Banana, Peanut Butter, and Chocolate Crunch:

I haven't been eating breakfast much lately. (Gasp!) I know, I know. It's awful for my brain, my metabolism, and my all-around-life in general. However, this recipe is going to change that. I used cashews and sunflower seeds to give this recipe a bit of crunch, but almonds or walnuts would also work deliciously here. And who says you can't have chocolate for breakfast? Throw it together in less than 5 minutes, and you're out the door and ready to take on the day.

Ingredients:

2 bananas, sliced

1/4 cup raw cashews, coarsely chopped

1 to 2 tbsp. peanut butter

1 tbsp. sunflower seeds

Vegan chocolate syrup

Instructions:

 Add the bananas to a medium bowl. Top with the peanut butter and sunflower seeds. Drizzle with the chocolate syrup and serve. 

Vegan Chocolate Pudding with Avocado and Walnuts:

This chocolate avocado pudding/mousse is definitely one of my favorite desserts. It's rich and decadent without being too sweet. It's also much healthier than your run-of-the-mill chocolate dessert, and you can make it in less than 10 minutes.

For another delicious avocado pudding recipe, check out the one that Kari posted this weekend. (I'm highly entertained that we were craving the same things while on opposite sides of the world). She used blackberries and strawberries in hers, which looks amazing.

Ingredients:

1 large avocado (about 1 1/2 cups), sliced

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

1/4 cup almond milk 

2 tbsp. cocoa powder

2 tbsp. Hershey's Chocolate Syrup*

1 tsp. agave nectar 

A few pinches of nutmeg

Instructions:

1. Blend the avocado, almond milk, cocoa powder, chocolate syrup, and agave in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add in the agave nectar and a few pinches of nutmeg, and continue blending for another 15 to 30 seconds.

2. Garnish with another pinch of nutmeg, a drizzle of chocolate syrup, and walnuts.

*Hershey's original chocolate syrup is vegan. If you are going to use another chocolate syrup, make sure it is vegan. Also, if you would rather not use the chocolate syrup, substitute another half a tablespoon of cocoa powder and another teaspoon or two of agave nectar for the syrup.

A Simple Summer Snack:

Hey everyone! Here's a simple and healthy recipe for a snack or light lunch. I utilized some of the season's best ingredients here. (I think by now, it's pretty apparent that I love tomatoes and avocados). If you love these veggies as much as I do, this recipe's for you. Add a little sriracha to the mix, and you've got yourself a little snack party. 

Ingredients:

1 large yellow tomato, diced

1 small white onion, thinly diced

1/2 an avocado, sliced 

2 tbsp. hummus

2 tsp. olive oil

1/4 tsp. Sea Salt

1/4 tsp. dried cilantro (1 tsp. fresh)

Dash of cayenne pepper

Serves 2.

Total Cook Time: 5 minutes. 

Instructions:

1. Add the diced tomatoes and onion to a bowl. Stir in the olive oil, sea salt, cilantro, and cayenne. Toss to coat.

2. Split the tomato mixture into two servings, top each with half of the avocado slices and 1 scoop of hummus. Serve with tortilla chips (optional). 

Simple Vegan Tapas:

Lately I find myself in quite the predicament...I'm too spent to cook, let alone blog about it. By the time I sit down at my computer to write (lethargic and slightly depressed), it's like I can't lift my fingers. There's no words left in my head.

The same thing happens when I try to cook. "Rice takes too long....you're not having pasta for the 5th night in a row! Fatty." So I end up with some sloppily-thrown-together meal, in my messy hair and sweatpants, and I think that I may be in a rut.

But the truth is that I'm actually not in a rut at all. I'm really about to cross the finish line in this crazy marathon that I started over seven years ago. Yet, while all of these things are going on behind the scenes, I feel like I'm spinning my wheels. (Who wants to run a marathon anyway? - Side note - I'm thinking of running a half marathon!)

But, all in all, I'm sure that when the Bar is over and I'm all settled into a new home, it will be different, and I'll be able to enjoy the simple things...like the smells of garlic wafting through the kitchen and freshly-made pizza dough rising. Soon. 

I guess I'm really in no rush. The rest of my life is waiting for me regardless. Besides, sometimes it's nice to have a legitimate excuse to have unkempt  hair and live in sweatpants. 

