Photo Journal: On Life These Days:

I made it home in time to see the apple blossoms.

"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals." ~ Johann Von Goethe

 So...in case you've been wondering where I've been lately, and because I have been wanting to write all of this down at some point, here's a quick run-through of my life over the past month or so...

Photo Journal from my instagram (and a few other photos):

I graduated from law school and had a better-than-perfect graduation weekend with family & friends.

I watched hockey with my baby brother.

I cooked for my mama. :)

Got to have those graduation pina coladas by the pool.

Went to my cottage!

My best friend got married!!!

I finallyyy got a haircut. :)

I went to Fort Lauderdale to celebrate graduation with friends who I've met throughout this crazy journey.
(I am so grateful).

Watched more hockey.

I celebrated turning 25 with my favorite twin brother in the whole wide world.

I started a new job!

Ate some super delicious, fresh Florida fruit.

I also made a major life decision as to where I'm going to be in the near future. (To  be revealed...)
...and I started preparing for the Bar Exam.

It's been crazy and emotional, and I've never been so happy and so sad at the same time. Saying goodbye to a chapter of life that has been such a pivotal experience isn't nearly as easy as I thought it would be, but the fact that everything is falling into place so seamlessly is truly inspiring. Good things really do come to those who work really hard to get where they want to be.

Law school has changed me in a million ways. I've laughed. I've cried, and I'm glad that I didn't just breeze right on through it.  It brought out traits in me that I never knew existed. It's hard to imagine that, once upon a time, there lived a little girl who thought she'd never be good at anything. It just goes to show that you really can reach the stars with determination, perseverance, a little bit of idealism, a few strokes of luck, and an amazing support system of family and friends. ♥

Vegan Beet, Carrot, and Snap Pea Cous Cous with an Apricot Lemon Arugula Side Salad (Recipe to Come!):

Quick Update: I cooked this for my mother last night. It was delicious. All of the flavors melted together beautifully. I used ginger, a touch of soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, lemon, cayenne, and salt. Because my mother and I love wasabi, I also added a touch of wasabi on the side.

I will post these recipes at some point this week. My family has been in town for my graduation, and I haven't had my computer with me. My mom and I are about to head to the beach, and we're going to make tapas when we get back. I can't wait! Just so you all know, I have had the most amazing week with my family. I am so incredibly blessed to have them in my life. I'm tearing up just thinking about it. I wish that I could transport them all to Florida and never let them leave.

Anyways, I hope all is well with all of you! Can't wait to catch up with everyone. ❤❤❤

Easy Vegan Easter Dinner Rolls:

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup cold water
2 tbsp. water + 1 1/2 tsp. yeast + 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 tsp. salt
Dash of garlic powder
Makes 16 rolls. 

Instructions:

1. First, proof your yeast. Add the 2 tbsp. water + 1 1/2 tsp. yeast + 1 1/2 tsp. sugar to a small bowl, and stir. Let sit until foamy, about 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Next, add the flour, salt, and garlic powder to a large bowl and sift. Pour in the yeast mixture, olive oil, and water. Mix the dough for a second.

3. Knead the dough very well for 10 minutes. It should be smooth and tacky after you're done kneading it. Form it into a ball, and coat it with olive oil. Place it back in the bowl and cover. Let the dough rise for about an hour.

4. Once the dough has risen, punch it down, and separate it into 16 sections. Roll each section into a ball, and place each ball onto a greased baking sheet. Let rise for another hour.

5. A few minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 350. Bake the rolls for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden-brown. Serve with vegan buttery spread.

Journal Entry: Visitors, Palm Coast, and Disney World:

My dad, step mom, and baby brother all came to visit me last week. We had an awesome time. Of course, after I've been telling them how beautiful the weather has been, they happened to visit on some of the only cold days that we've had this entire winter. That was a bummer, but we still managed to have fun.

After I picked them up at the airport, we stopped at Julie's Waterfront, a quaint little restaurant on Lake Jennie Jewel in Orlando. As some of the reviews say, the place has seen better days, but the food was delicious, the view was pretty, and they had lots of veggie options. The temperature was rapidly dropping, but we decided to sit outside and enjoy the sunset anyway. They did have heaters outside, which they kindly turned on for us.

After dinner, we decided to make a trip to Mall at Millenia, on the more touristy side of Orlando, right near Universal. I picked up some nice stuff: cheap jewelry, another cute America shirt, and a nice dress for my Barrister's Ball (aka "Law School Prom").

