Lately I've been reading several books and articles about the notion of simplicity. How so often we think of living "simple" in terms of having a lack of material possessions. While this is a great aspect of living this way, I am finding that this isn't the hardest part of maintaining that lifestyle... it's the complicated aspects of our social life, career, and endless responsibilities we put on ourselves that prevent most of us from that simple existence. With all the amazing technology at our reach to help us to become more efficient in our daily routine, you'd think we'd live a simpler life. Far from it. It seems like with this technology more distractions persist and the need to do more, because we can, is always chipping away at us. In an effort to become less stressed, better focused, and more efficient with my time I've started to pay attention to aspects of my day where I truly can simplify. For me that means not using social media as much, paring down my goal lists, stop multi-tasking, not attending every event I'm invited too, and cooking less fancy meals.

I once thought that a great cook (and wife) would never make the same meals over and over. That in order to become better at cooking I had to experiment all the time with different foods. As fun as that is, it's time consuming. When you don't know a recipe by heart, you can't just whip up dinner. So I'm stripping it all away. Going back to the basics. Because at the end of the day, we just want food in our bellies. No frills, just food. 

In my mind, sandwiches are the easiest thing in the whole to make; anyone can do it! You really can't go wrong with peanut butter and jelly, but for those days when you just want something more - spicy pb & jelly tofu sure doesn't disappoint. I know, it sounds bizarre, but if you love combining sweet, spicy, and savory flavors, you'll dig this guy. Not to mention, it makes a killer breakfast sandwich, so don't forget the coffee!!!

Spicy PB & Jelly Tofu Sandwich

Ingredients

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 TB Tamari or Soy Sauce

3 TB Rice Vinegar

1/2 TB Agave

5 TB hot sauce

1 pkg Firm Tofu

Greens

Peanut Butter

Jelly/Jam

Crusty Bread 

Directions

Press tofu for at least 15 minutes to drain water out of it. 

Combine garlic cloves, tamari, rice vinegar, agave, hot sauce, and mix well. 

Cut tofu into desired pieces. Arrange tofu in a baking dish and cover with marinade. 

Marinate for 15-30 minutes. Lightly oil a skillet and pan fry the tofu until the outside is well browned. Toast your bread then spread peanut butter on one or both bread pieces. Add lettuce and tofu, covering the tofu with lots of jelly. If you added more hot sauce, the jelly helps tame the spice! 

What's your go to sandwich?

I've shared countless times how my mother has & always will be a source of inspiration for me... Well this lady is another year older and I wanted to celebrate her birthday with our family's favorite Chocolate Praline Cake. My mother is always up to something, so when we discussed a baking contest she was thinking about entering, I immediately thought of this cake. So the challenge is on! Mom, a vegan chocolate praline is sure to win; you just have to make sure it is prettier than mine! 

 Sometimes messes are for the best, because this cake beats out the non-vegan version that I grew up on. Chocolate, caramel, and coconut whipped cream - yeah that's basically heaven. Also, this cake taste even better the second day, especially if you make a messy version and let the coconut cream harden in the fridge. 

Messy Vegan Chocolate Praline Cake

adapted from Post Punk Kitchen & Pillsbury

Cake

1 cup almond milk

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

3/4 cup turbinado sugar

1/3 cup coconut oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Praline

4 TB vegan butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup pecans + extra for top

Whipped Cream

1 can coconut cream/milk (refrigerated overnight)

2 TB powdered sugar (optional) 

1/4 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Mix together almond milk and vinegar and set aside for a few minutes. Add oil, sugar, and extracts. Mix well. 

In a large bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add wet ingredients and mix until no large clumps are left. 

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together. Cook on low until the sugar is dissolved. Throw in the pecans and mix. 

Grease a cake pan (I used two souffle dishes, but you can easily use a 8in springform pan) and pour praline mixture in and then batter. If you forget to do this (like I did!) you can easily pour the praline mixture on top of the cake once it's baked for 5-10 minutes so it doesn't fall through the cake. Bake for 25-30 minutes (longer if you are using springform or until the center is baked.) 

