Getting Creative in the Kitchen

Posted on February 10, 2010 by Katharina

Banana-Raisin Pumpkin Seed Butter Muffins

A couple months ago I kidnapped a big jar of pumpkin seed butter from my parent’s place. Sadly, the taste didn’t really sit well with me but I figured there had to be some way I could use this! I have seen plenty of peanut butter cookie, muffin, and bread recipes, so why not this little humble seed butter? That’s when these little muffins came about. Next time I make these I want to use maple syrup instead of sugar–I think it will greatly lend to the taste. Experiments are so much fun! A little side note: seed butters are great for anyone with nut allergies!

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Flour 1 cup

Quick Cooking Oats 2/3 cup

Sugar 3/4 cup

Baking Powder 1 Tbl

Pumpkin seed butter 1/2 cup

1 Mashed banana

Milk of choice 1 cup (I used Almond Breeze Original)

3 Tbl raisins

Brown sugar

1. Pre-heat the oven at 400F/200C for 15 minutes. Grease with little cooking spray or line the muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine together the flour, oatmeal, sugar and baking powder.

3. In a small sauce pan, over low heat, melt pumpkin seed butter and banana in milk, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

4. Once the pumpkin seed butter mixture is cool, incorporate it into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Then mix in the raisins.

5. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan filling it to the top of each cup. Then sprinkle some brown sugar over each muffin.

6. The above batter was enough for 12 small muffins. I took out mine from the oven around 15 minutes, but I think 13-15 minutes should be perfect. I felt that in this recipe the smell of the muffins is an indicator of the doneness in addition to the toothpick test.

Now here are some ways I’ve enjoyed them!

With fruit and caramel peanut butter.

Warmed up with coconut oil then crumbled in yogurt with dark chocolate peanut butter.

I’ve also enjoyed them with a glasses of almond milk, and with maple syrup and ginger syrup drizzled on top.

Breakfast the other day involved the last of the leftover whole wheat yogurt pancakes.

And a bowl of Greek yogurt outshone by the blend of berries, chopped dates, pomegranate arils, and sliced almonds.

One of the pancakes had blackberries and chocolate chips.

I spread the usual coconut oil on the pancakes; but this time I sprinkled on some shredded coconut and sliced almonds, then drizzled on some ginger syrup.

For lunch I quickly assembled this sandwich: dark chocolate peanut butter + dried figs on wheat & oat bread.

After my Literary Journalists class I headed over to the boutique to sign the model contract and find out a bit more information. Sadly, I won’t be able to go on the trip to New York with my sculpture class since the fashion show is on the same weekend. But it’s okay… since I have no classes on Fridays I’m hoping I can head up there soon anyway! After I signed the contract I headed over the lab to work on a DVD to go along with a package I’m putting together for my best friend. I’m so excited about it! Yesterday night I wanted to make something special for dinner. I attempted my very first recipe from my new cookbook, Veganomicon.

I love the smell of onions cooking!

Onion rings

Toastyyyy

Et voila!

Pumpkin Baked Ziti with Caramelized Onions and Sage Crumb Topping

Since this was a vegan recipe it called for a veganized ricotta–cashew “ricotta” to be exact. I also didn’t have oregano on hand so I used tarragon instead and it gave the ziti a wonderful sweetness. Another substitution I had to make was butternut squash for the pumpkin puree. I couldn’t find a can of it for the life of me so I just made my own puree out of butternut squash. The smell as this was baking was heavenly, and the taste was even more divine. I knew I was choosing a great recipe from the very start! Do any Veganomicon owners have any recipe suggestions for moi?

I hope everyone’s week is going well–we’re halfway there!

Letting Things Happen and Trying New Things

Posted on January 28, 2010 by Katharina

Erewhon's Brown rice cream + pumpkin + vanilla protein powder + coconut oil + spices + molasses + brown sugar + Sunland's caramel peanut butter melted in.

Nothing’s better than a bowl of yummy creaminess on a cold winter’s day.

A sort of platter

I was inspired by this recipe. I caramelized the apples and walnuts, baked the brie and sesame Italian bread. For the kale I just steamed it till the green turned vibrant.

So delicious... the bread was crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside

Winning combo!

Greek yogurt + pumpkin + raisins + maple syrup + cranberry & walnut granola

I let the raisins soak in the Greek yogurt overnight–I actually forgot about doing that because when I saw it in the morning I thought my yogurt started to grow mold. You can imagine I was like, “how does this happen overnight?!” Then the “a-ha” moment was had and I remembered, “oh that’s right those are raisins.” So I happily enjoyed this for breakfast without worry of possibly contracting some sort of illness. Anyhow, I love the crunch of the granola and nuts mixed with creamy yogurt and chewy dried fruit. It’s a nice balance of textures.

When you're in a hurry, readymade food is a blessing!

I knew that can of vegetarian chili from Health Valley would come in handy some time in my semester! I added some of my own touches to it by melting in some dark chocolate and maple syrup. Then I threw in some peas and bulgur wheat and garnished it with cilantro and voila! On the side I steamed some kale and tossed it in olive oil and sprinkled on some salt and chopped almonds. Such an easy meal and tasty as well!

And look at what caught my eye at the store the other day!

A jazz apple!

