Because who doesn’t like a warm batch of cookies.

Good morning chickadoodees! How are you on this fine Indulgence Friday morning?

I am dandylicious, mainly because I baked up a storm in my kitchen last night.

You see, my AP Bio teacher has been an amazing teacher all year, and someone who I’ve enjoyed talking to about the Padre, running, healthy food, almond butter, and nutrition.

To say the least, he basically rocks my socks. And through all of these hard times the past few months, he has taken tons of time to meet with me during my free periods and go over things from class that I didn’t understand, since many times it was not exactly easy to stay focused. (If you would like to know more about my last few months, you can read about them here.)

So, what better way to thank someone than to bake them some yummy deliciousness?

Um, I don’t really think there is.

Cookies are always the way to go.

Obviously I had to concoct something brand-spankin’-new. Which meant thinking of one of the most delicious combinations known to man, and creating it in moist, chewy cookie form.

I would call this one a “great success” (name that movie!).

These are moist, flavorful, and most of all, nutrition- and protein- packed. And as usual, they are gluten-free, vegan, and completely sugar-free. So basically dessert is okay any time of the day.

And I’m okay with that.

This one’s for you, Doc!

Chocolate-Covered Banana Cookies

Adapted from my Orange-Cranberry and Raspberry Amaretto Cookies

Makes 12 Large Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup almond flour (almond meal)
• 1/3 cup quinoa flour
• 1/4 cup quinoa flakes
• 1/3 + 1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
• 1/4 cup NuStevia Baking Blend
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 2 bananas
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tbsp. chocolate extract
• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened So Delicious Coconut)
• 1 block of chocolate, roughly chopped (I used Baker’s unsweetened)
• cacao nibs, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a cookie sheet with coconut oil.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. In a smaller bowl, mash one of your bananas until it is almost liquidy, and then add the extractives and 1/4 cup of non-dairy milk.
4. Add wet to dry, and mix thoroughly. Add more non-dairy milk as needed to make a cookie dough that is stirrable, not tough or stiff. You want your dough to be wet enough to spread itself into a cookie shape, but firm enough to hold its shape once plopped down.
5. Fold in your chopped chocolate. Peel your second banana and chop into small pieces. Fold into the cookie dough.
6. Scoop dough by the tablespoon onto your cookie sheet and sprinkle with cacao nibs.
7. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean.
8. Try not to burn your tongue eating one of these straight out of the oven.

Okay I ate approx. two of these straight out of the oven. Sorry DSmith, had to taste test

But lezzbehonest, these were the most moist, delicious cookies I have ever tasted. The combo of the sweet, baked banana and the shockingly bitter chocolate makes for a killer combo!

It is basically like banana bread in cookie form, but better. And there’s chocolate. And we all know everything is better with chocolate:)

Since they were such a hit with (my tummy) and the fam, I am making another batch later this afternoon. So Hollie, be sure to demand one of these cookies tomorrow!

I love Indulgence Friday🙂

See you tomorrow bloggy boos!! Indulge big today:)

Something to Think:

Today in the locker room at my gym, I heard a woman with her daughter and remarked how blissful it is to be a child. She responded with, “Yeah, well I’m a slave!”. For a moment I thought she was joking, but she looked honestly upset. Are some parents actually resentful of their children? I know this is not something I have ever come across. Do any of you have some thoughts on this?

How are you celebrating Indulgence Friday?

Tell me about your yumssss!:)

What is your favorite cookie flavor?

Currently, this one. Banana bread in cookie form, plus chocolate. It does not get much better than that my friends.

How do you usually thank people?

I love baking because you get to lick the bowl and “taste test”

xoxox,

p.p.s. I just realized I sounded WAY more serious than usual today. Maybe it is because I am getting ready for college decisions to come my way? Lots of big life decisions are coming up in the next two weeks, and I am both excited and completely freaked out. Wish me luck love doves:)

It Snowed on my Cookie Dough + Raw Chocolate Fudge Cake!

Good morning friends!! How are you?

I hope your Sattyday was glorious🙂

Mine was spent eating everything in sight (I was so hungry, I swear to goodness it is ALWAYS my time of the month), watching Hulu, and gymming it up with a sweaty 60 minutes on the elliptical.

