a heart shaped m and m 

I hope you're having a great day <3

 

Allergy Friendly Lunch

 I made this for my lunch that I pack for work. It was really fast and easy to make, very filling, and healthy! All I did was heat a skillet and place a tortilla with avocado, chicken and Miyokos liquid cheese sauce on it to heat up and get crispy, prepared a simple garden salad, and cut up some fresh cantaloupe. It was so yummy! 

From the Coffee Shop

 

Decaf Oatmilk Iced Latte with Macadamia Nut Syrup

10/10 recommend, this was so good! I really like True Blue, and this was really really good! It was really refreshing and I'm a sucker for macadamia nut flavoring. It wasn't too sweet either, which I really appreciate!

White Chocolate Raspberry Cake

 When I got home from work on Friday I made a birthday cake for my little sister. She specifically asked for raspberry white chocolate cake, and I was happy to oblige! 

I would like to say that this was my best cake ever, and I had a bite and it tasted delicious. It was very time intensive-with the cake, ganache, raspberry filling, buttercream, assembly...but it's well worth it and definitely a show stopper! This could even pass as a wedding cake, I think! 

Here is the recipe I used! click here for link

 nefelibata - Portuguese (n) "Cloud Walker", one who lives in the clouds of their own imagination or dreams, or one who does not obey conventions of society, literature, or art. 

 The question of the day is what is your favorite dessert? 

Mine is probably brownies or cookie dough! 

Vegan Chocolate Mousse

This recipe is so easy, delicious, and a healthy option for a sweet tooth. 

Ingredients: 

    1 can coconut cream (chilled in the freezer for ten minutes, or overnight in the fridge) 

    1/4 + 2 Tbsp cocoa powder 

    3 Tbsp stevia 

    1 tsp vanilla extract 

    

Preparation 

    it's easy, mix them all in a bowl together and then use a electric mixer, a handheld beater, or your own willpower, strength and determination till it forms soft peaks. I really like it frozen with chocolate chips. Enjoy! <3

 

summer vibes

 

Tropical Smoothie

 

This is the most delicious smoothie I've made and here is the recipe! All you need is frozen mango, pineapple and peaches (I use Daybreak fruit blend), coconut water, frozen spinach, pineapple juice and blend it! It is creamy and tropical tasting and is very filling! Enjoy! 

Easy Dinner Recipe

This is a really delicious and easy dinner or lunch recipe that's quick to throw together. We have these frozen chicken pieces that just need to be heated in the microwave and are ready. I put some arugula and sliced cherry tomatoes with it and put half an avocado (with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper) on the side. It was so good, filling, and easy to throw together before leaving for work! 

 

library views

 

Question of the Day

 The QOTD is...

    What's the weirdest thing you have eaten for breakfast? 

So, the weirdest thing I have ever eaten for breakfast is leftover fish and chips when we were in London. :) 

Question of the Day

 The QOTD is... 

    Should pineapple go on pizza? 

In my own opinion, YES. I love bacon and pineapple pizza and you can't tell me it's wrong. 

six ways to incorporate hygge into your home

hygge (who-ga) 

    a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture) 

I love the feeling of hygge so here are a few different ways you can incorporate that feeling of coziness into your own home. 

1. Natural Elements

    things like wood, plants, clay and textured, unfinished materials bring that hygge feel into your home. Wood floors, wicker baskets, potted succulents, and wooden decor are all great options for this. 

2. Soft Lighting 

    this is a pretty big part of hygge. If you can, burning more candles, twinkle lights, lighting warm toned lamps, or even having a dimmer switch on your overhead lights makes a huge difference in the mood of the home. Natural light is also a great way to convey a mood in your home. 

3. Displaying

    displaying things on a coffee table or bookshelf are an effective hygge technique, especially old books. Books have a way of making anything seem cozy and lived in and welcoming. Antique or vintage items also look great on display! 

4. Hyggekrog 

    this is literally meaning 'cozy corner'. I personally have a little nook-lighted by twinkle lights, with a desk, old books, paintbrushes, and music. Some other ideas for your nook are starting with a comfy chair, layering it with blankets and pillows (layering textures is a big part of hygge), place it in a corner with a lamp or by a window and enjoy a cup of tea and your favorite book. 

5. Warm Colors and Elements 

    hygge is all about warmth and making your home feel inviting and comfortable. Neutral and warm colors like beige and cream are perfect for this because they evoke the feeling of peace and simplicity. As for warm elements, try making candles or the hearth of your fireplace the focal point (instead of the TV, for example.) 

6. Scent + Sound 

    these two senses really help make the hygge feel. Consider lighting a scented candle, making bread, starting a diffuser, or burning a simmer pot to help your home smell cozy all day. Playing soft, instrumental music also helps convey a comfortable and romanticized tone. 

In a few words, hygge is mainly about serenity & simplicity and anything that makes you feel peaceful and cozy works. Thanks for reading and I hope this inspired you! 

Question of the Day

The QOTD is...

    If you were a household item, what would you be? 

This one made me laugh. 

I would be a broom. Because, if you're a normal person, you usually dance and sing with the broom. 

Or, a refrigerator-always full of good food. 

My Favorite Vegan Pancakes

I've never been a huge pancake fan until I found THIS recipe from Nora Cooks (I love her website.) 

They're so easy to quickly make, and they taste so good. I love adding a few chocolate chips (a little doesn't give me a reaction) and they're very filling. Her recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of AP flour, but I prefer using mostly whole wheat flour so I changed it up a bit-but it's all to your preference. 