After we had done a little shopping, though I didn't understand how my family could still be hungry,  they decided that they needed to get ice cream at the food court. After all, they were on vacation. I was tempted to order the always delicious raspberry sorbet, but my dad suggested another place with fresh fruit smoothies. I elected to take that route, and ordered a strawberry, banana, and raspberry smoothie. It filled me up even more, but I was very happy with my choice.

On Sunday, we decided to weather the cold, and visited my cousin Val and her family, who have a beautiful beach house in Palm Coast. For lunch, we enjoyed wine while overlooking the ocean, and later, we gobbled up some barbecue on the inter-coastal for dinner. It was nice to have some family time. I really miss that down here.

The next day, we decided to go to Disney. They just added a new section to Magic Kingdom: Fantasyland, which has 2 new sections so far: The Enchanted Forest, which was modeled after scenes and characters from Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid, and Storybook Circus, which was inspired by Dumbo. The detail of the entire place is incredible. It always makes me want to travel. It reminds me of all of the quaint, little villages that I've seen around the world, and that magic really does exist.

It was my little brother's first time that he was old enough to really remember being at Disney, and because there weren't any other big kids there, we got to do a lot of fun little kid stuff for him. Being the youngest, he's usually dragged to all of the stuff that everyone else wants to do, and though he loves it, I feel like he doesn't get to be a kid enough. (Throughout the years, we've dragged him on Jaws, Jurassic Park, and lots of other rides that we forget are still scary for little kids).

I was reminded of how little he is when he squeezed my hand at the beginning of the Lilo & Stitch ride, scared and not knowing what was coming next, and again when he laughed when he realized that the "Level 3 Criminal" was only Stitch.  But, as always, he's growing up too quickly. I really miss squeezing his chubby baby cheeks, but I'm glad that he's still a kid. He needed a day to really be one.

...So that's just what we did, we got to be kids for the day, and I'm so thankful to Ashton for giving me the opportunity to be a kid with him and to remember that he's still little, even if just for a day.

Once it was warm enough for lizards to come out, Ashton and I did some lizard-catching. Other than that, we hung out, ate lots of fruit and Publix bread (my dad loves Publix bread), and chilled out. It was really nice. I'm definitely looking forward to getting to see my family more often next year. ❤

Sprouts Everywhere:

My house has been filled with green lately because my roommate has been planting a lot, and I planted this awesome Chia Herb Garden that my grandma sent me last week. It was super easy, and I'm so glad to see that the herbs have already sprouted.  Finally I'll have fresh herbs without having to go to the grocery store. Good and fresh basil and be such a pain to find.

I also sprouted some lentils via Figgy and Sprout's instructions. It was much easier than I thought it would be. If you have any dried beans in your pantry, you should definitely give sprouting a try. Sprouts are the perfect addition to any salad or sandwich, and they're just so good for you.  

Test Kitchen: Vegan Chocolate Espresso Souffles:

I really didn't use espresso in these, just a little bit of coffee, but "espresso" just sounded better. Haha...of course you could always use espresso if you have it, though. Anyways, I was surprised with how well these came out for my first try. I kind of just threw a bunch of ingredients together and didn't really have a clue how they'd turn out, but they turned out almost perfect! I made a few changes/improvements to the recipe, but this is pretty close to how I made them. I didn't know how far to fill these up, so I filled them all up differently, and clearly I filled the one pictured above too high. I'm sure I will improve upon this recipe later, but this was worth posting. I hope you like it!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup coffee

2 "eggs" (I used egg replacer, but you can use flax eggs too) 

2 tbsp. Earth Balance

2 tbsp. almond milk

2 tsp. agave nectar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. olive oil, plus more to grease the ramekins

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

Dash of salt 

Makes 4 souffles.

Total Cook Time: 25 to 30 minutes. 

Instructions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix all of the ingredients together until a nice, smooth batter has formed.

2. Generously grease 4 ramekins with olive oil, and then fill each ramekin about 3/4 of the way up with the batter (to allow room for the souffles to rise).

3. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, and try not to open the oven while they're baking! Let cool and enjoy.

NOTE: Inspired by Vanilla Sugar's Chocolate Souffle Recipe.  ❤❤❤

Out & About: Melt Bar and Grilled:

MELT BAR AND GRILLED:

 Glorified Grilled Cheese: I love it, and I could live off of this stuff. 