I was so sore from my run with the Padre! Running outside is NOT the same as running outside, especially when the wind is blowing so hard it is going up your nose sideways🙂

My Sattyday started with a glorious Cookie Dough Bowl, con a tablespoon of raw cacao, a teaspoon of acai, chia seeds, and flax meal..oh and tons of coconut, it was snowing outside (BOOOOO!), therefore it snowed on my cookie dough.

If I tried to Latin-ify that, it would go something like “It snowed outside, ergo my cookie dough was snowed upon.” <– See what I did there?? I am a genius I tell you, that whole year of Latin I took really did the trick:)

Have you ever had coconut on your morning cereal, it is so good, I think this is going to have to happen every single morning. Some of you may think I am crazy for being late on the coconut train, but I used to hate the stuff (do not ask me why, I could not tell you). This stuff is delicious.

SNOW:) Love it on my cookie dough, but I could do without it on my grassy green lawn that is now wet, brown, dead, and covered in slushy white “snow”. I am saying it as “snow” because Upstate New York weather means it is never fluffy snow, it is either slushy or frozen.

If any of you are interested in a tropical vacation where it is warm and sunny and there is sand, feel free to book plane tickets!!

Until then, I’ll be eating lots more of these:)

Delicious, nutritious. Gett @ m3 <— I was a gangsta rapper in a previous life

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Raw Chocolate Fudge Cake:

And now the moment you have allll been waiting for!

RAW CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE!

Remember when I devoured my piece and the piece of the lady next to me?!

That was a good day🙂

Now, I have recreated that bad boy!

Feel free to drool, no shame here at CK.

It was perfect. Not to sweet, and very chocolatey. And fudgy wudgy, just the way I like it:)

I love it when the flavor of the cacao really stands out, and isn’t overpowered by sweetness!

On a Pooh plate, obvs. Gift from the ‘rents:)

Oh, wait, you wanted the recipe? My bad;)

Raw Chocolate Fudge Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup packed and pitted dates (I use Medjool)
• 2/3 cup walnuts
• 2/3 cup raw cacao powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder)

Directions:

1. In your food processor, process walnuts to a flour and then add dates.
2. Process until dates have formed into a paste, and it all balls up in your food processor.
3. Add cocoa powder and process until fully incorporated.
4. Transfer to a container/small pie or cake pan (I used a round tupperware), flatten the top, and refrigerate overnight.
5. Pop out, garnish, slice, and enjoy!!

Garnished with rasps and cacao nibs.

Perfection.

Next time I am going to use my Raw Chocolate Mousse as frosting. Which is going to be very soon, since more than half of it is already gone🙂

I would have done that this time (‘twas the plansky), but I got caught up in packing food for my trip to D.C. with the Padre! (ahhhh I am so excited!!)

You could also sub another nut for the walnuts. For a Chocolate Cookie Cake, sub cashews and add chocolate chips! I will be doing this for the Baby Sister’s birthday cake in May:)

—————————————————————————————————

I’m off to go have a slice of cake and finish packing! I am writing this Saturday night because Sunday morning will be busy busy!! I am hitting up the gym early in the morning with the Padre (boooo too cold to run outside!), then scarfing down breakfast and hitting the road!

As you read this I will either be shoving a Cookie Dough Bowl in my face or on the road on my way to D.C.! It is going to be a whole 70 DEGREES, I am so excited, I am going to wear shorts!! And FLIP FLOPS🙂 Guys this is a big deal, especially with the awful Upstate New York weather I deal with every single winter.

Send me some sunshine in a bottle? Please and thanks:)

Don’t forget to send in your Mission: I Feel Pretty pictures!

And, if you are in the D.C. area and would like to meet up, shoot me an e-mail! There are some D.C. bloggers that have expressed an interest already, so hopefully you could join us!:)

Have an awesome Sunday, love doves!! See you from D.C.!

Is it snowing where you are? If not, make me jealous of your sunshine!!

YES, do not remind me, if you send me some sunshine I will melt the snow here and love you forever:)

Do you like the co-co-nut? What is your favorite way to eat it? I need ideas!

So far, just on top of cookie dough, but I think I need to get creative:)

Are you a fellow fudge-lover? What’s your favorite fudgy dessert?

