OIAJ & Time to De-Stress

This morning, I had Oats In a Jar.

And they were good.

Pre-stirrage

Post-stirrage goodness..nom nom nom

Into the pot went:

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• a melted banana mixed in

Into the jar went:

• steaming oats
• 2 tbsp. almond buttah from the jar
• a handful of raisins
• cinnamon (obv)

I can’t get enough of the banana-nut-butter oats combo. I’ve been having it every morning for the last week, and it has not once gotten old (way to have some variety, Katelyn!). It’s fine.

If you haven’t tried Katie’s melted banana trick, hon, you are missing out. Try it. Now. (not to be bossy or anything )

Nom nom nom Currently getting banana oats cravings…

But, onto other things!

What time is it? It’s…

 

Time to De-Stress:

You know that feeling where there’s just so much to do, but somehow not enough time in the day to do it? Or that weighted-down feeling you carry around when you’re just stressed?

Hello, high school!

I’ve been feeling ultra stressed lately, so I’ve been looking for some ways to de-stress. Such as:

Tea

 

Yoga (especially Power Vinyasa! still have to try hot yoga)

 

 

(yes, I know it’s not a yoga picture, but it came up in my Bing search and it made me laugh! )

Hot chocolate The reason for the season, lovies!

 

 

Runnin’ runnin And spinning!

 

 

Eating peanut buttah noodles while catching up with friends..

 

 

…and more tea.

 

 

I am such a tea girl. I always have some tea in my favorite thermos! My favorites currently are Yogi teas and Tazo teas – especially their Refresh, Honeybush, and Vanilla Rooibos varieties. Keeps me nice and warm

 

And baking! Especially these Oatcakes:

Expect a recipe soon! They were to die for – reminiscent of my childhood and perfectly moist. They were delicious by themselves (I scarfed them down, notabigdeal), but I discovered they were even more out-of-this-world with some good pb and apple butter. Mmm

Question of the Day: What’s your favorite way to de-stress?

Time for me to sign off, y’all – readings on the U.S. economy are calling my name! Enjoy the rest of your evening, lovlies

xoxox,

Happy Bunny Bunny Day!

You’re probably thinking, what the heck is Bunny Bunny Day? Well, I’ll tell you!

The first day of every month, as soon as you wake up, jump out of bed and hop three times and spin around three times, saying “Happy Bunny Bunny Day!” for good luck in the coming month.

It’s so goofy and you look ridiculous, but it’s a cute tradition.

In my high school, on the first day of every month, the morning show puts up decorations, the hosts eat bunny-shaped chocolates, and remind you to hop out of bed next month and get some good luck!

Awe, how cute!

As far as my life goes, I’ve been working my tail off these past few weeks at my new job (which I love by the way ), and spending more hours running, standing, and walking around to do so.

I mean, I’m not complaining – I am getting paid after all! But it would be nice to have a foot massage at the end of the day…or a swiss massage…

What are your solutions for the end-of-the-workday slump?

I have to apologize for not blogging as often as usual – getting used to this new schedule is so draining! I’ve had plenty of time to cook and photograph, though, so don’t fret – we’ve got yummy deliciousness coming up.

We’ll start with brekkie for the last two days – since it’s my favorite meal of the day =)

BREAKFAST:

As usual, my butt-whoopin’ workout left me wanting something loaded – with almond buttah. Ain’t nothing betta than my almond buttah.

Oh, and lots of blackberries, bluebs, cherries, and strawberries – can you say cherry-stained fingers?

This was actually my Brunch for Lunch on Tuesday – so no lunch. That’s why it’s so loaded!

Finished devoured. Clean bowl =)

Today’s was similar, but I took an even larger portion (hungry hungry!) – the giant dollop of almond butter is not pictured, mainly because it immediately went in my mouth.

I also added in a chopped up Apple Pie Katebar just at the end of cooking the buckwheat – ooey gooey goodness =)

p.s. I was eating at 6 am – I woke up at 3:45 am to wake up, run (4.25 miles! yayay), shower, and eat brekkie…I had to make it to lunch! I did enjoy a mid-morning snack of an organic pink lady apple, though!

Oh, almond buttah, how you make me swooooon.

LUNCH:

Lunch the past couple of days has been equally delicious. I had Brunch for Lunch Tuesday as you saw before, but today I had lunch at work for the first time!