So anyways, who really cares about all of that? I just want you all to know that I haven't forgotten about you!!!

Now...Vegan Tapas!

In case you didn't already know, I am absolutely in love with Spain. Everything about it: the culture, the people, the food (pero no jamon por favor!), everything. Spain has a liveliness that's unparalleled, and it's a beautiful country to spend two summers in. 

Funny thing, before I went to Spain, I absolutely hated olives. Now, if you want to cheer me up or comfort me, all you have to do is hand me some Spanish olives and some Tempranillo wine. It's such a comfort!

The cherry tomatoes don't go the best with olives, but they sure are delicious. Besides, tapas are random small plates that don't really have anything in common with each other anyways. 

Ingredients:

1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. olive oil

Dash of salt

Dash of cayenne pepper

1 1/2 cups arugula

3/4 cup Spanish olives

Baguette bread, sliced

Total Cook Time: 10 minutes. 

Instructions:

1. Add the grape tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and cayenne pepper to a medium skillet. Cook on medium to medium-high heat until tender and a little charred, adding more salt or lemon juice to taste.
2. Once the tomatoes are done, top the bread with the arugula and serve the tomatoes and olives on the side. Don't forget the red wine!

Fresh Portabello Mushroom, Tomato, and Spinach Salad:

If you're looking for something that's healthy and can be thrown together in a matter of minutes, here's you recipe!

The garlic and scallions lend a lot of flavor to the already delicious portabello mushrooms, and the tomatoes add a nice touch of acidity and color. The white balsamic vinaigrette also compliments the salad, and don't forget about the spinach, which adds to the overall nutrition of the dish.

I hope that you're all having a wonderful weekend. My life hasn't been all that exciting lately, but I did go house hunting today (to rent a place, not ready to buy anything just yet)....and now I've fallen in love with this cute and itty, bitty house, with a teeny, tiny kitchen. Not sure how my roommate and I will get all of our stuff in there, but of course, love always finds a way, so..........if it's meant to be, we will make it work. :) I'm crossing my fingers for now.........

I'll keep you posted.

Ingredients:

2 portabello mushrooms, sliced

1 large tomato, sliced

2 scallions, sliced

3 gloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp. olive oil

1 tsp. lemon juice

Dash of sea salt

Dash of cayenne pepper

2 cups spinach (or more)

For the dressing:

4 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. agave nectar (or more, to taste)

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. basil

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

A few drops of lemon juice

Serves 2.

Total Cook Time: 15 minutes or so.

Instructions:

1. Add the olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, and scallions to a large skillet. Season with the salt and cayenne, and then cook on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the mushrooms and the lemon juice. Cook on medium-high heat for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and a little charred.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk the white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, agave nectar, oregano, basil, sea salt, garlic powder, and lemon juice together until the dressing is well-combined.

4. In a medium bowl, toss the spinach in the dressing to coat. Top each salad with the mushroom and tomato mixture, and add any extra dressing as desired.

Berry Breeze Smoothie:

This smoothie is super easy to make and perfect on a hot day. It's also loaded with antioxidants. But I don't need to tell you all of that because this has tons of berries in it, and who doesn't love berries? I sure do, especially in the summer (which is almost here, by the way).

Ingredients:

2/3 cup frozen mixed berries (I used strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries)

1/2 cup spinach (optional)

4 ice cubes

1/2 cup grape juice or freshly-squeezed orange juice

1/2 cup water

1 tbsp. ground flax (optional)

A few drops of lemon juice

Makes 2 smoothies.

Total Cook Time: 5 minutes.

Instructions:

Blend all of the ingredients together, add more water or juice as necessary to achieve the desired consistency.

Vegan Lemon, Arugula, & Apricot Side Salad:

Hey all! Happy Monday! I got back from Fort Lauderdale late last night, and I'm trying to get moving on this Bar prep stuff. I had another great weekend. We took a road trip to South Florida for my friend Liza's law school graduation party, and the weekend was full of fun and friends. Her party was full of delicious food, from gourmet grilled veggies to roasted artichokes and tomatoes. Did I mention that there were bottomless mimosas as well?...Coupled with beachfront views and an after party at the pool?...Clearly we all had a great time.

