Almond Milk

I had never tried almond milk, but I decided it was time to change that. Before attempting to make it, I did a some reading and learned that you need to have cheese cloth or a nut milk bag (haha) to strain the milk after blending. I went ahead and ordered a nut milk bag because cheese cloth seemed like it would be too much effort/I would end up making a mess. The bag worked great, I definitely recommend getting one!

What you need....

• 1 cup raw almonds, soaked in water overnight


• 3.5 cups water


• 2 pitted dates, or to taste


• 1 tsp vanilla extract


• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

How to make it....

Place almonds in a bowl and cover with water. Soak them overnight (for 8-12 hours).

Rinse and drain the almonds and place into a blender along with water, dates, and vanilla extract.

Blend on high until smooth (1-2 mins depending on how awesome or terrible your blender is).



Hold the nut milk bag over a large bowl and slowly pour the almond milk mixture into the bag. [At first I tried using a mason jar...there wasn't enough room to pour all the milk, go with a bowl.] Gently squeeze the bottom of the bag to release the milk. It took me a few minutes to get all the milk out.

Rinse out blender and pour the milk back in. Add the cinnamon and blend on low for a few seconds to combine. Pour into a jar to store in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Shake jar very well before using as the mixture separates when sitting.



I immediately brewed some coffee and had some almond milk with my coffee, YUM!

K, byeeeee.

Fried Bananas

I really wanted to make fried plantains (even tho I have no idea if I even like plantains?), but they didn't have any at the grocery store, so I decided to try using regular bananas. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but I gave it a try and I was pleasantly surprised.

What you need....

• 1 ripe banana, sliced


• coconut or olive oil


• cinnamon


• honey (optional)

Cover the bottom of a skillet in oil.  Heat on medium low heat until the oil begins to sizzle a little. Then add the bananas.  Fry them for 3-4 minutes on each side. Once the bananas are looking golden, remove them from the pan and place them on a plate.  Lightly sprinkle with cinnamon.

I can't have any sugar during the WLC, but I think drizzling the slices with honey would be really good! Go ahead try it for me and let me know how awesome it is. K, byeeeee.

Broiled Grapefruit

I wasn’t sure how I would feel about warm grapefruit. Would it be gross? Or would it surprise me and be delicious? Well, it was delicious!! I think it's my new favorite "dessert."

What you need...

• 1 grapefruit


• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar or agave nectar, divided

How to make it...

1.  Preheat your oven to broil. 


2. Cut the grapefruit in half. Use a paring knife to cut around the grapefruit & between the segments (if not using a grapefruit spoon to eat post broiling) & place the halves on a baking sheet.


3. Evenly sprinkle the nectar/brown sugar over the surface of the fruit.


4. Broil for 2-3 minutes on high or until sugar starts to bubble or brown.


5. Serve warm.

It's so yummy! K, byeeee.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

I was walking around the grocery store yesterday trying to decide what I was going to have for dinner. I ended up grabbing portobello mushrooms thinking I could try and make a WLC-compliant version of stuffed mushrooms. I had no idea what I was doing when I started, but holy crap, the result was magical. I was cooking for one, so this recipe only serves one. Double, triple, or even quadruple the recipe as needed!

What you need...

• 1 portobello mushrooms


• premium pork or turkey sausage roll (I cut off a 1 inch piece, equivalent to approximately two sausage patties.)


• a big handful of spinach


• 1 egg


• 2 tsp flour (I used coconut flour)


• 2 tablespoons tomato sauce


• 1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

How to make it...

Preheat the oven for 400 degrees. Clean the mushroom with a damp cloth, remove the stem, and  spoon out the gills. Spray both sides of the mushroom with olive oil (I suggest you invest in one of these). Place on a baking sheet gill side down and bake for 10 mins. Remove from oven, flip the mushroom so gill side is up, and set aside.



While the mushroom is baking, brown the sausage in large skillet over medium heat. Once the sausage is cooked all the way through (no more pink), drain the grease and remove from heat. While the skillet is still hot, throw in a handful of spinach and toss it around - it will wilt quickly. Pour the sausage/spinach into a bowl and mix in the red pepper flakes, egg, and flour.



Top the mushroom with all of the sausage mixture. Place in the oven and bake for 10 mins.