So, I packed up my big-girl lunchbox with Kabocha Squash and Azuki Beans, roasted cauliflower (350 degrees, drizzled with EVOO, sea salt, and your favorite seasonings for 20-25 minutes), fresh veggies (carrots, green peppa, cukes, and baby tomatoes), and Italian Mushroom Savory Buckwheat.

I used to despise leftovers because then I would have to have the same thing two nights in a row, but now I enjoy them at lunch and switch it up at din din!

Isn’t my wittle lunchbox adorable? I absolutely love it.

DINNER:

Last night I made Kabocha Squash with Azuki Beans, one of my all-time favorites. It got a little messy though, so I had to whip out the apron for the first time!

Who woulda thunk this little girl would be a messy cook?

Of course, it yielded a generous (to say the least) amount! This is something that I always look forward to eating as leftovers!

CK Dad modeling the food:

Oh yes, a generous amount.

Definitely not the prettiest dish, but one of the absolute tastiest - I guess this kind of goes along with the theme that sometimes the best things come in the ugliest packages =)

We also had some Italian Mushroom Savory Buckwheat which was just as delicious as the night before. I love my buckwheat at every meal, but it still wins my heart at breakfast <3

I also whipped up some roasted cauliflower as mentioned in lunch, which was so perfectly seasoned – I use Simply Organic All-Purpose Seasoning for quick and delicious seasoning.

Oh, and of course leftover Beet Still My Heart Farmer’s Market Salad!

Tonight for dinner I whipped up some Carrot Cake Quinoa – and it went perfectly with the Kabocha Squash with Azuki Beans, salads, and roasted cauliflower. Mmmm.

Carrot Cake Quinoa

If I didn’t have this at dinner, I might actually have thought it was carrot cake! Well, not really – but it’s about as close as you can get without a ton of added suga =)

Ingredients:

• EVOO
• lemon juice
• 1.5 cups freshly grated carrot – fresh! About 2 large carrots worth
• 1/2-3/4 cup raisins
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat about 1-2 tbsp. EVOO with a tablespoon or so of lemon juice. Add grated carrot and raisins and saute for a few minutes, or until heated and juicy.
2. Add water and quinoa and bring to a boil. Add lots of cinnamon (more the merrier!) and reduce to a simmer and cover, stirring every few minutes for about 15 minutes, or until all water is absorbed.
3. Serve warm or cool, and enjoy! =)

This dish is always a hit with the fam, and has me going back for seconds thirds. Its natural sweetness and nuttiness is a perfect combo – it’s also a super healthy way to satisfy your cravings for something a bit sweet!

Plus, it makes for great leftovers! Can you say Chef Katelyn’s lunch tomorrow, anyone?

After dinner I made some Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Katebars! They smell amazing and I am beyond dying to try these all melted in my buckwheat tomorrow =)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Katebars

Makes 5 Katebars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pitted, packed medjool dates
• 2 tbsp. raisins
• 2/3 cup almonds
• pure vanilla extract (alcohol-free) – about 1 tsp.
• 2 tbsp. mini vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a food processor, pulse almonds into small pieces, or until no whole almonds are left.
2. Add dates, raisins, and vanilla extract and pulse until combined and it starts to roll around in a ball.
3. Add chocolate chips and pulse a few times, then place in a bowl and mush-mash with your hands (the fun part!). Your hands will get all sticky but it is so worth it.
4. Break up into 5 equal sections and form into bars. Wrap with wax paper, plastic wrap, or plastic baggies – whateva you got!
5. Store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat them. Enjoy! =)

Ideas for optimum Katebar enjoyment!:

• Chopped up and combined with your morning hot (or cold!) cereal. It’s a mind explosion/dream/the most delicious thing in the world chopped up and added just as your hot cereal is just about to finish cooking – then remove from heat and keep covered for a few minutes. The result? Ooey gooey goodness!
• A pre- or post-workout snack
• Dessert!
• Chopped up and mixed or blended/processed with Banana Soft Serve!
• Chopped up and in your cookie/brownie/pancake/waffle/bread/muffin dough! Bake according to recipe directions and enjoy melty in-your-mouth goodness =)
• The possibilities are endless.

