Monthly Archives: March 2014

• Nourishing my Soul

  Posted at 10:51 AM by Brittany, on March 24, 2014

  Nature nourishes my soul. Fresh air, big trees, empty trails, all of it. Green is my favorite color, and the Washington mountains just so happen to flourishing with mossy green trees.

  

  One final hurrah before my vacation to the east coast included an 8.6 mile hike through the Washington trees. Best idea ever. I’ve hiked this trail over 10 times now, but each time I go I find something new that captures my soul and takes my breath away.

  

  

  This was just the adventure I needed to counteract all the baking I’ve been doing. For multiple reasons, one being justification. I completely justified eating cupcakes and cookies this past weekend! It’s all about balance, I like to earn my treats.

  

  Conquering a mountain gives me a sense of accomplishment, like I’ve earned the body I have so graciously been given to live in. Also, nothing beats the view from the top.

  

  

  Awkward hand placement…haha.

  To go along with the the nature theme, when I came home I ate the most epic meal out of the bowl I painted a couple weeks ago. It’s the perfect size, and I love it!

  

  

  Did I mention I have a thing for trees..? 😉

  Q: What nourishes your soul? Food and the great outdoors! 

  

  | 44 Comments Tagged Balance, Cupcake, Green Mountain, Hiking, Mountain, Nature, Vegan

• Coffee For Me, Coffee For You

  Posted at 8:24 AM by Brittany, on March 21, 2014

  I don’t know what has gotten into me the past few weeks, but this blog has turned into a baking/treat/dessert/stuff my face with chocolate blog. My only complaint is that I don’t have many people to share with, so my coworkers have been getting force fed on the regular lately. In all honesty though, no one has complained. Modern day sugar mama.

  

  One of the many things I love about blogging is that it inspires me to switch things up. If you remember this post, I talked about how I go through phases of activities. The baking phase has been alive and well, but it’s time to get out and explore more. Just in time for my upcoming trip to DC/Virginia/Michigan to visit Megan (and a handful of other bloggers!!!)

  

  May 2013 – she will forever hold the spot in my heart as my “first blogger meetup.”

  I do have a post coming about coffee. Go figure. This post is a bit different though, I have been doing a lot of thinking/reading lately about organic vs. non organic coffee, Starbucks vs. local shops, which decaf beans you should buy…things like that. I have been complacent with my coffee intake lately, and it’s time to tighten the belt!

  I’m not sure what my posting will be like next week, as I mentioned earlier I have more recipe posts saved, and will be writing my coffee post today so I should have things to share. Unless I get swept away by the vacation spirit and get my blogging fix in the form of people. Megan, Lily, Alex, Sarah, Brennan, Nikki…the club can’t even handle me right now.

  Q: What has been your main blogging topic lately?

  

  | 32 Comments Tagged Adventure, Baking, Blog, Coffee, Vegan

• Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

  Posted at 5:44 AM by Brittany, on March 20, 2014

  There is nothing quite like having a sweet, sugary, crumbly treat along side my morning cup of coffee. It takes my entire coffee savoring experience from an 8 to a 10. Mornings are my favorite, but mornings with coffee and cake are mornings started right.

  

  This recipe was a bit of an experiment. After combining all of my ingredients and making a dough that looked more like a cookie, I was hesitant and expected the worst. Thankfully, as things usually do when I expect the worst, these coffee cake muffins turned out great.

  Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

  

  • 1 cup vanilla almond milk
  • 1 tblsp apple cider vinegar
  • 4 tblsp melted coconut oil
  • 2 cups GF flour (I used this one)
    
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup xylitol
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tblsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup frozen (or fresh) blueberries

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix almond milk and vinegar together and set aside to sour/curdle. Do this first!
  3. Combine your flour, sugar, xylitol, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together. Combine well.
  4. Pour melted coconut oil into your vinegar/almond milk mixture, and then pour into your dry ingredients.
  5. Fold in blueberries.
  6. Pour into muffin tin and top with sugar crumble (recipe below)
  7. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.