It was just too pretty not to put in my basket.

On the go snacking...

Lately, when I’m in the comfort of my own home I’ve been snacking on a mixture of granola, soymilk, and peanut butter put it in the microwave. If you like to eat delicious things then I highly recommend this! However, sometimes I’m not at home when snack attack hits me. This is when I rely on dense and full of flavor bars like Boomi Bars. I luckily still have some from when I was sent a box to review. I know I’ve raved about them before, but I really have to do it again. Personally, I think bars with less ingredients taste way better because the flavor doesn’t get lost among the list of unnecessary ingredients. Not to mention, these are more satisfying and filling–just what I need!

While I was on the go I stocked up on some goods...

I got some new things to try!

I got the Gardein “buffalo wings” with the freebie coupon they sent me, so I will let you guys know how the taste testing goes. I’ve never had buffalo wings before so we’ll see what I think! I also finally found two items I’ve been on the lookout for. I’m pretty sure I will love the Sunshine Burger breakfast flavor because which flavor have I not loved so far? Seriously my favorite store-bought veggie burger. Lastly, luck was on my side when I spotted the new caramel Oikos flavor that some bloggers out there have also stumbled upon. I can’t wait to try this out!!

I also made a Trader Joe's stop as well--Whole Foods and Trader Joe's are basically next to each other so it works out beautifully.

I finally got some of their frozen yogurt to see what the dealio is. Well now I know and I must say that I really enjoy the tartness. Let’s see… I spy various fruits and veggies (some frozen) and some handmade flour tortillas. I also got manchego cheese–I have a recipe in mind for this.

Soon after I got home I set out to make some falafels.

I loosely followed this recipe.

I decided to bake them instead since I'm always afraid of burning myself when frying.

Then I made a random dinner.

Up close and personal baby.

I sauteed some mushrooms, red onions, and garlic and reduced it all in balsamic vinegar. Then I assembled the handmade tortilla like so: melted mozzarella, pesto, smoky chipotle and sun-dried red pepper hummus, sauteed veggies, and cilantro. I must say, this was quite the wrap. Randomly delicious.

Still image from my video. Click the link below!

Knowing it All too Well

I have some exciting things that I can’t wait to share with you all. Although this semester I’ve already experienced one of those weeks where it feels like it’s too much effort to even breathe, I’m doing and learning about things I enjoy. Not to mention, I’ve also been doing some things on the side and really immersing myself with new things and giving things a chance. I don’t think I can say it better than the lovely Neela herself, “sometimes in life you don’t know where things are going–right now it feels even better to NOT know where it’s going!” In a way that’s how I feel right now. I’m doing things to experience them mainly without expecting anything back, but I’m okay with that. Going out there and doing new things in itself, brings me fulfillment.

It’s a State of Mind

Posted on November 29, 2009 by Katharina

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

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

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

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

Granola + vanilla Greek yogurt/pumpkin puree + raisins

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

German goodies!

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

Choco Gummibaerchen

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

Mom also helped!

Then we set my coffee table and sat on pillows.

Looking cute!

Shall we eat?

This was on the menu:

First time trying Swiss chard!

Swiss chard with toasted pine nuts and raisins

Indian-spiced Kabocha mash

Stollen my mom brought back from her trip to Germany

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

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

All together and what have you got?

Afterwards we went on a walk with Matilda.

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

Next morning, mom and daughter breakfast

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

Dressing room photoshoots - commence!

I tried on this incredible black dress!

So awesome!

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

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

Also tried on an incredible top.

A dress like in Breakfast at Tiffany's!

My mom likes playing with my camera!

Matilda went shopping with us too!

We were being goofy in the store!

On to the next store – my favorite!

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

Now it's Mom's turn to model!

I think she wanted to go to the dog bakery!

She makes me smile

Now both of us!

Awesome overalls!

A shame they were too small.

A gypsy shawl!

Then we went to Sur la Table

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

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

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

The ingredients!

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

Pizza No. 1

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

Dinnertime!

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

And I packed some movie snacks for us.

We went to go see Julie & Julia.

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

The movie theater itself is so beautiful!

After the movie we wanted to go get some drinks.

We went to this French brasserie called Can Can

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

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

A toast to us!

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

We also ordered a dessert.

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

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

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

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

What Makes You Smile?

Posted on November 26, 2009 by Katharina

I’m going to start this post off with something that made me smile about a second ago. I just had a most delicious cup of tea I got at a coffeeshop. I had green tea with jasmine & lemon.

So remember when I said that I always say I’m going to get a rain jacket and I don’t, and then it rains?

I finally got one!

When I got back from shopping I started to make my lunch.

I baked some sweet potato fries with Old Bay seasoning and cumin. I also baked some Gardein chick’n tenders as well. I squirted ketchup on both and sprinkled some curry powder on as well. I made something of Sophia’s but with a different texture. Rather than make her kabocha soup with bacon and goat cheese- I made it a mash with coconut oil. I also subbed out the bacon for fakin’ bits. And that cute little chocolate cup? This time I tried a Newman’s Own Organic Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. It tasted good, but I wasn’t too keen on the gooey peanut butter middle. I was hoping it would be a bit more solid.

Look at what I got in the mail!

Awhile back Kashi was giving out free samples on their site. You know I jumped on that offer!