Let me know if you think of any other fun ways to enjoy a Katebar! =)

That’s all for tonight, lovlies! I’ve got the 7 am shift again tomorrow – I have the joy of waking up at 3:45 am again to get in my 5K training!

The race is currently 4 days away! Holy moly.

Hope everyone has a relaxing evening! I know I will =) I’ll be in bed within 10 minutes of this post going up…I’m an early birdy.

Nighty night!

xoxox,

My Life in Food

Good morning lovlies! Sorry for the lack of posting lately – busy busy! I’ve been catching up with friends, work, and getting ready for school starting next week. Oh boy.

I’ve had a yummy past few days of meals. Let’s have a look  :)

A snacky snack. Isn't hummus the greatest?

Lunch a few days ago! Tons of raw veggies (I had a tummyache) and leftover Spaghetti Squash Primavera Oh, and VegNews for dessert.

Like my big girl lunchbox? Me too

My other favorite tea mug

Possibly the greatest heirloom tomater I've ever seen.

A friend of mine was coming for din din a couple of nights ago, so of course I had to make my famous Spinach Pie! I paired it with some Black Jimaca Rice from Lundberg Farms and Brussels Sprouts - my killer combo.

Mmmm

And of course, there was a little left for lunch! I saved some for today, too. I know, I’m a sneakster.

Then for din din, I whipped up some Great Northern Beans with Mushrooms, some Parsnip Fries, sauteed daikon and carrots, and leftover black jimaca rice. It was a sweet night The poor parsnips got a little overdone (thank you, 3 things on the stove at once!), but they were delicious despite their charred appearance. Next time I’ll be paying more attention to the fries, and less to the stove!

Parsnip Fries

Ingredients:

• Parsnips, amount depending on how many fries you want (I used about 3)
• EVOO
• Sea salt
• Pepper to taste (I don’t like peppa, so I didn’t use any)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Slice parsnips in half lengthwise, then slice into fry-like sticks about 1/4-1/2 inch wide.
3. Place on a baking sheet and toss and coat with about 2 tbsp. EVOO and sprinkled with sea salt.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown, tossing halfway through and checking every 5 minutes or so for the last 15.

The fries were so good, and perfectly sweet. I may have snuck a few a few handfuls after dinner…

I will definitely be trying squash, sweet potato, and carrot fries in the near future (yes, carrot fries!). Ahh vegetables, so versatile

Great Northern Beans with Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• EVOO
• 1/2 of a small red onion, diced
• about 6 baby bella mushrooms, washed and sliced
• 2 handfuls TVP
• 1/3 cup water
• 1.5 cups great northern beans
• a pinch of sea salt

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat about 2 tbsp. EVOO over medium heat and then add diced onion. Sauté until transparent, and then add mushrooms and sauté until reduced.
2. Add water and TVP and allow to cook for about 2 minutes, then add beans and a pinch of sea salt. Cook until thoroughly heated and flavors have been absorbed.
3. Serve and enjoy!

This dish was perfect for the cool night we were having, and filled me right up. This was my first time trying and cooking with TVP (textured vegetable protein), and I liked it – slightly meaty texture but without the meat! Vegans and non-vegans alike would enjoy this good source of protein. Plus, beans are unrivaled in the protein ring, and ‘shrooms are my favorite

KATEBARS:

I also had some time to make some more Katebars…but this time, Apple Pie!

Apple Pie Katebars

Makes 5

Ingredients:

• 1/3 + half of 1/3 cup almonds
• half of 1/3 cup walnuts
• 1 cup dates
• 1/4 cup dried apple
• 1/8 cup raisins
• cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a food processor, pulse nuts until no whole nuts are left.
2. Add dates, dried apple, raisins, and a generous sprinkling of cinnamon (don’t be shy!). Pulse until no whole dates are left and it is beginning to form a ball.
3. Place in a bowl and knead it with your hands (the fun part ) until it’s all totally combined. Place on a wax sheet of paper and flatten, then divide into 5 bars.
4. Using your hands, make the bars look very bar-like and then wrap in saran wrap or wax paper.
5. Refrigerate until ready to eat, and then eat alone, in your hot cereal, or crumbled on anything else. Enjoy!

As usual, this morning the Katebar went straight into my favorite brekkie:

Mmmm, gooey cinnamon morning bliss With a new friend – a fresh papaya on the side! I’ve never had non-dried papaya before, so this was a treat. I love my tropical fruits!

