Hiatus

I'm taking a hiatus. I didn't mean to start my break without telling you all, but finals & softball have been taking up a lot of my time. School is out this coming Thursday, and I can't wait for summer! Since I have talked to you last - how long has it been, 15 days or more? - I have been great. I made some new friends & hung out with some old ones. My high school softball team had an undefeated season. I got a 4.0 GPA. Good stuff!

I will miss you all, and I can not express in words how much each & every one of you means to me. Having this blog and making so many genuinely sweet blogging friends really helped me through the rough patches, and I appreciate it oh so much. I'm looking forward to a fabulous summer, and I hope you are too.

Until next time,
Katie

Addicted to Hemp(milk!)

HAHA if the title didn't make you giggle, then I guess you don't share my wacko sense of humor :P but that's ok! So...for those of you who don't know, hemp is a super plant! It can grow with little to no chemicals & can be used to make fiber (and from hemp fiber, rope & fabric, etc.) & can also be eaten or taken as a dietary supplement. This is my first hemp food product, and to sum it up...Hemp makes a mighty fine non-dairy milk!

It creamy, consistent in texture, and had a lovely flavor. I tried the Unsweetened Original, and I will be buying this again FOR SURE - it is the only non-dairy milk I've ever had that I have enjoyed as a beverage, meaning all by itself, in a glass with nothing adding. I'd like to thank Christina from Living Harvest for the sample!

Still Obsessed

Why yes, I do eat strawberries daily. The obsession lives on!! For brekkie I had a big bowl of cereal with some Mareblu Almond Crunch, bananas, and strawberries. It was pretty dang filling!
I just realized that this lunch is kind of small...*scolds ED*...I'll pack better next time.
This was one of the increasingly rare occasions that my parents allow me to have a meat-free dinner (I've been going to a nutrition again, just every so often - and let me tell ya, my mom is obsessed with protein now!) Believe, I would be vegan all the way if they'd let me. Anywho, I had some creamy hummus, raw broccoli, carrots, and falafel.
And dessert! A Colossal Chocolate Chip Cookie from the Alternative Baking Co. - review coming soon! Also, some Unsweetened Original Living Harvest Hemp Milk review coming soon! Is there an echo in here? I think there is.

Friday Cat Blogging

I will be out of town on an orchestra (I know, I'm a nerd haha) trip this weekend. My cat is going to keep you company! Mitzi is here to wish you a happy spring! She hope you are enjoying green grass & pleasant weather, but she sure is. She has been outside a lot in the last few days, chasing squirrels and getting into other shenanigens. I'll see you all on Sunday!

Feeling Crafty?

Are you in a creative mood? How about making a Jewelry Frame? This was actually my lovely mama's idea...you can see her frame below (it is the last photo of the post.) OK, so the first step is to get your supplies together. Spray paint color of choice, sharp scissors, a cute picture frame & window screen.
Lay your picture frame out on the screen. Cut a large piece - larger than you think you need.
Next, hang up your screen outside. I suppose you could lay it down on some old newspaper, but this method worked best for me (and my mom.) I pinned mine to a garden climber, but you could pin yours to a close line or even a tree branch.
Spray the screen until you are happy with the color - I used white spray paint, and it took three coats until I was satisfied.
We're back inside! Remove the glass from the frame. Now, use a staple gun to secure the screen to the frame from the inside. I don't have pics from this step because my dad did this part for me. I guess I'm not old enough to use a staple gun haha.

Carefully cut around the edge of the picture frame to remove the excess screen. If you don't, it will look funny. In the photo below, I am holding two things - clear thumbtacks and those weird plastic round earring backs that are becoming more and more popular. I hate those earrings backs - they hurt my ears and stick out from behind my infant-sized earlobes. Yes, I have very small ears. Anyways...I included this photo for a reason. Just like you would attatch a pair of stud earrings to the frame, use the thumbtack as the "earring" part, and the earring back for...well, you get the picture. Then I hung a necklace on one (see first photo, right side of diptych) and a pair of hoop earrings on two. And you can barely see them! Hence the clear tacks.