I've also been working on my project.

I started carving some wood yesterday. And after about 6 hours of that I realized I want to keep my thumb – it was so sore!

Granola bar!

I tried another 18 Rabbit granola bar that was graciously sent to me. This time it was the Funky Figs & Cherries. First off, I love the names of the flavors – they’re so much fun! I just heated it up and crumbled it over some vanilla Greek yogurt, and dark sweet cherries. This one was also very granola-y, however the first flavor I tried (Cheeky Cherry Chocolate) is the best so far. I swore I also tasted some chocolate in this one. Silly me didn’t check the ingredients though! Oh well, what matters is that it tasted good, right?

I had a little mishap with my lunch.

I had been cooking some kale on the stove and I went away and completely forgot about cooking, until I smelled something burning! I quickly ran into the kitchen and took it off the burner. Although it shriveled up a lot, it still tasted very good. May I suggest sautéing kale in a mix of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, and s&p? I also toasted a quick sandwich: goat cheese, basil pesto, and tomato with balsamic vinegar.

Yesterday, I got a bit of relaxing time in. I just did some beauty things and had dinner roasting and boiling away in the mean time.

My one person casserole dish.

I roasted some kabocha chunks, and boiled some edamame and quinoa pasta. I tossed it all in coconut oil, lime juice and s&p, then drizzled on some tamarind-date chutney. One word: yum. I haven’t had edamame in forever and I just found a great edamame succotash recipe I must try.

Now we're a little more caught up now.

This morning I decided to try the cranberry flavored Heart Thrive. I crumbled it over some vanilla Greek yogurt mixed with pumpkin puree. I also drizzled on some cashew butter and tossed in a handful of dried cranberries. To make the Heart Thrive less dry I heated it up in the microwave and spread on a bit of coconut oil. I must say I really enjoyed this flavor! It was perfectly tart and had a much stronger flavor than the others I tried.

Lots of blue today!

I wore my favorite blouse and these cool navy blue velvety pants…

And they're cuffed!

I only had one class today, so that left me with plenty of time to run errands and prepare some things for when my mom arrives tomorrow. I’m so excited!

Quick lunch

I got home and I was so hungry so I had some hemp brownie bites while I quickly prepared my lunch. No, not special brownies! I followed a BBQ Shepard’s Pie recipe from the Sunshine Burgers website with the BBQ flavor. Basically, I roasted corn, some cubed potato bits, and mozzarella in the oven. Afterwards I just drizzled on some BBQ sauce. I also had it with some beautiful blanched kale. I love that green!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I’m excited. Although I’m having a rather untraditional Thanksgiving (when is it not?), it’s going to be so nice to be with my mother. Since her flight comes in around 2, we’ll be having a Thanksgiving dinner. Which means she’ll be helping me in the kitchen! We make a great team. Anyway, I wanted to know what makes you all smile? I know for myself, it’s mostly the little things that cheer me up. For instance, when I take Matilda on walks I always notice the little quirks about Richmond. There are a lot of characters around here and they definitely make sure to leave their mark. Things like painted ice cream cones cut out of cardboard hanging on a string over a telephone line. I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving! Aside from having delicious food, I think the most important part is to enjoy being with people you care about. And being around those people can make a world seemingly filled with troubles, a much better place.

I’ll leave you all with some ideas from Kate Spade: 20 Ways to Merry-Make.

To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance

Posted on November 23, 2009 by Katharina

- Oscar Wilde

Ladies and gentlemen step right up! Wait a minute. This isn’t a circus! But you are more than welcome to come and read.

Hmm… where did we leave off? A-ha! After my breakfast fit for a king princess I got ready to venture over to the Farmer’s Market. I packed Matilda some treats since it was going to be a long walk.

I wore a skirt I found at a vintage punk store in St. Marks.

And some red shoes for a POP of color.

Then we were off!

Looking for the goods.

I had a couple things I was looking for: kale, persimmons, and winter squashes. They only had kale so I whipped out a quarter and paid. It was funny because the lady just held the bag in her hand and she mentally weighed it. Then I just went browsing around the other booths. On Sundays the Farmer’s Market has mostly artisan and vintage items.

I love those shopping bags that say "Thank You" all over them. Thank you thank you thank you!

On the way home I decided to walk a different way and I saw some pretty neat things.

There were plants in each segment.

A sushi restaurant - I think they're trying to be a best-kept secret.

My little nugget.

Pumpkin kale soup + toast + cashew toffee

I mixed in some coconut oil and my leftover sweet & sour lentils in the soup to make it heartier. On the toast is the delicious medley jam Holly sent me, and I had some plain slices with butter. Sometimes I just want simplicity. Maybe I’m coo-coo but often times I’ll eat things plain because I don’t want to forget what it tastes like. I feel like if I forgot what something essentially tasted like then that would interfere with my knack for thinking of flavor combinations. Anyway, I also munched on the cashew toffee, and I realized that it’s read “Christine’s” and not “Christmas” (what I previously thought).

Afterwards lunch I felt like shopping. I got something so I can be a Russian snow-bunny. I got a lot of painting done as well, and went to the grocery store to get some more things.

Faux fur can be chic too!

Lazy Sundays call for lazy dinners.