CAKE, and brownies!! And fudge, obviously. Can’t go wrong.

xoxox,

Survival 101

Good morning chickadees, and HAPPY INDULGENCE FRIDAY🙂 I hope you’re all as excited for the weekend as I am!

I loved hearing about all of your gardening skills (or lack thereof;)), as well as all of your favorite foods!

Update: my sprouty sprouts have sprouted! The quinoa is absolutely delicious and fresh-tasting, and the beans are crunchy crunch. Success!

So, I’ve had a couple of crises over the last couple of days.

Allow me to explain.

Crisis #1:

Most of you probably heard my distress call on Twitter recently:

Uh yeah, at approx. 9 PM, my furnace decided to kick the bucket.

So, what do you do when your thermostat says 62 degrees Fahrenheit and the Isaac heating guy won’t be getting there until after midnight?

You make yourself a hugh jass pot of tea and put your redonkulously thick sleeping bag under your sheets and two blankets.

That would be the BEST sleeping bag known to man. Go find it, it is made by Coleman and the inside is made of flannel:) Yeah, flannel.

This thing is so comfy and warm I had absolutely no problem NOT taking it back up to the attic once the furnace was fixed. It is like a cocoon. You do not mess with something that comfy.

Crisis #1: averted.

Crisis #2:

Mother Nature’s monthly gift was having me craving carbs and chocolate like a beeyotch.

So, what do I do?

Eat a million bananas and have a Hot Chocolate Cookie Dough Bowl for breakfast.

Duh.

Whoever said chocolate was a dessert was seriously misinformed. Chocolate for breakfast is ALWAYS okay:)

I made the usual mix with a serving of sprouted quinoa instead of the oats, raw cacao instead of the Chocolate Amazing Grass, and added a teaspoon of freeze-dried acai powder.

Topped with bloobs, rasps, and tons of cacao nibs.

Chocolate craving: satisfied:)

Crisis #3:

We were all out of raisins. For a WHOLE TWO DAYS.

If you’re new to the bloggity blog, I have a raisin addiction. They are more of a staple in my diet than vegetables.

I literally eat redonk amounts of them every single day, typically at every meal and usually combined with hummus, quinoa, and balsamic (try that combo now, you can thank me later).

I don’t think I have ever been in such dire need of a certain ingredient in my entire life, I was freaking out and quite sure that the world was going to end on the day that I ran out of raisins (since having three giant containers of them in my pantry is never enough).

So, I tried to sub chopped prunes for the raisins in my usual quinoa-hummus-balsamic bowls.

It was awful.

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME PEOPLE!

But it’s not like that stopped me from going to town on a container of prunes (not mixed with quinoa, hummus, or balsamic, no worries:)).

Lesson learned: nothing can ever replace raisins, do not be fooled by the dried-fruit nature of prunes and dates, they are posers.

Crisis #4:

Having the sniffles and being tired is no bueno.

So, what do I do?

Make a hugh jass green smoothie (tutorial coming soon!) and a salad beasty, add some delicious hummus-quinoa bowls, and call it a day.

Sorry kiddos, ugly picture but at least it tasted good:) Besides, fugly food is always the yummiest, right?;)

Topped with hummus because it is the best salad dressing.

Spinach topped with artichoke hearts, red pepper, carrots, and hummus.

Oh, and that napsky I took might have helped a little too:)

Did I mention I love my vaporizer?

Steaaaaam:)

Lesson learned: a green smoothie and a salad beast a day keep the doctor away:)

—————————————————————————————————

That’s all for this morning lovlies! Indulge big tonight, and I’ll bring you a deliciously decadent recipe, so stay tuned!

 

Has your furnace ever broken? Did you layer a million blankets like I did?

Yes, please do NOT remind me, I was cuddling with my space heater basically.

What’s your favorite way to tame a chocolate craving?

Hot chocolate, chocolate mousse, anything topped with chocolate chips:)

How do you beat the Mother Nature’s Monthly Gift blues? Or if you’re a guy, how do you treat your girlfriend like a princess when she is acting like a poopy grumplekins?

CHOCOLATE, tea, sleep, and Hulu!

 

xoxox,

Say a Prayer + Owl House Eats!

