Tag: Vegan

• Discovering New Identities

  Posted at 7:05 AM by Brittany, on April 15, 2016

  Blogging has always been a fantastic outlet for me to share my self proclaimed creativity through adventures, food, coffee, and whatever else life throws my way. It’s been a huge part of my life for five years now (wow), but I’d be lying if I said it’s been easy lately.

  

  I’ve been sharing my love for vegan food, coffee, and running for most of those five years, and all of these things have given me a solid chunk of personal identity. I’ve been struggling with health issues lately that have caused me to give up coffee, take a vegan vacation, and step back from running – aka 90% of what I blog about/talk about/dream about/live about.

  To say I feel like my identity has been stripped would be an understatement.

  

  I’m still running…sometimes, I still eat predominately plant based…most of the time, and I still tried to drink coffee…until finally accepting that I just can’t. I still don’t know the underlying cause behind my symptoms right now (an ongoing process that’s been going on for years) but I’m determined to figure it out.

  I’m beginning to suspect that stress may be a large part of why I’ve been having issues lately. I’ve never thought much about it, but I do tend to let my mind take me down the rabbit hole if I’m not careful. I hereby declare that I will put my energy into things that calm me, and stop focusing on things that don’t.

  

  I’m not writing this seeking sympathy, but to simply share that I’ve felt like a blogging zombie lately. Although I’ve still had great adventures to share, I feel like I’m in a limbo right now where I’m trying to fit a square block into a hole for a circle block. I’m also a sucker for transparency, and I don’t blog for a job – I blog for connections.

  Plus I feel like getting this off my chest (as it’s been on my mind for a while) will help me feel more authentic with my blogging again. 

  I know this isn’t forever, and I’ll find my way back onto the wagon soon enough, but for now I’m going to use this as an opportunity to add new things to my list of identity characteristics. I’ll still be sharing any runs I go on, plant based foods I eat, but coffee and I are on a solid break until I start feeling better.

  Thankfully my mountain adventures are still going strong.

  

  I’m always talking about how life is fluid and changes whether we are ready or not, and while it feels like my adventure has had constant twists the last couple years, I still have complete control over how I will use these twists to build an epic life full of experience and multiple identities.

  Not to be confused with multiple personalities. 

  Overall life is good, and I’m extremely blessed. I’m off to Portland tomorrow to run this race and I’m excited to get away for the weekend. I’m not stressing about the run despite the fact that I haven’t had my heart rate out of the resting zone much the last couple weeks. I’ve always said running is more mental anyway so I’ll let you know if my theory is true.

  Wish me luck, and pray I don’t pass out on the side of the road. 

  Q: What are your plans for this weekend?

  

  | 100 Comments Tagged Explore, Hike, Life, Plant Based, Portland, Running, Vegan

• Mount Zion

  Posted at 6:30 AM by Brittany, on April 12, 2016

  After searching for Mount Zion on the Google, I discovered this is a hugely popular name for a mountain. There is a Mount Zion in Illinois, Michigan, Georgia, California, Washington, and Jerusalem. While I’d rather have explored the hills of the latter location, I ventured to none other than Mount Zion in Washington.

  

  A new to me climb, this short and relatively easy hike was somewhat hard to find. I always make a pit stop at the ranger station and ask for directions to unfamiliar territories, and to use the bathroom. I drink a lot of water.

  

  The head ranger was on a bike run to the post office (small town living – I love it) and the ranger left behind was new. Like, brand new. He was unfamiliar with the area so I tried my best at following a drawn map, but as a woman I prefer verbal directions with step by step turns. Trying to follow drawn out lines and squiggles is like trying to decipher what Jabba the Hutt is saying without subtitles.

  

  After an hour of driving the area (and finding lovely sights along the way) we finally found our destination.

  This climb will be a fantastic addition to my solo hike list. The trail follows a ridge like edge with views of the surrounding mountains, all while maintaining a secluded canopy from the trees. The final view is only visible to those that can channel their inner billy goat. A scramble up a semi awkward rock provides a beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding hills.