I roasted some kabocha (finally found one again) and carrot slices. I put coconut oil on half of the kabocha chunks and sunflower seed butter on the other half, but I drizzled all of them with maple syrup. The roasted carrot slices were delicious and I just put sea salt on them! I also baked a Barbeque Sunshine burger. I really enjoyed the distinct flavor this one had! I definitely tasted the smoke flavoring, and it’s really interesting to see the combination of ingredients they use to get that barbeque flavor. I topped it with my favorite BBQ-sauce.

Well, right now it’s a rainy Monday morning and I’m about to head off to finally get a rain jacket! I always say I will, then don’t and then it rains. But before I go I’ll leave you all with this morning’s breakfast.

Woke up to a little love.

I tried the Apple Heart Thrive this time around. I had it with vanilla Greek yogurt (ridiculous sale price=me stocking up), apple sauce + cinnamon, Newman’s Own Organic dried apples, and crunchy peanut butter. So far the one quip about these Heart Thrive bars is that they are drier than I prefer. There’s nothing wrong with the flavor, just the dryness factor. Atleast I’ve got things like coconut oil and nut butters to moisten them. I also have to make a note about Newman’s Own Organic dried fruit. They are awesome! They’re not overly dry how some dried fruits can be. There’s still a chewiness and plumpness to them.

Okay so I hope you all have a wonderful beginning to a fabulous week! I know everyone must be excited about Thanksgiving break and getting to enjoy all the seasonal eats. My mom is flying into town on Thursday and I can’t wait for some mother + daughter + Matilda time! Not to mention, it really helps turn away any winter blues when I hang out with someone (my mom) that thinks I’m the coolest girl on this side of the galaxy. My mom is like a ray of energy and can make anyone feel special and cared about. She also loves herself and what’s not to love? It’s only natural that as her daughter she’s given me plenty of her infectious injections of self-love and acceptance.

What do you all have planned for Thanksgiving Day? Any recipes you’re trying out or recommend?

The Apple of My Eye

Posted on November 2, 2009 by Katharina

Hello everybody! I hope you all enjoyed your weekend and for those of you that celebrate Halloween, I hope it was spooky!

The celebration started early for me with a bowl of pumpkin oats!

I think this bowl was too small to contain this porridge of goodness! I sliced a banana, dried cranberries, drizzled on some ginger syrup, and sprinkled a bit of pumpkin pie spice. My big glob of cashew butter just started sinking into the delicious abyss!

Can you make out the face?

I roasted some kabocha and filled it with random things! I saw a can of white hominy which caught my attention because I remembered wanting to try it when I read about on Mitri’s blog. I am now a fan of the big kernels! Seriously, since blogging I have tried so many new foods and I love it. Okay so what’s in this random mishmosh? Cooked cannellini beans, red onions, quinoa macaroni shells, white hominy, pine nuts, parmesan, and salt. Really simple and yummy.

Spooky S'mores Z-bar

Ran a bunch of errands with my friend before the nighttime festivities commenced!

I got two new dishes from Crate & Barrel when I went on my search for tights. Funny thing, I never found the tights I was looking for! But I was a happy girl nonetheless.

My new casserole dish!

When I saw the casserole dish I knew it’d be perfect to fit some of my meals. I made another random mix of things inspired by pumpkin pasta. I had some leftover quinoa macaroni shells, red onions, cannellini beans, kabocha, all sautéed and cooked with a splash of white wine, sweet basil, salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns. Then I topped it off with some grated parmesan. As I was enjoying this random mix, I couldn’t help but think how much more satisfying it felt eating from my new casserole dish and it was all for me! I also felt like calling my mom and telling her what I was having for dinner because it was so good! But we mustn’t forget the beautiful avocado on the side! I’m so glad I saw these were on sale. Sometimes when I go grocery shopping I make squeals of excitement when I see a great deal. You can imagine when I saw the kabocha on sale as well!

I was Prince John from Disney's Robin Hood

Alas, it was too late for me to go trick-or-treating, but before I headed out for the night I took Matilda on a walk in my costume. Maybe someone would think I was awesome and give me candy! That’s what I love about Halloween. You see things that just don’t make sense! How often are you waiting in line behind Darth Vader to pay for a pack of gum ? I ended up going to a hip-hop/hyphy show with some friends. Afterwards there was a “rager”, but first we had to go through the downpour that was going on outside. At least my apartment was close to the party so I changed from my soaking wet costume into some glam-clothes, but I still kept my crown on of course! So I danced the rest of the night away into daylight savings time. My Halloween didn’t end till 6 in the morning and I ended up falling asleep to the old version of “The Hills Have Eyes”.

Now on to other matters. Since my giveaway has all of the Prana Bar flavors I think it’s only appropriate to give you all a review of these babies; which the people at Divine Foods generously sent to me. First for some background information from their site:

“Divine Foods believes that satisfying our taste buds with healthy food satisfies mind and body. Divine Foods manufacturing facility is free of wheat, cane sugar, GMO’s, meat, eggs and peanuts ensuring our products are gluten-free, soy-free and vegetarian.”

So this makes it a safe bet for many different food allergies!

Look at all the ingredients!