  Sugar Crumble

  

  • 3 tblsp GF flour
    
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tblsp melted Earth Balance vegan butter

  1. Mix dry ingredients together, and then add vegan butter.

  Notes: I used a 1 to 1 wheat flour replacement, which means I didn’t need to add anything alongside my GF flour. If you are using a different GF flour for the muffins, add 1/2 tsp xanthan gum. If you don’t have, or don’t want to use xylitol swap it out for regular sugar.

  

  A word of advice: These are best eaten in some kind of bowl, or plate with walls. This ensures maximum crumble consumption, and provides an excuse to be paired with ice cream. As with most of my treats, these tasted better as time went on!

  

  Q: What’s your favorite morning splurge? I used to be all about that cookie and coffee life, but these mini cakes rocked my face…hard.

  

  | 35 Comments Tagged Cake, Coffee, Recipe, Vegan

• Double Chocolate Cocoa Melts

  Posted at 3:58 AM by Brittany, on March 17, 2014

  For the past few months, I’ve had a jar of coconut butter staring at me each time I open my pantry. I go into that pantry around 4 times a day, do the math..that’s a lot of stares.

  

  Yeah…this guy.

  It took some time, but I finally figured out what I wanted to make. Something rich, something creamy, something chocolate! This recipe took some twists and turns, but I finally settled on something worth posting. I started out making these…

  

  

  …but quickly decided they needed some help. I love coconut oils and butters, but the flavor is VERY strong. The texture of these fudge squares was perfect, but the flavor..too strong. There is only one flavor I’ve been completely successful with when it comes to toning down the almost overwhelming flavor of the coconut, and it just so happens to be a classic flavor.

  

  Chocolate has a way of covering up the coconut flavor like nothing else! This experiment reminded me of the time I tried to get wild using coconut oil in a vanilla frosting, but was reminded why I always go with chocolate. I still haven’t figured out how to make it work!

  Double Chocolate Cocoa Melts

  

  • 1 cup softened/melted coconut butter (should be well combined, soak your jar in hot water and stir well before adding to the mix)
  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tblsp maple syrup
  • 3 tblsp unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 2 tblsp tiny dark chocolate chips
  • handful of large dark chocolate chips

  

  Instructions

  1. Combine coconut butter, almond butter, vanilla, and maple syrup into a sauce pan and stir until well combined.
  2. Once combined add in the cocoa powder, stir, and then add in the tiny chocolate chips.
  3. Heat on low until the chocolate chips are melted into the mix.
  4. Once combined, pour into a wax paper lined 8×8 (or something similar) dish and sprinkle (as many as you want) the large chocolate chips on top.
  5. Place dish into the freezer until hardened.
  6. Enjoy!

  

  Not only do you get to satisfy your sweet craving with these rich and smooth melts, they’re JAM packed full of HEALTHY fats AND minerals from the cocoa. Sure, there is some sugar in the chocolate chips/maple syrup..but we can just highlight the benefits! 😉 Besides, these are SO rich, you’ll be completely satisfied with just one square. I know..who am I!

  

  OK, maybe I eat two at a time…

  Q: Do you have a good vegan fudge recipe?! Send me the link!

  

  | 52 Comments Tagged Chocolate, Recipe, Vegan

• Raw Vegan Banana Cream Pie

  Posted at 4:24 AM by Brittany, on March 12, 2014

  While perusing the black hole that is Pinterest, I stumbled upon a recipe I just had to conquer. This was one of those, “if I don’t make this in 5-7 days I may spontaneously combust.” It was serious. I pinned it, and promptly bought ingredients the next day.

  

  

  Raw..vegan..and full of deliciously healthy fats? I’m sold.

  

  Creating an exceptional food item makes me feel alive. It’s similar to the feeling I get when I complete a really hard run. I feel accomplished, and that I’ve done something wonderful. Pair the two together and I’m on cloud nine. These happen together often, because I don’t normally like to eat two slices of pie unless I’ve earned them with a good run.

