A few of MY favorite things

A combination of my love for dinner and cake, a good animal print and a strong drink, and of course my sweet hubby =].

Last year a great friend of ours took us to dinner at LUC in Madison Park. And for that, we thank you  Akida! I can't say enough good things about that place. Whenever we get a chance, we make sure to stop by. This is our latest visit, a couple of weeks ago.

I also had a giant pork chop, but was too busy eating to take a picture =]=]=].
Happy Tuesday Friends!!!

Spinach | Mango | Ginger Smoothie with Vanilla Protein

So, there's a bridesmaid dress I need to look fab in this May. I'm doing all I can with hot yoga and eating better, but I have to say my favorite meal of the day is breakfast. Every morning I have myself a smoothie and I'm ready for the day. This one is the bomb.com!!! It is so smooth and creamy and fresh and just WOW! Protein and fiber packed, and very filling.

Spinach | Mango | Ginger Smoothie with Vanilla Protein
makes about four 8oz cups @ 75cals per cup

4 cups spinach
1 cup mango [frozen or fresh]
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/3 cup water
1" piece ginger [peeled]
1 scoop vanilla protein
1-2 tsp flax seeds

Add all ingredients to a blender and BLEND, not pulse, for 2-3 minutes. It comes out creamy and amazing! Make it.

Happy Friday Dolls!

Spinach Ice Cubes | Healthy Kick

I've really been enjoying my morning smoothies. Problem is, by the time I use up all of my spinach, it wilts and gets a little...gross. I needed a way to have it last a little longer. I while back I saw someone had done this on pinterest and I gave it a try. It's super easy and you end up with a ton of spinach/kale/greens cubes.

Just fill up a blender half way with fresh spinach [pack it in there] and add 1/2 cup of water. Blend until smooth. Poor the liquid in your ice cube tray and stick it in the freezer until it solidifies. Then, pop them out and store them in a plastic freezer bag. I had to do this in batches because I had a giant bag of spinach and only one ice cube tray...

These work great for me in smoothies and soups.

Happy Wednesday Afternoon Guys!

Happy Birthday Mommy & Vanilla Protein | Oat | Berry | Muffins

Today is a great day. It's my sweet mommy's 50th birthday! Brian and I are headed down to my parents house in a bit to celebrate and spend some time with them. This is us, about 27 years ago.

Now, here are some awesome muffins. Protein packed [10gr|ea], sans flour & super tasty! I made these in my little ramekins, but you can also use a muffin pan. These are seriously good and make a great breakfast, or snack.

     Vanilla Protein | Oat | Berry | Muffins
      makes 12 muffins | adapted from Taylor Made

• 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats [not quick]

• 1/4 cup vanilla protein powder

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon 

• 1 ripe banana 

• 1 egg

• 1/4 cup almond milk

• 1/2 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt

• 1/2 cup peanut/almond butter

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1 cup berries fresh or frozen [if using frozen make sure you thaw them out first]
  
  
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  
  2. In a bowl mix dry ingredients and set aside.
  
  3. In another bowl mash up the banana and add egg, almond milk, yogurt, peanut butter, honey.
  
  4. Slowly add wet ingredients to dry while mixing. When combined, fold in berries.
  
  5. Butter 12 ramekins [or muffin pan] and divide batter.
  
  6. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  

 Happy Thursday Guys =]

Curried Butternut Squash Soup | with Coconut Milk

This year I am starting off the holidays on a healthier note. Holiday food is undoubtedly delicious, comforting, filling...but in many cases it is also fattening and makes you sleepy. This tasty soup is all of the former and non of the latter. I've made it a few times in Peru and it turned out great every single time. It also freezes nicely for up to a month or so. If you are not a big curry fan, I have also made it without curry and it was very good as well.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk
adapted from sweet sugar bean
about 8 servings

1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1-2 heaping tbsp Indian curry paste or powder [optional]
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, cubed
2 tbsp coconut oil
4-5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 can [398 ml]coconut milk
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
salt, pepper

• in a large soup pot saute onions in coconut oil for a few minutes

• add butternut squash, carrots, garlic and saute for a few more minutes

• add curry paste, stir and cook for 2 more minutes

• pour stock in pot to just cover the veggies

• cover with lid, bring to a boil and cook until the squash is tender

• remove from head and using an immersion blender puree in to smooth soup [you can also use a blender, but let cool down first]

• return to heat and add coconut milk, honey and lime juice + salt and pepper to taste

• if your soup is too thick, just add more stock
  

Happy Tasty Thursday on Wednesday...!!!