Apricot Pumpkin: It was kind of.. floppy? It tasted good and very dense. You can definitely tell there’s date paste – which is interesting and I liked that. I liked the chewiness. It’s also 75% raw – not 100% but if you follow a high-raw diet then I think these would be suitable.

Apricot Goji: The apricot flavor definitely isn’t as intense as the Apricot Pumpkin flavor. I’d say this has a nuttier flavor. This wasn’t also wasn’t as mushy as the other one, so that makes me think that maybe I had the other one sitting in the sun on my desk for too long.

Cashew Almond: Not my favorite, but I did like the texture. Seemed more solid than the others.

Pear Ginseng: I always confuse ginger with ginseng so I was expecting something else, but I was delightfully surprised. Definitely not too sweet, but has just enough sweetness to make you want to save it for last!

Apple Pie: Whoa mama! This really tasted like a slice of apple pie! The cinnamon and apple flavors really shine through in this bar. Is something that tastes like this really suppose to give me energy? Heck yes!

Coconut Acai: I think this was my favorite! Actually, it definitely was. I could taste the coconut shreds combined with the sweetness from the date paste and agave – delicious!

I hope this review was hopeful for you all. If you are drawn to any of the names of the bars, then you’ll probably enjoy them. But say, for example, you don’t like apricots, you probably won’t like the apricot flavors. As for availability, I haven’t seen these in stores as much as other health bars, but you can always buy them online from their site – which also offers a mixed flavors box. I also have another exciting review coming up from their other product, Boomi Bar. So far I have been thoroughly impressed with all the Divine Foods products I’ve been lucky to try. And yes, I do consider myself lucky. Speaking of luck…

: And now to announce the apple of my giveaway’s eye!

Drum roll please…

Virginia from The Hot Dog Battle!

Congrats m’lady. I’ll be e-mailing you today to get your package sent to you ASAP.

I hope you are all starting your week off on a positive note. This past weekend was full of rain and clouds, but at least Monday’s weather is much better! I’ll leave you all with a little quote that may cheer you up.

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” - Theodore Roosevelt

Feeling Quite Ghoulish

Posted on October 31, 2009 by Katharina

In honor of one of my favorite holidays, Halloween, this is going to be a post full of spooky things and autumnal eats!

: My first bowl of pumpkin oats!

I just mixed in pumpkin puree with oats, vanilla protein powder, dried cranberries, NuNaturals vanilla liquid, and pumpkin pie spice. Once that was done cooking I topped with with pecans, Butterfingers, and ginger syrup. Yum!

: After I was done enjoying my bowl of pumpkin oats, I put on some spooky tights.

: More pumpkin goodness.

So I was roasting some acorn squash while I took Matilda on a walk. When I got back I realized I hadn’t even plugged the toaster oven, so no acorn squash for lunch! I improvised and made a mess out of bulgur, sautéed onions and garlic, chickpeas, pumpkin pie spice, coconut oil, and pumpkin butter. Totally random but still yummy.

: I actually roasted the acorn squash this time!

The only differences in this bulgur mix was the addition of raisins and subtraction of pumpkin. The acorn squash was baked with maple syrup, cinnamon, and butter.

: The black hole!

: Kind of like a cherry crumble.

I had a bowl of Nature’s Path vanilla almond granola with sweet dark cherries in warm soymilk.

: Fall colors!

: I tried a sample packet I got in Florida.

This is an all plant protein made by LifeTime. I tried the vanilla flavor and I was pleasantly surprised. I expected it to have a super “green” taste, but it didn’t at all and it was so yummy and thick. I tried it plain first, then I blended a banana after my taste-testing.

: Lunch!

Lunch was delicious! I had a sweet potato with Artisana’s coconut butter a la Liz. Homegirl knows what’s up! This was incredible. I am going to have to get myself a full-size jar of this stuff. One the side I had a mound of wilted spinach and chickpeas cooked in a spicy tomato and cardamom cooking sauce. I dressed it up with some crushed cashews.

: Dinner

This was incredibly delicious! I got the recipe from Molly Wizenberg’s blog, Orangette. The recipe? Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini! I used the last of the sample of tahini from Artisana. On the side I had a Japanese sweet potato with butter and 1/2 garlic powder (too lazy to saute garlic), the other 1/2 cinnamon. Japanese sweet potatoes are so delicious!

: And here’s what I did with the last of my free white acorn squash…

I adapted my favorite Yummy Mummy, Cate’s white beans and Lebanese cous cous stuffed acorn squash recipe. Since I didn’t have cous cous on hand I just used bulgur. The acorn squash was too small to fit all the stuffing so I just put th rest of it in a bowl and eventually made it an acorn squash delicious-mess.

: Sweet potato and ricotta toasted sandwich.

I roasted some kabocha with cinnamon and maple syrup. Then I put some Artisana coconut butter on each wedge. In the back is some sweet potato with the coconut butter and a sprinkling of cinnamon as well. And my burnt toast? It’s a sweet potato and ricotta toasted sandwich! The original recipe calls for rye bread but I just used whole wheat since I don’t have rye bread. I also realized I forgot the spinach! Oh well! In the mug is a new tea I got: chocolate hazelnut!

Now on for some real Halloween frights! I had a reunion with an old friend of mine and he brought two other friends along. It was my first time meeting them but we had such a bonding experience! We went to a haunted hayride. Actually we visited three different attractions. We were chased by scary creatures with chainsaws, had to go through pitch black mazes while people and other things jumped out and surprised us. At some points we had to get down on our knees and crawl!