It's time to hang your earrings! The frame below is my mom's - as you can see, she has more earrings than I do. And, in case you were wondering, the teddy bears are significant - the one with the daffodil was given to her by her bff when my aunt died a while back. My sister made the one in the very back with the black button eyes & nose.

So there you have it! The first craft from TSC. What do you think?

Seasonal Obsession

One word: strawberries. These sweet little lovelies are appearing at breakfast (the bar is from GO MACRO, review coming soon,) lunch (pbj & baby carrots + green pepper on the side,) dinner (the burrito is an Amy's Kitchen burrito YUM,) and dessert. Oh, and snacks, too...

Please excuse my alien photos - it's kind of late at night, and I'm not exactly sure what happened with these two. Also excuse my random-ness, I'm kind of giddy & sleep right now. So...what have you all been up to? How was your Easter? The day before Easter was beautiful here - warm weather, blue sky - but Easter itself was rainy and gray. Boo! But at least no snow :) :) Why the double smiley-face? Well there's NO SCHOOL on Friday. Yay! How about another smiley just for fun? :) Can you tell I had a good day? :)

PS: I typed the final smile inadvertently. Seriously. Heehee. Also: these pictures are not a full day's eats, they are from different days (and mealtimes) throughout the week.

Mareblu Naturals

Thanks, Jimmy, for the awesome samples! I really enjoyed these convenient snacks from Mareblu Naturals. Here is my full review:

• Almond Crunch: This one had the best texture, in my opinion - I love almonds. The almond taste was definitely there!
• Blueberry Pomegranate Crunch: Mmm this was one of my favorites. Very fruity!
• Cashew Crunch: Great on salads! This one was really sweet.
• Dark Chocolate Cashew Crunch: It's like eating dessert for breakfast...or lunch, or dinner, or a snack.
• Pecan Trailmix Crunch: YEAH! I was feelin' this one. It reminded me of pecan pie :)
• Pistachio Trailmix Crunch: Tasty, but not my favorite. I guess I just prefer raw, unseasoned pistachios.

Edible Ideas

1. Put Mareblu Naturals nut clusters on hot or cold cereal for added flavor and texture
2. Make a breakfast sundae - layer cereal or granola, yogurt, fruit, and nuts in a tall glass.
3. Sprinkle nut clusters over salads (even fruit salads!) for extra protein.

A Spring Snow

Overload!

See that photo down there? That's my math homework. I also have four projects & a hearty chunk of Great Expectations to read. Yay high school! If you have time, check out these great giveaways:

• Bobbi from N Her Shoes is giving away a super cute Danskin pullover.
• CG from Unconvering Food is giving away Clif Z-Bars + coupons.
• Janice & Liz from Meal Makeover Mom's Kitchen are giving away an immersion blender.
• Katie (love her name! hehe) from Chocolate-Covered Katie is giving away "CCV In a Box."
• Rachelle from Mommy? I'm Hungry! is giving away a gift certificate to EcoStore USA.

On a more personal note...my anorexia recovery has been going really well. I have been in recovery for a year now as of March. Thinking back to my first few experiences with recovery and how difficult the overall process has been for me, I am very glad that I chose recovery over hospitalization or death (which is what would have eventually happened if I had let my ED continue to control my life.) I have been dealing with a lot of ups and downs lately, but today was a good day, and I am looking to more good days in the future.
PS: What do you think of the blog facelift?

Barney Butter

I have learned that Barney Butter is as versatile (and delicious!) as it gets. It is tasty on waffles, oatmeal, bagels, toast, crackers, sandwiches, cereal...mmm mmm. And toppings? Applesauce, fresh fruit, jelly/jam/preserves - this stuff goes well with everything!