  

  Raw Vegan Banana Cream Pie 

  By Minimalist Baker

  Ingredients

  FOR THE CRUST:

  • 1 cup raw walnuts (perhaps a bit more, my crust was a little on the soft side)*See note
  • 1 cup pitted dates (soaked for 10 minutes in warm water and drained)

  FOR THE FILLING:

  • 1 1/4 cups raw cashews soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight, then drained
  • 4 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
  • 1/4 cup agave nectar or maple syrup (I used maple flavored agave)
  • 1 medium just ripe banana
  • 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk (I mixed the cream on top into the milk before measuring)
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 4 Tbsp lemon juice

  

  Directions

  1. Place soaked dates in a food processor or blender and process until small bits remain and/or it forms into a ball. I used my blender. Remove and set aside.

  2. Process or blend walnuts until a powdery consistency is achieved. This step was difficult with my blender, and some nuts were chunky (not a big problem though.) A processor would be better. Add back in dates with a pinch of salt and mix to combine.

  3. Press into a medium pie pan lined with parchment/wax paper. Press until flat, going up the sides about 1/2 inch. My crust didn’t end up filling all the sides. Place in freezer to set.

  4. Add all filling ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. It should be silky smooth when completely combined. Then pour into crust and smooth with a spoon. Cover and freeze until set. At least 4-6 hours, but I left mine overnight.

  5. When ready to serve let your pie sit out for about 10 minutes. Then top.

  *Note: This crust isn’t like a “typical crust.” It will still be a bit soft despite being the in the freezer. This is why you will want to ensure you use a wax lined paper, it will make getting your slice out of the pan a cinch. Or you can just dig right in with a spoon, that works too.

  

  I used the leftover coconut milk to make a quick whipped cream, and then sprinkled peanuts on top. Simple, but delicious! I have a chargeable whipped cream canister that makes for effortless whipped cream, but if you don’t have one this recipe is great.

  

  I hope you’ll understand why I had two slices, I just couldn’t stay out of this pie! My last slice was drizzled with some almond butter, it was the perfect addition.

  

  

  

  Q: Who wants a slice?? 

  

  | 54 Comments Tagged Dessert, Food, Pie, Raw, Recipe, Run, Vegan

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 7:32 AM by Brittany, on March 10, 2014

  1. I’ve been hearing birds/owls in the mornings. This is exciting news. I will relish in this while I can because I know that come July I will want to shank them for waking me up.

  2. I went for a run in the rain a few days ago. It was lovely. There is nothing quite like the smell of (fresh/new) wet wood.

  

  3. I want to chop my hair. It’s at the awkward stage and all I do is throw it back. I need to get some guts cause I want to cut it short…real short. Maybe I’ll just buzz it all off.

  4. Sometimes all I need to do is go somewhere that has wonderful memories and just sit.

  

  5. I haven’t been to Disneyland in almost two years….if I don’t go soon you might see me on the news for behavior I cannot be held responsible for. Disney made me do it…

  6. I went painting on Saturday, and it was serious bidness. I think I’ll quit my life and move into the forest to paint trees and leaves on things..yeah..that’s my plan.

  

  

  I’m going to destroy some vegetables in this bowl.

  7. I made a raw vegan banana cream pie yesterday. It rocked my face soooo hard. I will be posting the recipe soon. Be prepared to rock face with me. I’m obsessed.

  8. I hoard Starbucks cups. They are perfect for “out the door” transportation. I also hoard 1lb bags of coffee, which means a giveaway is coming.

  

  Yeah, these are all empty. Oh look, some holiday cups! Those are for the middle of summer when I am craving Christmas time.

  9. This article…yes! If you’re a frequent coffee shopper, please read. Not for kids.

  10. It was a long winter season of running in my Asics. Some sunny weather pushed me to bust out my Vibrams. After 10 miles in my bare-footers, my calves were murdered.

  

  

  No shame in my game. I definitely wore this catastrophe of color.