  Oh me, oh my.

  

  Life doesn’t always go smooth, and we usually don’t have written directions for how things are supposed to be done. Life maps often look like a series of hieroglyphics and I was born in an era that uses words over pictures.

  Instead of focusing on the troubles of getting lost, it’s up to us to focus on the journey along the way. All we have is now, so why dwell on what we don’t have?

  

  Post climb and life reflection I had a void in my stomach that could be filled by none other than Vietnamese food. My third time in one week. I have no shame.

  

  My theme for this week is to stop focusing on problems I cannot fix. Without hoops of fire to jump through life would be rather boring, don’t you think?

  Q: Do you choose to enjoy the journey, or focus too much on the future? I’m all about the now.

  

  | 67 Comments Tagged Explore, Hike, Mount Zion, Olympic Mountains, Vegan

• Full Speed Ahead

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on April 7, 2016

  Every so often I become obsessed with certain things. Its a constant rotation of phases that I go through, and when I get into a new routine of obsession I go full speed ahead.

  Case in point – I don’t eat out much unless it’s at the Whole Foods hot bar because I usually feel like I was hit by an airborne sword fish after I’m done. That being said, I tried a Vietnamese restaurant by my work on Monday and it was so good I did everything in my power to go back on Tuesday.

  

  Ob-sessed.

  To work up an appetite for the above bowl of tongue explosions I went for a hike. I went to the same mountain I hiked last time, because it’s quick yet steep. Not steep like this, but steep enough to show me how out of shape I am.

  

  Similar views as usual, but with a nice cloud cover. I love the way the mountains only slightly peek through under the fluff. I am planning to consistently do this hike because I want to watch my time improve.

  It’s been a while since I’ve set a physical goal and this seems like a good one. I may breathe like a labored baboon right now, but full speed ahead I go!

  

  

  When I’m at my peak with hiking obsessions I usually drive 2+ hours one way to get to a hike. Go big or go home. This hike is just under an hour away, making it more manageable for a last minute adventure.

  

  Spontaneity is my middle name when it comes to decisions. When I plan in advance I usually want to cancel, so sometimes being impulsive pays off. Like when I decided to finally finish school…again.

  I literally had a thought enter my mind one day in December, and by the next day I was registered. No time to think about it – full speed ahead.

  I regret nothing.

  

  If I could study how to make money by eating and hiking I would. It’s a good thing I don’t buy a lot of stuff because all my money goes towards gas and food.

  

  I think I’ll just keep running in mall parking lots because it’s almost a guarantee I’ll find a penny or three. Whatever it takes to fund my spontaneous adventures.

  

  After work today I’ll be going on a NEW to me hike, and I will neither confirm nor deny my plans to get Vietnamese foods post climb. Aye aye, full speed ahead.

  Q: Are you a fan of Vietnamese cuisine? 

  

  | 54 Comments Tagged Hike, Hiking, Mount Walker, Running, Vegan, Whole Foods

• Balanced Isolation Leads to Peaceful Understanding

  Posted at 11:00 AM by Brittany, on March 15, 2016

  I want to hug each and every one of you that commented on my last post. It’s sometimes scary opening your heart and soul to a sea of people, but I am thankful that I have never once received a negative comment on my blog. The community we have built here is one I am happy to be apart of, even when I don’t blog as often.

  I adore having this space to share bits of my life.

  

  I want to say thank you for all the kind words shared the last handful of years, and while my blog is just a small speck in a sea of whales I appreciate anyone that stops by. I read and reply to EACH comment, so if you ever ask a question please be sure to check back in for my reply!

  I don’t have the fancy capabilities to have my reply sent to your email, so we just have to put in a little work to engage in conversation in my neck of the woods.

  

  SPEAKING OF woods, I took myself on a solo hike last Tuesday and it was one for the books. A complete spirit, mind, and body renewal.

