fall

Three Fall Drinks (Vegan)

Monday, November 06, 2017


Fall is finally here in Virginia and as long as it doesn't get too cold too soon, I am going to love the opportunity to break out my hoodies and light jackets. It's also the time where I make the switch from iced to hot drinks, especially in the morning and late evening when temperatures are lower.

Today  wanted to share three vegan, cold weather beverages to keep you warm and cozy as we transition into Fall. Grab your biggest mugs and check them out!

London Fog

Earl Grey Tea
Lavender
Coconut Sugar
Steamed/Frothed Almond or Soy Milk

1. Brew a cup of Earl Grey tea with 1/2 -1 tsp of lavender (I actually used a Green Earl Grey from Fortnum and Mason that I picked up in London)
2. Strain lavender and loose tea or remove tea bag
3. Add steamed frothed milk topped off with a little foam. (I don't have a milk steamer but I was able to get the same effect with an immersion blender, after heating almond milk on the stove)
4. Sprinkle coconut sugar on top of foam.




Golden Milk 

1 cup of Almond or Soy Milk
1/2 teaspoon Tumeric Powder
1/2 teaspoon Ginger Powder
Dash of Cardamom Powder
1 cinnamon stick
Cracked Black Pepper
Coconut Sugar to taste

1. Warm vegan milk on low heat with the tumeric powder and cinnamon stick.
2. Once warmed, add ginger, cardamom, fresh cracked black pepper, and coconut sugar.
3. Remove cinnamon stick and enjoy



Hot Cocoa with Vegan Carmel Drizzle and Sea Salt

1 cup of Almond or Soy Milk
1 tablespoon vegan Hot Cocoa mix (I use the Lake Champlain organic hot cocoa mix. You can also make your own with cocoa powder and sugar.)
Vegan Marshmallows (I have been using Dandies but I heard recently that Trader Joe's has a house brand bag of marshmallows that has no gelatin and is super affordable. I need to make a trip out there soon!)
Vegan Caramel Drizzle (I made a batch using this recipe from Jessica in the Kitchen. Check out her website for more vegan recipes!)
Sea Salt Flakes (I use Maldon which you can get at most grocery stores and Amazon)

1. Warm vegan milk on low heat.
2. Add hot cocoa mix and whisk together
3. Pour hot cocoa into mug and top with 2-3 large marshmallows
4. Drizzle caramel sauce on top
5. Sprinkle sea salt flakes to finish


Leave a comment below telling me your favorite thing about fall!

food

A Week of Vegan Groceries

Friday, September 01, 2017


This week I thought it might be fun to share what we picked up at the grocery store to stock our vegan fridge and pantry. I'm hoping this will give you some inspiration if you are interested in trying a plant-based diet and wondering what kinds of foods you should have on hand.

The Staples


We had a small staple restock this week as we still had a lot of things like grains and frozen veg on hand. These are things that we like to always have in our fridge/pantry because they get used quite often in meals. 

Our basics for this week
  • almond milk
  • tofu
  • pasta
  • pasta sauce
  • lentils
  • cannellini beans
  • black beans

The Fresh Fruit + Veg

This week we purchased
  • sweet potatoes
  • raspberries
  • baby spinach
  • cherry tomatoes
  • cantaloupe melon
  • mushrooms

Much of this category is supplemented with the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) that we bought into at the beginning of the summer. We get mostly vegetables with the occasional selection of seasonal fruit. It's been so nice having farm fresh veg, specifically tomatoes that actually taste like something other than "wet.

This week's CSA haul included
  • various melons
  • onions
  • various squash
  • zucchini
  • potatoes
  • tomatoes
  • various peppers

The Extras


I consider this category the "wants" as opposed to the "needs." (Although I really should have included the coffee with the rest of the staples.) This includes all of our snacks, faux meat products, sauces, iced coffee, and my precious yerba mate drinks.