Once the mushroom is done baking, turn the oven to broil and leave it in for 5 mins or until browned (just keep an eye on it...no one wants to burn this yumminess).



Top with tomato sauce and DESTROY THAT SHROOM.



Oh my lord it was so good. Try it, you won't be sorry. K, byeeeee.

Taco Seasoning

If you've ever read my blog before, then you probably know by now that I love mexican food. When I first started the WLC, I thought I would get over my obsession..because what is mexican food with out CHEESE and sour cream?! Well, I still wonder that, BUT I guess you could say I've gotten used to the absence of my two favorite toppings.

Anyway, I started making my own taco seasoning a while ago (and blogged about it) simply because I forgot to buy a packet of it at the store. Since starting the WLC, I'm happy to know I was doing at least one good thing for my body. Most popular brands of taco seasoning have things like yellow corn flour, maltodextrin, potato starch, and other totally unnecessary ingredients...so just make your own! I've adapted my recipe a little every time (and usually just pretend I'm a pro and eyeball it), but here is my most recent concoction:

What you need...

• 2 tablespoon chili powder


• 2 tablespoon ground cumin


• 2 tablespoon garlic powder


• 2 tablespoon onion powder


• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper


• sea salt and pepper to taste (I use 1/2 teaspoon of each)

How to make it...

• Measure and mix....ta dah!! You have taco seasoning!


• Be sure to store it in an airtight container.


• When cooking, add 2-3 tablespoons of this mixture + 1/2 cup of water to one pound of cooked meat (of your choice). Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently until there is very little liquid left in the pan.

 

Sorry no food pics, just me giving a thumbs up. Haha k, byeeeee.

Salmon In A Bag

Salmon is delicious AND good for you. Don’t be fooled into thinking you have to waste your money at an expensive restaurant (or even worse, a horrible cheap one) to enjoy a good salmon dish. Cook your fish in a bag! It’s as easy as it sounds.

What you need...

• 1 salmon filet 


• 1 tablespoon of butter


• 1 lemon, sliced


• salt and pepper, to taste

How to make it....

Stack your lemon slices, salmon, butter, salt and pepper on tin foil and wrap it up tightly. If you want to get really fancy, slice-up some vegetables and throw them on top before sealing the bag.



After a quick bake in the oven (325 degrees for 35 mins) you will have restaurant quality dish worth posting on instagram. Good ol' fish in a bag. DO IT. K, byeeee.

Spicy Avocado Lime Dressing

This dressing is amazing. I made it yesterday and have used it for every dish since then, including:

• a salad with chicken


• as a dip for carrots, green peppers, and cucumbers


• as sauce on a burger


• for breakfast on top of a bed of spinach with 1 fried egg and bacon, YUM!

Basically, its awesome on everything.

What you need...

• 2 ripe avocados


• 1 jalapeno pepper, stem removed (or not if you want the extra heat)


• 2 cloves garlic, peeled


• large handful fresh cilantro (literally just grab a handful)


• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt


• 1/2 cup water


• 1/4 cup lime juice

How to make it...

Put all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth! If you aren't happy with the consistency, add another 1/4 cup water.



Then PUT IT ON EVERYTHING because its that good.



K, byeeee!

Quick Cucumber Snack

This is another one of those instances where I'm cheating by calling this a recipe, but whooooo cares?!

What you  need...

• 1 cucumber, sliced


• 1 tbsp lemon juice


• 1 tbsp olive oil


• a sprinkle of chile powder


• salt and pepper to taste

How to make it...

To be 100% honest, I made up those measurements. I'm just trying to make this look like a legit recipe......it's not.

Just cut up the cucumber and sprinkle all of the ingredients on top until you're satisfied with the taste. Sometimes I skip the lemon juice and use red wine vinegar instead. Sometimes I just use vinegar! Regardless of how you make it, this is a great snack! I like to make it ahead of time so the juices [whatever they might be] have time to soak into the cucumber, yum!



How do you like your cucumber? I'd love to know! K, byeeee.

WOD for 32

Live for 32. Love for 32. WOD for 32.

"While 32 of our friends and classmates are in heaven trying to explain what a Hokie is, I stand here sure in the fact that I wouldn't want to be anything else."