Good evening all! Hope you’ve had a lurvely and restful Sunday🙂

The first part of today’s post will be a little emotional and sappy, but I feel that this is a topic that I need to address because it really hit home with me today.

This morning after I posted a gluten-free pizza-for-one recipe, I headed off to church where I listened to an unexpectedly profound service.

It started with a meditation on the “goodbyes” that will be said at the end of the year (leaving for college), as well as a highlight on the goodbyes that will be said to the graduates that leave to go to war.

As I sat with eyes closed, I imagined my “goodbye” with my family with both excitement and incredible sadness. I will be leaving my comfortable house filled with the people I love most (and my stove), but entering into a new place that will have so much to offer: a life of my own, creativity in the kitchen, and the many excitements of college life (pursuing my passions and partying..obv).

But then, my mind shifted to how I would feel if I were leaving my parents to go to a place where I would be killing human beings, for the sake of “freedom”.

I am not in any way saying that there cannot be justifications for war, but instead I would like you to put yourself in that eighteen-year-old’s position for a moment. Imagine saying goodbye to your parents, knowing your next destination would be a foreign country with a bunch of soldiers you’ve never met, to a place where no one can be trusted.

Then, put yourself in the position of the parents saying goodbye to their child. The fear that their baby wouldn’t come home, or wouldn’t come home all in one piece. The fear that their little girl or little boy wouldn’t be the same person they said goodbye to, but instead someone they don’t recognize.

Many soldiers return home only to commit suicide. Over one thousand have survived suicide attempts, and most will come back from war with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Whether you support war or not, please support our troops. These are our friends’ boys and girls, our neighbors, and the person who sat next to us in elementary school.

Say a prayer for these soldiers and their families tonight, and remember that our soldiers do not always believe what they are doing is right, but they feel that it is right to fight for our country and the lives of their loved ones.

Though I do not believe in the killing of any human being, I support the humanity of the people who lay down their lives every day, no matter whether that directly or indirectly protects us.

The reading and sermon that followed the meditation will be covered in tomorrow’s post. Here’s a hint: it has to do with your passion, your life, your career, and your heart. Any guesses?

If you pray, please also include my family in your prayers. Today had an abrupt turn for the worse, and we need your prayers as we nurse a family member back to health. You all are beautiful, and I know with the love of us all, we can all get through the tough times!

Also, please drive safely. You never know when one choice in a vehicle could change your life.

God bless!

—————————————————————————————————

Now onto a less emotional topic………FOOD!

This afternoon (after the awesomely moving church service and a nice jaunt around the neighborhood with the puppers), we headed off to The Owl House.

I cannot rave enough about this place, it is delicious, has copious vegan and gluten-free entrees (this place even has gluten-free bread made with teff, can I get a hell yeah?!), and every dessert is vegan.

Gett @ m3.

I got the Garden Salad (Field Greens, Farmers Market Vegetables, Lemon Vinaigrette), topped with a Lentil Burger, sans the Vegenaise and Onion Roll (not gluten free).

It was delicious, I scarfed it down in 0.26 seconds and loved every bite. I haven’t had a grilled burger in much too long, and a reunion was well overdue. Hello, smoky flava!

It made me incredibly skippidyy happy to find that the waitress was very accommodating to my vegan– and gluten-free restrictions (last time I came I was not on a gluten-free diet).

I always end up feeling like “that girl” who pesters the waitress.. “Can I have the blah blah blah but with no blah and with blah blah on the side? Oh, and no blah blah, either, can I get blahty blah instead?”

I would feel bad, but I like my food, and I like it my way:)

Which takes me to dessert! I absolutely could not resist this son-of-a-gun even though the burger left me sufficiently stuffed.

There is always room for chocolate.

Chocolate Mousse (Cocoa-Avocado Puree, Fresh Fruit, Cacao Nibs).

This was to. die.

Recipe to come.

I’m not sure exactly how this motha was concocted, but I don’t ask, I just eat.

Just you wait kiddos, this will be the most decadent thing that ever hit the bottom of your endless stomach.

I literally could not stop making “mmm!” noises while I was licking this off of my spoon, it was too good and I was getting some funny looks but I could care less.

And then I looked in the mirror and there was tons of chocolate in my teeth.

