Maple Sage Glazed Carrots with Maple Toasted Pistachios

November 23, 2011 Arielle

We spent the majority of today in the kitchen.

While I poured, mixed, rolled, kneading, chopped, sauteed, and cleaned...

Baby Boo was either attached to my hip or at my feet begging for a taste.

I LOVE that she enjoys being in the kitchen with me. She loves to throw things into the mixing bowl or blender, and loves to cook her own special meals.

I'm pretty sure her ideal meal would have chocolate, cottage cheese, berries, and avocados...

Today was a special day because, not only are we getting ready for Thanksgiving, but I had the opportunity to work with an amazing company and their delicious food!

Grimmway Farms sent me a coupon to receive a free bag of their ever so delicious carrots!

I.Love.These.Carrots!

Grimmway Farms is a family owned and operated business located in California. Their philosophy is:

Provide Good Value

Honest Pricing

Conduct Business with Integrity

AND, let's not forget they received the Chef's Best 2011 BEST Taste Award!

The first thing Baby Boo and I did was dig in! We love carrots at our house. They are the perfect little snack, perfect match for hummus, puree amazingly for baby food, and when they are cold they help our teething lil' chickpea.

Baby Boo was pretty excited. Perfect time to bust a move.

I don't know what's sexier, the random drool stain down her shirt, or that fierce look in her eyes...

I decided to make a side dish for Thanksgiving with the carrots, that way everybody could indulge on these delicious baby carrot bad boys...

But I think I am going to have to double the recipe to feed everybody...( 4 carrots for me, one carrot for you...6 carrots for me, two carrots for you...)

Either way, my family is going to be grateful they invited me to dinner. :-)

Maple Sage Glazed Carrots with Maple Toasted Pistachios

Ingredients:(for carrots)

1 16 os. bag Grimmway Farms Baby Carrots

2 TB. fresh chopped sage (divided into TB.)

1 medium shallot diced

4 cloves garlic diced

2 TB. 100% Pure Maple syrup

1 TB. olive oil

sprinkle of nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients: (for pistachios)

1/4 c. chopped pistachios

1 tsp. maple syrup

Directions:

1. In a (high-medium) heated saucepan (that contains a lid), add your olive oil. Heat for a quick second then throw in your diced shallot and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, stirring every so often. You want the shallots and garlic to be caramelized and golden brown looking. (3-5 min.)

2. Next throw in your carrots, maple syrup, 1 TB. sage, and spices. Stir until coated and turn down heat to med-low. Put lid on top of saucepan, and let carrots cook about 25-30 minutes or until soft. Toss and stir carrots every so often.

3. Now prepare your pistachios. In a separate heated sauce pan, spray with cooking spray and add pistachios. Toast pistachios on medium heat for about a minute, then add maple syrup. Continue to stir and coat pistachios, all the while keeping the maple syrup from burning. Cook for about 1-2 more minutes, or until the pistachios aren't 'wet' with syrup. Transfer nuts to a separate bowl and set aside.

4. Once carrots are done, put on serving platter and top with remaining 1 TB. sage and chopped pistachios. Serve warm.

*This recipe only makes 2 c. worth, so if your making this for a big crowd be sure and double/triple the recipe.*

This just screams Thanksgiving dinner...and Sunday dinner...and Christmas..and Hanukkah...and Ground Hog Day!

Or if your like me, I enjoy eating them on the couch, watching trashy reality TV, and listening to Baby Boo snore away for nap time.

Shhhh, don't worry. It will be our little secret. :-)

Thanks again Grimmway Farms for giving me the opportunity to try your amazing product!!

* I was not paid to write this post. To learn more about Grimmway Farms and their awesome company, check out their website at http://www.grimmway.com/.**

Magnetic Makeup Board & Makeup Brush Holders

November 16, 2011 Arielle

I'm going to sound like every other person on the planet and talk about how much I love Pinterest.

The idea of opening up a web page only to find food, clothes, home decor, crafts, DIY, handsome men, cute lil' babies, and lots of lots of pretty things...Weeeellll...

I'm not complaining.

If I could I would sew my whole families clothes, style my hair perfect, sport some hot smokey eyes, cook the most delicious dinners, have the most beautiful house, and take precious family photos. Most likely I would never sleep, not have time to enjoy that delicious dinner, and probably ignore/never see my family...

But, there are FAR more important things in life that I don't want to miss. So for now I'll do what I can, and settle for sweat pants, a messy ponytail, and beans and rice tonight for dinner.

So a while back In noticed (via pinterest) a magnetic makeup board from the website Liz Maria Blog . I instantly fell in love. (With the makeup board and the Website as well!!)

My makeup was super unorganized just thrown into a drawer, and my brushes were getting extremely dirty all mixed with everything. So when I saw the idea I knew I had to try it.

It was SUPER simple, and it cost me only a couple of dollars!

I started with a frame I had already. I had primed the frame white, then spray painted it yellow. Then I took some sand paper and rubbed a few spots here and there to give it some character.

I then rolled some rosette flowers made from burlap and doilies. Yes, doilies. I have about 692 of them in my garage from my grandpas house. I am determined to use them!

I then hot glued some burlap onto the original bored for the frame.

Next, I took my magnetic sheet (which I got at Lowes for $1.50!!) and hot glued some burlap over that.

I then glued the two boards together.

The magnet board was smaller than the frame backing, but it didn't bother me. I like the depth it gave to the frame.

Now comes the time to hot glue some magnets on the back on your makeup.

For smaller ones you only need one magnet, but for larger pieces you will need more.

Then you just stick it on!

P.S. Bobbi Brown liquid eyeliner is A-MA-ZING!

For my brushes I just used two candle holders that I had saved from when the hubby and I got married!

SEE! This teaches you to save and hoard EvErYtHiNg! :-)

I cut out vinyl letters with my Cricut machine, one for my eye brushes and one for my face brushes. (I am also doing the same thing for my kitchen jars too!)

You could easily buy letter stickers and do the same thing.

Next, I filled each holder with a mixture of dry beans. (You KNOW I have tons of those sitting in my house!)

It really helps hold the brushes up right!

I seriously LOOVE this whole idea!

I love having such organization in my makeup, let alone SUCH easy cleanup!

Ok guys...you know what you gotta do now...

PIN It! :-)

Have a great day!

All about Green Drinks 101

November 15, 2011 Arielle

**Update: I have had a lot of questions regarding the type of blender I use to make green smoothies. I've always used a Vitamix. Click HERE to see the Vitamix. If that one is too pricey, I've also successfully used my Magic Bullet Blender for years, link HERE ."** (affiliate links)

_______________________________________________________________________

The thought of eating vegetables can be gag-worthy to some...

But the idea of DRINKING your vegetables can sound just down right repulsive.

If you would have asked me 5 years ago to drink a green smoothie I would have laughed in your face than had nightmares for 6 months after that. They are down right scary.

Oddly enough, not only do I now eat my veggies, but I drink tons of them too. Trust me. I gots me lots a friends....(And good Engrish too...)

And if somebody asked me what is ONE thing they could do differently to adapt a healthier eating lifestyle, I would beg them to drink a green smoothie everyday. It's the one thing that I believe can have a major impact on your diet and change the way you feel.

But what exactly are the benefits of drinking green?

Improved digestive system

Better energy

Opportunity to give your body nutrients it most likely wouldn't receive on a regular basis

Being able to eat raw veggies(w/o a cup of ranch dressing on the side.)

-Weight loss

-Fight off sickness

-Sleep improvement

-Rid your body of toxins

-Essential vitamins, nutrients, and minerals

-Helps your kids (and hubby's!) get their veggies

-Fast to make AND healthy!

The list goes on and on....

But sometimes the benefits are not enough to convince somebody to drink green. Sure it's good for you, but is it really worth stomaching something that can taste so freak nastay?

That's where your wrong my friends...Because I am here to tell you I have never tried a green drink I didn't like.(And trust me...I've had my fair share of green drink varieties.) With the right ingredients, knowledge, and helpful perks, green drinks can taste more like a regular smoothie(even a dessert one) without even noticing the hint of any vegetables!

First, let's start with the veggies:

Spinach is an obvious choice when it comes to drinking greens. It's a very mild tasting green, so a lot of people love to use it. On top of that, it's a familiar ingredient. People are scared of it, but not too scared since they know a little bit about it. I think spinach is a GREAT green to add in smoothies, but I think sometimes we get stuck in a rut of ONLY using spinach. There are SO many other veggies out there that have different types of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that our bodies need.

Here are my favorite veggies to use as of right now:

Spinach

Kale (no stems, just leaves. Stems are stanky!)

Rainbow and Green Chard

Collard Greens

Dandelion Greens (Just a little, it can tend to me strong)

Mustard Greens (just a little, it kind of has a kick.)