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 55 Comments Tagged Art, Coffee, Confessions, Painting, Random, Run, Running, Vegan

• How to Make Coffee…Without a Coffee Maker

  Posted at 6:31 AM by Brittany, on March 7, 2014

  About two weeks ago my french press broke. Well, let me rephrase that. About two weeks ago I broke my french press. Apparently when compounds of glass collide they break…who knew! (Please sense my sarcasm.) 4AM is a rough time for making coffee.

  Yes, this is as detrimental as it sounds. To make matters worse, I broke it WHILE I WAS PREPARING my morning coffee!! ¡Ay, qué horror!

  

  So long old friend.

  I had to think of something fast, because there was no way I was going to waste all that hot water I worked so hard to prepare. I couldn’t fathom the idea of giving up that cup of coffee. My heart was set on it, and there was no way I was going to quit.

  

  So here’s what I did. I poured my coffee grounds in this Mason jar, and covered the top with a lid to minimize heat loss. I waited the allotted 3-4 minutes for my grounds to steep.

  Fun Fact: The amount of time for a standard french press to sit before “plunging and serving” is 4 minutes. The longer it sits, the sludgier it gets.

  

  I then grabbed this second glass cup, and used a basic small colander to “strain” out my grounds. Improvisation at its best my friends. This held back most of the ground coffee, but I strained it a second time right into my mug just to ensure minimal grit.

  

  I’ve never worked so hard for a cup of black crack. The overall time was at least double what it would have been with my french press, and TRIPLE the time it would have been using a standard drip coffee machine. You know what though, this has been the best coffee I’ve had in a long time. I find that when you work for what you have, it’s so much sweeter.

  I’ve been making my coffee this way for a couple weeks now. While I do find this coffee process to be enjoyable, there is a method behind my madness. Starbucks has so conveniently released a gorgeous new french press that I simply must have. Instead of spending $20 to replace the glass jar that I broke for my current french press, I’m going to splurge and spend $26 on a brand new, rustic, sleek, GORGEOUS french press.

  

  
  From the Starbucks website: A double-walled stainless steel coffee press with elegant details and an included timer.

  Ohh be still my heart. I am so excited this press comes with a timer, what wonderful marketing!

  I am waiting until the end of the month because I get an additional 10% off, making this beauty $26 instead of $43. It will be worth the wait. This photo doesn’t even show the small black timer, or the embossed Siren logo on the knob. Take my word, it’s beautiful. I did buy myself a new glass though, because I knew they would be gone quick.

  

  IT’S GLASS!! Recycled glass to be exact, I don’t do plastic. OHhhHHH SWOON. I love it.

  Call me desperate, or call me crazy…I’ll call me innovative.

  Q: What would you have done? Honestly, if I hadn’t had to work that morning I might have just gone out to buy coffee, but I am so glad I discovered this desperation.

  Oh, and I know what you’re thinking, “you work at a coffee shop, couldn’t you have waited until you got to work!?” No..I adore my mornings of peace and quiet with my coffee. It’s not the same sitting in a small back room at Starbucks. This was necessary. 

  

  | 50 Comments Tagged Coffee, French Press, Random, Starbucks

• Mango Banana Smoothie

  Posted at 5:35 AM by Brittany, on March 5, 2014

  I like to visit Costco AT LEAST once every week and a half, sometimes every week. When I go I have a list, and I rarely deviate from it. I buy my produce in bulk because I eat enough of it to be confused with a growing teenage boy. Costco = happy wallet.

  

  Normally when I walk down the candy/chocolate/cookie/junk aisle, I don’t have to worry because everything is jam packed with milk chocolate, and other fun ingredients I can’t pronounce. This makes it easy to stay away from them. However, once in a while I am surprised by a vegan friendly treat that almost literally jumps out at me.

  

  

  

  The bag is nearly empty because I flew through it in like…a couple days. I needed an alternative to these enrobed (I just need to use this word, it sounds slightly scandalous) mangoes, and it just so happens that I’ve been obsessing over a random smoothie creation with only 3 simple ingredients (water doesn’t count.) Don’t let the ingredients fool you..this smoothie tastes like a creamy dessert. I was mind blown.