While cake is baking, beat the coconut cream in a mixer. Slowly add in the extract and powdered sugar. Whip until fluffy. Unfortunately for me, my coconut cream didn't whip up as nicely as it has in the past... hence the messy version! 

Let cakes cool before removing them from the pan and adding whipped cream to first layer and then second. Add pecans to the top & enjoy! 

Note: if you are using a springform pan and are making two cakes to layer, you will need to double the praline recipe for both pans. 

Continuing with the same theme from 2013, my goal of traveling at least once a month is one of my top priorities. Right up there are: training for my second 50 miler, learning another language, refining key cooking skills, journaling more, less time on social media, minimizing the material objects in my life, and continue practicing eating plant based foods. 

I'm fired up about 2014!  I'm slowly figuring out how to live a balanced life while still exploring those endless pursuits, and it damn it feels good. I've always considered myself extremely organized, but I'm not always the best of planners. So I'm testing out the app Lift to help remind me each day about my goals. I'm also pretty obsessed with using the Duolingo app as one of the ways to new a learn language. Journaling has also helped me keep track of my thoughts and focus on the direction I want my life to go. What have you found are the best tools to help you reach a goal?  

Cheers to 2014! Let's go discover! 

Since Zach and I are still in the midst of our kitchen renovation, I thought I'd share photos of our living room! We've had this room finished for about a year, but we took our time filling it with decorations and furniture. At the beginning of our house ownership, I was really into the vintage and shabby chic style, but slowly began to take a liking to all things "mid century modern." Hence the reason for so many pieces stylized like that in our living room. My style seems to constantly change and even though I adore this space, I'm already itching to make it more modern with some natural pieces thrown in for added warmth.  

The cool thing about this space is that a majority of the decor was either gifted, thrifted, made, or repurposed. I painted both pieces of art and repurposed two of the tables, which saved us so much money. Even though the couch isn't my favorite color, it's definitely comfy and was only $100! Eventually we'll end up splurging on a couch that will last years and have a classic look, but for now, this baby works. Probably my favorite piece is the compass my dad gave Zach and I for our wedding. It's a daily reminder of that wonderful day. 

I've always loved to organize and keep my living space clean and simple. We try not to bring in a lot of clutter and only buy pieces that have a purpose or will stick around for a while. This year, we've made a point to start getting rid of more "stuff" as we realized life is so much better with less. This word is thrown around so much that I hate to use it, but frankly we have really grown to like the idea of "minimalism" and not letting our things control our time. It's helped us keep a cleaner house, be more environmentally friendly, more productive, spend more money on higher quality items, and just be happier. As you can see from our space, there isn't much in it, but we like it better that way. :)

They tell you you're supposed to make a wish on your birthday. The cake arrives with candles randomly place amongst thick colored icing; each flame marking the years of your life. At seven, I wished to be nothing more than a Disney princess. At 16, a car, so I didn't have to ride the bus to school anymore. At 21, a new boyfriend was all I wanted. If maturity is measured by your wishes, this year I think I've grown up a lot. For my 27th birthday, all I wished for was a weekend spent with my lover, some great friends, and good brunch. 

Wish granted. 

You can't do brunch without home fries. They are my jam. Slathered with ketchup or hot sauce, these crispy taters never stay around for long. Brunch isn't complete without something sweet to nibble on in between coffee slurps. I haven't made muffins in a while, so maybe I've forgotten or just have progressed in my baking abilities, but I was so impressed how easy these vegan banana walnut muffins came together. 

Moments spent around our dinner table that morning consisted of storytelling, awkward pauses, lots of mimosas, and mouths full of food. Eventually the conversation turned to running, something everyone of us have in common. It's a comfortable place to be, surrounded by runners. Brunch and runners, that's what I want for every birthday. 

That and more mimosas.  

Gotta give props to Kelsey for thinking to add the orange juice to my original pear mimosa recipe. It jazzed it up a notch and to be honest, tasted way better than just the pear by itself. 