  I finished my set of classes about a week and a half ago and I tried to get a small bit of exploring in before starting back up again today. My first round went smashingly well, and it was nice to take a non school related book with me into the mountains.

  

  I’m currently reading Amy Poehler’s book “Yes Please” and it’s both entertaining and inspirational all wrapped into one. I was fortunate enough to have this spot of the trail to myself for a while, until a fellow reader came and sat down. It was like our own unannounced book club. Reading different books. Not speaking.

  Just go with it. 

  To balance out this solo adventure I made plans to hangout with a friend a few days later. Like a real life human friend, but first I had to give some love to my main man.

  

  Since I’m trying to push myself out of the isolated bubble human interaction is necessary, but the allure of the silence while walking with animals is one I will never outgrow. There is something special about not being alone, but also not speaking.

  Does that make sense? I’m sounding crazier by the minute.

  

  

  I had quite the adventure once reunited with my friend. At lunch I was served beef after ordering a vegan burger, and then I was blindfolded by a towel while laying on a stingy recliner at a $25 foot massage/full body abuse chamber. The beauty of being balanced is that moments like this are easy to laugh at. I thank my solo hike.

  I also thank my running, even when inconsistent.

  

  Mistakes happen, and why people get worked up when they do is beyond me. I will never be the person to demand a free meal from a mistake, or not leave a tip because my “masseuse” was training for his next cage fight on my arm.

  So what’s today’s takeaway?

  Before letting your own mental distress hurt someone else, put yourself in their shoes. Have you never messed something up before? Have you never upset another person? Have you done something to be given the right to treat people rudely because you feel you’re entitled to? We are all in this world together and should all be treated the same.

  

  In all honesty though I won’t be adventuring to a cheap sketchy massage place again anytime soon, but the memory is one I will laugh at for years.

  Q: Allergy concerns aside, take a moment to think about how you would react if your food order was messed up. Is it really worth it to cause a big scene? My waiter was extremely embarrassed and apologetic, had he been rude perhaps it would have been a different story, but we each treated each other with respect and called it a day. 

  

  | 79 Comments Tagged Adventure, Hiking, Life, Running, Solo Hike, Vegan

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 7:00 AM by Brittany, on February 2, 2016

  1. Anytime I write a post, I ensure it’s posted on the hour, on the half hour, or if all else fails a time ending in a 5. Minor OCD moments. I also like my radio/TV volume to be on an even number. OK I’m going to stop now.

  2. After randomly discovering that my most popular recipe was made by a “famous Youtuber” I felt inspired to bake some muffins.

   

  

  Buckwheat banana chocolate muffins.

  

  3. I was happy with the results of my muffins on the first attempt at this recipe which almost never happens. The flavor is mild making it more versatile.

  1.5 cups buckwheat flour

  1/2 cup rolled oats   

  1/2 tsp baking soda

  1 tsp cinnamon

  3 ripe mashed bananas

  half a pinch of stevia 

  1/4 vanilla almond milk

  1/2 cup chocolate chips

  Combine all dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. In a separate large bowl mix together the bananas and milk. Slowly pour dry ingredients into wet until well combined. Bake at 350F in a greased muffin pan for 16 minutes, after 16 minutes I turned off my oven but left the muffins in the oven for 3 more minutes. Makes 9 muffins.

  Note: the mildness of these muffins means they aren’t overly sweet, which makes them the perfect transport vehicle to top with nut butters/jams/coconut oil/pudding/you name it. To make these sweeter simply add some sugar.

  4. I’m jazzed to start riding my bike more with nicer weather, but finally realize why when I bought it they suggested I get fenders. I was all like “ppppppffftt fenders schmenders.” Until riding in the rain and getting soggy bottoms and mud everywhere.

  

  5. I tried BBQ jackfruit for the first time – stopppppp. So much yes.

  6. Sometimes I unintentionally match my friends.

  

  7. Along with making sure my posts go up on “happy times” I also like my paragraphs to end by filling up the entire line. I don’t like when a new line is created for a couple words. Like this paragraph would have looked without this last sentence.