That’s all for now, lovlies! I’m off to work. Today’s a rest day, so I’ll be reading some VegNews and indulging in some vegan desserts

What’s your favorite part of rest days? Do you believe in “active” rest or just relaxing?

xoxox,

Puppy Love

Some may call it puppy love – but I know I’m in it for the long haul.

I’ve fallen in love with running.

Yes, that activity that used to plague me with a wave of utter dread and anxiety – it has become something that makes me excited to wake up in the morning.

As the girl who used to push herself to the extremes just to burn 100 more calories, do just one more mile, sweat just a bit more…I’ve learned to take each day with a grain of salt.

Every day I feel better, lighter, stronger, more energized, and one step closer to my inner peace. With every step of my feet, I feel the ground lifting me up and propelling me forward, clearing my mind and giving energy to every fiber of my being, from my toes to the top of my head. It’s as though everything around me stops for a moment to allow me to be in myself, spend some time for some me time. There are no deadlines, to-do lists, or responsibilities when I’m running – it’s just me, my mind, and the ground below me.

I’ve learned to be more in tune with my body. I’ve learned to listen to my body; when it tells me I’m hungry, or when I’m not hungry; the importance of knowing when to take a rest day, and when to do a tough workout. It’s all a matter of inner harmony – when you treat your body well, your mind and your body don’t disagree. You begin to work like a perfectly-functioning machine, your body and mind completely in sync because you’re giving your body what it needs. And what your body needs is good treatment: quality nourishment and balanced exercise.

I may not be a marathon-runner or a triathlete, but every day my body is becoming stronger and building its endurance to take me to where I want to go. I’m certainly taking baby steps, but every day I feel the difference. It’s all in the balance.

What are your thoughts? Do you have something that has taught you about inner peace?

WORKOUT:

Today’s workout was a bit harder than yesterday’s; I decided to up the time running since 30 seconds longer didn’t seem to difficult. Plus, I had just gotten a lot of sleep, so I was up for a challenge! My workout looked like this:

• Treadmill workout: 5 minute warmup at 5.5, then 3 minutes running at 5.5 followed by 1 minute walking at 4.0 repeated 4 times; last rep, 4:40 at 5.6 then 5 minute cooldown at 3.5. Totals: 3 miles, 36 minutes, 455 calories (accuracy = negligible).
• Stretching
• Abs: 50 crunches, 30 with legs in the air, 50 with legs almost flat, 50 legs left/legs right, 1 minute traditional plank.
• Arms: 20 bicep curls, 5 lbs. each arm. 15 lateral raises, 5 lbs. each arm. 30 tricep extensions, 10 lbs.

I felt so good through the whole thing, and even started singing in my head and dancing along – I don’t like listening to music when I run, but sometimes the rhythm reminds me of a good song. Today it reminded me of Imma Be, so I was rockin’ out for one rep – don’t judge .

By the end, I was plenty sweaty and so proud of myself. It was nearly impossible to wipe that grin off of my face – I had done 3 miles! This is the first time I’ve been able to do 3 miles at once since my pre-vegan days (more on that another time).

One small step for Katelyn, one giant leap towards my 5K! The days are slowly approaching…as of today, I have 11 more days left to train before my first race. Ahh! I am so excited.

Anywho, after my run I was plenty hungry, and since I had slept in, my whole morning was pushed forward. I didn’t have my favorite brekkie today, but instead I had Lunch for Brunch. You see, it was still early enough to be brunch (about noon), but I didn’t have anything breakfast-y at all – so it was Lunch, but for Brunch.

LUNCH FOR BRUNCH:

My mouth was watering like crazy by the time I reached the kitchen, so I pulled out the last piece of ‘Shroom Pizza along with some brussels sprouts, the last of the Sweet Potater, and Garlicky Beans.

Popped the pizza in the handy-dandy toaster oven and the nuked the rest (even though I hate microwaves), then dug in with hardly any mercy.

It was such a sunny, perfect day – can you tell?

After Lunch for Brunch, I showered and then got to the tasks at hand.

You may be wondering, “What’s the Hoodie Pile?”. Well, you should see for yourself.

