5 Healthy Foods I Love

I was reading Andie's blog, as I do every day, and stumbled upon a series of posts she made entitled "5 Healthy Foods I Love". And you know what? I loved them. Every single one. I wound up leaving her an incredibly verbose comment and decided that I would post my own, as to save her from reading my rambling any further over random ingredients I've helplessly fallen for.


1. Eggs

Eggs make me happier than they should. I love buying a fresh dozen and boiling half of them. I grab a chilled one on a semi-daily basis and slowly eat them as snacks, pulling away the white to savor the nude creamy yolk. I prefer my eggs local, organic, and in my mouth.

I also love poached eggs with my entire heart. And fresh herb omelettes. And quick baked eggs with little nuggets of goat cheese melting ever-so-slightly over top.


2. Berries

My fridge is about to explode with berries. The other day I bought two pints of the biggest, darkest, sweetest blackberries and have already polished off one of them. I love eating berries in their true, unadulterated form - raw, crisp, bursting with juice and a summery freshness that only berries can produce. Sure, tarts, pies, and crumbles are all among the things I would never refuse, but I love them as they are.


3. Peanut butter

Sometimes I buy almond butter, and am subsequently disappointed that it always tastes like oily, ground up cardboard. Sometimes I spend $6 on Peanut Butter & Company flavors, which only work with sweet applications. Cashew butter is delicious, but the price makes us only occasional lovers. What I love the most is regular, salted, silky peanut butter. Peanuts and salt - that's all you need.


4. Avocados

I jumped for joy when I saw avocados on sale for $4/5. I've bought four in the past two days; I have eaten two. I love them mashed into guacamole, grilled, sliced in salads or betwixt two slices of bread, or halved, eaten with just a sprinkle of sea salt and a fork. I love them any way, in all their buttery glory.


5. Raw cacao nibs

I mistakenly bought cacao nibs at Whole Foods months ago. I thought they were something else that was on sale for $2/5, but when I got to the register, they were $6.99. I didn't have the heart to send them back, so I took them home with me. They're pebbles of crunchy and bitter chocolate in its most raw and purest form. They add lovely texture to almost anything, and their bitterness strangely appeals to me.


Honorable mention: My curious cat, Mary

But I don't eat her. I just cuddle her and shower her in kisses.

Vegan Chili Hot Cocoa

Someone stop me. I eat chocolate, bake with chocolate, and, hell, sometimes even dream about it. Now I'm drinking it. I was never a huge hot chocolate fan, until I tried a salted caramel hot chocolate from Starbucks; it was so good I almost cried. Thus, a hot chocolate kick ensued.

The kick is still going strong.



Speaking of kick, this hot chocolate definitely has some of it. It's a pretty simple and well known concept - Aztec hot chocolate - done my way. Made with healthy full fat coconut milk, freshly ground cinnamon and two different kinds of chili powder, this mug of cocoa would warm anyone even on the coldest of nights.



It's thick, rich, decadent, and went wonderfully with some floating leftover Dandies and cookies. I love the combination of chocolate and chilies because of the complexity on the palate; the tongue is immediately hit with rich chocolate, then the warmth of cinnamon and lastly by spiciness that creeps up on you and coats the back of your throat in the best possible way. The only thing that could make things better is a massage. Or more chocolate.


Vegan chili hot cocoa
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk
- 3/4 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened hemp)
- 3 T cocoa powder
- 1 T stevia
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon, fresh ground preferred
- 1/8 tsp chipotle powder
- 1/8 tsp ancho powder

Instructions
- Bring coconut milk, non-dairy milk and stevia to a low boil. Turn to medium low and whisk in cocoa and chili powders and continue to whisk vigorously for 2-3 minutes, or until there are no more remaining lumps and mixture has thickened slightly. Pour into a mug, top with marshmallows and try not to burn your tongue (like me)!

Serves 1

Vegan S'mores Bark

My love for s'mores is deep and it's real. It started this past summer when I visited Cafe 118 in Winter Park, FL and went absolutely batty over their raw s'mores. I looked forward to every time I visited just for that dessert, darting my eyes as I licked the plate clean each time. They sparked a desperate love of s'mores that has yet to be fully satisfied.



That is, until I made this bark. Now I'm full of so much chocolatey goodness that I don't think I could ever so much as look at a bar of dark chocolate or a marshmallow again.



That's a lie. I just went back for seconds.



Anyway, this is a totally easy and fun dessert to put together. It takes literally minutes, involves fire and melted chocolate stuck to bowls and fingers that require cleaning. And by cleaning, I mean by way of tongue.



Oh, and the crumbs of graham crackers or extra few marshmallows left behind? They don't count. As we all know, there are no calories in crumbs. Since chocolate bark are technically broken pieces of chocolate, they also sort of count as crumbs. Go to town.