Almond Butter Cups | Raw

 

It seams I crave sweet treats so much more often during fall and winter. Ugh, right?! As if all the extra fattening holiday food isn't enough =]. SO I decided to make a healthier version of my favorite treat, the peanut butter cup! These raw almond butter and chocolate cups are better tasting and so so so much better for you, plus you know everything that's in them.

Raw Almond Butter Cups

adapted from Oh She Glows

makes about 8 regular cupcake size cups

@ 194cals each

for the base:

3/4 cups raw almonds

1/4 cup rolled oats

2 TBSP nut butter of choice [I used PB]

1.5 TBSP coconut oil

1 TBSP honey

1/4 TSP cinnamon

1/4 TSP pure vanilla extract

a pinch of salt

for the topping:2 TBSP cocoa powder

3 TBSP coconut oil

1 TBSP honey

a pinch of salt

• Add almonds and oats to a food processor and blend until a fine flour forms. Transfer to a big bowl.

• Add nut butter, coconut oil, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Stir until well combined and dough forms.

• Line muffin tins with paper liners, or use silicone pans. Divide the mixture evenly between the 8 cups and smooth out the tops.

• To make the chocolate topping: in a small pot over low heat combine cocoa powder, coconut oil, honey, and salt. Mix until liquid. Do not let it boil. Distribute evenly over cups.

• Place cups in freezer for about 40 minutes until firm. Pop out of the liner or cups and eat up! These are best right out of the freezer.

Happy Tasty Thursday Everyone!

Sassy Oreo Truffles

 

Darlings! I've been packing like a mad woman! Tomorrow, we fly back to Seattle for good! Well for good from this project, who knows what's next...?! The bittersweet thing about leaving a place is leaving friends behind. However, before we leave I am making sure I hang out with as many friends as possible and as much as possible. Last week Vivianne and I got together and made some oreo balls, I am going to call them truffles in an attempt to sound cooler! LOL

Sassy Oreo Truffles
adapted from Undressed Skeleton

Ingredients
1 box of Oreos
1/2 cup cream cheese
1-2 TBSP coffee liquor
sugar, cocoa powder, and/or chocolate chips for coating

1. Remove the cream from the oreos with a butter knife. Save the cream in a separate bowl.
2. Crumble cookies in a food processor. Separating the cream from the cookies helps them blend better and finer. Blend dry cookies until you have flour like consistency.  
3. Next add oreo cream, cream cheese and coffee liquor to food processor. Mix until dough forms, you'll know when it happens =].
4. Roll dough into 1/2 TBSP sized balls truffles. You should get about 40 of them.
5. Choose if you want to coat your truffles in cocoa powder, sugar, or dip them in melted chocolate.
6. If you decided on the first two, place some sugar/cocoa powder on a bit of wax paper and roll your truffles in it. Place in fridge for about ten minutes so they can firm up a bit.
7. If you decide on chocolate, place the freshly rolled truffles in the freezer for 10 minutes. Melt said chocolate and using a tooth pick, poke each truffle and dip in chocolate. Use a second tooth pick to free truffle from the deadly grips of the first...too much?=] Place in fridge for 30 minutes to allow chocolate to harden.
8. Try not to eat them all in one sitting. Good luck with that.

In the spirit of Halloween I topped my chocolate covered ones with orange and yellow M&Ms =].

Happy Wednesday Dolls!

Cheesy | Whole Wheat | Beer Bread with Honey

I love bread you guys. I don't know how I'm ever going to be able to give it up. If I really end up being allergic to gluten it's gonna be a sad day. Anyhow, this bread is amazing and you should make it, like now! Wish I could credit anyone for it, but it was a combination of about 5 different recipes I found on pinterest.

Cheesy Whole Wheat Beer Bread with Honey

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup shredded cheese [I used Pepper Jack]
1 TBSP baking powder
1.5 TSP salt
2 TBSP honey
 12oz. can of beer [any beer really, but something less hoppy is better]

• 1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9"x5" loaf pan.