  8. I love Starbucks because they treat me so damn good. As if paying for my college education wasn’t enough, they sent me a pin and a bag of coffee as a congratulations gift. Oh and I have a dank 401K, benefits, stock options…yeah.

  

  9. I alluded to my ASU adventure last March, and it took me nearly another year to finally bite the bullet. What gave me the final push? I abandoned everything medical/nutrition/science based and went for something else. Feels great.

  10. Two words: homemade waffles.

  

  I’m just gonna leave that last photo right there for ya.

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 98 Comments Tagged ASU, Confessions, School, Starbucks, Vegan

• Body and Heart Music

  Posted at 7:35 AM by Brittany, on January 21, 2016

  “Food is music to the body, and music is food to the heart.” – Gregory David Roberts

  Portland speaks to my soul in ways that Seattle cannot. Earthy, life loving/free spirited people on every corner draw me in with their vegan treats and plant based eats. I’ve made a habit of visiting new places each time I visit, and after spending last Thursday/Friday in the Rose City I can cross five more places off my list.

  .a.n.d cafe.

  After driving for three hours, tummy monster on empty, I was ready to devour coffee and carbs. The place was adorable.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I knew what I wanted before I arrived, and to set the theme for this post (and for my life) I couldn’t choose just one. So I had two.

  

  Berries and “cream” waffle and the vegano burrito. So much yes.

  Stop number one complete.

  .arlene schnitzer concert hall.

  

  The reason I went to Portland was to have my soul serenaded once again by my favorite artist. This time with the Oregon Symphony.

  

  

  

  What I would give to harvest a garden with Gregory Alan Isakov. Swoon.

  Went to concert. Slept. Woke up hungover on life and ran to the nearest Stumptown Coffee in brand new Nike Free’s that cost far too much, but with no tax it was OK.

  

  Savored coffee in the Ace Hotel lobby, and momentarily life was perfect.

  .petunias pies and pastries.

  Drank coffee, ate oatmeal, & prepared for sugar coma. Salted caramel cookie square and raspberry lemon coffee cake.

  

  

  Post sugar influx, I ensured much walking was done. I’m a belieber of my new Nike’s. Never thought I would say that, but man do I love those shoes.

  .garden bar.

  First attempt to balance the sugar. It worked. For 1/11th the price of those Nike’s you can build your own salad with as many greens as you want, and 6 toppings.

  Sold.

  

  Or just eat the outdoor plants.

  

  .back to eden bakery.

  Walked around downtown, endured the rain, felt the addiction creeping back through each vein and migrated to my final destination.

  

  $25 dollars later…

  

  I have no words. Thankfully there were three of us and we saved some for later.

  Food and music fueled my two day trip to Portland. Until next time, it’s time for water and greens. I’m officially a walking glucose molecule.

  Q: Where was your last adventure?

  

  | 72 Comments Tagged Explore, Gluten Free, Gregory Alan Isakov, Portland, Vegan

• Muscle Massage

  Posted at 7:05 AM by Brittany, on January 18, 2016

  Although I find myself running much less in the winter months, my desire for a good massage never dies. Maybe it’s the grey skies, or maybe it’s the cold weather, but I find myself hibernating more in the winter. I think my spirit animal is a bear because I’m all about facilitating tissue insulation through cookie consumption.

  

  

  I digress…

  When I’m running a lot my muscles become accustomed to the wear and tear I put them through, & when I run less I feel each mile much quicker. No surprises there.

  

  Is it just me, or does the map route of this run look similar to the shape of the state?

  While I was in Arizona I ran more in those two weeks than I had in the entire month of December. This meant my muscles felt the fatigue of my neglect. I use a foam roller, but these days I only use it for my back. Plus bringing a giant foam tube on an airplane just isn’t feasible when you need every ounce of space for snacks.