Not only is the flavor great, but the color is nice too. A perfectly pretty tan :] The only bad thing is that too much of it can stick in the stomach, or on the roof of the mouth. But some hardcore nut butter lovers may adore that. Also, it can get kind of messy. I usually go light on the PB & such, but I couldn't resist piling on the Barney Butter. It spreads very easily, at room temperature or out of the fridge. (Trust me, I tried both ways.)


Thanks, Barney Butter, for the great samples! I will definitely be buying a big jar of this almond butter sometime in the future.

Spring

spring / printemps / primavera

Whatever the heck you call it, it is my absolute favorite season. The trees are starting to get their leaves back, flowers are starting to bloom, the weather is beautiful again....Ahh. It makes the winter worth it. (Winter is my least fav - haha, can you tell?)

I am so excited for this time of year... even though Spring Break is over. (I go back to school tomorrow.) There's a hearty eight weeks before summer...but Easter is right around the corner! I have a lot of recipes in my head that I am excited to share with you guys as soon as I get the chance. I just adore springtime!!! What is your favorite season?

Crazy for Coconut!

Is this a dream? I asked myself after arriving home to find two ENORMOUS boxes on the front porch. I was even more amazed when I opened them up. Thank you so much, Turtle Mountain, for the delicious treats that you sent me. They supplied me with the majority of their So Delicious Made with Coconut Milk (vegan!) line, and wow, was I impressed.

Purely Decadent Frozen Desserts

• Chocolate: This flavor was really tasty & rich - the best nondairy chocolate "ice cream" I've ever had.
• Coconut: HANDS DOWN my favorite! The Coconut flavor is creamy and delightfully sweet; it's filled with coconut flakes that only add to its wonderfullness.
• Cookie Dough: I didn't think that I was a big fan of cookie dough ice cream...until I tried this. It was one of the best!
• Vanilla Bean: There is just a hint of coconut in this flavor, but it is definitely vanilla. It goes great with fruity desserts like pie and cobbler.

So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage

• Original: The first thing I noticed was the great texture - smooth and creamy. The flavor is very subtly, good with sweet cereals. Not a "WOW!" but it was still OK.
• Vanilla: I preferred this flavor to the other because it was more flavorful. Plus, it only had 10 calories more per serving than the original. I will definitely be buying this from now on.

So Delicious Minis

• Banana Split Sandwiches: The banana/strawberry flavor wasn't as prominent as I'd expected, but they were delish none the less.
• Coconut Sandwiches: These were very different that the Banana Split kind...the coconut flavor is strong and goes well with the chocolate "cookie" part of the sandwich.
• Coconut Almond Bars: Oh my! What to say about these except for AMAZING! And only 170 cals per bar? These are a dream come true.
• Vanilla Bars: Almost as stunning as the Coconut Almond Bars. Almost.

So Delicious Cultured Coconut Milk

• Blueberry: One of my favs! I actually stirred in some frozen blueberries, and it was superb.
• Passionate Mango: So tropical! It reminded me of warm weather. The summery orange color makes it a treat for the eyes, too.
• Plain: There is nothing plain or boring about this flavor! It is perfect for pairing with strong fruit, like pineapple or pomegranate.
• Raspberry: This flavor is just dreamy. Its pretty color matches its scrumptious taste.
• Strawberry Banana: I like this flavor a lot because I can top it with fresh strawberries and/or bananas...kiwi goes great with it, too!
• Vanilla: I poured this over a warm slice of blackberry upside down cake. It's very similar to melted ice cream - so, so wonderful. I imagine that it would be great on fruit pancakes, too.

My Room

When I first moved to KS, I had a pink & purple fairy room. Then I got the furniture that I have now, and the walls were paintstakingly stripped of the wallpaper and painted light blue. At that point, I had a geometric blue-green-purple bedspread. I recently redid my room for the last time (before I go off to college, that is) and I think that it reflects me pretty well. Mostly, it reflects my love of color and desire to travel. What do you all think?

And now for some contests!

1. Foods that Fit is giving away a variety goodies.
2. CCV has a whole box of Jocolat bars to share.
3. Heather's giving away a Turtle Mountain coupon.
4. Missy is sharing some Erin Baker's products.