Cucumbers

Carrots

Beets

Avocados

Pumpkin Puree

*Remember to wash your greens to get rid of dirt and yucky stuff! (Yes, I said yucky. So professional.)

And to store greens properly, I just wash them, dry, and then put them in labeled zip lock bags with a paper towel.

Perfect for portioning sizes for smoothies and what not!

Next Step: Add your fruit!

Veggies aren't the only thing that you can add to your green drink. I especially love adding fruit!

Fruit is a great way to add a natural sweetness to your drink, giving it a 'smoothie' like taste, and hiding the taste of some of those veggies. Not too mention fruit is another great way to get in some extra goodness like antioxidants and fiber!

Here is some of my top fruits to add in smoothies. And fruit will do, it just depends on your liking. For more tropical flavors choose things like mangos, oranges, pineapples, etc...

Bananas (GREAT sweetener! Also does well hiding those veggies!)

Cherries

Strawberries

Blueberries

Blackberries

Raspberries

Mangos

Pears

Pineapples

Peaches

Orange Juice (Fresh squeezed)

Pomegranates

Grapes

Apples

Next, give that smoothie some VA VA- VOOM!

Here is where you can go above and beyond a strawberry banana smoothie, and move onto a sweet almond cherry coconut bliss smoothie. The world is your...green drink? That made no sense, but are you catching my drift? There are many little things we can add to our green drinks to give them that extra flair that will make them more desirable to drink. No one ever said no to a chocolate PB drink! And if they did, well then...I'm speechless. :-)

Here are some things to add to those green drinks to give them some extra OOMPH!

Nut Butters (Almond Butter, Peanut Butter, Walnut Butter, Sunflower Butter...etc. Great source of protein and healthy fats!)

Nuts (Don't have the butta', then just throw in a few nuts!)

Cocoa Powder (Chocolate...Heck yes!)

Carob Powder

Oatmeal (Bring on the hearty breakfast grains!)

Almond Extract

Vanilla Extract

Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger)

Mint Leaves

Basil Leaves

Coconut Milk

Orange Juice (If you combine coconut milk and Oj, you get a creamsicle taste!)

Cocoa nibs

Dark chocolate chips

PB pong balls or Fudge Balls or S'more Balls

Apple Butter

Pumpkin Butter

Lemon, Lime

Ginger

Don't forget those added bonus:

Every green drink needs those few added bonuses that will boost their nutrient value even more!

Here are my favorite little added bonuses:

Chia Seeds

Ground Flax seeds

Protein Powder (I love to use a plant based protein powder. My favorite brand is Sun Warrior!)

Choice of Liquid (whether it be non dairy milk, reg. milk, water, etc.)

Lastly if needed, add a sweetener.

I've gotten to the point where I don't usually need a sweetener, especially if I have loaded it with fruit. But the more stronger tasting veggies like beets, I tend to add a little bit to sweeten the drink to my liking.

Here are my favorite go-to natural sweeteners:

100% Pure Maple Syrup

Agave Nectar

Raw Honey

Dates

Stevia

So where to begin?

Start simple. Add ingredients you are familiar with, and slowly each time add in different things to get used to. You will adjust smoothies to your taste buds preferences, and in time find what is right for you!

Here are a few recipes to get you started!

Beginners Green Drink

1 C. non diary milk

2 C. spinach

1 frozen banana

1 TB. Chia Seeds

1 tsp. Sweetener of choice

1tsp. vanilla

Ice

Optional: Peanut Butter

Tropical Cream Green Drink

1/2 C. fresh OJ

1/2 C.-1 C. coconut milk

1 C. spinach

1 C. kale

1 frozen banana

1/2 c. frozen pineapple, mango, or peaches

1 tsp. vanilla

2 TB. coconut flakes

ice

Red Velvet Smoothie

1 C. non dairy milk

1 medium beet peeled, steamed, and chopped

1/3 c. frozen raspberries, cherries, or strawberries

1 frozen banana

4 TB. cocoa powder

4 pitted dates

1 TB. chia seeds

2 tsp. sweetener of choice

1 tsp. vanilla

ice

PICTURE

Green Smoothies are great for breakfast! Baby Boo has one pretty much every morning, it's her favorite thing to have!

Here is a typical smoothie for Boo. It's loaded with healthy fats, protein, greens, and tons of vitamins and minerals!!

Princess Bliss Avocado Green Smoothie

1 C. milk of choice (I used coconut-from a carton, not a can.)

1 frozen banana

1/2 frozen avocado

1/2 c. kale

1/4 c. oats

1/4 c. vanilla yogurt (soy or reg.)

1 TB. Chia seeds

1 TB. almond butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 TB. maple syrup (Boo really doesn't need a sweetener because she can't tell the difference, but for older kids you could add a little more than 1 TB.)

ice

Then this morning for breakfast the three of us split this smoothie:

My husband said it was the BEST smoothie he has ever had...And trust me, those words don't always come out of his mouth...

SHOCKER! :-)

Chocolatey Chocolate Green Smoothie

1 c. milk of choice

handful spinach

handful kale

handful chard

1/4 c. dandelion greens (just the leaves)

1 frozen banana

handful frozen cherries

4 spoonfuls cocoa powder

2 TB. almond butter

1 TB. chia seeds

2 TB. agave nectar

2 c. ice

A lot of times I make more than enough smoothie, so I just freeze the extra in an ice cube tray and use them for another day! That way, when I am in a hurry I just throw some in a blender with some milk and voila!

Whew! That was a LONG post! Don't be afraid to try a green drink! If anything, you won't regret the way it will make you feel on a regular basis. :-)

For additional recipes, just go to my recipes tab underneath the header and click on green drinks!

Have a great day!! :-)

Grocery Shopping with the Hubbers VIDEO!

November 12, 2011 Arielle

I'm seriously a jerk.

You see, on Wednesday I made a promise saying that I would have a yummy recipe up today(actually YESTERDAY) that came from these ever so delicious beaters...

And if you must know they were cookies.

And they were bomb.dot.com.

But I didn't take pictures the first time I made them, so I planned to make them today while Baby Boo was being baby sat by her grandma...

But then I went to Costco.

And Costco took longer than possible, just so many samples.

So then I ran home to put things away and make the cookies.

But then the internet got the best of me, and I started watching some of THIS guys' videos...(THIS one imparticular.)

For an hour...and twenty three minutes.

And instead of making cookies, I made a green drink that tasted way to similar to dessert.

Carob Cherry Green Smoothie

1 c. coconut milk, handful of spinach, kale, and chard, handful of frozen cherries, frozen banana, 1/4 c. carob powder, 1 TB. chia seeds, and ice. (can add 1 tsp. sweetener if you want!)

Then I got really cold and turned the heater up to 83 degrees...

But I promise I have something for you! A few weeks back, Mr. Diva and I recorded a video of us going grocery shopping together.

It's kind of silly, I'm not going to lie...In fact, it's kind of stupid. And I am pretty sure you will really learn how much crap the hubby eats...

Oh, and the hubby does film my backside at one point during the film. My suggestion would be to close your eyes and not peek. You WILL have nightmares for at least a year...

There you have it. Now I am embarrassed.

Have a great weekend friends! I have a feeling there is a cookie recipe in your near future...

That is unless I need a nap.. :-)

***I just started a YouTube Channel! All my previous videos are being uploaded too it, and more to come! You can find it HERE!*

Lemon Quinoa Cilantro Chickpea Salad AND Everything Green Smoothie

November 9, 2011 Arielle

“**Editors Note: This post was written in 2011, and the recipes in this post are the most popular recipes on my website! I deleted a lot of the old text to update this page, but if you scroll down you will find the recipes! ”

Lemon Quinoa Cilantro Chickpea Salad

Lemon Quinoa Cilantro Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

1/2 c. dry quinoa
1 1/2 c. vegetable broth
(OR 1 c. prepared/cooked quinoa)
1 c. garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 diced onions
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 avocados, diced
1 bunch cilantro, bottom stems cut off
2 c. spinach
(dressing)
2 tsp. dijon mustard or plain mustard
zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 juicy lemon, or two not so juicy lemons :)
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper

Instructions

Prepare quinoa by adding quinoa and broth to a pot. Cook on medium/high until it begins to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes until quinoa has cooked fully.
Once the quinoa is cooked, set it aside to cool.
In a food processor, add cilantro and spinach. Process the greens until they are chopped up finely.
In a bowl, add the chickpeas, chopped greens, tomatoes, avocado, onion, garlic, and cooled quinoa.
In a bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together. Pour over the salad. Mix it together.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Let sit in the fridge until ready to eat! Enjoy!