But as before, I could care less. It’s a small price to pay for chocolatey deliciousness🙂

Then, we headed across the street to one of my favorite co-op’s to explore fun foods and get free samples (wooo for Sundays!). There was free chocolate, chocolate-covered almonds, and organic blueberries! Uh, chocolate and fruit fo free? Get at me!

Blooooooobs🙂

I had three of these little cuppies, it’s fine. They’re free for a reason, people!

That’s all for now lovies! I’m off to make some din din, do my homework, get excited for my first day of psych tomorrow (new semester, hollllla!), and go to sleep EARLY.

I am making a vow to myself to go to bed NO LATER than 10 every night, and I am telling all of you because that will make sure I am more accountable for my own rebelliousness. It is now your job to keep me in line. Good luck, people!

What is your view on “support our troops”?

I support the people, not necessarily the war.

Do you ever feel like a pesky food orderer?

Uh, always. My food, my way, beeyotch!

Do you get food stuck in your teeth/your hair/on your clothes?

Yes, yes, and yes. That is why I wear scarves🙂

Have a good rest of your night! Eat some chocolate for me;)

xoxox,

Study Party!

Hi lovies!! I hope your day has been great so far:)

Your comments on my last post were so sweet, thanks for being the best bloggy buddies! I can’t wait to go to more meetups and share the amazing raw love with you guys:)

(by the way, if you haven’t tried Cookie Dough in a Bowl, you have not lived. Just saying)

—————————————————————————————————

You’re probably wondering about this party a la studyudying that I’m talking about.

Having just finished my last midterms and finals of senior year, I thought I should share some super-handy study tips I’ve learned over the years so you can throw your OWN study party…with your textbook!

All taking vodka eyeball shots can now leave the blog, please and thank you.

No, really.

(Source)

Whaddafuh? Sorry, but that doesn’t look like that much fun. Painful is more like it.

Anywho, grab your textbook, snackage, and here we go!

Chef Katelyn’s Study Tips:

1. Organize your study space.

   I know that when I see clutter, my brain is cluttered. I can’t focus for the life of me if there’s a stack of laundry sitting on my desk (or on the floor..cough). Make the space yours and fit for focus (how’s that for alliteration?).

   
   Turn off your computer monitor, put the magazines away, and throw away that plate that is now covered in pretzel crumbs. Which brings me to number two!

2. Get some serious snackage.

   I’m talking crunchy, delicious, and munchable. When it comes time for me to study, I can’t focus much since it involves sitting still, which is no bueno for a girl with boundless energy. My favorites are carrots/crudités with hummus, pretzels or an apple with almond butter, or just anything crunchitizing. It keeps me awake, keeps my mouth busy, and keeps my tummy happy! Over the past week, I’ve been enjoying loads of hummus with raisins and Cookie Dough Bowls🙂

   
   I also like to sip on a green smoothie every now and then. It’s a giant boost of energy (GREEN!), and is the perfect vehicle for my favorite protein powder, almond butter, or some fruit all of the fruit in my house. (Beeteedubs, I’ll be doing a how-to post on Green Smoothies in the near future! Many of you are wondering how to make one, and make one taste GOOD. Never fear, CK is here!)

3. Exercise!

   Not just for your booty, but for your happiness and general sanity. I’m somewhat of a perfectionist, and I get SUPER stressed out about tests (probably more than I should). A girl’s gotta let that stressful energy out somewhere! Enter the Dreadmill. Or circuit training. Or ellipticizing, or whatever it is that you do to GET YOUR SWEAT ON:) Plus, exercise is clinically proven to boost energy and ability to focus, so go and Just Do It!

   (Source)

   Orange you glad we don’t dress like this any more? If you do, I’m very sorry to disappoint you, but it looks like you’re wearing your underpants on top of your body suit. Just sayin’.

4. Skip the caffeine.

   Yeah yeah yeah, I hear your groans. I used to be a java queen, drinking coffee like it was my J-O-B back in the seventh grade (I kid you not). I could not function without my daily cup of brown stuff or else I would be a terrifying monster. Centuries later, the only caffeine I get in my diet is from chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate. So instead of the $5 espresso, why not double-fist some delicious holiday tea? Or even better, Yogi Tea’s Gingko Clarity.