  Mango Banana Smoothie

  

  Ingredients

  • 1 overripe/frozen banana (the key is to let your banana get REALLY ripe, and then freeze.)
  • 1 HEAPING cup (about 16 pieces) frozen organic mangoes
  • 1/4 cup vanilla almond milk
  • 1/4 cup water

  Directions

  1. Let your banana and mangoes sit out for 20-30 minutes until they are soft, but still frozen. If you want to pre-peel your banana feel free, I leave the peel on until I’m ready to use it. I know my banana is thawed enough when I can easily peel it.
  2. Pour your ingredients into a high speed blender starting with the liquids.
  3. Blend until smooth.

  I don’t think smoothies ever really need a “recipe” and I feel a bit silly posting this as one, but this is for those of you that thrive off of precision. For realllll though, mangoes are naturally so thick and creamy that this smoothie tastes so much like a dessert. The only thing missing is some chocolate…

  

  Problem solved. A wonderful pairing for these brownies. This smoothie has become a daily occurrence, and I am one step closer to being ready for spring!

  Q: Do you like tropical smoothies? I used to be a berry smoothie fanatic, but I am now a tropical believer! 

  

  | 45 Comments Tagged Chocolate, Recipe, Smoothie, Vegan

• Wanderer

  Posted at 3:58 AM by Brittany, on March 3, 2014

  I like to wander. I find it calming, peaceful, and the best way to discover new places. Last week I took one of my days off and headed to Seattle to wander. I’ve been to Seattle handfuls of times, but always with a purpose. This was one of the first times I went with no plan, and I went all by myself. It also happened to be the first sunny day in weeks.

  

  

  I got about 4 blocks from the ferry dock when I decided to stop for lunch.

  

  

  This picture was meant to capture my lunch date..with myself. Empty seat in front of me. It was awesome.

  

  After I face planted this “chicken” sandwich, I walked..and walked..and walked some more. The weather put me in such a fabulous mood, I turned left, then right, then left again.

  

  No matter how many times I have been to Seattle I almost always venture to Pike Place, just to wander some more. It was a slow day at the market, and sadly the vegan scone I had my heart set on was gone. I have been wanting to try this scone for a while now.

  

  Just when I thought my luck ran out after missing my opportunity with the scone, I wandered my way across the street from a place I had JUST seen on Cooking Channels show Unique Sweets (which I happen to be obsessed with.) I was sure they wouldn’t have any vegan chocolate, but I had to go in just to see what the hype was all about!

  

  The super tiny, smaller than a quarter sized truffles were $2..EACH. NO WAY. I was just about to walk out after reading milk chocolate, salted caramel labels when I saw this…

  

  4 minutes and $4 later I walked out with the most expensive piece of chocolate I’ve ever purchased. I blame my missed scone opportunity, and the fact that this place was on TV.

  

  I’m trying to live my life on the edge these days, and spending $4 on this tiny bar of chocolate is completely wild and crazy. The presentation was gorgeous, well done Fran.

  

  The story behind this store is exceptional quality products, from only the top chocolate producing countries. Fran’s passion for chocolate is like my passion for coffee, I dig it. Oh, and the verdict on my pistachio, toasted hazelnut, dark chocolate from Madagascar bar?

  Meh. It went well with my morning coffee, and had rich cocoa notes at the end of my bite, but it wasn’t worth $4 that’s for sure! I think I’ll stick to my $4 cupcakes.

  Q: Would you buy expensive food if it were on Food Network or Cooking Channel? Yes…yes I would.  

  

  | 46 Comments Tagged Adventure, Chocolate, Seattle, Vegan, Veggie Grill

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• BRITTANY- Self proclaimed minimalistic nomad striving to maintain a balanced, healthy life with good food, long hikes, deep connections, exploration, and lots of potatoes.

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• Contact: blissfulbritt@yahoo.com

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