Everything Green Smoothie

Everything Green Smoothie

Serves:

2-3

*This smoothie makes quite a bit and could easily serve two adults. Unless your like me and can eat for two, then you could drink it all on it's own. It could also serve 2-3 kids, one mama and 2 children...etc.. :-)

Ingredients

1 c. non dairy milk, more if needed for thinning out smoothie
handful of fresh spinach
handful of fresh kale, no stems
handful of swiss chard
2 green apple, cold and cit into slices/core removed
1/2 medium cold cucumber
1 frozen banana, sliced
1 TB. chia seeds
sweetener of choice, stevia is what I used/honey works well too (1-2 tsp.)
1 1/2 c. ice

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until creamy. Drink immediately. Enjoy!

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Chili Cornbread Casserole

November 3, 2011 Arielle

Don't be fooled by the hubby's big pearly white smiling teeth.

You would guess the words out of his mouth would be something like, "Oh sweety I would love to have last night's meal reheated so I can enjoy it tonight TOO!"

Nope.

That look on my face is pretty common around dinner time.

I know what your thinking...That's my sexy blue steal right?

Of coarse. But that's all I have to do. One look of blue steal and I can get him to eat anything I want.

Ha! Ya flippen right!

He has a fear of leftovers...It doesn't matter how unhealthy it is, he won't touch it the next day.

Now, some people are the same way, like my dad for example hates leftovers.

I however could eat the same thing for dinner every day. I love to be spontaneous!

So the greatest way to enjoy leftovers, without actually eating the same exact thing the next night, is to make something different with it.

On halloween when I made Crockpot Tempeh Veggie Chili,

I had more than enough leftovers. Chili is great to freeze, and I thought about doing that, but I wanted to do something different. I then thought about $. (what's new...)

Of coarse leftovers help you save $ right? See hubby...I will learn EvEnTuAlLy!

I really wanted to make a casserole type dish, something that I could mix and throw in the oven...not a lot of prep.

And who doesn't LOVE a casserole?!

If you do, then I have about 587 recipes from my grandma, ranging from chicken and rice to green jello casserole...

But I promise, this casserole is far more tastier than a green jello casserole.

Even Baby Boo thinks so too!

Chili Cornbread Casserole

Ingredients:

Leftover Tempeh Veggie Chili, or any chili you want.(I used about 2 C. because that's what I had left.)

Cornbread(recipe to follow)

1/3 C. non dairy cheddar cheese or regular cheddar cheese (I like daiya)

Cornbread: Adapted from Baby Cakes

2/3 C. non dairy milk mixed with 1 TB. apple cider vinegar, then set aside

3/4 C. whole wheat pastry flour(of if GF, use 3/4 C. Gluten free baking flour)

1/2 C. cornmeal

1/2 C. corn flour(ground cornmeal in blender)

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

(if making GF, add 1 tsp. xantham gum)

1/2 C. coconut oil.

1/3 c. honey(or agave for vegan version)

1/3 c. applesauce

2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

1. Make your cornbread first. Combine dry ingredients together, then add wet(minus the milk+vinegar mixture.) Stir until combined, then gently fold in milk mixture.(it will be chunky like buttermilk.)

2. In a greased casserole dish of preference, add your chili. For this recipe you could use more chili than cornbread, or more cornbread than chili. It really is all preference. We like ours with more cornbread, so I used about 2 C. chili and half of the cornbread mixture. I'm saving the rest of the cornbread mix for breakfast in the morning. :-)

3. Top chili with dollops of desired amount of cornbread, and then sprinkle with cheese.

4. Next fold your ingredients together slightly, just so you incorporate some of the cornbread through out the chili.

This is actually my way of doing it, but I know some people like the cornbread on top and chili on bottom. If that's the case then go ahead and do it that way. It will work out just the same.

It will look like this when mixed:

5. Bake in a preheated oven of 325 for about 35-40 minutes, or until center is cooked.

I loved being able to slice this like a pie!

Baby Boo and I ate ours on top of a baked sweet potato with a drizzle of honey:

And well, the hubby put his with a side of 'NO NO!'...

I'm not even going to tell you what those are, even though your probably already know.

Some people may never learn.

Speaking of which hubby...I accidently bought a dress online.

Pumpkin Spice Cashew Cream Frosting & Pea Smoothie

October 31, 2011 Arielle

Ghost, goblins, and scary things alike,

All come out on Halloween night.

Trick or Treaters/Candy Eaters dress up with delight,

Hoping for buckets packed full of those sugary bites.

While kids dress like vampires, super heroes and fairys,

Mom n' Dad's have their costumes that are morbidly embarrassing.

We love the idea of dressing up as someone your not,

and eating one's weight in candy 'til your teeth rot...

You see it's a fun holiday, but there are healthier ways to enjoy.

Once you know what I mean, you will scream n' shout, "Oh Boy!!"

Start the morning off right with a drink green that's scary...

With out spinach or kale, how it's green, that's quite weary?

Peppermint P(e)atty Green Drink

1. non dairy milk, 2 C. frozen peas, 1 large banana(or two small), 6 dates, 2 TB coconut, 2 TB. chia seeds or ground flax, ice

optional: mint leaves/peppermint extract, cocoa nibs.

Next don't forget to stuff your crockpot with goodies,

Chili on Halloween night is a must for you my dearies.

Make sure it's veggie packed, as well as delicious.

Cornbread with butter is best! It's Fab-U-Licious!

Don't forget to spend the day dancing around,

Shakin' your booty in that tutu ...Drop it to the ground!

Then when it comes to that time to get all dressed and pretty,

Don't forget to be safe, look both ways, and avoid all the iffy's.

When you get home check that candy, for some you must beware.

But save all those M&M's, those you must not share! (only with me.)

Although I must say the candy is just ok,

Especially when compared to that frosted donut in my face.

The frosting is to die for,

it's different but delicious...

One taste and you will want more,

but only if you do the dishes!

Pumpkin Spice Cashew Cream Frosting

Ingredients:

1 C. cashews (soak in water before, for about 30 minutes.)

1/4 C. non dairy milk

4 TB. pumpkin puree

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

3 TB. Pure Maple Syrup

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients in a food processor (cashews only-not the water it was soaked in), and puree until smooth and creamy.

2. Dip hand in processor(while blade is turned off!!) and then lick hand like a dog.

No teeth rotting or tummy aches are to be had with this frosting.

Just happy faces and well treated bodies, oh a mouth full with "fosthingpsh."

But if your kids/your hubbys are like, "what they fugdsicle?! Cashews for dessert?!"

Simple don't tell them before hand, or tell them, "Be quiet, you twerp!"

No, okay...Let's not do that, it would be totally mean...

Simply disguise that dear frosting, so the cashews are unseen! :-)

Happy Halloween my little goblins and vampires galore!

Please remember to safe as you go door to door!

But most of all:

Remember this valuable lesson for next year.

Applying make-up on babies(for halloween) does not make for good cheer!

Happy halloween!!

Sweet n' Salty Chocolate Covered Pumpkin Seeds

October 25, 2011 Arielle

I just love this time of the year, who doesn't?!

Despite Halloween being a 'Blah' holiday for me/the excuse for girls to dress like slores, I would much rather bypass and enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I know that I've got to start making this holiday special for Baby Boo!

Last year, Baby Boo was only 3 months, but that didn't stop me from dressing her up!

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Look how small she is!!

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Aweeee... :(

Now we are only a few days from Halloween, and I have yet to decide what Boo is gonna be for Halloween.

We tossed around the idea of the cast of Yo Gabba Gabba...But I just couldn't get the hubs to put on an orange jumpsuit and be DJ Lance.

I suggested homeless bums, since we basically can't afford the 40 dollar costumes at target...

But Hubby didn't want to get dirty...

(Can we all say, sissy la la?)

Despite costumes being so fudge popsicle expensive, it didn't stop me from buying a $9 halloween candy basket at Target for Baby Boo!

Target is like the everything store version of Whole Foods...

I shouldn't be allowed to shop there. I just end up spending more than I need, hiding things in Baby Boo's closet, and secretly hoping the hubs doesn't notice my new jacket, shoes, top, and purse....

But despite the expensive baskets, I was looking forward to taking Baby Boo the the pumpkin patch this year, carving pumpkins, and eating pumpkin seeds.

And to top it off, Baby Boo can now sport the pigtail look!

I swear, the day I can curl her hair, will be the happiest day of my life! :-)

The petting zoo was Baby Boo's favorite...

I stood back and took pictures with my zoom lens. I love animals, but have a slight fear of them too...Something about a childhood experience involving a goat...

Those cute ugly fur balls are baby chickies.

I wanted to sneak one in my purse, but then I decided there was NO way I could hide THAT from Hubby...

The tractor ride was my favorite, but it wasn't Boo's...

And it probably wasn't anyone else favorite ride, for those that were in the cars behind us.

Baby Boo has never been one to like sitting in one place...

That includes staying on a single bushel of hay.

But if tractor rides didn't do it for her, than not being able to pick up a 10 pound pumpkin sure did...