  

  Along with many sunny Arizona runs I also watched a lot of movies, spent new years eve volunteering the same way I did last year, went on a few bike rides, hiked a couple mountains, and had many lovely conversations with family.

  

  

  With all this adventuring my step mom was kind enough to buy me a massage that satisfied every fiber of my being, but massages aren’t cheap and my shoulders and neck resemble a field of clustered grape vines. Insert tiger tail, a small and easy way to bring my massage with me everywhere I go! 

  This hand held massage tool is SO convenient for spots like quads and necks. Or at least that’s what I’ve been using mine for. The euphoria I feel when I use this on my neck is like that of a monkey finding bugs in their fur. I have the classic, but there is an even smaller one for easier portability.

  While I base my muscle rolling on feel (hurtssss so goooood), it’s nice to have a reference of trigger spots to search for. The happy muscles book intrigued my inner science lover and was like a mini anatomy class.

  Nothing beats an actual massage, but at $80 a pop I find paying $35 one time for a muscle roller to be a much better option. Plus, I’m all about shopping local. Since being back home in Washington I’ve only run four miles (whoa there, slow down Brittany), but the knots in my neck are still large and in charge.

  

  Muscle fuel.

  Stretch more, eat green, drink water, roll muscles – the way to a happy body and happy mind. Oh and in my case, EAT. LESS. SUGAR. One day I’ll master that. 😉

  Q: Do you take care of your muscles like you should? I’m a work in progress.

  

  | 69 Comments Tagged Arizona, Muscles, Review, Run, Vegan

• Runners Trots

  Posted at 6:25 AM by Brittany, on November 30, 2015

  Working retail has given me a perspective on people that I am immensely thankful for. While you might think (and hope) people are kinder around the holidays, sometimes it’s the complete opposite.

  

  Serving impatient and sometimes unkind people has made me more compassionate, more understanding, and more willing to help others. I am thankful for this perspective because heaven forbid I loose my shit when a coffee shop runs out of cookies. OK so I kind of understand…

  

  I’ve worked the morning coffee crowd the last two Thanksgivings, so this year I was excited to have the entire day off. This meant I could participate in my first Turkey Trot. What kind of runners trots were you thinking?

  

  I dragged my family with me at 6:45 am to come stand in 30 degree weather while I ran 6.2 miles. The course was gorgeous, the sun was shining, and the hills kept me warm despite the cold temps.

  

  I didn’t see any other runners wearing Vibram’s, but I saw enough spit on the ground to worry about my feet catching hepatitis. I didn’t verbalize any goals, but secretly I wanted to beat my previous “official” 10K PR, and finish in under an hour.

  Turned out despite my lack of running lately I not only accomplished this, but I had plenty of wiggle room. 6.2 miles in 58 minutes and 11 seconds, plus an extra .07 miles due to spastic running tendencies.

  

  Post trot shenanigans I found my way into the kitchen to prep for the feast.

  

  

  What does a dairy, and meat free Thanksgiving look like? It looks like real food. I find great joy in making feasts from scratch. Everything was homemade, from the love of my fingertips. Like a wizard.

  

  Then of course, the real reason I ran…my version of pumpkin pie.

  

  I took this photo three years ago!

  With a full belly, and a happy heart it’s safe to say my Thanksgiving was fantastic.

  

  Q: How was your Thanksgiving?

  

  | 50 Comments Tagged 10K, Plant Based, Race, Running, Thanksgiving, Vegan

• LA Eats

  Posted at 9:10 AM by Brittany, on November 10, 2015

  To be honest my latest trip to LA wasn’t very food oriented.

  I know…and no I’m not sick.

  

  I made it a point to try a few “firsts” starting with a trip to Spitz for their unbelievable falafel. I’d walk to LA just to eat that ball of fried chickpea goodness again. Plus I got to stuff my face while meeting new people. This girl is a gem.