Vegan s'mores bark
Ingredients
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate (I used Guittard chips)
- 4 graham crackers
- Vegan marshmallows (I used Dandies)

Instructions
- Melt chocolate by placing the chips in your microwave on medium (50%) heat for two minutes. Stir, then put them back in the microwave for thirty seconds. Continue doing this until chocolate is completely melted.
- Meanwhile, toast marshmallows by putting them under your broiler, over your stove burner or by using a blow torch. Honestly, I stuck each marshmallow to the end of a butter knife and used my stove burner; it worked perfectly. This is optional, but it adds a nice touch.
- Spread melted chocolate on waxed paper and, using a rubber or metal spatula, spread an even layer of your desired thickness.
- While chocolate is still liquid, place graham crackers and toasted marshmallows around in any way you desire. Make it fun! Allow chocolate to harden, then break it apart in random shapes. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Desserts for Moi: Raw Chocolate Covered Cherries

I apologize for the lack of actual meal recipes, but I've been enjoying soaking up more Orlando cuisine (including delicious Indian food tonight) so I haven't been cooking much. I have, however, been creating new dessert ideas to curb my insatiable sweet tooth. I've found that making single serve raw desserts is easier and more energy efficient than cooked; I feel silly turning on the oven for a small item. This may change the next time a cookie or muffin craving pops up, so beware. For now, you'll just have to enjoy some raw goodies.

Similar to my raw gingerbread ice cream sandwiches, these could technically feed two people. Two people with small appetites. Me, I find no shame in polishing off the whole batch because they're delicious, healthy, and small.


Raw chocolate covered cherries
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 heaping tbsp cacao powder
- 1 tbsp agave
- 2 cherries, halved
- Tiny pinch of sea salt
- Opt add ins: pinch of maca and/or spirulina

Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients aside from cherries until smooth and glossy.
- Using a teaspoon, pour a layer of chocolate on the bottom of a mold or cupcake liner (I used a heart shape ice cube tray from Ikea that worked perfectly). Place in the fridge to set.
- Once set, place a cherry half in the center of each mold and cover with another layer of chocolate until everything is enrobed with a thick, rich layer of cacao syrup. Set in the fridge or freezer until serving.




I used to love chocolate covered cherries, but didn't like the overly sweet, processed syrup inside. These are so gloriously decadent that you'll forget they're actually good for you. They're rich, not overly sweet, and have a fresh burst in the center from the cherry. They would also make a great little gift for a significant other, or for yourself at the end of a long day. I choose the latter.

Mint Chocado Pudding

I'm ashamed to say that I had another night of failed dinners. I'm also ashamed to admit that my dinner ultimately partially came from a can, in the form of Amy's soup. Despite my shameful dinner disasters (which included cutting my finger on the TOP of a knife - how does that even happen?) I knew I wanted to blog about something this evening. So, using my noggin and a ripe avocado, I prepared this little number.


Raw mint chocado pudding (adapted from HEAB)
Ingredients
- 1/2 ripe avocado, chopped
- 2 tbsp cacao powder
- 3-5 mint leaves, depending on size
- 1/8 cup water
- 1/2 tbsp agave
- 1 tsp flax seeds (optional)

Instructions
- Put everything into a food processor and blend until thick and smooth. Enjoy!



I was skeptical about this puddin' because quite honestly, I'm not the biggest avocado fan. To me, it's sometimes similar to eating butter, which doesn't sit well with me. However, I get random cravings for it and I do enjoy it in sushi, so I figured I'd give this a shot.



It was WICKED good! I don't use the word "wicked" lightly, folks. The Massachusetts dialect only comes out for special occasions these days. I couldn't taste the avocado much, but instead was left with a thick, creamy, decadent pudding that any Jello brand lover would enjoy. The best part? It's incredibly healthy, raw and full of good fat.

Now I'm off to bed. My body is tired from a sweaty cardio sesh and I need some rest. Good night!

Chocolate Covered Garlic

Good morning everyone! I hope you all had a fabulous Saturday night - I know I did. After letting the salad beast food baby die down, I headed to Ormond Wine Co for a relaxing night of wine. I wanted to cut down on alcohol consumption because I've found that I gain weight easily when I overindulge on alcohol, but I figured wine is fine because it's heart healthy and I like drinking it too much to stop completely. So, my plan was to just have a glass or two and then switch to water. Mission completed!


I started with an "array of reds" flight. They were pretty generous with the pours because it took me a while to finish.




My favorite was the L de Lyeth Zinfandel; I ended up ordering a full glass.



Now, forget about the wine for a moment, and focus on this beauty:


Be still, my heart. A whole roasted bulb of garlic with the sweetest balsamic reduction I've ever had. It was served with a generous amount of bread and crostini. I demolished about 75% of the garlic.

Much to my dismay, I was really "feeling it" after the flight + glass of wine, so I switched to water. I'm not sure why it went to my head so fast, but I definitely enjoyed the wine and knew my limits.

Due to ending my night garlicky and not sweetly, I created a nice (healthy) indulgent breakfast.


Frosted breakfast cookie with 1/2 cup oats, 1 tbsp sunbutter, 1/2 scoop rice protein, 1/8 cup almond milk, vanilla, and chocolate chips, topped with banana soft serve and more chips. Once again, be still, my heart.