Anyways, I have so much to post. I will get to it. I promise. I have tons of new recipes that I can't wait to share, and I can't wait to finish writing my post that I've started on everything that has been going on in my life recently. It has been a whirlwind.

In the meantime, though, this salad is amazing. This was the first time that I can remember eating apricots (absent being in jam or in cookies), and I have to admit, I'm a little enamored. They're delicious and fresh, and they have a sweet yet tart flavor that pairs so well with the arugula and sesame oil in this salad. Serve with toasted baguette bread if you have it.

Ingredients:

2 cups baby arugula

3 apricots, thinly sliced

1 to 1 1/2 tbsp. sesame oil

2 tsp. lemon juice (or to taste)

1/4 tsp. Kosher salt

Instructions:

Add all of the ingredients to a salad bowl. Toss to coat.

Summer Chickpea Salad with Bell Peppers & Citrus:

It has been particularly rainy here in Florida over the past week or so. I'm convinced that I brought it back from home with me.

On my last day home, we went to my little brother's flag football game, where the rain was coming down sideways, and the temperature neared freezing. All in all, though, I love going to his flag football games.

There's something amusing about watching seven year-olds running back and forth down the football field, the overly-enthusiastic parents' yelling, and the excited look that my little brother gives me right before the play's about to start.

The rain is okay with me, but only because it reminds me of spending time with my family that day. I obviously picked the wrong week to go home because my family keeps bragging about how beautiful the weather has been all this week. They deserve it though, they've made it through the long, cold winter, and, believe me, that is a pretty tough thing to do.

Anyways, I'm sitting out here, on my patio, in the rain, with my squirrel and duck friends. It's cloudy and grey, but I'm a little thankful for the excuse to not feel obligated to be at the beach or the pool (though the beach sounds pretty awesome right about now).

Yesterday was a much nicer day, and I made this summery chickpea salad. It's so easy to make, and you can easily double it. The lemon and lime go so well with this dish. Cilantro would also be a nice addition, though I forgot to use it.

Fortunately, the outlook for the week ahead is sunny and hot, and it better be because I graduate from law school next weekend! I'm pretty sure that I deserve a pool day with lots of piña coladas and sun.

Ingredients:

1 15oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. lime juice

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Dash of cayenne pepper

Serves 4.

Total Cook Time: 10 minutes.

Instructions:

Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl. Toss to coat, adding more salt/vinegar/seasonings to taste.  Serve wrapped in flour tortillas (optional).

Vegan Mac and Cheese Sauce with a Kick:

Here I go with the spicy flavors again! Don't worry though. This recipe isn't all that spicy. I only added a little bit of cayenne pepper and Cajun seasoning to make it a little more interesting.

I smashed the diced rutabaga, but you can always puree it in a food processor or blender if you're trying to hide the veggies from any unsuspecting children.You can also add a little extra almond milk for a creamier sauce.

Ingredients:

1 package your choice of pasta, cooked according to package directions

1 15oz. can diced rutabagas, drained 

1/2 cup yellow onion, thinly sliced

1/3 cup plain unsweetened almond milk

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Dash of cayenne pepper

Dash of Cajun seasoning (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions.

2. While the pasta is cooking, add the olive oil, garlic, and onions to a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat until translucent, about 7 minutes. Stir in the diced rutabagas, garlic powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Smash the mixture with a potato masher until it is smooth and creamy, and then continue cooking on medium heat for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.*

3. Stir in the almond milk and then the nutritional yeast. Cook on medium heat for another 5 minutes.

4. Drain the pasta when necessary. Once the sauce is ready, add it to the pasta and serve.

*If you choose to puree the rutabaga mixture in the food processor before, add the diced rutabagas, garlic powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and Cajun seasoning to your food processor before you put it in the pan, and then process it until smooth. Add it to the saucepan, cook for 5 minutes, and then proceed to step #3.

Fresh Vegan Veggie and Basil Pesto Sandwich:

Looking for a fresh and healthy meal option? Look no further than this basil pesto and vegetable sandwich. I had it when I was visiting Disney with my family, and it was so good that I figured I'd recreate it here. Pesto is so good for you, and it lends a nice and summery flavor to the dish, as do the fresh vegetables. Just look at how colorful this sandwich is! Whip these up for lunch or dinner any day. They're also perfect for a beach day or hiking trip.