Yes, that beautiful mountain has been sitting in the middle of my room for the past few days week. And I finally decided to clear out the top shelf of my closet to place them on, and in the process found a ton of old journals (dating back to when I was 8 years old..aww!) and a box of dried roses from when I was confirmed. I love going through old things.

What do you have in your “treasure trove”?

DINNER:

Then, it was time to make dinner! I was in the mood for squash (I love my orange vegetables), so tonight I made Spaghetti Squash Primavera with some asparagus, salads con avocado, and Quinoa.

Now, mind you, the Primavera was not very asthetically pleasing in the serving bowl, but on my plate it looked just like spaghetti! Tasted a million times better though, due to the fact that virtually any kind of squash will make my tummy happy.

Spaghetti Squash Primavera

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash
• EVOO
• 8-10 baby bella mushrooms, quartered or sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach
• 1 large tomato, diced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Place spaghetti squash on a baking sheet/casserole dish (anything really works as long as its big enough) and cook whole in the oven for 50-60 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, sauté garlic over medium heat in about 2 tbsp. EVOO for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until they have reduced and mushroom liquid has seeped out. Cover and remove from heat.
4. Using an oven mitt, hold the squash with one hand and cut squash in half with a long, sharp, toothed knife – do not cut it bread-style, be a daredevil and stick it straight in! It cuts easiest this way.
5. Use a spoon to spoon out the seeds, then use a fork to coax out the “spaghetti”. Only the shells should be left when you are done.
6. Return the skillet to medium heat and add “spaghetti”, spinach, and tomatoes. Toss and cover, stirring every few minutes until the “pasta” has reduced slightly and has moistened up and cooked more.
7. After cooking and tossing for about 15 minutes, top with some vegan parmesan cheese, then serve and enjoy!

There’s really no way to go wrong with veggies in this recipe, so use whatever you have – broccoli, zukes, cukes, bell peppers, onions, anything! It would also be good with some marinara sauce, a bit of EVOO and salt ‘n peppa, or even some lemon juice. Let me know what you try!

DESSERT:

No meal is complete without dessert. Tonight, we finished the last few Chocolate Chip Cookie Cakes (sad face ), which were nuked (with love) for 1 minute and then devoured promptly (with care).

I love my ooey gooey goodness

Is your mouth watering yet? …You’re welcome!

Ahhh, time to go work on my summer reading! I got a giant wake-up call today when I got my schedule in the mail – and yes, I got every teacher I wanted with a perfect schedule of frees. I have 5th and 8th period free every day, giving me the best lunch period and the opportunity to leave school early or even go to work earlier every day (meaning coming home earlier!). Plus, on day 5 I don’t have class until noon. Oh, the joys of senior year

That’s all for tonight! See you in the morning lovlies

xoxox,

Homemade Larabars and Chocolate Chip Cookie Cakes

I. am. so. full. Dinner was the most delicious thing that has crossed my lips in the past…however knows when.

But halt! Quick note: the Albany Vegetarian Network’s Vegan Fashion Show entries are all up on the web now! Our full-body and headshots as well as our answers to all of our questions. For those of you that are just dying to see my page…click hurr.

Okay, back to dinner. Tonight we decided to go standard-american-diet, but healthy and vegan. Let me rephrase that. We had pizza night! Filled with pizza, veggies, and chocolate-chip cookie bliss accompanied by ‘naner soft serve.

The cookies ended up more like something I like to call Cookie Cakes, and they were de-licious. I had never had Banana Soft Serve before, so when I first tried it tonight I actually died. I think I’m still waking up. For all of you people in the blogosphere thinking to yourself “What’s so special about banana soft serve? It’s just bananas.” ….stop. This stuff is the darned bee’s knees if I ever knew them. I may never touch So Delicious again (gasp!).

How do you make ‘Naner Soft Serve, you may ask? My super-simple recipe, taken from the amazing Gina:

Banana Soft Serve

Ingredients:

• Bananas
• Aluminum foil/tupperware/saran rap/whatever you have for storage
• Food processor

Directions:

1. Peel bananas and wrap/store using your method of choice.
2. Freeze bananas (ours were frozen in 4 hours)
3. Stick ‘em in the food processor and let it whirl! Stop every once in a while to scrape down the sides and mix it around until it looks like ice cream and no giant chunks are left.
4. Serve and eat immediately! Enjoy  Stuff your face

Seriously. Go freeze some bananas and make banana soft serve as soon as they are frozen. You will never regret it. Not only is it totally guilt-free because it’s just frozen fruit, it’s better than nice cream. Super sweet and scrumptious.