   

   I sip this non-stop when I’m studying! It’s specially formulated to enhance your memory and help you focus (score!) and tastes REALLY good (double score!).

   But, if you REALLY can’t go without caffeine and turn into a shuddery wingnut, try some Yerba Mate on for size. The caffeine won’t send you on a spin/crash cycle; instead, it contains antioxidants, vitamins A, C, E, and B vitamins, as well as fatty acids, chlorophyll, flavanols, and polyphenols (the reasons why red wine, chocolate, and berries are so fantabulous for you!). It is said that Yerba Mate contains "practically all of the vitamins necessary to sustain life" (you can read more on Yerba Mate here). You can hardly say as much for coffee, which in fact is highly acidic and causes cortisol levels to rise, decreasing your body’s ability to burn fat or gain muscle. Yowza!

   Even better, munch on some chocolate. It’s a gift from God, so eat it and don’t feel guilty at ALL because you are a butt-whoopin study fiend!

   (Source)

5. Keep it interesting.

   Change locations every hour, and your brain will process the information better. A change in environment can enhance your brain’s alertness, allowing the information you read to be remembered more efficiently when it is associated with different memories in your brain.

   To step it up a notch, switch subjects every hour. This is mainly for the reasons above, but also because it’s boring to study the same subject for hours on end. You’ll get more done (and enjoy it more!) if you have variety.

   Now that you’re keeping variety, take a break for a few minutes every 20 minutes to a half hour. Your brain needs breaks in order to stay alert! No wonder you’re falling asleep on your textbook;) Stretch, do some jumping jacks, grab a snack, go to the bathroom, whatever. Just get off your toosh!

   

6. Determine what is most important.

   Dedicate yourself to what you know is going to be tested, especially parts that you don’t understand. Skim the rest, and you’ll be fine. Short on time? Use a review book or write down the most important sections, and study only that. I’ve found the Princeton Review and 5 Steps to a 5 books especially helpful!

7. Don’t cram!

   Do NOT cram and end up in a jam (that rhymes:)). Instead, space your studying out for a few days, a week, or two weeks ahead of time. It sounds like it takes a ton of work, but it’s really not. You’ll thank yourself when you aren’t freaking out the night before!

8. SLEEP.

   In all truthfulness, the most useful and important tip of all. Set a “cut-off” time for yourself, and make sure you close the books at that time and get to bed. You’ll want to stay up late and read those last few chapters of notes, but when it comes down to it, none of that is going to matter if you’re tired while you’re studying or falling asleep on your test the next day. Your reasoning skills will be way sharper with a good night’s rest! Plus, you’ll probably be a lot more cheerful:)

   

9. Rewrite your notes.

   Make flashcards, redraw drawings, or simply copy over your notes. Writing or drawing it over again will help to cement it in your memory. Plus, flash cards are great for quick reference and quizzing yourself! Hollaa

 

So now that you’re a pro at studying, let’s study party it up! Who’s bringing the cookies?

To read study tips from the experts, you can check out:

• Tips from Dartmouth University (Ivy league!)
• http://www.studygs.net/
• http://www.testtakingtips.com/study/index.htm

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Gab at UneVieSaine!! She just turned 21 aka real party, not one with textbooks. And her blog is awesome, so go wish her happy birthday! All of us at CK are sending you love and giant margarita glasses:)

So, tell me…

What are your favorite study tips?

Uh, duh. Scroll up please.

What are the best ways you’ve found to stay focused?

Chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate. And Dreadmilling!

Will you send me a new loofah? Mine broke:(

Seriously, this is a problem. How am I supposed to suds up with this?!

Sorry, body wash. I’ll be seeing bar soap for a little while.

(p.s. If you see me and I smell less than delectable, blame the loofah, not me.)

On the agenda for tonight?

• Dinner
• Catch up on blogs
• Going to SLEEP!

I have been getting hardly any sleep because of exams, and yesterday I took a napsky that ended up being more like a hibernation. I take my naps seriously, people!

Have a good night, and see you tomorrow for Indulgence Friday! I’m already planning a scrumdiddlyumptious brekkie, stay tuned!

xoxox,

Hoo? The Owl House, that’s Hoo!