You don't want to know what happened next.

Really.

You don't.

Later that night we carved pumpkins with the hubby.

We all had our different jobs...

Some jobs were a little more disgusting than others...

But, my job I believe was the most important of all...

You can't carve pumpkins without roasting pumpkin seeds.

And, now I am going to add to that statement.

You can't roast pumpkin seeds, without covering them in chocolate afterwards...

Sweet n' Salty Chocolate Covered Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredeints:

Pumpkin Seeds( we had about 2 cups worth)

Salt and Pepper or Seasoning Salt

Non Dairy chocolate (about 1/2 C. per 2 c. pumpkin seeds)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Wash and dry pumpkin seeds, then spread on coated(with baking sheet or parchment paper) baking sheet. Sprinkle salt and pepper, or some seasoning salt through out, and toss to coat.

2. Bake for 30 or so minutes (depends on how many pumpkin seeds you have. More time for more seeds.)

3. When done, let cool.

4. Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, and once melted add pumpkin seeds to the bowl.

5. Toss pumpkin seeds in chocolate until coated.

6. Spread seeds onto covered baking sheet (with mat or parchment paper) and set in fridge for a few minutes, or until set.

These are dangerous.

Like, you will eat these in one sitting of Beverly Hills Housewives...

And then regret you did it.

Then you will want more.

Happy Pumpkin Seed Making!

Cookie Dough Layered Fudge Brownies

October 21, 2011 Arielle

A lot of people like dessert.

I happen to be one of them.

Some people have savory taste buds, and could care less if they had something sweet after dinner.

I don't associate with those people... :-)

But for those like me, the "sweet eaters" is what we will call them, need that after meal delight and that middle of the day pick me up.

Or...

Some of us have that damn Aunt Flo who comes to visit for too long to the point where we want to put on sweats, curl up in a ball, stick a straw in chocolate pudding, sip away and watch P.S. I Love You. (just me?)

It's moments like that where a woman needs her chocolate.

Unfortunately whether Aunt Flo has made her self at home, or I simply just feel the urge, there is some point during everyday that I need that something sweet.

I'll reach for fruit. Doesn't cut it.

Drink some water. Yuck.

Let me just say this. Cookie monster is to cookies like I am to ChOcOlAtE!

Get it?

So people say to me, "Why not just have a few bites of a buttery cookie? One ain't gonna hurt?

or,

"Why eat a healthy brownie, when you can enjoy a real sinful one? Life's all about enjoyment!"

and,

"Girl, why you be crazy puttin' beans in brownies?! That's freak nastay!"

Here is what I say to that.

Life IS all about enjoyment, and I do not deprive. Trust me, my wedding anniversary is coming up and I plan to stick my face in a pot of Dark Chocolate Fondue from The Melting Pot, and inhale...(And maybe burn my face a tad..Eh?)

But when you crave sweets every day like me, I want to feel good about what I am putting in my mouth, and eventually feel great about what it will do to my butt. ;-) I don't think it's good to be feeding my body rich indulgences everyday. That's why I love to have things like 'healthier' brownies/desserts in general around the house for that re-occuring sweet tooth craving! :-)

Lastly, I don't do moderation. I just can't. Sure, I can handle a few bites of things here n' there...But you can bet your bottom dollar I am DYING inside to eat the whole plate! Therefore, I would rather have 3 hearty wholesome brownies, then a few bites of a decadent and rich one.

Call me crazy...

I know I know..But I promise you, there ain't nothin' freak nastay bout these brownies.

Fo' real.

Cookie Dough Layered Fudge Brownies

Ingredients:(for the brownies)

*very slightly adapted from Happy Herbivore's Black Bean Brownies

1 can black beans drained and rinsed

2 bananas(mushier the better)

1/4 c. cocoa powder

1 TB. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 c. maple syrup

1/4 c. oats

Ingredients:(for the cookie dough layer)

1/2 c. cashews

3 TB. oats

2 TB. maple syrup

1 TB. vanilla

1/2 c. non dairy chocolate chips

dash of salt

Directions:

1. For the brownies, in a food processor, blend all the ingredients except oats. Blend until pureed and creamy. Pour batter in a bowl and mix in oats. Set aside.

2. Wipe down/clean food processor. Now for the cookie dough, add all the ingredients except chocolate chips. Blend until fine and crumbly. Add in chocolate chips and blend until fine and crumbly. (This won't take long.)

3. Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8x8 pan. Pour half of brownie batter into pan. Crumble cookie dough on top, reserving about 1/4 c. of the cookie dough for later.

4. Pour the rest of the batter on and with a spatula, smooth the top. Next, using the remaining cookie dough, crumbly on top and smooth it out with a spatula.

5. Bake for about 30 minutes. Wait for brownies to cool until you cut them into slices, because they can be extremely hot and gooey...and delicious. (Totally worth the burnt taste buds, just sayin..)

You wouldn't believe how delicious these are! I promise (I say this often...) there is NO taste whatsoever of beans! :-)

And to be honest, these are kind of like protein brownies with the black beans and cashews that are in them.

Ok, ready for a challenge.

I triple dog dare you to eat these without a glass of milk!!

Now THAT'S freak nastay!

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

October 13, 2011 Arielle

My brother only eats 4 things.

He's the one on the far left.

Macaroni n' Cheese

S'mores Pop Tarts

Burgers and

Mashed Potatoes n' Gravy.

This is no joke. Last year I made him a mashed potato panini with our thanksgiving leftovers...He still talks about it to this day.

Despite being probably one of the pickiest on the planet, I love him for his weirdness. I remember at one point he would refuse to eat anything besides mashed potatoes...And I dunno about you, but mashed potatoes at every family meal got old real fast. Not to him though. Every bite was like Christmas morning.

That's what I am assuming anyway...It had to be! Why else would you eat it for every meal?!

I also have another brother who won't eat his food if you touched it, or if other food was touching it. And then there is me who won't eat meat or cheese, and prefers an abundance of spinach and hummus. Don't forget about my hubby who prefers to eat food that is still mooing, if you catch my drift.

Oh, and our daughter who refuses to eat real foods, would much rather live off of ba-ba's...

I bet you can guess how much my mom LoVeS to cook dinner for the whole family!

But sometimes there are ways around picky eaters. Ways that us mom's, family chefs, etc. will never reveal...

Until now that is..

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

*I saw a similar recipe for this in my skinny bitch cookbook, but I didn't have the cookbook with me when I made them. So I winged it! :-) And the result turned out better than I expected.*

Ingredients:(for the potatoes)

2 rutabagas

2 med/large parsnips

1 medium potato

Almond milk (or other milk of choice)

2 TB. Earth Balance vegan butter

1 head garlic

olive oil

salt, pepper

Directions:

1. First roast your garlic. Don't know how to do that, well let me share with you how! :-)

How to Roast Garlic

First take a whole head of garlic.

Cut off the top of the garlic.

Peel off some of the extra skin around the head of the garlic. You don't have to peel it all off, because your want some of it on to leave the cloves together.

Take a sheet of foil and place the garlic head on it. Drizzle with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Fold the garlic in the foil and cook in a preheated oven of 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

When it's done it will look golden brown and smell like heaven!

I can't say the same about your breath if you eat it...buuuutt...

2. While the garlic is roasting wash, peel, cut, and dice the rutabegas, parsnips, and potato.

These are rutabagas:

They kind of look like white beets. (Before these mashed potatoes, I didn't know what a rutabaga was...I had to google it. Sad.)

These are parsnips.

Luckily I knew what these were. Only because I've made these fries. To.Die.For.

3. Add diced veggies in a pot of water and boil for about 45 minutes. Maybe longer (maybe shorter). I used a BIG (too big) pot of water, so it took longer to boil. So adjust the time to when the veggies are soft and cooked.

4. When they are cooked, drain them and put them back in the pot. Add the butter, a little bit of milk, and the whole head of garlic. The garlic will just fall out of the head simply by squeezing the bottoms and using a fork to aid them out.

5. Using a potato masher or beaters, mash the veggies together until smooth and creamy. Adding more milk will make them smoother. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. (I also like to add a little paprika and nutritional yeast.) You can mash them as creamy as you would like, or as chunky as you would like.

I prefer a chunky monkey!

But what about that gravy?

Vegetable Gravy

Ingredients:

Vegetable broth

3 TB + 1 tsp. whole wheat flour

2 1/2 TB. Vegan butter

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, melt butter on medium/low heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk until thick. Pour in veggie broth little by little, whisking until desired thickness is reached. I used a box of veggie stock and just kept adding more and more until I was satisfied. I used about 1/3 of a 32. oz box.

2. Pour over mashed potatoes or drink straight from pot....once cooled that is.

My brother ate it.

Baby Boo ate it.

My other brother ate it, just as long as it wasn't touching his green beans.

My hubby ate it.

Oh, and I inhaled it...

