Happy Friday! What do all of my fellow American readers have planned for the 4th of July weekend? It kind of feels strange for it to fall on a Tuesday this year, and I don't have anything too exciting planned. Besides working on some freelance recipe development & blog stuff, I'm hoping to spend some time outdoors to enjoy the weather - I'm thinking perhaps some time at the beach, a bike ride with the hubby, and soaking up the sun in my backyard poolside. Oh, and my hubby will undoubtedly force me to watch episodes of the HBO John Adams series. It happens every year & he's been putting it on TV late-night all week (much to my dismay!). Naturally, I'm sure that my holiday weekend will include some good eats. Today's recipe is an ode to America: red, white & blue yogurt parfait ... [Read More]
Archives for June 2017
26 Weeks of Inspirational Quotes in 2017
Hi friends! Have you realized that we're smack dab in the middle of 2017? That's right, we're in the 26th week of the year. Now is a great time to think about the goals that you had at the beginning of the year, assess your progress, and re-assess what you'd like to accomplish before the year is complete. I'm a big quote junkie, and I love looking to words of wisdom to inspire me. At the beginning of the year, I decided to post a Monday quote of the week on my Instagram throughout the year. Since we're halfway through 2017, I thought it'd be fun to recap the 26 quotes that I've posted. I hope that they serve as inspiration for you to keep working towards whatever goals you've set for yourself. Before we get to the quotes, I wanted to quickly mention that my site is going ... [Read More]
Strawberry Banana Muffins with a Cashew Crumble {dairy free + gluten free}
Day-to-day eating habits can be very individualistic. For instance, some people stick to three square meals a day, while others prefer smaller meals and a few snacks throughout the day. Though I have a set of general eating "rules" that I recommend for everyone, when I get asked what's best in terms of frequency of meals, my answer is whatever really feels best for your body. Personally, I'm a smaller meals and snacks kind of girl. I feel best eating something every 3-4 hours, rather than having big meals. The latter leaves me feeling like I can't digest my food easily. I've definitely mentioned this before on the blog, and it's the reason why I've shared so many snack recipes! As for my go-to snacks, I like whipping up a smoothie, or eating a yogurt or fruit with nut butter. I also have ... [Read More]
My 7 Favorite Hikes in San Diego County
Since I moved to California 7 1/2 years ago (cannot believe it's been that long!), I've become an avid hiker. Hitting the trails offers a workout, stress relief, time in nature, and exercise for my dog all at once. I've realized that hiking is also a spiritual experience for me. It leaves me feeling centered, grateful, and connected to the earth. I believe in the interconnectedness of everything in life, and hiking seems to always remind me of that. It's also a lovely chance to practice mindfulness. I can only describe it as losing myself for a few hours to really find myself. Hiking just with my trail buddy, my pup, also gives me time and space to clear my head. There's always so much going on - lots of noise, distractions, and busyness - but on the trails, everything sort ... [Read More]
Now’s the Time to Take Control Of Your Health
Hi friends! Today we're focusing on the topic of health. Time for some real talk: In both working in the health & wellness industry and just randomly talking to people in my life, one thing that I've noticed is that people love to make excuses when it comes to their health. There certainly may be obstacles in taking charge of your health, and sometimes eating well and exercising often are not easy, but when it comes down it, they're excuses used to justify why people are giving up on themselves. The other day my neighbor and I were talking. He's a middle-aged guy, and was telling me how his sister just passed away. She was in her 60s and died of a heart attack. "People in my family just don't live long. We don't usually make it past 60, it's just the way it is," he ... [Read More]
Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana French Toast
One of the things that I love so much about connecting with other foodies and bloggers that are passionate about delicious eats is getting inspiration from them. So often I'll see a food combination in a recipe and think 'What a great idea!' and sometimes it really helps to spark creativity in my kitchen. I adore that I can get tips about eateries to check out via people I follow on social media, or fall in foodie love with pictures of a fellow food blogging friend's recipe. I love food as it is, but this connection makes cooking, baking, eating, and recipe creating even more fun! One of the food bloggers that I've been reading for years is Sarah from Making Thyme for Health, who I got to meet at Natural Products Expo West last year. Her and I share a passion for healthy, plant-based ... [Read More]