Anyways, I hope that you are all having a wonderful Monday. I had a pretty busy and crazy weekend, so I'm struggling a bit, but I guess that's the price you pay for having too much fun. I had to take the MPRE (an ethics test for attorneys), so I decided to take it in South Florida and visit some good friends at the same time.

After the exam, we got all prettied-up and went to my friends' law prom. It was a lot of fun. Their prom also had a lot of good veggie options. The starter was a fancy and decadent pear, walnut, and spring mix salad. My entree consisted of carrots and asparagus in some sort of glaze (I had a few too many dirty martinis at that point, so I can't remember the exact flavors all that well, but I do know that the chef did a great  job and actually made an effort to put flavor in my dish). The vegetables also came with a delicious polenta, which took me all of ten seconds to scarf down.

Along with my yummy entree, I had a hefty serving of bread dipped in oil and vinegar. I'm pretty sure that I ate at least seven pieces. (Fatty). They brought cheesecake out for dessert, and though it looked delicious, I obviously declined. But when I got the munchies at the end of the night, they had huge bowls of hummus, chips, and salsa out for everyone. Unfortunately, some of that ended up on my white dress, and I just paid a ridiculous sum of money to have it dry cleaned last week. It was worth it though. I guess I'll be heading back to the dry cleaners again this week, and I'm sure they'll shake their heads.

Getting back to the food, here's the recipe!

Ingredients:

4 slices of focaccia bread

1 tomato, sliced

1/4 to 1/2 white onion, sliced

1/2  medium cucumber, sliced

1 roasted red pepper, cut in half

A few pieces of lettuce

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. roasted pine nuts

1/3 cup hummus 

1/4 tsp. salt

Makes 2 sandwiches.

Total Cook Time: 10 minutes. 

Instructions:

1. Add the basil, pine nuts, salt, and olive oil to your food processor. Process the mixture until it's smooth and creamy.
2. Next, spread 1/6 cup of the hummus on two slices of focaccia. Top each with a few slices of tomato, cucumbers, onions, roasted red pepper, and lettuce.
3. Spread the basil pesto mixture on the remaining two pieces of focaccia, and place on top of the sandwich. Cut each sandwich in half, and enjoy!

At the ball with Monsignor, who, by the way, is one of the most interesting people in the world. He is also the amazing person who puts our Spain study abroad trip together.

Tomato Basil Salad With Vegan Mozzarella Crumbles:

Yum yum yum. This salad was perfect for my Florida day, sunny with a high of 76. It's hard to imagine that some of you are getting snow right now. I'm also loving the fact that the sun is staying out longer. It's so lovely, and it gives me a lot more time to get good pictures for this site. I even have time to go for walks after work now without having to worry about it getting dark out.

Since I last posted, I  had tons of fun at Barrister's Ball, got a little sick, got and started a new (and awesome) job, and have been trying to finish and tie up loose ends at school. Some pretty big decisions are looming; decisions that I thought I already made. But new opportunities are always good, and surprise twists in life keep it exciting. I'd rather be surrounded by doors than walls. Fortunately, I trust my gut pretty well. I somehow seem to have steered myself in the right direction so far, so I'm very confident about what lies ahead of me.

Enough of that, let's get to talking about the food. This tomato, basil, and mozzarella combo is a classic. It's light and delicious, with a subtle hint of sweet basil. The balsamic vinegar gives this salad a nice bite, and the ripe tomatoes will melt in your mouth. I got the mozzarella recipe from Artisan Vegan Life. It's an awesome recipe, and the cheese is pretty easy to make. For all of you stuck in the snow,  eat this salad for a quick reminder that summer is right around the corner (hopefully).

Ingredients:

2 cups tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup vegan mozzarella, crumbled

4 Boston lettuce leaves

1 clove roasted garlic, minced

1 1/2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. basil (to taste)

1/4 tsp. salt

Dash of black pepper

Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

Serves 4.

Total Cook Time: 10 minutes 

(not including the time it takes to make the mozzarella)

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients except the lettuce to a large bowl and toss to coat. If you don't want to mix your mozzarella in, sprinkle it on top once everything else is mixed together.

2.  Serve the salad in the lettuce leaves (as pictured above).