• 2. In a bowl mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and 3/4 cup of cheese [safe a 1/4 cup for the top]. Toss together until combined.

• 3. Add beer and honey and mix well until sticky dough forms.

• 4. Add dough to greased pan and place in oven.

• 5. Bake for about 40 minutes or so, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. At about 20 minutes top the bread with the remaining cheese.

Happy Tasty Thursday Friends!!!

The Pink Lady Smoothie

For the past few months I've been having a fruit smoothie each morning for breakfast. It worked great pre-wedding, when I was trying to get in a bit of a better shape. You know how it is. Well I'm not gonna lie this was the best part of my "diet". It tastes like a good old fashioned milk shake, but it is so good for you!

This yummyness is fiber packed, high in protein and amazing. I promise you'll love it, so go make it =] !

Ingredients
1 banana [sliced and frozen]
1/2 cup halved strawberries [frozen]
1 pear [cored and quartered]
1 serving of vanilla whey protein powder
1 cup vanilla almond milk
1 cup of water
1 TBSP shredded coconut

In a blender, mix the ingredients together until smooth. You might have to mix a bit longer, about 2 minutes, so the frozen banana can get nice and creamy. The protein adds a nice sweetness and makes it kind of ice cream like. It's the best! If your fruit is not frozen, add a cup of ice instead of the cup of water. This batch make a little over two 16oz water glasses. I drink them both for breakfast, but it also makes a great snack to share!

Happy Monday Darlings!!!

Tasty Thursday | Best Brownies Ever

Hi Darlings! So remember how I said I wasn't going to have gluten for a month...well I made it two weeks HAHAHA. I ended up making brownies when Vivianne came over last week. What can I tell you, they were calling my name!

The Best Brownies Ever

4 eggs

1 cup butter, melted
3 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
• Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.
• Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove, and cool pan on wire rack before cutting. 
• When cutting, dip your knife in warm water before each cut and wipe your knife with a paper towel after each cut.
  
  

Make these, now! Go!

Happy Tasty Thursday!!!

mini apple pies | with honey

Hello Darlings! I'm going gluten free for awhile in hopes to get rid of my chronic spring/hay allergy. I wanted to go out with a bang so for my last gluten including meal I made these Mini Apple Pies with Honey. I really hope my allergy goes away, but I also really hope I can have those again.

They are DELICIOUS!

Mini Apple Pies with Honey

Ingredients
2 medium apples, peeled and diced
1/4 cup of honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
a good pinch of salt
1 egg yoke
sugar for sprinkling
2 refrigerated 9" pie crusts
some flour for rolling

Tools
rolling pin
3" round cookie cutter

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease it a bit.

• Add apples, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to a bowl and mix until apples are coated.

• Unroll the pie crusts on to a floured surface and cut out 3" rounds. Roll the scraps and cut out more rounds. You should have about 24.

• Take your 3" round and roll them out to about 5". Be careful not to roll them too thin.

• Divide the rounds into two piles. Tops and bottoms.

• Brush the edges of the "bottoms" with water and place a spoonful of apple mixture in the center of each.

• Make a small slit in the center of the "tops".

• Add "tops" to "bottoms" and seal the edges together by folding them over with your fingers.

• Brush tops with egg yoke and sprinkle with sugar.

•  Place pies on the sheet and bake about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Happy Tasty Thursday Dolls!!!

Tasty Thursday // Goat Cheese Quiche | Sweet Potato Crust

One thing that I gladly take away from our Peru trip is that I've started cooking so much more and from scratch. It is so easy and so much better for us. Really how hard is it to boil some chick peas and make your own hummus. It's not hard at all. I can also proudly say that we have not bought canned anything in over eight months!!! Anyway. Over the past year and a half, I've made some really tasty and I have to admit intimidating recipes. Most turned out amazing and some less so, but you cook and you learn, right?!=] This is one of the best ones, Goat Cheese Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust. Delicious and HEALTHY!!!

Goat Cheese Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust
adapted from Farmgirl Gourmet
Serves 8 [158 clas.] - 12 [105 cals.]

the Crust
two medium sweet potatoes [yams]
1 egg
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
a pinch of red pepper flakes

the Filling
5 eggs
5oz softened goat cheese
4-5 green onions [sliced thin]
1 cup of Greek yogurt
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a 9" pie dish and set aside.