Okay, enough of this food-talk. I’ll show you the goods:

Pizza! P-I-Z-Z-A…

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Pizza Dough (with thyme and oregano added in ) topped with Amy’s Low-Sodium Marinara Sauce, diced purple onion, shrooms, basil, and spinach. I cannot wait for leftovers tomorrow!

Veggies! Broccoli, shrooms, red pepper, purple onions, and yellow summer squash

Slight camera fail

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cakes! Mmmm

With some freshly scooped ‘Naner Soft Serve:

I can’t wait for dessert tomorrow night Can you say “cookies in the microwave”? Ohhh my gosh, melty gooey goodness.

The best part? Fat-free with no added sugar. But you would never know. Who woulda thunk? That’s the beauty of stevia!

Here’s my recipe!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cakes

Makes 12

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups spelt flour (any flour will work, eyeball to adjust moisture for other flours)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. tapioca flour
• 3/4 cup NuStevia Baking Blend (or sugar/other substitute if you roll like that)
• 2/3 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease a cookie sheet.
2. Mix tapioca flour, NuStevia, applesauce, and vanilla almond milk in a large bowl. Then, add in vanilla extract.
3. Add in spelt flour, baking soda, sea salt, and chocolate chips. Mix well, and then use an ice cream scooper to scoop the cookie dough onto the cookie sheet, about 1/2 to an inch apart (they don’t spread out very much).
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the outsides are cooked and give a bit when pushed (or you can use a toothpick in the middle of one).
5. Let cool for a couple of minutes, and enjoy!

These were too delicious, and I love my guilt-free desserts! I will definitely be having one more than one tomorrow after din din. I can’t help myself – Rebecca and I had to split another one

Since Larabars are my favorite thing ever (but they’re super expensive), I decided to make my own Katebars to have with my morning oats! This time, I whipped up my own version of Cinnamon Bun Katebars. These are quick, simple, delicious, and most of all, nice to my wallet

Cinnamon Bun Katebars

Makes 2 Katebars

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup packed, pitted dates
• a few sprinkles of cinnamon
• a drizzle of vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Whiz the almonds in your food processor until they are well-crumbled but not a flour.
2. Add dates, cinnamon, and vanilla and process until no whole dates are left.
3. Put in a small bowl and squoosh it with your hands (this is the fun part ) until combined to your liking.
4. Divide in half and shape each into an energy-bar type shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to eat.
5. Enjoy!

Variations:

• Substitute part of the dates with raisins or another dried fruit such as mango, apple, cherries, or pineapple. Mmmm
• Substitute a different nut. For example, you could use peanuts with an eensy bit of salt for Peanut Butter and Jelly Katebars!
• Use other spices, or no spices at all!
• The possibilities are endless. Go crazzaay

What flavors would you like to see? Give me some fun ideas!

Well, tomorrow I have work at 8 am, so I have to get up extra early to run – 5 am! This should be interesting. I am super pumped to go running though, especially with my brand-new 15 dolla watch! Checkit:

Thank you, Target

I’m off to go read before bed! See you tomorrow lovlies

xoxox,

Sunday with the Fam

It’s another rainy Sunday in our neck of the woods, and I loooove it Yes, it’s chilly, and yes, it’s slightly muggy, but I love a good, relaxing day filled with activities accented by hearty meals and a warm cup of tea.

So this morning, I overslept about an hour (the rain gets me every time!), so I had to whip up breakfast and pop it in the oven, then squeeze my workout and shower into the 45 minutes of cooking time. Oh boy. Throw a challenge at a girl, and this is the one you pick? I was not looking for a hectic morning. But thankfully, everything came together beautifully.

I ran .9-something of a mile, not any more, for the very devastating reason that my treadmill blew a fuse just as my mile was about to be done! Boooo. So I ran upstairs, showered, and came down to prepare brekkie for the fam

Strawbs, blackberries, cherries, apple spread, and nut butters for topping:

Mmm, my famous Apple-Cinnamon-Raisin Muffies in baked oat form

My plate, pre- giant spoonful of apple spread. After that, there was no mercy on these oats.