In last week’s post, I promised a recap of my evening at the latest vegan restaurant in town, The Owl House. Sorry, I’m a little late 😉

Prepare for an incredibly mouth-watering experience…it’s about to get yummy.

We arrived at the restaurant donned in some warm, fall garb because it was honestly pretty chilly – 60 degrees.

There was no option to make a reservation unless it was for 8pm or later, so we said “What the hey!” and just crossed our fingers.

We were hungry.

The only seating available when we got there was outdoor, and the wait for indoor seating was 45 minutes so again, we said “What the hey!” and ate outside.

We were hungry.

But it was cold.

The patio seating was beautiful, which made up for our chilly fingers.

 

 

Oh hey, CK Dad!

We started off by browsing the menu, which is laden with extensive and exclusively vegan items – I prepared, and looked at the menu ahead of time 🙂

Good prep, Chef Katelyn!

 

 

We started off by ordering the Vegan Mozzarella Sticks (made with Daiya! oh, a restaurant after my own heart).

 

 

And one of the evening’s specials, Chili-Spiced Sweet Potato Fries served with a hot ‘n spicy raspberry dipping sauce (and topped with more Daiya! score).

 

 

CK Dad can fit a lot in his belly, so he also ordered a vegan Caesar salad complete with tofu croutons.

 

 

I may have had a few bites 😉

These were all so delicious, I wasn’t sure if I would have room for my main dish!

What can I say?

We were hungry.

But lezzbeserious, there is always room for more good food.

I ordered the Olek’s Buffalo Stance, a buffalo-spiced tempeh sandwich with vegan bleu cheese sauce and greens pressed between two perfectly toasty and seed-sprinkled slices of their multi-grain bread.

Oh, it was to die.

 

 

Because three pictures just isn’t enough.

 

 

Now I’m craving it again..You’re killin me, smalls!

(Sandlot reference! Who caught it?)

 

 

Gobble gobble.

Get in mah belly.

 

 

I cannot even describe. It was my first experience with a vegan buff chick sandwich, and it was so good.

(yes, in this town it’s Buff Chick – we have buff chick pizza, sandwiches, wings..you name it)

I will be ordering it again. Next on my list is their Lentil Burger! CK Mom got it and had nothing but good things to say.

Dad got the Tilapia Croquettes, and Rebecca ordered the Buffalo Stance as well.

 

 

Now, no good meal is ever complete without dessert – no matter how full you are 😉

Their desserts are all completely vegan and gluten-free, making them a score in my book!

Tonight’s offerings were a Chocolate Coconut Brownie Cake, a Lemon Raspberry Cheezecake, and Chocolate Mousse with seasonal fruit.

Move over, fruit, give me cake!

Since we never really go out to eat, we felt it would be okay to indulge 😉

And why else?

We were not that hungry.

We ordered both the Chocolate Brownie Cake and the Lemon Raspberry Cheezecake.

 

Ohhh, so rich.

 

Slight camera fail. It was getting dark – hello autumn 🙂

Both desserts were delicious, but the Chocolate Cake stole the show, as usual.

Chocolate gets me every time.

I really and truly believe that chocolate is the trump-all, cure-all.

But not the sugary, dairy-laden stuff – I’m talkin’ 80-100% cacao.

Oh yeah, I roll with the big boys.

 

^^ Big Boys. Ha!

 

It’s loaded with antioxidants and endorphine-releasing goodness that makes you happy and helps your heart among extensive other benefits.

But, of course, everything in moderation 😉

 

What’s your favorite healthy indulgence?

Chocolate is clearly one of mine, but I would also have to add bubble baths with some hot tea. Nothin’ beats that at the end of the day!

So, I hope you enjoyed the food porn!

I really hope to be able to post more often then, well, once a week.

I’ve missed blogging so much, it’s such a great form of release at the end of the day. Not being able to blog has made my mind even more cluttered than it already is from school! Not good.

 

But thank goodness for weekends!

I got to take a rest day today after yesterday’s workout, which was killer on my body after being sick in bed.

Booo, sick.

 

Church this morning really bounced me back to a place closer to the spiritual centeredness I aim for every day, but haven’t been able to find in the messiness of life and schedules.