: Driving to certain doom…

: Down a dark and winding country road.

: All smiles!

: The place is actually a berry farm.

: Nightmare numero uno

: They took us on a really long hayride out to the woods in the middle of nowhere!

: Oh yes he dared!

: We’re like naive little baby chickens!

: Still naive!

David is such an incredible person! He's just bursting with life!

David is such an incredible person bursting with life!

The woods!

So we decided to take a break from being scared out of our minds and stopped for a photoshoot.

Hilarious!

He's such an actor!

I’m suppose to be the scary one, but I look terrified!

He was good at being creepy.

And Iman got to kiss one of the scary guys!

Moreover, don’t forget to enter my 101st Post Giveaway. You have until tomorrow noon time EST to enter!

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Halloween! I’m hoping to go trick-or-treating. I just have to remember to smile really big! And of course there’s a costume in store.

p.s. Make sure to check out Krissy’s glo-ing giveaway!

An Italian Love Affair

Posted on October 22, 2009 by Katharina

Oh my gosh guys I don’t know where to start! So I will start with Sunday, the day I got back from Florida.

But first, I’m so glad you guys enjoyed Maggie’s post. She’s such a sweet person with a killer sense of taste, creativity, and style!

*Warning* This post has tons of pictures!

: My dad flew up with me and we went the an Asian market.

: We got some things to try… well I could only try the black bean pastries. Delicious nonetheless!

: My stomach has been in a funk so for dinner I stuck to something comforting.

I just heated up some soymilk and mixed in a pack of Uncle Sam’s cinnamon raisin instant oatmeal with soymilk. I threw in a couple more raisins into my bowl. On the side I had mashed kabocha with a little sample size of coconut oil that the folks over at Artisana generously sent me. This actually tasted better than the coconut oil I usually use. However, I’m content using the one I have (not to mention I just got a new jar of it).

: Monday breakfast!

Cranberry cinnamon swirl toast! A topped one slice with Artisana macadamia nut butter, and the other with cream cheese + some more dried cranberries. On the side I tried some of Trader Joe’s European style yogurt with a spoonful of Crofter’s superfruit spread. I loved the consistency and taste of this plain yogurt! It wasn’t too tart at all. Oof that macadamia nut butter is so good.

: Ugh stomach was still upset.

But I opened up a jar of my favorite BBQ sauce. How awesome is the name? I also got to try another Sunshine Burger thanks to the freebie coupons they sent me. This time I picked out the original Sunshine Burger. No joke, this is the best vegetarian burger I’ve tried! This one is definitely not bland and you can taste the carrots in it too! I just put some vegan mayo and BBQ sauce on top. I had a bite without anything and my initial reaction was WOW. I seriously could eat this thing plain.

: Oh! I also got a pretty new water bottle.

: The right way to get my hell day, Tuesday, started.

This time I boiled some soymilk and poured it in with a packet of Nature’s Path Maple Nut oatmeal. Awhile ago they sent me a more than generous package. This was so good! Such a great tasting bowl of oatmeal for a cold morning. I also chopped in some dates, crumbled a bit of a Cranberry Apple Boomi Bar, swirled in Artisana macadamia nut butter. Once again, the macadamia nut butter was excellent with the Maple Nut oats. On the side I heated an apple up because I didn’t want anything cold. Then it was off to go to my 6-hour sculpture class. Good news? The morning part of class was cancelled. And what did that mean?

: Ran some errands with Matilda.

: One awesome oldie and a few new goodies!

I got a purple sweet potato at the Asian market on Sunday. Ever since I’ve seen them on April’s blog I’ve been wanting to try one! I got Scuppernongs for my dad as well. I saw that butternut squash was on sale I definitely put them in my basket. Funny story with the white acorn squash actually. I thought it was also on sale and when I saw it wasn’t, I wanted to cancel the item. Then when the cashier assistant came over he said he’d give it to me for the sale price. Then he kept typing in the wrong keycode and after another try he just said, “here you can just have it.” Cool! Then I went to pick up my prescription and they gave me a freebie package and an entry to win $1,000! Double whammy!

: I made an interesting hummus for lunch.

Chickpeas + Brewed Mustard + Agave + EVOO + Pumpkin Butter = That up there!

: Bah! Tummy ache go away. But atleast it tasted yummy right?

Then it was time to go to the second half of my sculpture class.

: My studio!

I want to go to the different shop areas they have in the Fine Arts building and take pictures so you guys can see!

: I spy something yummy.

: Okay… so my belly was still in a funk but I couldn’t wait any longer!

I had all the ingredients to make Mitri’s mother’s baked ziti recipe. That’s right folks! And I was making it for me and my dad.

: Boiled pasta!

: Mixing some of the ingredients together.

: Layering

In the mean time while it was baking I had to distract myself. I usually get impatient with things that require baking because I don’t really have to do anything. So I made tutorial of how to eat a scuppernong.

Pop the pulp out!

: Dig for seeds!

Ding! Okay I think the ziti is ready!

: Yup! So worth the wait.

: Ladies and gentlemen, and now presenting Mitri’s mother’s baked ziti!