Pear & Orange Mimosa

Ingredients

champagne

 pear nectar

orange juice

 lime, cut into slices

Directions

You can either buy pear nectar or make your own. 

To make your own, peel and core about 4 cups worth of pears. Puree the pears in a food processor. In a saucepan add 3 cups of water, 3/4 cups of sugar, and the pureed pears. Cook on medium until the sugar is well dissolved and the pears have cooked down some. Pour out the mixture through a sieve to strain out the lumps. Pour in a jar and store in fridge. 

To make your drink - fill your glass halfway with champagne, top the glass off with half pear nectar and half orange juice. Squeeze and drop in a wedge of lime. 

Then get your brunch on. 

"Just like becoming an expert in wine - you learn by drinking it, the best you can afford - you learn about great food by finding the best there is, whether simply or luxurious. Then you savor it, analyze it, and discuss it with your companions, and you compare it with other experiences." -Julia Childs

 Even in the midst of our chaotic kitchen renovation, there will always be time to cook. At moments, it seems like an obstacle... the kitchen is covered in plaster dust, but we are hungry, so therefore I cook. But more often than not I carve out time because I relish it and I want to continue developing this skill. To analyze the food, share it with my loved ones, and explore those experiences; that is my wish. 

Spending the whole afternoon cooking, styling, and photographing food with my mom is one of those experiences that is meant to be explored again and again. Not only do I learn immensely from her, but there is also a craft to cooking with someone else. Clear communication, mutual respect for each other's suggestions, and an open mind compose a beautiful cooking relationship. It's a wonder when you can create something by yourself, but the reward is tenfold when it is done with someone you love. 

This pizza is to die for. My luck with pizza crust is hit and miss, so when I saw Kate's recipe for an easy pizza dough, I knew my mom and I had to test this out. Combined with an original pizza sauce recipe and killer toppings, this is my go-to pizza for this fall.  

Roasted Squash, Kale, and Walnut Crumble Pizza

Ingredients

Pizza Crust - adapted from Cookie & Kate

1 cup water, heated to 110 degrees

1 TB sugar

1 TB olive oil

2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 whole wheat pastry flour

1 3/4 all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

Squash Pizza Sauce

1 golden acorn squash (about 1 1/2 cups), roasted

1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1/4 tsp thyme (sage works just as well) 

1 head of garlic, roasted in olive oil (using only 3-4 in sauce)

Pizza Toppings

1/2 cup walnuts

1 1/2 TB Braggs (or soy sauce) 

4 cups kale, roughly chopped, sautéed

1/2 onion, chopped and caramelized

4-5 cloves from rest of roasted garlic head

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

2. Mix water, sugar, oil, and yeast together. Set aside for 5 minutes on oven to warm & let proof. 

3. Mix flours, salt, and water together in food processor or knead by hand until combined. 

4. Dust your counter with flour and either roll or hand shape the dough. I prefer this method. 

5. Transfer dough to a lightly greased baking sheet. 

6. Pre-bake on 450 degrees for 5 minutes. 

7. While the pizza is baking mix squash, salt, nutritional yeast, thyme, & 3-4 garlic cloves in food processor. 

8. Puree and slowly add in water to your desired consistency. 

9. Spread sauce over pre-baked pizza crust. 

10. Process walnuts until you get small "crumbles." 

11. Mix Bragg's or soy sauce into walnuts and saute light on medium heat. 

12. Add sautéed kale, roasted garlic cloves, caramelized onions, and walnut crumbles to pizza. 

13. Bake for 12 minutes or until crust is crispy at 425 degrees. 

I'm so bad at celebrating any kind of holiday. This year for Halloween Zach really wanted to get a pumpkin to carve and light for when we had trick-r-treaters... all I wanted was the pumpkin seeds and the leftover candy. Priorities, people! Needless to say, I hoarded the seeds (and some candy) to make a toasted pumpkin seed trio that next day.