I met up with my brother at Melt for lunch after a meeting I had in Cleveland the other day. My cousin has been talking Melt up for over a year now. I'm just never home long enough to make it up to Cleveland. 

I'm glad that Mac and I decided to try it out. It was delicious. They have a lot of vegan and vegetarian options, and they have Daiya cheese. It's essentially a glorified grilled cheese joint, with a variety of options, from falafel to a nice long list of microbrews. 

I got the Roasted Vegetable Sandwich and added mushrooms and Daiya mozzarella cheese. I would say that the pesto on the sandwich was "to die for," but I hate that expression, so I will just tell you that it was heavenly and that I wish I had ordered one to go so that I could be eating it right now.

The zucchini, eggplant, roasted red pepper, carrots, and spinach drenched in pesto and covered in "cheese" left me smiling all day long, not to mention the fact that I was able to have lunch with one of my favorite baby brothers.

I should've gotten better pictures, but I always feel incredibly awkward while taking pictures of my food while I'm out to eat (as if I wasn't weird enough by ordering a vegan meal). Anyways, the pictures don't do the sandwich justice, but I promise you that it was delectable. The atmosphere is also very cozy and fun. If you're ever near one of Melt's Cleveland area locations, you should stop in and give it a try. Check out their website here: Melt Bar and Grilled.

Rich pesto with roasted mushrooms and Daiya Mozzarella: everything a girl could ask for in a grilled cheese.

VEGAN SOUTHWESTERN BLACK BEAN & CORN PIZZA:

My favorite pizza to date! The hot sauce is optional, but it gives this recipe a little kick...this is most definitely a party in your mouth.

Only a few more days until I go home! I'm still working on my papers, but I should have them both turned in by Monday, so I'll be able to relax a little on my plane ride home.

I've learned, however, that writing on subjects that I'm passionate about will generally be much more time-consuming because I always want to add more. (Hence why my first one is not turned in yet).

Anyways, one semester of law school left...scary. I can't believe that 7 years of higher education has gone by so quickly.

Getting back to the recipe, I know that you'll love it! It's definitely worth a try, and the pizza dough is just delicious. Feel free to top it with fresh greens and avocado as well. ❤❤❤

Ingredients:

1 ball of pizza dough (see below)

1/2 cup corn

2/3 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

1 yellow or red onion, diced

1 medium tomato, diced

2 tbsp. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. cilantro

1 tsp. corn starch

1/4 tsp. salt 

Dash of black pepper

Dash of cayenne pepper

Dash of parsley

1/2 cup vegan pepper jack, grated (optional)

Hot sauce (optional - to taste)

Instructions:

1. Make the dough. Allow it to rise for a few hours (see recipe below).

2. Once the dough has risen, add corn starch to your pizza stone or baking sheet, and form the dough into a round crust by maneuvering it around on your knuckles. Lay it on your pizza stone.

3. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Let the dough rise for another half an hour. Mixed the garlic and olive oil in a bowl, and then brush it oven the dough.

4. Next, top the dough with the corn, black beans, onion, and tomato. Sprinkle with salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cilantro, and parsley.

5. Bake at 500 for 10 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven. Top with the pepper jack, and continue baking until golden-brown, another 10 minutes or so. Drizzle with hot sauce and serve. ❤

Best Pizza Dough EVER:

Ingredients:

4 cups all purpose flour, plus a little more for dusting
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups water, ice cold
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. corn starch
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt

Makes three 8-ish inch pizzas or  two 12-inch pizzas.
Adapted from The Bread Baker's Apprentice.

Dough Instructions:

1. Add the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and parsley to a large bowl. Mix together.

2. Next, stir in the water and oil. Knead the dough until it's tacky and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, coat with oil, cover with a damp towel, and let  the dough rise for at least 2 hours (overnight for a lighter and airier dough).

3. After the dough has risen, divide it into 3 sections. If you're only making one pizza, put the other dough balls in ziplock bags and save them for later. (It should last for 5 days in the fridge. I froze my extra dough).

4.  Sprinkle corn starch over a cast-iron skillet, pizza stone, or baking sheet. Spread the dough out evenly on whatever pan that you decide to use. Preheat the oven to 500, and let the dough rise a little more while the oven is heating.