Ingredients: 

1 cup whole wheat flour 

1/2 cup all purpose flour 

1 Tbsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp salt 

2 Tbsp granulated sugar 

1 cup + 2 Tbsp DF milk (I use macadamia nut) 

1/2 cup water 

Chocolate chips

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and spoon a bit of batter onto a hot griddle. Once bubbles start forming on the top of the pancake, flip it, and then wait for the other side to become golden brown. Top with peanut butter, jam, or syrup and enjoy! 

Question of the Day

 The QOTD is...

    If you could only eat at one restaurant for the rest of your life what would it be? 

This is easy for me! I would definitely pick Golden Corral because there is so many options. 

Robert Frost's "Nothing Gold Can Stay" Poem

Nature's first green is gold, 

Her hardest hue to hold.. 

Her early leaf's a flower' 

But only so an hour. 

Then leaf subside to leaf. 

So Eden sank to grief, 

So dawn goes down to day. 

Nothing gold can stay. 

Question of the Day

 The Question of the Day (QOTD) is...

    Have you ever gotten lost? What happened? 

My family and I got lost on a jungle hike in Hawaii after sunset. It was very eventful, we were all covered in mud afterwards but we made it back and it was actually one of my favorite memories. 

Question of the Day

 The Question of the Day (QOTD) is...

    Do you have an embarrassing nickname? What is it and Why? 

My embarrassing nickname is "Crash", which my allergist gave me after I broke my rib :) 

Bucket List Part 1 {FOOD}

 here are a few things pertaining to food on my bucket list :) 

1. Bake a loaf of yeast bread

2. Host a dinner

3. Have tea and scones in England (completed)

4. Bake a cake and give it to someone special (completed)

5. Catch, cook, and eat a fish 

6. Cook a dish from every country 

7. Create an unusual ice cream flavor

8. Make butter 

9. Make jam (completed)

10. Pick fruit from a tree and make a pie 

11. Start an herb garden 

12. Try mochi 

13. Invent my own coffee drink

14. Make and try the weirdest flavored latte 

15. Recreate my favorite childhood dish

16. Make a cookbook for someone 

William Wordsworth's "I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud" Poem

That floats on higher o'er vales and hills, 

When all at once I saw a crowd, 

A host, of golden daffodils; 

Beside the lake, beneath the trees, 

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. 

Continuous as the stars that shine 

And twinkle on the Milky Way, They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a baby: 

Ten thousand saw I at a glance, 

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. 

The waves beside them danced; but they 

Out-did the sparkling waves in flee:

A  poet could not but be gay, 

In such a jocund company: 

I gazed-and gazed-but little thought 

What wealth the show to me had brought: 

For oft, when on my couch I lie 

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye 

Which is the bliss of solitude: 

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with with the daffodils. 

Baked Apples

 Is it just me or am I leaning toward the fall vibes? Spring and Fall are actually very alike here in Alaska. There's rain and clouds and wind and snow and a few days of sunshine. It's muddy and wet. The trees are bare...but at least there's hope for some warm days ahead now! 

I made baked apples this morning (mainly because they were getting too soft and mushy to enjoy) and they turned out really yummy! I love this as a breakfast or afternoon snack or dessert because it tastes amazing and they are so easy to make. I just combined flour, oats, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl, hollowed out two soft apples (one red, one Granny Smith), filled the hole with the oat mixture and put in my preheated air fryer for about seven minutes with a pat of butter on top. 

They turned out perfectly soft, warm, sweet and with a bit of spice from the cinnamon. I like to use Granny Smith apples the best because they are tangier than red. 

Cheers! 

Cinnamon Dolce Iced Coffee

This cinnamon dolce "cinnamon sweet" latte turned out very well-with a few minor changes. 

I made a cinnamon sugar simple syrup with brown sugar, a dash of vanilla, a teaspoon or so of maple syrup, a cinnamon stick, and some water in a saucepan and let it cool in the fridge. Then I prepped my coffee-just plain old chilled leftover decaf, a little macadamia nut milk and a bit of Silk DF heavy cream. Shook it up with ice and about a tablespoon of the cinnamon syrup and garnished with a dusting of cinnamon and a cinnamon stick. 

Some things I would change is that I would make it more cinnamon-y. I thought that the amount of sweetness was pretty good (could be a tad less) but it just didn't strongly enough of cinnamon for me. 

All in all, though, it was really good and it was really fun to make it! 

Caramel Iced Coffee

 I decided to try a new recipe for my iced coffee this morning and since it's cold, wet, and rainy I decided to try making a caramel sauce. The sauce was super easy to make ( brought 1/4 cup brown sugar, a dash of vanilla, a pinch of salt, and 1/8 cup heavy cream (I used Silk DF) and one tablespoon of DF butter to a rolling boil and then stuck it in the refrigerator) 

Then I just got my leftover cold coffee and added a bit of macadamia nut milk and ice and shook it up till it was frothy. Then I spread some caramel in a glass and poured the coffee mixture in. 

Overall the process was easy and it looked beautiful, but I wasn't a huge fan. The caramel was a little too sweet and because of the ice the caramel kind of stuck to the side, which I probably should have anticipated, but didn't. I don't think I'll make it again, but it was fun! 

caramel ingredients 

the caramel mixture 

the coffee mixture

finished product!

the weather

 Classic spring moves again, a lil bit of sunshine, a lot of rain, a little snow. So excited for the snow to be melted!