Must Control My Love for Chocolate

My friends tell me I'm nuts for spending $2.69 on my beloved Endangered Species chocolate, which is quite expensive considering you can buy a Hershey Bar for under $1.00 in some places. Well, I value my overpriced chocolate because it tastes delicious and part of my money goes toward said endangered animals. Basically, aside from nut butters, chocolate is probably my top food love. Well, I think my love has spiraled out of control when I purchased this baby at The Wine Bar the other night:


Looks innocent enough, right? Just your basic chocolate bar. Well, sort of. This is sea salt nib by Eclipse Chocolat. The girl working the register told me it tastes like a chocolate covered pretzel. Well, it didn't really, but I digress. This chocolate bar cost just under $8.00. Eight dollars. On chocolate. The Wine Bar is sneaky because they tempt me with exotic treats and don't put prices on them, so I grabbed the bar and told her to ring it up without even bothering to ask the price. I almost had a heart attack when she announced the total.


So, how does $8.00 chocolate taste? Well, it's super yum. The sea salt flavor is subtle and contrasts nicely with the chocolate. There are big chunks of candied cacao nibs which taste lovely but hurt the roof of my mouth. The chocolate itself is rich and melty, but not as dark as I'd like (50%, I'm more a 70%+ kinda gal). All in all, it was definitely awesome chocolate, but I think I'll stick to my Endangered Species. That is, unless I decide to try Eclipse's sweet basil mint. No, Krystina, fight the urge.

In other news, this morning I tried out a new SIAB!

Cashew coconut SIAB
In the mix:
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 big handful kale
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 tbsp hemp protein
- 1/2 tbsp ground flax


Topped with:
- Nature's Path hemp plus granola (delish)
- 1/2 tbsp flax
- 1 tbsp coconut
- Blob o' cashew butta

Unfortunately the coconut flavor didn't come out as much as I'd like and the cashew butta was kind of lost in the mix (I like to scoop out hunks of nut butta in my bowl) but I bet it'll set up more in the fridge. Mmm, breakfast.

Lazy Sunday

...wake up in the late afternoon.

No really, incredibly lazy. This is my day in a nutshell:

Wake up. Morning yoga. Breakfast. Coffee. Coffee. Coffee. Lounge.

That went on for quite a few hours. Then I had a burst of energy, so I decided to get all dolled up for the gym. Went outside and almost got blown over by the wind, so I scurried back inside to do some more lounging. I have a love/hate relationship with lazy days. On the one hand, it's nice to just simply do nothing. On the other hand, I feel, well, lazy. I packed some things and donated clothes; that counts as something, right?

Then I chair raced down the hall with my roommates/friend Keith and did a backflip over the chair. Needless to say, I lost.

Then I made dinner after being inspired by Angela's recent eats. Totally basic and simple, but comforting:

Brown mush rice and roasted vegetables

The vegetables were bomb. I just chopped up:
- 1/2 sweet potato
- 1 orange pepper
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 1 zucchini
- 1 huge garlic clove

and tossed it with 1 tbsp olive oil, S&P, dried basil and oregano, then popped it in a 400 degree oven for around 40 minutes. Perfetto.

The only roommate who brought pots/pans is moving out today, so I didn't have my standard pot to cook my rice. So, after some googling, I decided to try making rice in my crock pot. I added 1 cup of rice and a little over 2 cups of water, put it on high for around 2-3 hours, and then ate a nice pile of mush. I swear, one minute it was still firm and looking promising, and the next it just turned into the consistency of oatmeal. I like my rice sticky, but not to that degree.

Actually, one of the things I have yet to master is rice cooking. I can make some killer quinoa, kickin' couscous, marvelous millet, etc, but rice is still a fickle little grain. Don't get me wrong, I'll eat it regardless, but I want to make the most perfect, fluffiest rice ever.

To top off my lazy day?


Who needs a man when you have Endangered Species chocolate? I apologize for my hair and clothes, but it is lazy Sunday after all.

Thunder at 10AM?!

Yesterday was so beautiful in Massachusetts that it just had to rain and storm all day today. Weather consistency is not this area's strong suit. Anyway, the other treat I had yesterday was this:

Twilight candy bar (basically a vegan Milky Way). One thing I do miss is caramel, so when I saw these at Whole Foods I had to try one. I will say that it's definitely sweet and decadent, but maybe a little too sweet. I'm a bitter dark chocolate girl, so the combination of rice milk chocolate with sweet caramel wasn't as bitter as I prefer. It was tasty, though!


At my weekly Whole Foods trip I also picked up some bulk coconut and restocked my soy yogurt, which had me craving a yogurt bowl ALL DAY. Seriously, I had dreams of this yogurt bowl last night.

It's just soy yogurt, banana granola, unsweetened coconut, strawberries, and a not-quite-ripe banana. With cinnamon, as per usual.


Alongside a cup of "Macadamia nut truffle" coffee, which doesn't taste much different than any other nut flavored coffee.

There's talk about hitting up a bbq joint tonight where, surprisingly, they have a vegan black bean burger. So, we'll see how that goes. I think I'm going to snuggle in bed and watch some Food Network; I didn't sleep well last night because my roommates were up until 4AM messing around on chat roulette.