: Buon Appetito!

So I have quite the treat for you guys next post. I’ll give you hint: I have been testing my patience with more baking. And here’s an interesting fact for all you fall lovers out there. Did you know that pumpkin is actually a fruit?

p.s. candy corn devotees out there here’s a DIY recipe!

Change of Pace

Posted on October 14, 2009 by Katharina

I’m going to rewind on my eats a bit because I’ve been skipping around. Remember that pumpkin & lentil curry me and my friend made?

: This is what I did with my leftovers.

Since it was pretty thick it made a good filler for a wrap. The curry was just re-heated with some coconut oil and I also grilled an apple with cinnamon, then spread on some Crofter’s superfruit spread (pomegranates and black currants blended with red grapes and morello cherries).

: Cran-Lemon Twister

Well, this was the last ProBar out of my sampler package. I have to say, I was not disappointed with these bars. The first bite I took out of this one I literally made the “mmm” noise. It definitely has a zing and gave my tastebuds a little twist they’re not use to. Some of the ingredients in this bar are cranberries, lemon, papaya, and pineapple. There are so many other ProBar flavors I didn’t get to try, and I really want to. I guess I will be starting a new collection?

: Dun dun dun… the mandolin slicer.

I bought a butternut squash not too long ago, and I knew exactly what things I wanted to make with it!

: Butternut squash fries!

I seasoned them with salt and some Old Bay. On the side I followed Happy Herbivore‘s spicy chickpea spread recipe. You must try this! It is incredibly easy to make, requires no cookibng, and is great as a sandwich filler, dip, or even alone. In the very back is the famous potato salad from Mrs. Marshall’s Carytown Cafe.

: I mixed in some vegan mayo and ketchup to make it more like a “fries” dip.

: Butternut squash mash

I was reading Lauren‘s blog one day and saw that she made butternut squash mash, and it just sounded so good! I mixed in some coconut oil, vanilla, sugar, and I topped it off with coconut shreds. I had to wait for it to cool down – this was steaming hot!

: More butternut squash fries!

I baked these with freshly grated parmesan then I grated some more on afterwards. I served it with my last ooey-gooey arepa con choclo (sweet corn cake with farmer’s cheese). But I plan on re-stocking while I’m in Florida. There’s a Colombian cafe that makes delicious arepas. But my dad said they changed the cook so they’re a bit different now. We’ll see.

: Pumpkin penne with homemade pumpkin puree

I have no idea how I stumbled upon this recipe, but I’m glad I did. I didn’t have sour cream so I used cream cheese instead. Logical substitute, right?I got to try out another Tofurky product – the Italian sausages. I really like the seasonings they used for these sausages! I’m also glad there is a vegetarian version of these out there because I feel like this recipe would be incomplete without that ingredient. Delicious and easy!

Just like Mitri, I will continue to eat my orange foods to maintain my olive complexion! I have another fall colored dish for you. I’m so use to seeing green in my vegetable portions!

: Root vegetables and chickpeas

I followed a recipe sent to me through the Kardea newsletter. This is just something I made a big batch out of convenience. I plan on serving it with rosemary infused white rice. For a more rustic dish you could serve it with wild rice, or any other grain your prefer. I bet even roasting some potatoes and almonds in this would be delicious as well.

: Matilda also got a special somethin’ somethin’ from Trader Joe’s!

I almost forgot! Here’s the food porn I promised!

: Mmm so creamy

Hmm… what to do with my strawberry Chobani?

: Breakfast the other day was like a banana split!

I heated up a Vitalicious brownie, sliced a banana, sprinkled on some cashews and sprinkles of course! Topped it off with a scoop of fro-yo. On the side I had some cranberry cinnamon swirl toast with cream cheese and 1/2 with Crofter’s superfruit spread and the other 1/2 with Creme of Almond & Dates.

: Up close and personal

: Explosion!

Holly, look it’s a yog-mess!

Today I fly to Florida! Actually, the other night when I double-checked my itenerary I realized that there was a very big mistake. My dad had booked my flight as if I were departing from Florida tomorrow and flying back there on Sunday. Oops dad! You mixed them up. He was able to work it out I guess. Anywho, I’m so excited!

: Some of you may be experiencing the harsh weather already, so don’t forget to bundle up!

: Matilda says so!

p.s. Does anyone have any penne and pesto recipes they’d like to share? Thanks a bunch!

p.s.s. Keep the questions coming! I hope to have a video up by tomorrow. Special post for Friday!

Back in Richmond

Posted on June 1, 2009 by Katharina

That's one of my roommates, Kim.

This is from the night we went to a Spanish restaurant called Casa Panza. A flamenco dancer performed along with the Spanish guitar and a singer. All of them looked like gypsies. At one point of the night I went to the bathroom and when I came back and took my seat – I landed so hard on the ground. Notice in the picture what the ground is made of. Apparently those seats are too light to handle a purse and camera on the posts. I think everyone else realized I had fallen before I even did. I was just really confused. I’m surprised no one started laughing because it was pretty funny. Might I also add that this incredibly good-looking man helped me up. My butt was definitely hurting the next day.