So my goal is to have one post every day, no matter how short. Maybe this will be a good lesson in efficiency!

Question of the Day: How do you stay efficient and afloat under stress?

You can see some of my methods in my last post.

On my agenda tonight:

• Pizza for dinner!
• Studying for my first Econ test..oh boy.
• Outlining a Bio chapter.
• Getting to bed early birdy!

Have a great evening lovlies! See you later 🙂

xoxox,

The Start of Something New…

Okay, seriously dorky title. First thing that came to mind – not joking. High School Musical should definitely leave my memory, now!

Even though it is sort of relative…High School Musical, senior year – since Tuesday was my first day of senior year 🙂

But anywho, I’m here to assure all of you lovely readers that I have not vanished or stopped cooking – instead, I’ve been so busy.

With what, you might ask? Here’s a visual:

Homework from my first day of senior year!

…Oh no.

Too bad these classes are fascinating! I just don’t always appreciate the 20-pound textbooks I had to carry home, but I think we’ll become good friends 🙂

That’s right – 25 page bio outline, 10 page econ outline, an essay to read and annotate and write an essay on, an article to find, driver’s ed papers to finish, and more bindahs to get.

Question: What did you wish you knew before your senior year of high school?

My answer would be:

• That I would actually get this far. It’s crazy! In kindergarten, I would think to myself, ughhhh 12 more years of school?! But…
• Time flies. It truly does. I don’t know where the years went – it seems like only yesterday I was freaking out about getting my 3 pages of homework done in the fourth grade.
• Boys should treat you well and not have boobs as the first thing on their minds. I think this pretty much goes along with common sense, but as any naive, young girl does, I wanted the boys I liked to like me back. So we have all had some time where we’ve tried to be more beautiful, bigger-boobed, or just different to get a boy’s attention – but it’s not worth it. No boy is. If he’s a good guy, he’ll love you for you. I’ve learned this the hard way – through many bad boyfriends and a couple of good ones.
• High school changes people. I’ve seen people become consumed in the high school dynamic, doing anything for attention, getting too drunk, doing something stupid, getting too stressed over school, not getting enough sleep, and throwing friendships away on a whim. Don’t be that person. Stick to your values, be good to yourself, and remember the important things in life – love, loyalty, and friendship.
• You first, always. Many people say “family first” or “school first”, but if you don’t take care of yourself, nothing else in your life will follow. Get your sleep, eat well, get in some exercise (for your body and for stress relief), and then attend to the rest of your life. Especially if that means setting a cut-off time for yourself. My most useful habit has been setting a bed time for myself – 10 on school nights. That’s the time I would say, self, it’s time for you to get your sleep. Because one of the most important things I’ve learned is that if I’m not rested and don’t have something nutritious in my tummy, there is no way that the extra 3 hours I forced myself to study is going to make any difference. Zoning out during a test is no good when you can be well-rested and knock out the answers that clearly don’t make sense! Sleep and nutrients are magical things.

So, back to my first day!

How did I get through this? First day of school power brekkie 🙂

Half of a Plum Pie Katebar (recipe to come in another post) mixed in ooey-gooey style with my buckwheat, topped with bluebs and blackburries – a pear and cherries on the side.

Aweee, baby pear! How cute 🙂

We also had some Ethiopian food, courtesy of my favorite local vegan restaurant, leftover from my lunch date with my sister on her first day of freshman year 🙂

There may have been a few of my Signature Oatmeal Cookies (on cacao-cinnamon-raisin crazy juice) in the mix… (p.s. recipe to come in another post 🙂 )

Ohhhh dang. I may have had a few of these….

That’s all for now lovies! More pictures (and the previously mentioned recipes! get excited, people) to come, including a certain Butternut Squash Soup of mine that is slightly famous in my family, as well as a homemade Lentil Vegetable Soup, Hot Chocolate, and a kasha recipe 🙂

I’m off to dinner at the new vegan place in town, and I am beyond excited! Daiya Mozzarella Sticks, anyone? I already know what I’ll be ordering 🙂

See you later tonight!

xoxox,

p.s. I got my senior portraits taken today! Many thanks to Cialone Photography, I will have the beautiful pictures in exactly 3 weeks…ahh, I can barely wait!!