Extras for this week were
  • Stubbs BBQ sauce in Original
  • Starbucks Iced Coffee in Unsweetened Medium Roast
  • MorningStar Roasted Garlic and Quinoa Veggie Burgers
  • Gardein Meatless Meatballs
  • Gardein The Ultimate Beefless Ground
  • Gardein 7 Grain Crispy Tenders
  • Skinny Pop Salt and Black Pepper Popcorn
  • Garden of Eatin' Sesame Blues Blue Corn Tortilla Chips
  • Van's Power Grains Frozen Waffles
  • Lenny and Larry Perfect Cookies in Chocolate Chip and Double Chocolate
  • NuGo Bars in Mint Chocolate and Chocolate Pretzel
  • Wegmans Hummus
  • Guayaki Yerba Mate in Bluephoria

The Budget + Actual Cost

For our household (the 2 humans anyway), we try to stick to a budget of no more than $150/week. This includes cleaning supplies that we don't get from Amazon.com and things like toilet paper and paper towels. I know some readers may spend less and some may spend more. I just wanted to give you an idea of how much we spent on this particular shopping trip if you are trying to budget for similar foods. The actual cost for everything on this trip was $106.



 What are your grocery staples?

5 Ways to Create Positive Space in the Morning

Friday, August 25, 2017

To say "I'm not a morning person" would be an understatement. I have always preferred to stay up late and wake up late. As I've gotten older though, I've realized how important and valuable mornings are when it comes to getting work done. I took some time to visualize what an ideal morning would look like for me if I HAD to pull myself out of the most comfortable bed in the world. (Which is 10x as hard when you have a fluffy puppy who has joined you.)

Creating positive space in the morning is critical for me to have energy and be productive. I thought I would share a few rituals I have recently implemented to start my mornings off on the right foot. I know not everyone has the same schedule or responsibilities but I think everything I've listed below can be done in a relatively short amount of time. Finding a morning routine is also personal- these are just a few things that have worked for me. Hopefully this will give you some inspiration!

* Keep in mind that a good morning usually starts with a good night's sleep. Take some time to think about what that means for you and how you can set yourself up with success the night before. 

1. Meditation + Positive Affirmations



This has been really easy for me to do before I even get out of bed. As soon as my alarm goes off (because let's be real- I'm not quite at the point where I can wake up without one) I'll grab my phone or iPad and open up the Insight Timer guided meditation app. I cannot say enough good things about this tool and I still cannot believe that it's free. There are thousands of meditations and affirmation programs. My current favorite is "Morning Meditation with Music" by Jonathan Lehmann and it's about 10 minutes long.

2. Make the Bed


It's true what Naval Adm. William H. McRaven says in his commencement address at the University of Texas. "If you make your bed in the morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day." It takes me 5 minutes (maybe a little more if my dog is all stretched out and looking extra adorable) to accomplish this task and it always makes my bedroom seem neater even if there is a mountain of laundry next to the clothes basket. It also makes me happy to see a tidy bed every time I go into my bedroom. 

3. Drink a Glass of Water


Far too many mornings (and afternoons) of mine have gone by without having any water. I'll be in the middle of work and realize that all I've had to drink was coffee. I think it's important for me, as someone who is prone to dehydration, to make sure that I drink a big glass of water before I have coffee. Drinking water first thing assists with digestion and re-hydration, especially if you've had alcohol or foods high in sodium. Even if it's a 3 cups of coffee kind of day, at least I can feel better about my 8-16 oz of H2O when I wake up.

4. Eat a Healthy Breakfast


Having a meal that both tastes good and is nourishing is a great way to set a positive tone for the rest of the day. My go-to is oatmeal (specifically the Bob's Red Mill Quick Cook Oats) with cinnamon, ground flax seed, a dash of brown sugar, peanut butter, and cacao nibs topped with almond milk and fresh raspberries or blueberries. The oatmeal takes 2 minutes to cook and satisfies me the whole morning. I also eat cereal, smoothies, and Van's Power Grain Waffles when I am feeling like a treat. 

5. Move Your Body


If you need some extra motivation in the morning, get moving! This has been especially important for me when my first instinct is always to crawl back into my cozy bed. Do a few stretches when you get up, try a few minutes of yoga (check out Yoga with Adriene on YouTube), take your dog for a walk, or crank up the tunes and dance. 


Do you have any morning rituals? What would it be like to create positive space for yourself?