Down below is my birthday cake. The one thing my mom loves to make is tiramisu. However, I found a recipe online for pumpkin tiramisu. It was very yummy. We drizzled some Amaretto Sherry Wine syrup over our pieces. Since we had no birthday candles in the household I improvised with colorful toothpicks.

Notice my band-aid has Hello Kitty on it. I didn't even get carded!

After deciding between 2 restaurants I opted for the place we hadn’t tried. It’s this place called Seasons 52. They change their menu with the seasons because they use fresh produce. They are a place that takes their customers health seriously. It’s refreshing to see that you can eat out without worrying whether or not your food has been pre-packaged and loaded with preservatives. On top of that it’s shipped cross country to be heated up again and served to you. Oh! This is my first legal drink in the US! It actually tasted really good. I know I’m only 21 but if I’m going to drink, I don’t want to drink something I don’t think tastes good. I guess it’s strange for my age because most people just drink to get drunk. I’m fine with other people doing that, but for myself – if I’m going to put it in my body I want it to taste good too!

They had these little desserts and I got my birthday candle! I couldn’t decide between mango cheesecake and banana caramel pie. So what’d I do? I got both! I liked the mango cheesecake a lot more than the banana caramel pie. I’m discovering that I’m not a big fan of super chocolaty, or rich desserts. Maybe it’s the summertime that makes me more keen to fruity things. I could live off popsicles during the summer!

And this tasted good too! Sipping on Caipirinha and lime juice.

Now here are some things I made while I was at my parents house in Florida. Yes, my “vacation” has come to an end. I still have tons of free time in Richmond, but I’m back to fending for myself. No more being driven around! But I admit I missed bike riding to places. I tried to do that while I was in Florida and it was really nice to ride around in a different scenery. Moreover, when I ride my bike in Richmond it’s usually to get somewhere. But while I was in Florida I just rode and explored.

I made some Honey Lime “Chick’n”. It was yummy, but I try to avoid fake meats. Some of the time they taste good, and they’re definitely convenient. I usually keep one fake meat item in the house because you never know when you have no time to spare. But lately, I’ve just been getting cans of chickpeas and beans. I think my favorite source of protein though are lentils. Those babies are so versatile. They’re like the oatmeal of legumes! I also don’t like to consume a lot of tofu. I’ll have it every once in awhile though. I guess what I try to do is keep the food as natural as possible. It ends up being cheaper too.

How do you guys feel about fake meats?

When I went to the mall one day I stopped by this bakery called PAUL. I picked up some bread rolls for the family. I got poppy seed, walnut, and sesame. I actually prepared an egg for myself. I rarely ever have eggs. Before I made the huevos rancheros, the last time I had an egg was years ago. I don’t do well with eggs nor do I like them, but for some reason I felt like having one. I could start to feel my tummy getting funky, so I didn’t eat all of it. To go along with the rolls I sliced tomato, mozzarella, avocado and included an array of fruit butters and spreads. I also made kale chips to go along with the meal. My roommate is hooked on kale chips now. And my parents were stoked that I made them again.

This is a dish that I made up. It has paneer, vermicelli, and a vegetable medley. The veggies I used were red peppers, corn, and scallions. I’m trying to remember if I used teriyaki sauce or something else. Food blog faux pas!

Before I forget! I opened up a can gooseberries yesterday. I had to rinse them off because they were kept with an extremely thick syrup. So far I’ve had it with rice pudding and vanilla oatmeal. Both were so good, but I think those combinations are obvious matches made in heaven.

For lunch today I tried some new things! I finally bought some Dr. Kracker crackers after I saw Courtney from the Hungry Yogini awhile back. I opted for the pumpkin cheddar flavor. These crackers are very large! The perfect size for a large slice of muenster cheese, tomato slices, and avocado. My salad consisted of romaine, tomato, mushrooms, tomato slices, and avocado. I scooped some hummus on top and drizzled the whole thing with balsamic vinegar and honey. I splurged a little this week with trying out new products. I usually don’t do this, but it’s my birthday week. Besides, I’m trying to work on being flexible with myself. I should make life as easy as possible and not everything has to be practical. Anyway, before I go off further onto my tanget, I got a package of crème brûlée flavored rice pudding. I topped that with raisins and had a few chocolate chip bites from SniKiddy. Maybe now that I’m 21 I have this urge to indulge myself with kid stuff.

Does anyone know any good combinations for balsamic vinegar?

I think I want to start making more of my own dressings, but keeping it simple. I think a key lime vinaigrette would be delicious.

Okay I’m stretching this post out even more. This is what happens when you don’t post for awhile! Over my stay with my parents I bought this protein cereal by Kay’s Naturals that sounded interesting. I got the sample size bags in 3 different flavors: Apple Cinnamon, French Vanilla, and Honey Almond. All of them were delicious but my favorite by far was the honey almond. Usually it’s hard or me to get a good source of protein for breakfast (this is why I put protein powder in my oatmeal). I’ve been working on it, but in the past I noticed that I forget about that component. So this cereal would make it a lot easier. I have yet to try their other products, but I’m assuming their yummy in my tummy as well! So all you cold cereal lovers out there if you haven’t tried the Protein Cereal, well, you should.

Okay, so I’ll let you guys take in this incredibly long post!

ps Does anyone have any yummy refried beans recipes?

Katharina's Food Adventures

Tag Archives: pumpkin