Know one even knew that there were parsnips...rutabagas....really anything nutritious in them.

:-)

Story of my life with most food that I make for others...

Oh well! What they don't know, really isn't hurting them. :-)

Chocolate PB Cinnamon Cupcakes w/ Chocolate PB Honey Cinnamon Frosting

October 11, 2011 Arielle

When I was a little girl I used to lie awake at night at dream of food.

This is no joke...(I can hear my brothers laughing...)

In order for me to fall asleep, I would dream of a world, much like a Willy Wonka chocolate factory, where the clouds would be marshmallows, and it would rain M&M's onto the ground made out of frosting.

Thinking back, I was probably hallucinating in a sugar coma because I most likely ate exactly that before bed...(Ever seen the movie fat camp where they hide candy in odd places...Please don't let me explain.)

Obviously sweet over rules savory in my book, although since getting older I've learned to control my food choices, along with my dreams.

I now swim in pools of hummus with my mouth wide open shaped like a pita chip. Much better.

But if there is one thing that's my weakness, it's a nice big piece of chocolate cake.

Rich in flavor.

Sweet and velvety frosting.

And with every bite it requires a gulp of milk on the side.

So you can imagine my excitement when a good friend of mine asked if I could bake vegan cupcakes for her son's wedding rehearsal dinner. (Since I do cupcakes as a little side job, I rarely get asked to do Vegan. This was my first one and I was SuPeR excited!)

Let me say this: You probably should go grab a carton of non dairy milk :-). You most likely are going to need it!

Chocolate PB Cinnamon Cupcakes with Chocolate PB Honey Cinnamon Frosting

Ingredients:(for the cake)

Adapted from: Eat Drink & Be Vegan Cookbook

1 1/4 C. spelt flour

1 C. unbleached all purpose flour (or you can use 2 C. + 2 TB. all purpose flour instead of spelt)

1/2 C. cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/8 C. unrefined sugar (organic)

dash of salt

2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 3/4 C. water

1/8 C. balsamic vinegar

1 TB. vanilla

1/4 C. canola oil

1/4 C. peanut butter(slightly melted in microwave(10 sec.) and cooled)

Directions:

1. In a bowl sift flours, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder together. Stir in sugar and spices. In a separate bowl combine the rest of the ingredients and stir until combined. Add wet to dry and stir until combined, but don't over mix.

2. Pour batter into cupcake tins and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until center bounces back when pressed on.

Chocolate PB Honey Cinnamon Frosting

Ingredients: (for frosting)

32 ounces powdered sugar(more or less)

2 sticks vegan butter(earth balance)

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 C. peanut butter

1/3 C honey/agave/maple syrup

1 TB vanilla

couple TB non dairy milk

1 bag non dairy chocolate chips (this is used for a drizzle over cupcakes-not to be added into frosting)

Directions:

In a standard mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add the rest of the ingredients in and beat until creamy. For a thicker frosting add more powdered sugar. For a more creamier frosting add more milk. In the beginning you will need to add a couple TB of milk to get it to blend. But remember a little goes a long way.

Most vegan cupcakes I have ever made usually lay flat, but these ones rose SOO perfectly! :-)

And with beautifully risen cupcakes, the frosting has to be perfect too!

What I did was melt a bag of non diary chocolate chips over a double broiler, which is a pot of water with a heat proof bowl over it. Turn on the stove to about medium heat, and the water will boil which in turn will melt the chocolate chips. You can also melt them in the microwave, but there is always a chance of overcooking them. Melting chips in a double broiler doesn't take very long either.

The next thing I did was spread a thin layer of the melted chocolate on top of each cupcake.

Then comes the big glob of frosting! My favorite tip is this huge Ateco Circle Tip #809.

You can do so many things with this tip, but for these cupcakes I just did a simple swirl.

Then I used a WIlton #3 tip to drizzle the rest of the melted chocolate on top of each cupcake.

From there, you can leave the cupcake as is...

Or you can add some sparkle! :-)

Remember these flowers?

No matter how you decorate it, there is one thing that is just a a bit more important...

Make sure you eat Every.Last.Bite.

Whew! I think I need a glass of milk!

Meeting Mama Pea and Pumpkin Spice Bars

October 10, 2011 Arielle

There are certain people in life that we look up to.

People that help us strive to meet our every day goals, give us the strength we need to continue, and a lot of times help us smile along the way.

I admit, some of the people I look up to are a little odd...

Jessica Simpson...Mary Kate and Ashley...I'll just stop there.

Unfortunately I have never met any body really famous...Unless you consider Reggie Bush famous. I think I wanted to ask him to sign my shirt, but instead I asked if he wanted mine...In reality, we know Reggie Bush should never wear a shirt. What was I thinking?

So you can imagine my nerves when my friend Kristin(hey Stuft Mama!) told me a certain Mama was coming to town. Mama Pea that is.

I about died.

If there is one thing that this blog world has taught me, it's that there are amazing people in this world who are brilliant, talented, smart, amazing, and doing their best to make the world a better, healthier place. Peas and Thank You was one of the first vegan blogs I started reading, and I'll never forget staying up late at night nursing Boo and laughing hysterically reading the stories of the Pea family.

Since I had told my mom about her, and made a lot of her recipes for my very meat loving family(and they LOVED the vegan meals too!), I decided to bring them along to the event.

There were numerous food vendors offering samples galore of their products. Everything from desserts, breads, desserts, more bread, oh and vinegar and oil...

I could in no way pass this up. I plan to drink it straight from the bottle...

My brothers however were extremely excited for the sausage and pork vendors...

I had a slight panic attack that I would walk up to Mama Pea with my brothers behind me munching on a hugh jass piece of sausage...

Ummm..I don't know them...

Luckily they never left the line.

As we walked around I began to get super nervous, and started to ramble off into my head as to what I would say to her.

" I love you?" No, too creepy.

"Can I come over for dinner. " No, too stalker-ish.

" I love Mmmm Sauce!" ...

Mmmm sauce=Cookbook=dangit I forgot it!!

Whyyyyyy?

Should I have her sign my shirt instead? Should I ask her if she wants my shirt?

All nerves aside, Baby Boo and I walked up to her booth and were instantly greeted with smiles.

There was Pumpkin Spice Bars, Smoothies, and Blueberry Streusel muffins(from the book) so kindly awaiting for us.

And standing right beside was an ever so drop dead gorgeous Mama Pea who quickly greeted me!

I said, "Hi I'm Ari!"

And then I said this...

"I've tweeted you a few times..."

Omg...Seriously? Quick! Ask her to sign your shirt!

Luckily Mama Pea, Sarah, was so nice that I think she brushed it off, or didn't notice...lol

She is stunning right?

Not to mention friendly and easy to talk to, despite myself being totally socially awkward.. :-)

After our little meet up, I had the opportunity of sitting through a kids cooking demonstration from Mama Pea, Lulu, and Gigi!

The stars of the show:

These girls!

They are everything and more! Their personalities shined through so much during the cooking demonstration! You truly can see why Mama Pea has so many amazing stories to tell!

For the cooking demonstration they made smoothies and blueberry streusel muffins! It was informative, entertaining, and delicious!

And of coarse they had samples!

This, of coarse was Baby Boo's favorite part!

Afterwards, I said my goodbyes and said I would Tweet her, just kidding, and then left feeling extremely happy!

It was such a great experience to meet Sarah and experience first hand her passion for what she does. As I sat in the audience at the cooking show, I looked around at other moms thumbing through her cookbook in awe. You could just see the look in their eyes, and feel that they wanted so badly to feed their families healthier, and that this was an answer to prayers. Watching Mama Pea was so breathtaking, especially for me being practically a new wife and an extremely new mama, and see someone so amazing and talented touch the lives and influence others out there. Not to mention being an amazing wife and mama as well!

And it doesn't hurt that she makes incredible delicious food!

One of the samples they had at the booth were these Pumpkin Spice Bars, which my mom and I LOVED. So the next day I made some for my mom to travel home with, minus the cream cheese frosting...

You see, I bought cream cheese, but I kind of bought the wrong kind...

French onion and pumpkin don't go well together...right?

So I just made a simple glaze instead. Either way...

Pea-Riffic!! :-)

Thanks Mama Pea for your influence for healthy living, your incredible heart, and your stories that keep me smiling! I won't ever forget it!

Now, will you please sign my shirt? :-)

Gumpaste 101: Beginners Basics and Cookie Cutter Flowers

October 6, 2011 Arielle

**Excuse the bad pictures :(! I was doing this project at night, and my house lighting is not sexy/flattering at all...**

Frequently my kitchen is a disaster.

I try and blame it on my small apartment kitchen, but let's be honest...

I'm freakin' messy.

I'm a 7 bowls out, 9 different spoons, dirty sticky measuring cups, and flour all over my face kinda girl.