Other Vegan Pizza Recipes: ❤

SMASHED REDSKIN POTATO PIZZA
Falafel Pizza With Vegan Ranch Dressing
Quick Mushroom and Kale Pita Pizza
Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Pizza
Vegan Bruschetta Flatbread
Mellow Mushroom Build Your Own Pizza
GUACAMOLE PIZZA

Vegan Spaghettio's ❤

Who doesn't love a good old can of Spaghettio's? Unfortunately, they're not vegan, so I veganized them for you in this incredibly easy, 15-minute, one-pot recipe. This will feed an army, and it's actually cheaper than buying Spaghettio's. I just may start living off of them. ❤

Ingredients:

1 box ditalini pasta
1 can condensed tomato soup*
1 tbsp. Earth Balance (or other non-dairy butter)
1 tsp. olive oil (optional)
1/2 to 1 tsp. salt (to taste)

Feeds an army (8 to 10 people).
Total Cook Time: 15 minutes.

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions (al dente). Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.

2. Return the pasta to the pot, and add the olive oil, salt, Earth Balance, and tomato soup. Mix well.❤

NOTE:
* You may want to have another can of condensed tomato soup on hand if you'd like a little more sauce or when eating eat the next day. (The pasta tends to soak up the sauce).

Pumpkin Walnut Fudgy Brownies:

Yes, this was dinner tonight. I used my great grandma's brownie recipe for this. I just veganized it and added pumpkin! (I don't think she'd mind). I used almost a full can of pumpkin, but the texture ended up turning out a little weird, so only use about 2/3 cup. Because I added the pumpkin, I added a little more sugar in there as well. These still need a little perfecting, but I had to post them because they're still really delicious. Feel free to make substitutions, but only if you're some kind of pro-baker. Baking from scratch is hard!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup pumpkin (canned)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup coconut oil or vegetable  shortening (you can probably sub Earth Balance too)
1/2 cup water or almond milk
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. ground flax + 2 tbsp. water (in place of the egg)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (plus more for sprinkling on top)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 cup Walnuts

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350. Mix all of the ingredients (except the walnuts) in a large bowl until everything's well-blended.

2. Grease a 13 x 9 inch pan, and pour the brownie mixture in.

3. Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool, sprinkle with a little more pumpkin pie spice, and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes (optional, but I like them better cold).

Vegan MoFo "Chopped" Challenge: Brunch:

I got super-excited when I saw Vegan MoFo's "Chopped" Challenge and the course that we have to make: brunch! The "mystery" ingredients are: butternut squash, apricot preserves, popcorn, and rosemary. I'm thinking of sipping mimosas and cute little tarts, so this is what I came up with:

Butternut Squash, Apricot, and Raspberry Tarts With Rosemary, Popcorn, and Pecan Crust:

This turned out so delicious: savory and sweet with a little bit of a tangy flavor. I could totally eat both the popcorn, pecan, and rosemary crust and the butternut squash apricot filling separately on their own, but when you put both of them together, it really makes a statement. Yum!

Here's the recipe! (Sorry for going a little crazy with the pictures!)

INGREDIENTS:

For the Filling:

1 1/2 cups butternut squash, roasted (I will explain this in the instructions)
1 cup apricot preserves

For the Sauce:

1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (I used frozen mixed berries)
1 1/2 tsp. agave nectar (optional)
1/3 cup water

For the Crust:

1 1/2 cups pecan halves
2 1/2 cups "Simply Salted" (or plain) popcorn, popped
1/2 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread, melted
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary
Dash of Kosher Salt (or Sea Salt)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Roast your butternut squash in the oven on 400 for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Add the pecans, popcorn, brown sugar, and rosemary to your food processor. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt. Process the mixture until it has formed into small crumbles (pictured above). Pour it into a medium bowl, and mix in the melted Earth Balance spread.

3. Add the roasted squash, apricot preserves, and brown sugar to your processor and blend until smooth.

4. In a small saucepan, add 1/3 cup water, agave nectar, and the frozen berries. Bring to a boil, let cook for a few minutes until it has thickened a little. Remove from heat.

4. Spoon the pecan mixture into a lined cupcake pan, filling each individual cupcake tin about 1/3 of the way up. After that, spoon the squash and apricot mixture on top, filling the cupcake tins. Drizzle about a teaspoon of the berry mixture on top of each tart, and top each tart with the remaining pecan mixture/crumbles.

5. Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool in fridge for at least 30 minutes. Garnish with popcorn and rosemary!

I hope you like it...let me know what you think!!! ❤❤❤☺☮ PS: These are gluten free.