• Peel and grate sweet potatoes on a large holed box grater. Add grates potatoes to a large piece of cheesecloth or a thin kitchen towel, gather corners and squeeze out excess water over the sink.

• In large bowl whisk together 1 egg, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add grated sweet potatoes and mix until coated. Next press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let it cool down a bit.

• Turn oven down to 375 degrees F.

• While crust is cooking add 5 eggs, goat cheese, green onions, 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning to a large bowl and mix until combined.

• Press the sides of the crust back, if they have moved away from the pan. Add egg mixture to pan and bake for 30 minutes.

• Turn oven down to 350 degrees F and bake for another 15 minutes.

• Take the pan out of the oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes after serving.

 

So this is it, fairly easy to make and very tasty!

No real reason why I added this shot, besides I really kinda like it =]. Wish my pie dish was white though. Today I'm liking up with Anne @ Domesblissity

Happy Tasty Thursday Friends!!!

blueberry muffin | larabars

   I made another batch of larabars and boy are they good. Homemade treats are so much better than

store bought, plus you know what's in them. No mystery ingredients, just yummy natural flavors.

Blueberry Muffin | Larabars

30 dried and pitted plums
200gr [1 cup] of peanuts [or cashews]
1/2 cup raw blueberries
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash of ground ginger
pinch of salt

• In a food processor add peanuts and pulse until finely chopped.

• Add blueberries and dried plums, pulse until chopped and combined with peanuts.

• Add lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt. Pulse until dough forms. You'll know when it happens.

• Line a 8" X 8" pan with wax paper and spread dough with spatula. This dough is very sticky so take another piece of wax paper add to top of dough and use this to spread dough in pan.

• Refrigerate overnight, cut those bad boys up and eat!
  
  
  
  Happy Thursday Friends!!!

wedding cocktails | signage and names

 Since it is nearly the weekend, I thought it'd be great to talk wedding drinks. Where do you start when it comes to these celebratory libations? The budget, the availability, can you bring your own or does the caterer have to provide it? It all sent my head spinning when I thought about it.

Here is how to tackle this:

1. Talk to your venue and caterer to figure out if you can bring your own liquor/beer/wine.
2. In any case you will need a liquor serving license for the day, so get one of those it cost's about
$10 and you can get them online.
3. Decide if you are having signature cocktails, an open bar, or just beer and wine.
4. Figure out your signature cocktails and how many will you have. We had two, an Old Fashioned
and a Love Potion [I made the name up and really don't remember what the original was called, but
it was vodka, cranberry juice and ginger ale w/ lime].
5. Decide if you want to name your cocktails wedding related things, ex. "Something Blue", "Love
Birds", "Love Potion" and so on. These can get pretty bad and cheesy so you stay classy San Diego=]!
6. Design / pick out / buy / create in some way, signage for your drinks! You want to let your guest know what is available, rather than leave it to the catering staff to tell everybody. By bringing in your own drink menus you also create an opportunity for cute, personalized wedding detail pictures.

 These are a few drink menus I like quite a bit. You can check out our pick
at the top of the page:

 source

 source

source

source

And in case you have no idea where to start with cocktails, here are some delicious examples:

Vanilla, Pear, and Vodka Cocktail from Two Tarts

simple and pretty Champagne with Raspberries from A Day To Remember

Blueberry Lemonade Fizz Cocktail from Valley & co.lifestyle

Rose Martini by Michelle Vantine

For more inspiration on drinks check out some of my favorite sites for wedding planning:
the knot
HUFF POST Weddings
a practical wedding

Happy Planning, Drinking, and a very happy Thursday=]!!!

creamy avocado | garlic | dip

I've been liking avocados more and more lately and it's mostly thanks to Brian and the awesome avocado dip he makes. It's healthy and delicious!

creamy avocado | garlic | dip
2 large avocados
3 cloves of garlic
juice of 1 large lime [I used 2 key limes]
salt & pepper to taste

• In a food processor add avocado, garlic, lime juice, salt & pepper.

• Mix until creamy and delicious! Add more salt & pepper if needed.
  

I eat it with pretzels, but its great on burgers, sandwiches, and to dip veggies in. It is also so much healthier then many of the dips out there =]

Happy Thursday Friends!!!