And if you think that's bad, you should see my closet.

Well, no you shouldn't, because you might not want to be my friend.

But one of the biggest messes I make in the kitchen is when I am doing cupcake decorating. Occasionally, I have friends/family on the side that allow me to bake/make/decorate cupcakes for a special occasion.

I've done simple things like baby showers:

To big things like weddings:

I'm no fancy pants, and it's really just a hobby, but I love to do it. One of my favorite things to use is gumpaste.

Gumpaste is basically sugar, and hardens when dry unlike fondant. It doesn't taste good, like fondant, and it's really just for decorations. Primarily, gumpaste can be used for really anything, but it is most often used to make flowers.

Today, I am going to share with you the Beginners of Basic Gumpaste.

Where to start. How it works? and simple cookie cutter flowers.

To start off, you need some gumpaste.

I buy mine pre made from Wilton, because it's just easier that way. You can definitely make it home made if you would like, but it's more work.

To start off, just rip off a piece of gumpaste, and roll it into a ball. Gumpaste get's kind of sticky, so I always have corn starch or powdered sugar near by to rub on my hands.

Next you will need some cookie cutter. ANY cookie cutter will do! If you want to get more into it, you can by really cool cutters online, but they aren't necessary. These are my favorite cutters so far.

They are gerber daisies, and the cutter is called a plunger. The way it cuts, kind of reminds me of a punch card. You can find them online HERE.

Next you will need food coloring.

There are different brands of food coloring, and you can technically use any of them. BUT, I prefer the gel kinds. The ones you get in the grocery store are really watery (those are the ones with the pointy tops to the right of the picture). The gel colorings are really strong, and a little goes a long way.

When it comes to tinting your gumpaste, simple take a toothpick and insert it into the gel. Just barely dab it in, because a little goes a long way.

Then wipe the toothpick onto the gumpaste.

Roll and knead your dough until the color is fully incorporated into the gumpaste. You can add more coloring if desired.

Next, take a cutting board mat and rub down with powdered sugar. (Any mat will do, just make sure it's non stick.) Using a small roller (which you can also pick up at a craft store), roll out your gumpaste to desired thickness.

You want it thin..but not too thin.

Next, take your cookie cutters and cut out your shapes.

Don't worry about all the powdered sugar, you can just brush it off with a little paint brush! :-)

You can also layer flowers, which I think it really pretty, whether it's the same color or different color.

Now, in order for them to have more of a flower shape, instead of being perfectly flat, there are two things I like to do.

One, is using a cotton ball. I just lay the flower over it, and let it dry to that shape.

That little gadget next to the flower helps soften the edges by simply thinning it out, like so:

These tools can be found online, or at a local craft store.

I also love to use recycled egg trays. They are perfect for giving flowers shape!

Once the flowers have dried, which could take up to an hour or two, you can glitterize it!! :-) My favorite part!

I buy some edible glitter dust from a local store, but it can also be found online HERE.

So to prepare your flowers, first layer them by dabbing a bit of water on top of the bottom layer. Then place the top flower directly on top. The water will make it stick.

Then, to glitterize, simply wet the flower (lightly) with a paintbrush dipped in water.

Then dip your paintbrush in the glitter, and coat the flower until you've reached your desired glittery-ness! :-)

(Glittery-ness is now a word.)

You can also put a dot of frosting in the middle, or what I like to do is use little silver sugar balls, (I buy mine locally, but you can buy those HERE online too.).

You just wet the middle, and press them in!

After you have glitterized it, the flower will be sticky because it's wet. Leave it to dry again for a few hours or overnight. You can put it back into it's the egg carton to shape it if you would like. Not the cotton ball because it will stick to it since it's wet!

There ya have it! SO easy! Come back soon to see what these pretty diva's are going on top on! :-)

Pumpkin Hot Chocolate with Maple Coconut Whipped Cream

October 4, 2011 Arielle

I'll never forget my first semester of college.

I was just fresh out of high school, excited to get away from adult supervision, looked forward to never sleeping, and dreamed of sexy college men.

Oh ya..I went there to "study" too. (I promise Dad!!)

I went to school in the middle of Idaho where the sun shines 3 months out of the year and during the other 9 months your nostril hairs freeze when you walk out side. For fun you hike through underground ice caves, snow board down mountains into pools of water, wear approximately 23 pairs of clothing items, and pray that you don't slip and fall while walking to class...

Especially in front of sexy college men.

Although I tried my best not too, I think I stood out like a soar thumb. I was from southern california, used to a fast driving and on a 4 lane highway, always played my music loud enough for the whole city to hear, and on too many occasions wore heels to class..(Mind you I walked in the snow up hill both ways.)

Most people wore black under armor or dark colored thermals, but I brought my spunk with me and walked around in bold and bright patterns...(Most people wear there thermals UnDeR their clothes...)

My sense of style (or lack there of) obviously hasn't changed...

And just when I thought those sexy Idaho farmers wanted nothing to do with my southern california chilled out maxin' out actin' all cool attitude, I found someone who somewhat resembled my similar nature.

This all too well known at school as the 'bad boy' stole my heart.

(For the record..He wanted me...)

And a few nights a week we would sneak off to a quiet park in our little town and play in the snow. At first it started off silly and childish...

But nothing is as it ever seems...

Oh, the red flags...

;-)

(Snow in face and messed up makeup=No kissy poo for you!)

And after our snow play/beat down the future hubs and I would make a stop on our way home at the local 7-11. We were classy.

But, it's all our little town had and it made us happy..Because that's what really matters.

Now we are married and back in so cal, and I can't help but dream and wish for snow and a big glass of hot chocolate. And although we have a 7-11 down the street, I'm pretty sure I made one that taste a whole lot better.

Pumpkin Hot Chocolate with Maple Coconut Whipped Cream

Ingredients: (hot chocolate)

(serves two thirst lovers)

2 C. soymilk, coconut milk, almond milk, etc...

1 TB. vanilla

1/4 C. pumpkin puree

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 TB. cocoa powder

1 TB. maple syrup

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in a pot over the stove heated on medium-low. Stir ingredients until completely combined and warmed to desired temperature. (I used a whisk and stirred frequently until the cocoa powder dissolved.)

Maple Coconut Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

1 can full fat coconut milk

1-2 TB. maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

1. Open your can of coconut milk and cover it with plastic wrap. Stick it in the fridge overnight. The next morning, take the can out of the fridge and spoon out the coconut cream. It will be thick and stiff like whipped cream. Place the cream in a bowl. (JUST the cream, not the water at the bottoms of the can.) Add the rest of the ingredients and beat or whisk until combined. You can use as is on top of milkshakes, pies, hot chocolate etc.., but if you put it back in the fridge for a few hours it hardens again more.

Soul, Heart, and Body warming!

Unless your sweaty because it's still 90 degrees outside, and will most likely be until February...

Then I suggest that you make an extra special version of a Frozen Hot Chocolate!

Or a Frozen Pumpkin Hot Chocolate!!

Simply take your hot chocolate (but actually make sure it's either cold or at least room temp., blend it with ice and there ya have it!

I saved my spoon from the restaurant in Vegas because I've been wanting to recreate it!

(Frozen Hot Chocolate is a 'famous' drink from a restaurant called Serendipity 3 in New York. There is a branch off the original restaurant in Vegas)

Either way you drink it...

It's sure to bring about love. :-)

**RUN over to Sprint to the Table! I have a guest post on their today! Pumpkin Pie Milkshake anyone??!!**

Pumpkin Macaroni N' Goat Cheese, and Bloggy Seasonal Eats Link Ups!

September 30, 2011 Arielle

For the past 14 months i've been surprised with how little sleep my body, and Baby Boo's body, have been able to survive off of.

I know I joke about how Baby Boo made a deal with the devil when it came to sleep, but I just want you to know...it's no joke.

I've seen the contract...in my sleep. That is, if I was sleeping, I might have been hallucinating.

Lack of sleep does that to you.

Come wednesday night, Baby Boo woke up around 12:30 crying. This was nothing out of the normal, so I got out of bed, walked into her room, and picked her up. When I picked her up, i quickly realized her body temperature was extremely hot. Not your average fever hot..

I turned on the light, and noticed that she was having little convulsions and twitches, and her heart was racing a million miles a minute. Of coarse, I lost it, and ran to hubby asking him what was wrong. We decided to take her to the ER, thinking her fever was extremely high...

This was wednesday night.

Now, it's friday morning, and Baby Boo is doing a little better. We aren't really sure of the cause for the fever spike, but she had shots this week, so we are thinking that might have been the problem. Right now we are just trying to keep her little body cool..and get her some sleep.

And if you were wondering, none of us have slept since wednesday night. But more so, I am glad that Baby Boo is ok!! My life wouldn't be worth living if I didn't wake up to see this precious face everyday:

Needless to say, our little fam damn needed some comfort. Of coarse we relied on food for that...