Coconut Cream Pie

Larabars are the shit. Every single flavor is more delicious than the next. Why has it taken so long for someone to figure out that squishing these natural ingredients together would create such tasty treats?! More importantly, why wasn't that person me? I could be making bank selling Mallobars at $1.80 a piece! Which brings me to my next point, they're not cheap! However, because there are so few ingredients, I figured they couldn't be that hard to make! Annnddd I was right! I started with my current favorite flavor, Coconut Cream Pie, and after some trial and error I found the perfect balance of the ingredients! This recipe makes four larabars mallobars.

What you need...

• 1/2 cup raw almonds


• 1/2 cup unsweetened organic coconut flakes


• 8 large dates, pitted


• 1 teaspoon extra virgin coconut oil

How to make them....

Put all of the ingredients in a food processer and blend well. It should looks something like this:



Dump the mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap, form a rectangle, and place it in the fridge for about 10 mins and allow it to harden. Remove it from the fridge and cut it into four bars (I used a pizza cutter). Wrap them individually with plastic wrap to avoid eating them all in one sitting :)



I should also mention that the real coconut cream pie larabars contain cashews. I didn't have any cashews and these taste awesome, so I'm going to say they're not necessary!

So which would you prefer, store bought larabars @ $1.80 or homemade mallobars @ $0.60/bar?! Seems like a no-brainer to me! K, byeeeeee.

 

Brussels Sprouts

I hardly ever ate bacon before the WLC started. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE BACON, avoiding it just seemed like a necessary evil in order to fit into my jeans. However, since the WLC started, my basic food groups are fruits, veggies, and bacon. We all know bacon makes everything better. It’s true. Yes, even chocolate. I’m crazy like that.

Anyway this post isn't actually about bacon, its about brussels sprouts - haha! I had never cooked brussels sprouts before. My immediate reaction to them is yuck, they smell bad. But during the WLC I've been branching out a lot and trying new things, so why not try making brussels sprouts?! After some careful research on the interweb, I found that roasting or sautéing them is the way to go. Adding bacon, well that was just a given.

What you need...

• 1 pound brussels sprouts - trimmed and halved


• salt and pepper to taste


• 6 slices bacon (0r an entire package, whatever works)


• 3 cloves of garlic - minced or sliced thinly, your choice

How to make it...

1. Peel off any bad leaves from the brussels sprouts and cut them in half lengthwise.


2. Heat a pan over medium heat, add bacon (I cut my bacon up in to small pieces), and cook  for 1 minute.


3. Add the brussels sprouts and fry until they start to brown around the edges.


4. Add garlic slices and fry 1 minute until softened.


5. Drain brussels sprouts to remove excess oil and serve immediately.

Pretty easy right? Personally, I still think brussels sporuts smell like feet. My apartment smelled for a solid two days after I made these, BUT they're quite tasty...so I guess it's worth it? I'll let you all decide for yourseleves. K, byeeeee.

Spaghetti [Squash] & Meat Sauce

Before I started the WLC pasta was a staple in my diet. About two weeks into the challenge I was dying for some spaghetti! I had never had spaghetti squash before, so there was no better time for me to give it a try. It was so easy to make, and I didn't even miss having real pasta in the dish. The sauce I threw together was amazing, and super easy to make.

What you need...

• 1 spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed


• 1lb grass-fed ground beef OR turkey OR italian sausage


• 1 (14oz) can tomato sauce


• 1 tablespoon dried parsley


• 1 tablespoon dried basil


• 1 tablespoon dried thyme


• salt and pepper, to taste

How to make it...

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, use a spoon to remove the seeds and excess threads. Place spaghetti squash cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.



While the squash cooks you can make the sauce! Add the meat of your choice (I didn't have any ground beef or turkey so I used spicy Italian sausage and I loved it!!) to a medium skillet and cook until browned. Drain the meat to get rid of the grease, and add parsley, basil, and thyme and a bit of salt and pepper.



Then add your can of tomato sauce and mix well!



After 30 mins, remove your spaghetti squash from oven and use a fork to dethread the squash.



Top it with the meat sauce and enjoy!



I was surprised how much 'spaghetti' the squash made, I ate left overs for days. It's super easy to make, it tastes awesome, and you get to enjoy it for several meals...what could be better?!! Nothing. K, byeeee.