It's Vegan! Part 2

This breakfast is an old favorite of mine that I haven't had in a while - puffed rice & pineapple. Usually, I eat this combo sans yogurt, with lots of pineapple juice and walnuts on top. Today I switched it up: I got my healthy fats this morning from the plain coconut milk yogurt (complete Turtle Mountain review coming soon!) that I used. YUM!

Lunch was a simple salad of romaine + strawberries, with some Mareblu Naturals nuts (again, review coming soon!) as well as a clementine.

I had a special treat with dinner: a soda! I rarely drink pop, but I was craving it. I had a Fitz's Cream soda mixed with the juice of 2 meyer lemons & 1/2 of a lime. It really gave this drink an extra POW! Fitz's is semi-local (St. Louis, MO) and made without high fructose corn syrup or aspartame. My dad & sister are addicted :) Dinner was rice & beans with salsa, lettuce & carrots, and a corn muffin. Rice & beans is somewhat of a staple at my house - always filling, and always good.
I feel like I am constantly apologizing for my lack of blogging! I will get some automatic posts up soon. Softball tryouts were all this week, so I'll let you all know if I made the team as soon as the results are posted. Have a great night!

It's Vegan! Part 1

***EDIT***

Giveaways are awesome! Here are some that are ending soon...

• Diana from Strawberry Shortstuff is giving away 1o The Simply Bars. This giveaway ends on March 4th.
• Katie from Chocolate Covered Katie formerly CCV) is giving away an ENTIRE box of Jocolat bars. This giveaway ends March 19th.

...so what are you waiting for? Get your butt on over to these fabulous blogs right now!

***END EDIT***

Due to a hearty snack after volleyball last night, I had a very light breakfast: a waffle with PB & banana slices (not pictured) and a ZenSoy Soy on the Go Cappuccino. Mmm mmm this was good. Pretty filling, too!

Lunch was simple - ½ of a PBJ on Ezekiel bread, a little bit of lettuce + baby carrots, and a bag of Brother's All-Natural Fuji Apple Chips. I actually didn't eat the apple chips because I still wasn't very hungry.

For dinner...my mom cooked vegan! This miracle only happens on rare occasions :) It was a stir-fry of green onions, cauliflower, carrots, tofu, and clementines over rice noodles. Talk about delicious! I apologize for the photo...especially the placemat. It looks great in some photos, awful in others. Haha....my sis M set the table.

I have been packed with activites and school assignments lately! I have a volleyball tournament coming up this weekend...I might just bring along my camera so that I can post a few photos. I'll make sure get a few shots of our food table especially for the blog ;] I've got a bunch of product reviews as well as some new, fun recipes planned. I also just did a Spanish project for school that was all about food. That post will be coming up in the next few days. "See" you all soon!

Dearest Simplicity

I am almost embarrassed to share this recipe with you. It is so simple, you will probably laugh. To me, the technique is key to getting the lemony flavor just right. And the luscious green color? Positively inspiring. To me, at least. A nice contrast to the cold, brown world that exists outside of the kitchen. At least the sky is blue today...

MEYER LEMON BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Fat-free! Negative calorie! These babies are perfect if you are eating light. Or if you just adore their pungent flavor, as I do.

• brussels sprouts, thoroughly cleaned, stems removed
• juice of meyer lemons
• freshly-cracked black pepper

You'll need the juice of 1 meyer lemon per 10 brussels sprouts. Squeeze it all out! OK, so the first thing you do is cut the brussels sprouts in half. If you have prepared them correctly, the will stay in tact. Now, steam them for 5-10 minutes or until they are almost perfectly soft. Now, transfer them to bowl containing the meyer lemon juice. Crack your pepper on top of them, as much as you wish. Put a tight-fitting lid over top of the bowl and let it sit (further steaming the brussels sprouts & infusing them with lemony goodness) for 4-5 minutes. Serve hot or cold with additional cracked pepper and any leftover lemon juice for dipping.