And nothing says comfort more than a bowl of Macaroni and Cheese! :-)

It's actually Baby Boo's favorite meal! She LOOOOVES macaroni and cheese!

So does the hubby..But he prefers the one in the blue box, which will go unnamed...But if you must know, it rhymes with KrAp-ft...

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Pumpkin Macaroni N' Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C.dry pasta of choice or 3 C. cooked pasta

(for the sauce)

1 C. pumpkin puree

1/2 C. + 2 TB. Non dairy milk

1 TB. chopped garlic

3 TB. hummus (I used roasted garlic)

4 TB. Nutritional Yeast

2 tsp. Paprika

1 tsp. dry mustard

salt and pepper to taste

3 TB non dairy butter (i use earth balance)

1/3 C. Goat cheese (or for kiddos you could sub non dairy cheese(such as daiya), or organic cheddar cheese)

1 TB. Nutritional Yeast(for topping)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to directions. While pasta is cooking, prepare sauce.

2. In a food processor, blender (or even by hand), blend pumpkin, milk, garlic, hummus, nutritional yeast, and spices until blended and creamy. Then in a sauce pan, pour sauce and add butter and cheese and stir until melted and combined. Remove from heat.

3. In a baking dish, add your pasta and mix with sauce. Fold sauce into pasta until incorporated. You can eat as is (I think kids like it this way the best) or for the adults you can bake it. We like to take out a little portion unbaked for Baby Boo, and then bake the rest of the pasta for us.

4. If you decided to bake, preheat oven to 350. Top pasta with a little extra nutritional yeast (about 1 TB) and a little bit of seasoned bread crumbs. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Purely Comfort.

And in case you were wondering, hubby took that whole casserole dish, added avocado on top, doused it with tabasco, and dug in. I looked at him and said, "ummmm...Can I have some, or did ya think I made that whole thing for you?"

I haven't been the only one in love with this fall/comfort season...

A few of my BFF bloggy friends have some delicious eats this fall too!

Heather at Get Healthy with Heather, who AlWaYs has something delicious to share, made this Chai Spiced Hot Chocolate!

And to top that off, she made Pomegranate and Almond Butter Deep Dark Chocolate Brownies!!!

Heather-you get brownie points for SURE!!

Ragnhild from Vegan Aphrodite (who is super cute might I add) loves to make this pumpkin pasta that she found from Green Kitchen Stories!

Can't go wrong with Pumpkin Pasta! :-)

Anna from The Guiltless Life made TWO different kind of seasonal pies, because she is amazing like that, one being savory and one being sweet.

First one is a Leek, Spinach, Lentil, and Potato Pie:

Right up my alley!

And the next one is a Chocolate Fudge Pie inspired by Chocolate Covered Katie:

You can see now why Anna is amazing!

Alyssa from Fashion Fitness Foodie made a Pumpkin French Toast:

Hey Alyssa, can I come over for breakfast?

And last, but more certainly not least, Kate from A Healthy Passion made Sweet Potato Overnight Oats:

Kate, may I come over for breakfast TOO!!??

Thank you to all these fabulous bloggers that shared their tasty seasonal eats with us!! Everything looks so delicious, and I expect invitations to all your houses for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert in the near future!!

:-)

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Apple Butter

September 22, 2011 Arielle

I have always been in love with fall.

The leaves changing color and the weather getting cooler.

Along with tons of apples, squash, and pumpkin!

And cute sweaters and boots that I will never be able to afford.. :)

Unfortunately I live in a city where there really isn't seasons. The leaves might change colors, and the weather might require a sweater in the evening, but today when I looked at my car thermometer it read 97 degrees.

I know I'm crazy not to enjoy a summer vacation all year long, but I've lived in both extremes.

Really hot and really cold, and I can officially say that a little bit of both would be perfect. :-)

So for now, we do what we can and play in dog bowls filled with ice...

White trash activity? Maybe...

And instead of cider we drink milkshakes.

(Recipe soon!)

We also like to unhinge our jaws and eat huge honeycrisp apples...

And eat apple pie with our hands...

The same hands used to play in the dog bowl with...

Delicious AND nutritious!

Oh, and I may have gone a tad bit "Fall" crazy, and bought an 8 pound bag of honey crisp apples, but I had one thing on my mind...

Apple Butter!

Ever since the amazing Angela from Oh She Glows made it, I couldn't stop thinking about it! I fell in LOVE with Pumpkin Butter last year, and knew that apple butter would be just...dare I say..if not MORE amazing..!!

Let me just say this...it was!

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

*This is one of my favorite seasonal dishes to date! So sweet and delicious, and no one would guess that it isn't sugar heavy like other apple butter recipes!

This could also, I assume, be made over stove top.*

Makes about 7 cups

Ingredients:

6 pounds apples(I used honey crisp)

1/3 C. 100% pure maple syrup

1/3 C. sucanat or brown sugar

1/2 C. apple cider

1 TB. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Directions:

1. Wash, peel, and dice your apples and place in the crock pot. Add all other ingredients and mix until combined.

2. Turn crock pot on to high heat for one hour, then after that hour turn to low for....16-22 hours!! (I know this sounds crazy friends, but I promise you it's worth the wait. I did this in about 19 hours.)

3. Continually stir and mix every so often. Here is what it looked like after 6 hours:

4. Here is what it looked like at 19 hours:

5. From here, you can still cook the apple butter longer until its condensed completely, but we had to leave the house for a while, and I didn't want the crock pot on the whole time we were gone. So at this point, I pureed it in my blender to give it the smooth butter consistency.

Before blending:

After blending:

6. It took me about 3 minutes to blend until smooth and creamy, but other blenders might take longer/faster. This also depends on your consistency preference.

7. For storing your apple butter, you have different options. You can either can it,(instructions on canning found HERE), or you can store it in the refrigerator. I'm not really sure how long it would last in the refrigerator, but I am assuming a few weeks. Of coarse...If you take one bite of this, it probably won't last very long...

There are SOO many ideas, when it comes to using Apple Butter:

Ice Cream

Toast

Smoothies/Milkshakes

Oatmeal

Sandwhiches

Pasta(a little tablespoon or so might give it an interesting kick)

Desserts Galore!

You could also definitely bake with it as well! Trust me, you could get pretty creative. :-)

My favorite way to eat apple butter is by funnel..You know, funnel in mouth, pouring can of butter into funnel...butter flowing into mouth...

You get the idea..

Baby Boo's favorite way to eat it is with her hands..

Go figure.

Just as long as they are clean from dog bowls, that's alright with me... ;-)

Orange Glazed Chickpeas with Sesame Grilled Zucchini

September 15, 2011 Arielle

Dinner time is pretty chaotic at our household.

I'm not going to doubt Baby Boo stands naked on our patio shouting the names of animals and animal noises, while I'm chopping veggies.

Nor am I gonna lie that I have to run to her screaming, "No Baby Boo, DO NOT pee on the patio!!, and casually smile at the neighbors acting like barking naked children outside is completely the norm.

And while I struggle to hose down my daughters marked territory and put a diaper on her before something really gross happens, I'm screaming at the hubby, " If you even think about going into the kitchen and eating a bowl of cereal before dinner...!"

And finally when I've managed to control some of the certain situations going on, I realize I have to wash dishes just so I can cook something.

UGHH!

Then, there is the constant battle of what to make.

Me: What do u want for dinner?

Hubs: Quesadilla

Me: How about pizza

Hubs: Taquitos

Me: No, what about a sand which

Hubs: Guacamole

Me: Just Guacamole?

Hubs: How about cereal?

Me: Go take your daughter for a walk

If I was crazy, I would be making three separate meals, since we all have pretty different preferences. That, or I could just open a tub of hummus and hand out spoons and everybody would be satisfied.

Temping...

Instead, I'll make ONE dinner...enjoyable for THREE different palates!

Orange Glazed Chickpeas with Sesame Grilled Zucchini

Ingredients: Orange Glaze Sauce

1 can coconut milk

zest and juice of two oranges

1/4 C. lemon juice

1/3 C. rice vinegar

3 TB. agave

1 tsp. grated ginger

1 tsp. chopped garlic

2 TB. soy sauce

1/4 tsp. red pepper spice

1 tsp. Cumin

Dash of Paprika

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 tsp. corn starch dissolved in 2 tsp. cold water

*1 Can Chickpeas drained and rinsed(if not using chicken, use 2-3 cans)

*Optional: Chicken(2 breast)

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients (expect corn starch mixture and chickpeas) into a pot, and heat until it boils. Stir in corn starch mixture, and reduce head to med-low, and let mixture simmer for about 5-10 minutes.

2. Place your chickpeas in a bowl or bag and cover with about 3/4 C. of glaze sauce. Let chickpeas soak in sauce for as long as you want. I did about 30 minutes.

