve tastes so good with pumpkin seed butter!
Last Sunday was Colombia’s Independence Day.
At one point there was a huge ball being tossed around by the crowd.
It started to rain too, but it didn’t last too long.
After the rain passed I looked up at the sky and I snapped some pictures of the cool light post.
She is seriously one of the best friends anybody could ask for.
We saw the legendary Grupo Niche play! The crowd and the band were all dancing.
Afterwards, we spotted part of the band.
Hola chica!
Two mamacitas waiting for their arepas de choclo…
Make that three mamacitas–these are one of my favorite things to eat ever!

These are like latkes to me… in the sense that everyone knows I get the most (in this case biggest and cheesiest), and everyone is okay with the fact that I take bites of theirs mwahaha!

Yumyumyum
I also spotted some free coconut water samples as well!
Brain freeze!
Remember those chocolates I got from the Lindt store?
Silly me forgot to show you how pretty they looked inside.
Another yummy chocolate I had picked up.
Hellooo, anybody in there?
And something we’ve had for awhile…

My family got this chocolate cabernet sauvignon wine sauce at a vineyard the last time we were all in New York. I’ve featured other sauces from this vineyard on my blog, such as the amaretto cream sherry, black raspberry vinegar, and sherried wine BBQ sauce.

This took my usual bowl of oats to new heights–astronomical perhaps!

Super chic and and sweet Claire was kind enough to bestow this fun award onto me! If you haven’t checked out her blog, you definitely should! It’s brimming with beautiful, fresh pictures from food to fashion! She also has an interesting story that inspires me.

The rules are as follows:

Tell 10 little known facts about yourself and then pass it on to 3-5 other bloggers!

I love filling things out like this! Looking back on my answers sometimes gives me a good laugh, that’s for sure.

1. Practically every night, all the way into high school, my family would gather around my bed and we’d read books to each other before we went to bed. This means my parents actually know what the Harry Potter stories entail.

2. I believe that our astrological signs are relevant to our tendencies. For example, I’m a gemini–an air sign. One of the most annoying things to me is when I feel like someone or something is tying me down or clinging to me. I like to feel free. I love people, but I also like to do most things on my own.

3. Lately, I’ve been trying to decrease my availability especially through technology. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with Facebook and cellphones. But I do think that a lot of people have become so dependent and addicted to these things. It really bothers me because I don’t think that’s how life should really be lived. Life should be lived mostly in the moment.  Remember when the only people who knew your whereabouts were either your parents or the very people you were with? The last thing I want to hear when I’m having a heart-to-heart with a friend is my phone telling me I just got a text message. This is partly why I have a watch. A stylish excuse to not carry my cell-phone around with me everywhere? Check! Who knows, maybe this is something a gemini would do hehehe.

4. Doing things the old-fashioned way gives me reassurance. It’s helped me get a deeper sense of appreciation for things since I know the labor that goes behind them. I take care of my belongings because I want them to last. I’m pretty sure I’m the only person amongst my friends who’s owned a garment steamer since my first semester in college. Moreover, it’s very grounding and satisfying to know that what you make and have is a labor of love, care, patience, and effort.

5. I love tea! Anyone that hangs out with me knows that. Which is why I’ve been gifted all sorts of delicious teas through the years. Thank you, friends! I’m not the only one in my family that’s a tea lover though. My mother and I know that one of us will turn on the kettle after we finish a meal. It’s just nice to sit at the table for awhile longer, talking, and sipping on something delicious and comforting. Come to think of it, I just realized that even during the summer months I still drink my tea warm… unless I’m drinking it outside then I prefer my cup iced.

6. I wish I had continued taking ballet classes. I dropped out when I was around 15, but I still have a pair of ballet shoes that fit my Egyptian feet. Of course, I don’t need to go to a ballet class to dance! No, oftentimes I’ll randomly turn on some classical music and pirouette around the house, giving my parents a show.

7. I’m a dreamer. Practically everything I do has some imaginative source behind it. Sometimes I come up with wildly detailed “what-if” stories on the spot. Or even when I choose a perfume for the day I ask myself, “what kind of woman do I feel like today?” When I am feeling especially sophisticated I spritz on my Prada fragrance. If I’m in a whimsical mood I choose Fresh’s Lemon Sugar scent or Nanette Lepore. If it’s just a day of classic me I reach for my signature scent, Marc Jacobs.

8. I can imitate accents very well. Maybe it’s because I learned three very different languages at such a young age. Stressing certain pronunciations comes as second nature to me.

9. Speaking of languages, I want to go to a part of the world where I’d feel completely lost in translation. Somewhere in Asia or Africa would be ideal! My dream places would be India or Egypt. I’ve been able to communicate and understand effectively in the places I’ve traveled to because of language similarities. For instance, in France I can get by because I know Spanish and a bit of French, and in Holland I make due with my German. Of course there’s English, the universal language. Side-note: I never understood why my classmates in high school never wanted to learn another language, and they’d just whine and say, “why can’t they just learn English.” I would always reply matter-of-factly, “they already do!” Anyway, I want to go somewhere so different from anything I’ve ever known.

10. My best ideas have hit me while I’m sitting on a toilet. It’s true! Sometimes people will ask me, “wow, where’d you come up with that?” My response, “actually I was sitting on the toilet one day…” I’m not joking!

At first I thought this list would be a daunting task to complete, but once I got started these little things popped up into my head! Now I’m going to pass this on to three people… hmm who should I choose?

Katie

Lynn

and Mel!