They were so perfectly crispy on top and gooey and warm in the middle, packed with cinnamon-y apple-raisin goodness. It’s like oats taken to a whole new level! I will be making these on a much more regular basis. With plenty of variations to come, of course

I was inspired by Jackie‘s recipe, and changed it around a ton and made it a more breakfast-y and moist version of my muffies.

Apple Cinnamon Raisin Baked Oats

(Adapted from Carolina Vogue‘s Baked Overnight Oats)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups rolled or old-fashioned oats
• 1.5 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened, natural applesauce
• LOTS of cinnamon! At least 2 tsp., add more to your liking (I like more )
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 apple, cored and diced (Cameo is my favorite!)
• 1 heaping tbsp. almond butter
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 tsp. NuStevia powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease a 7×11 or 9×9 casserole dish.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, then add wet ingredients and mix, mix, mix!
3. Pour it all into a casserole dish and even out with a spoon, then pop in the oven for 45 minutes and let cool for 5-10 minutes (it needs to firm an eeensy bit).
4. Then cut into squares and enjoy!

These are incredibly low-calorie and loaded with fruit, whole grains, protein, fiber, and good fats that kept me full for a looong time

After brekkie, we went to church and then to the local farmer’s market. Unfortunately, I forgot about the farmer’s market until we were already at church, so no camera was on hand; next week I’ll deliver the goods.

But, we did pick up these goodies! We’ll be feasting on yummy things for awhile

Heirloom tomatoes, giant beets (my fave!), crab apples, apples with "strawberry" in their name (no joke), dill pickles, and raw almond buttah!

I love me some almond buttah

They also had cashew, sunflower seed, and peanut buttah, but that will have to be for another weekend

The pickles were so good, esp. with my lunch sammie!

Crab apples! So sour, but I like

The strawburry apples

Did I mention I really like love heirloom tomatoes?

My lunch! We had a make-your-own-sammie Sunday, and I decided on Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted grain bread with my homemade hummus, cukes, celery, kale, and sprouts; pickles and daikon on the side

Slight camera fail

Crunch, crunch

Ahh, now it’s time to relax with my books and some tea My new favorite is Yogi Ginseng Vitality. I love it because it has cinnamon and lots of antioxidant-filled herbs.

For dinner, tonight’s Pizza Night! Followed with our first time having vegan chocolate-chip cookies I may have been vegan for awhile, but I can only make so many desserts! I can’t wait to try them.

Have a cozy afternoon lovlies! See you after dinner

xoxox,

Katelyn

Friday I’m In Luuuurve

Happy Friday lovlies!! It’s been a good day

I slept in and took another rest day, which was rejuvenating and awfully productive. My muscles got the break they needed, and my closet got the organization it’s been craving for a looong time. No “before” picture, but here’s an “after” picture that, mind you, is a giant improvement!

Ahhhh, organization

Slight organization fail.

Now that my closet’s been detox’d, I have to find a place for all of these hoodies I never wear – you know, the ugly one you got when you were on the JV soccer team? Kaybye!

These will be going on the top shelf of el Closet, I just have to clear it out first. Hello, Saturday project!

Last night I was awfully tired, so here’s a quick recap of dinner: leftover braised daikon, Black-Eyed Pea Croquettes, Lundberg wild rice, and corn So crunchy sweet. Did I mention my appetite thinks it’s fall already?

I was NOT very hungry last night.

Since I slept in and this is Rest Day Numero Dos, I had a breakfast of juicy, crunchy fresh fruit. Ahhh, some days I forget how refreshing it is!

Grapefruit, strawberries, blackberries, and cherries

This morning’s TeaSpiration:

Until lunch, I had been working hard at el Closet, so when I finally did make lunch I just threw everything together. It was so crispy and fresh. I had a kale salad topped with 2 small, sliced heirloom tomatoes, leftover corn, baby carrots and braised daikon. I love vegetables too much I also had the very last half of a Black-Eyed Pea Croquette (sad face ) which didn’t make it into the picture (I can’t help myself!) and some wild rice.