  As for the treats (aka life as I know it,) the only planned pit stop was a visit to a bakery, and ohhh boy did I visit. Erin Mckenna’s Bakery was formerly known as Babycakes, which I had a negative experience with many moons ago. I’m not one to hold grudges, so I gave them a second chance.

  This was a good move on my part.

  

  I got chocolate all over my face with those treats, I had zero shame.

  Another local discovery was a post run acai bowl, $11 worth of fruity goodness. I’m glad the bowl was good, because my interaction with the cashier was less than stellar.

  “Does your granola have nuts?”

  “We have gluten free oats.”

  “OK, but does it have nuts?”

  “It’s gluten free.”

  “NUTS ARE NOT GLUTEN SHOW ME THE GRANOLA!”

  I digress…

  

  I spent more time making food than I did exploring new to me places, and I was OK with that. After a trip to a California pumpkin patch (which is nothing more than a plot of land with hot sun beating on your face and pumpkins placed atop hay, sorry CA, WA has you beat here) a new recipe was created with a white pumpkin.

  

  

  I also found my future tiny home, which was cool.

  

  

  White pumpkin pie, recipe to come on Gigi’s blog next Tuesday.

  

  Cooking food and making videos.

  In all reality I didn’t eat out a lot because I spent all my money on one banana at Disneyland. It’s OK Disney, I forgive you for your overpriced produce.

  

  Most expensive banana known to man.

  I then spent 1/3 of that on a banana twice the size the very next day.

  

  Gotta love amusement park prices. Hanger makes you do crazy things.

  Q: Would you pay $2 for a small banana? I’m not proud of this.

  

  | 54 Comments Tagged California, Explore, Food, LA, Vacation, Vegan

• Fall FoMo No More

  Posted at 8:32 AM by Brittany, on October 20, 2015

  *This giveaway is now closed*

  Time out, how is it already October 20th!? YOWZA.

  Like many other souls on this earth, fall happens to be my favorite time of the year. I adore the pumpkins, the apples, the kiwis (did you know it’s kiwi season, because the kiwis are BANGING right now), and the cinnamon. All the cinnamon.

  

  But seriously.

  Ah yes, I adore fall grown foods, but I also love the activities that come with fall. Pumpkin PATCH, apple ORCHARD, kiwi…picking up at the store, and cinnamon grinding. I had an epic adventure to an apple orchard/corn maze while in Ohio, but I haven’t done a single fall themed activity since and the months are slipping by.

  

  That’s where she comes in. This is Hannah, one of my adorable blog friends over at House Vegan. Hannah and I connected over delicious vegan foods and we share a love for all things fall. Including Disneyland at Halloween.

  Hannah wrote a very clever eBook titled Fall FoMo No More which stands for “fall fear of missing out.” Genius. In her book she gives tips, tricks, and shares delicious fall themed recipes in an attempt to help YOU avoid missing out.

  I am 2/3 of the way into October NEEDING her book to help me prioritize my fall activities. What’s doable, what’s not, write it down, cross things off, make it HAPPEN!

  

  You don’t have to be a vegan to enjoy the recipes shared in this book, in fact one of my favorites wasn’t even edible.

  

  Frozen shower melts..are you serious? Sold.

  Of course there are indeed plenty of edible treats too, my favorite being the salted ginger chocolate chip cookies. I’ll take them all please.

  

  Hannah’s photo

  Or the chili con cashew queso. Straw not included.

  

  Also Hanna’s photo

  Long story short: this book is adorable, it’s cheap, and it gave me warm and fuzzy feelings. You can buy a copy for less than the price of a Taco Bell combo meal (ew) click here, BUTTT you can also enter to WIN A FREE copy simply by leaving a comment on this post telling me your favorite fall activity.

  If you don’t like fall, well then I’m not sure how we’re friends. It must be because you love coffee, cats, or the great outdoors, and for that I can let it slide. As for the rest of you, share your favorites!

  Q: Favorite fall activity!?

  

  | 41 Comments Tagged Fall, Giveaway, Review, Vegan

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