Simply Living

Summer Time by Dead Prez & DJ Green Lantern

I wish I could find the lyrics to this song, but I guess you’ll just have to listen!

Guess what, it’s June, so to me it’s officially summer time :)

Spaghetti Aglio (The vegan way)

I took the basic recipe for spaghetti aglio and added tons of fresh veggies from my CSA box, It made it much more exciting. 

7 ounces of spaghetti
2 large or 3 small garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons of chili pepper flakes
1/4 to 1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Cook spaghetti according to the directions on the package, until it is al dente.
2. Strain spaghetti and place in a large serving dish.
3. Add minced garlic, chili pepper flakes, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and mix together well.
4. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Banana Coffee Muffins with Oatmeal & Cacao Nibs (or chocolate chips)

So I made some amazing muffins for breakfast on my most recent day off…

2 cups flour
1/2 cup rolled or quick oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg [optional]
3/4 cup non-dairy milk mixed with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (I used almond milk)
1/2 cup strong coffee, cold
3/4 cup canola oil or olive oil
Egg replacer equivalent of 1 egg (I used 1 tbsp flaxseed meal mixed with 3 tbsp water)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 bananas, diced small
1/2 cup cacao nibs (I used dark chocolate chips)
sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins.

Combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg [if using] in a large bowl. Whisk together, and make a well in the center. Combine milk, coffee, oil, vanilla, sugar and egg replacer. Whisk wet ingredients together and pour over the dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients together until almost mixed. Add bananas and cacao nibs, and finish mixing until just combined, being careful not to over mix.

Scoop batter into prepared pans, filling the muffin cup to the top. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake until muffin edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out with the tiniest bit of crumb, 16-20 minutes.

I have a confession to make…

I don’t have very good shopping habits when it comes to clothing. I have very little money to spend on clothes, the money I do spend I really shouldn’t, but being a Fashion Marketing major and loving fashion makes it impossible to not buy things occasionally. This is why I so often shop at stores like H&M and the sale rack at Urban Outfitters, my two most frequented stores. I am all about sustainable fabrics and seek them out whenever I can, but most of the time I can’t afford them. I work in a clothing boutique specializing in sustainable fabrics and I can afford very few things in the store. One way I’ve tried to make change is by shopping at second hand stores because it’s like recycling clothing. And it’s cheap! I really rarely have the time to shop at most vintage or thrift stores so I resort to Buffalo exchange as my recent store of choice. 

My latest finds at Buffalo? These three pairs of earrings. They ranged from $5.50-$8.50 each. A perfect little white eyelet mini skirt that will go with everything! It was J. Crew and only $14.50. And the softest sweater dress ever from Element for $17.50. I love it because it has a white slip under it too which I use for a lot of my other dresses, I only have one other white slip so I was happy about that. I seem to always find some great stuff whenever I go to Buffalo lately. 

Blackberry Cinnamon Smoothie

1 1/2 cups frozen blackberries (I used a frozen fruit mixture of raspberries, blackberries and strawberries)
1/2 cup non-dairy yogurt
1/2 cup non-dairy milk mixed with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (the original recipe called for buttermilk, I used almond milk)
1 tablespoon maple or brown rice syrup
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. 

My Juice

Made with random assortments of produce I had. 

2 stalks celery

About 6 small rainbow chard leaves

3 romaine leaves

1 orange

1 broccoli stem

Homemade granola and almond milk. I made almond milk for the first time the other night and I can say I am never buying it again. It’s so easy and so much better!

Almond Milk

• 2 cups of soaked almonds (soak 8-12 hours)
• 8 cups of water

Blend almonds with half the water until smooth. Pour through fine mesh strainer. Blend almond meal with remaining water and strain again. Reserve almond meal for cookies, creamy sauces or other recipes.

Granola

3 cups rolled oats

• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup cashews
• 3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut (I left this out)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raisins

Directions

Went to the Portland Art Museum on Saturday to see the Rothko exhibit. This was one of my favorite pieces in the whole museum though. And I can’t even remember who it was made by…

One of the best cocktails I’ve made in awhile. Actually my first bottle I bought since doing the cleanse. One of my best friends just moved in to a house and she wanted to get a bottle to celebrate when I came over to see her, so for some reason sweet tea vodka and lemonade popped in my head. One of my favorite drinks. But since we didn’t finish the bottle I had some leftover and the other night had the genius idea of juicing the oranges and grapefruit I had that were going bad and combining it with the vodka. It was so much better then I ever expected! I highly recommend it. 

Green tea in one of my favorite mugs :)