Crunch crunch

Immediately after lunch I had to prep dinner for tonight since I would be working from 4-7. P.S. This was my first day of actually working! Yesterday was some computer E-Learning business that was completely boring, and as a bonus I got frozen from standing for 3 hours. AAANYWHO, I whipped up a Polenta Casserole and some Fruity French Lentils that could be popped in the oven when I got home and served straight from the fridge. When I got home, I stuck some baby bok choy in the steamer basket and let that go for a couple minutes, then drizzled on some EVOO and sprinkled some sunflower seeds. This dinner was di-vine. Warm, filling, and totally yummy.

The spread.

Fruity French Lentils Watch out, this stuff is addictive!

Love bluebs

Fruity French Lentils

(Adapted from The Kind Diet)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lentils (I used sprouted green lentils, but French or any other kind would work too)
• 3 cups water
• a pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup blueberries (or other berry/fruit of your liking )
• 1/2 cup natural, unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 heaping tbsp. Woodstock Orchards Apple Spread

Directions:

1. Boil water in a medium saucepan, add a pinch of sea salt, and then add lentils and reduce to a simmer (about medium heat). Let simmer for about 30 minutes, or until tender.
2. Drain extra cooking liquid and then rinse with cold water and put in a small-medium sized bowl (I used our serving bowl).
3. Add walnuts and berries/fruit; combine. In a small bowl or dish, combine applesauce, lemon juice, and apple spread. Pour over lentils and mix thoroughly.
4. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and then dig in! Enjoy

Polenta Casserole

(adapted from The Kind Diet)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups polenta
• 5 cups water
• 2 pinches sea salt
• 1 medium, or half of 1 large, head cauliflower, chopped into large pieces
• 8-10 spears asparagus, woody ends broken off and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup frozen sweet peas, thawed
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 package seitan, drained and sliced
• 2 tsp. sesame tahini
• 2 tbsp. Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
• 2 tsp. Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/3 cup plain dairy-free milk (almond alll the way )
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Put polenta, water, salt, and chopped cauliflower in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer, stirring every 2 minutes (at least!) for about 30 minutes. Stirring is super important so that the polenta doesn’t stick to the bottom or clump up.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease an 8×8 (or similarly sized) casserole dish with a little EVOO. Place the seitan slices in the bottom to create the base. Evenly distribute the corn kernels and then the chopped asparagus.
3. When polenta is all done, remove from heat and mash with a fork or a potato masher until it looks like mashed potatoes.
4. Add tahini, Liquid Aminos, Apple Cider Vinegar, and dairy-free milk and combine well. Add sweet peas and parsley and combine again.
5. Spoon into the casserole dish and smooth the top, then sprinkle all over with some more Bragg’s Liquid Aminos. It makes the top crispy and brown
6. Cook for 40 minutes and let cool and firm up for about 15, then cut into squares and serve! Enjoy

Awe, baaaaby bok

So in tonight’s dinner we got some autumn goin’ on with the casserole, and a taste of summer with the lentils. Mmmm It was perfect. I might have to go grab some from the fridge for a late night snack!

And yes, I am just a tad in love with The Kind Diet. Not all of her recipes are exactly my style, but I’ve changed ‘em up to my liking

Slash I am so pumped to go running tomorrow morning! It’s been two days recovery due to the fact that my muscles have been feelin’ it (plus, I’m a strong believer in the importance of rest days), and I am craving feeling the pavement under my feet and the refreshment it gives my body first thing in the morning. It’s the most wonderful thing to just let your head go and think for an hour.

These days, it seems so hard to find a minute for myself – I’m feelin’ the burn of being a workin’ woman!

Today at work was so much fun. I got to meet some amazingly sweet people and was let in on the staff party loop. Holllllaa

I also picked up drink-making and cashier-being really quickly. Within one hour of my shift, I knew how to make just about every drink and take any (really complicated) order. People like they’re effing coupons. A lot. But hey, I’m not complaining! I actually had a really great time. It’s such a nice environment with really fun, kind people. I cannot wait to go to work at 8 am on Monday – that’s right, I’m excited for the 5-hour morning shift. Stick that on your fork and eat it

Which reminds me – now that I have the lovely morning shift (which is actually way more convenient), I’m going to have to get up even earlier to run. We’re talkin’ 5 am kind of early. I’ll be practicing it tomorrow morning when I have the security of wearing my running clothes to bed – yes, it will be one of those mornings.

Question of the Day: What was your first job? Did you like it?

Many of you will probably have horror stories – bring it on

See you in the morning lovlies!

xoxox,

Katelyn