3. If your making chicken for someone else, use the rest of the glaze sauce and marinade the chicken.

4. After marinades have set, take two separate pans (if using chickpeas and chicken), and in one add chickpeas and sauce, and the other add chicken. Let chickpeas cook over stove for about 5 -10 minutes on med-low heat. Continue to stir. If using chicken, cook on med heat for about 5-10 minutes until chicken is done.

* You can either do both chickpeas and chicken, or one or the other.

Sesame Grilled Zucchini

Ingredients:

2-3 zucchini chopped

Olive Oil

Soy Sauce

Salt and Pepper

Sesame Seeds

Directions:

1. In a bowl, and zucchini and drizzle with a little olive oil(1-2 TB) and a drizzle of soy sauce(1-2 TB) Sprinkle with S&P and Sesame seeds. Using a grill pan, saute the zucchini about 5-7 minutes, or until tender, and golden.

Here is the whole cooking process going down. I've got two pans for chickpeas and chicken, and then a griddle going for the zucchini.

Now, if you want to go the vegetarian route, then on your plate add some brown rice, zucchini and chickpeas!

But, if your hubs wants his meat, then simply throw meat on top of his dish.

(Yes, I even threw some chickpeas on there!)

And Baby Boo had a few bites of everything...suprisingly...

You want to know what my favorite part of the whole dinner experience really is?

The End..

This recipe is supposed to help those who want to eat a vegetarian meal, but don't want to go through the trouble of making two separate dinners for a meat lovers family. For more info on this, check out my new page I recently added yesterday all about The Way We Eat! :

Strawberry Lime Pancakes

September 12, 2011 Arielle

My man loves sports.

(Ok, I promise this post isn't going to be a way of complaining about football and how fantasy drafts have over taken our lives...But holy pop tart, I'm about ready to throw our TV off the balcony next time I hear that damn ESPN theme song.)

Du du du du dududududu DUUUUUHHH!!!

Ok, I'm over it.

I try my best though to humor the hubs when a game is on, usually rooting for the opposite team to kick his teams trash, along with shouting, "Who the heck it THAT?? He's hot!! Spandex was a great choice!"

I really hope we have a boy some day...

You actually have to kind of feel bad for the hubby, since I for one have a giant fear for round flying objects, and Baby Boo likes to put her Daddy's football in her baby stroller and feed it a Ba Ba...

But more so because for the past 3 years, my Italian stallion has worked his booty off in grad school.

And about a month ago, the Hubby finally graduated after what seemed an eternity, and now he has been studying like a mad man so he can pass his boards and licensing exams.

He is almost there.

We've talked about going on some long tropical vacation after everything is said and done, but by the look of our bank account, and the rate I keep buying organic strawberries..

The farthest we can go is our backyard.

So, I did what I could, and put those 10 dollar basket of strawberries to use, and brought a little bit tropical paradise to our morning breakfast table...

Strawberry Lime Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 1/4 C. whole grain baking/pancake mix

1/4 C. mashed strawberries

1/4 C. chopped strawberries

1/4 C. silken tofu

1 C. coconut milk

zest and juice of 2 limes

2 TB. vanilla

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1/4 C. coconut

(tsp-TB.agave/maple syrup optional)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients until fully combined. Heat a griddle and spray with non stick spray. When grill is hot, pour batter onto grill using a measuring cup. Cook for a few minutes on each side, or until each side is golden brown. Serve with strawberries, coconut, and lime zest.

Can you feel the warm sun?

I know I do! And it's not just because my husband refuses to turn on our air conditioning, despite it being 146 degrees out side!

I'm sorry, I tend to exaggerate a tad.

It get's worse the longer I go without a vacation.

Luckily these pancakes saved my life!

Now...

If only they could trade the whole wiping Butt Paste on Baby Boo's booty, for wiping baby oil on the hubs in Cancun....

**************************

Hey Guys!

Run on over to Get Healthy With Heather! I have a guest post on there today that may satisfy a tasty craving...hint (cookie dough) :)

Drab to Diva Chandelier

September 6, 2011 Arielle

I hate to admit it, but I'm growing up.

Even though I'm not as old as my husband, I would consider myself a mature adult. My choice of TV shows might scream others wise..And even my wardrobe. Trust me, if I could pull off a huge pink tutu like Baby Boo, I would totally sport it. I just don't think it would do wonders for my booty.

Mature people also use the word booty...often.

But I think the biggest mature part about me is the fact that my interest have changed. Before, I would have died if my parents made me walk into home decor stores, like pottery barn. Because I swear to cheese, if Billy from my 6th grade class saw me shopping at a LAMO store such as the "barn," instead of somewhere cool like Forever 21...

Now, I go specifically to the mall knowing that I am going to walk into home decor stores, and I get beyond happy when I see cute furniture and stylish pillows..

And holy watermelon, If there are cute plates...Clear the way! Of coarse I usually have to go by myself, because Hubby starts throwing tantrums.. "Babe, if my friends see me in this store, I will never hear the end of it..." But heck, if I need a new bra from Victoria Secret...

And sometimes I like to pretend that I can decorate.

I like to think that someday I'll make friends in this city I've lived in for the past couple months, and when I do they can come hang out at my pad.

And we can watch mature shows like Bachelor Pad and ABC Family...

Drab to Diva Chandelier

This seriously was probably the easiest project I have ever done. It's super simple, and you can design it any way you would like.

To start off, I bought a cheap-o chandelier from a thrift store for $10.

It was kind of bent, and missing a lightbulb, but It worked perfectly!

First I sprayed it lightly with a primer, and then finished it off with white spray paint.

I didn't fully spray the chandelier, because like the rest of Baby Boo's room, (dresser and table), I liked the unfinished/vintage look.

If that's what you call it..maybe you call it crap, I dunno... :)

Then I hung little crystals that my mother-in-law had bought from Tai Pan..

You can still see some of the gold, but I promise..that was the look I was going for.. haha

This chandelier is for Baby Boo's room.

I promise someday I'll reveal all of Baby Boo's room, not just in little pieces.

I just have to finish the room first...and do laundry..and make dinner...

And shop at Pottery Barn.

See you tomorrow friends!! :)

Apple Cinnamon Breakfast/Snack Cake Bars

August 29, 2011 Arielle

Some times mama's need breaks from their everyday scheduled happenings.

And this weekend, that's just what this Mama got.

And I hate to call it a "break", because I really don't ever need a break from this little angel...

But I did need to get stuff done..And when Baby Boo is around, it's all play and no work! :)

Tough life huh.

So off to grandmothers house went Baby Boo...and I was left alone tend to my list.

Yes..This was on my list.

I then did something that I normally only do at the gym..or if hubby is talking..

I put on my headphones and listened to music.

Don't judge.

That's when things started to get a little crazy...

I think I've killed off one to many brain cells with all the spray painting I've been doing...

And the neighbors are starting to look at me funny...

Hell...They started questioning my sanity when I started taking pictures on my front patio of food...

"But, I'm a blogger..."

Then I made hubby get in on the action..Because there is nothing sexier than a man with a spray can...

That is, until I realized how "particular" I am about my projects, and the last thing I needed was the back of our bench reading, "hubby was here..."

So I sent him upstairs to do something that really turned me on:

Is anybody gettin' hot N' bothered, or is it just me?

Next, we added a few random touches to Miss. Prada's room...

Tutorials coming later :)

And after that..

Do you really care?

The rest is pretty boring..But our breakfast the next day, now that's a different story!

We threw everything out the door! No rules, no regulations..

And ate cake..

Apple Cinnamon Breakfast(or snack) Cake Bars

Ingredients:

3 gala apples, finely shredded

1/2 C. dates, chopped

1/4 C. honey

1/4 C. water

1 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 C. whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

dash of salt.

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

2 TB. ground flax seeds

1/4 C. + 1/8 C. canola Oil

1/8 C. applesauce

1/4 C. non dairy milk

1/4 C. apple juice

1/4 C. organic sugar

Directions: (Oven temp 350)

1. Combine shredded apples, dates, honey, water, cornstarch, and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon in a pot. Stir mixture, and heat until it bubbles, then reduce to a simmer for 8-10 minutes. Once done, puree in a food processor until smooth, like applesauce. Set aside.

2. Mix dry flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices in a separate bowl. Set aside.

3. Mix flax seeds, oil, applesauce, milk, juice, and sugar in a bowl. Stir until combined. Add wet to dry and mix until fully incorporated. Batter will be super thick.

4. Fold in apples/date puree into thick batter. Fold ingredients together until fully incorporated.

5. In a prepared 8X8 pan covered in parchment paper, pour batter into pan and bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. (i did 22)

6. Once done, let cool and then remove bars from pan.

7. Drizzle with some Maple Cream Sauce(with tons of added cinnamon)

8. Eat Cake.