(775) chevrefoil et lanval

My flu is gone, so I'm back in the swing of school (thankfully). I'm also thankful to say that I have this Monday off for Labor Day which means a picnic may be in the works!

Cory brought me crockpot chicken curry and jasmine rice while I was sick. It was so lovely and made me ready for Autumn!

a new twist on my mom's favorite flu remedy: corn chowder, but this time with added fennel bulb and tarragon. the fennel and tarragon's anise flavors worked really well together to make a warm, comforting soup. corn chowder will always be one of my favorites.

I couldn't bake cupcakes last week, so we bought some gluten/dairy-free zucchini, squash, carrot cupcakes with a tofu frosting from Whole Foods. I paired this with some comforting chamomile tea.

another of my mother's classics: simple pan-fried squash, to which I added basil. there is seriously nothing better than fried squash and I may try my hand at frying zucchini later today!

I've been making an attempt to make new things that interest me in the kitchen to learn more about flavors, techniques, etc. this week I've been trying to put my freezer to good use by making these smoothie cups (and also by freezing soup!). this recipe will yield 5 smoothies and is a great time saver. they aren't very filling, however, so you could sub rice milk and add protein powder when you make the actual smoothie.

again on the recurring thing of trying new things: I finally used my immersion blender to make Joy's soup. this has become one of my favorite, easiest soups to make. I really loved the texture and spice of it too. thyme works amazingly well next to tomatoes. I froze the leftovers, which I'll mention on my next post!

flu is finally gone!

this quinoa salad was good to have in the fridge a few days this week. it was also a quick snack for a study group!

colorful, local NC vegetables

post-mouth-numbing-dentist-visit-smoothie (this is when the smoothie cups come in hand!) also, Adventure Time cup!

the study method that isn't supported by most colleges.

(756) life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall

Well, I did it. I somehow made it to UNCG after two years of trying to get here. All I can say is that I'm proud of myself and oddly excited about this semester...though I know it's going to be tough.

super easy, spicy lentil vegetable tacos. this is my first try and cooking lentils and I undercooked them a bit, but they were still good. also, toothpicks really help them stay up in their shells!

also took a second stab at making soup. this time: summer minestrone soup. the curry powder really brings the whole soup together, and the red wine vinegar didn't hurt either. this is definitely a new favorite and just what I was looking for.

I almost royally screwed this bars by messing up my sugar ratios, having to re-make the crust, and over measuring the raspberry puree. I suggest you not rush and take your time with these (because they don't take long to make) and you'll be left with perfectly sweet pink lemonade bars. I subbed vegan earth balance, a mix of sorghum/tapioca flour, and xanthan gum.

first day of class calls for comfort food: chickpeas with spicy wilted greens. this recipe is almost memorized by now after making it so many times. it's so simple, hearty, delicious, and really spicy with garlic, red pepper flakes and garlic toast.

my new living basil plant. 

remember when I said hummus grilled cheese was the best? well I lied. roasted tomato + fried egg grilled cheese is now in first place. roasting the tomatoes for an hour and making them into a paste with garlic and basil was totally worth the extra effort. this was so garlicky, flavorful, and the cheese melted to perfection (which is almost unheard of for vegan cheese). I had enough tomato paste to yield at least three grilled cheeses, which is why I pictured my other (perfected) one below!

first day as a sophomore in college. kind of freaking out that this is actually happening.

this will consume 1/3 of my life for the next semester.

golden, gooey, eggy perfection. I definitely mastered it the third time around. I also got a new tablecloth for photos! :)

(746) don't worry, mama will fix it

so I went to the beach for a week and now I'm back!...

for another week, until school starts. then who knows how much I'll be blogging.

while it's still summertime, you should make these cupcakes. it only makes six but they're sooo good (as is the vegan strawberry curd). I made them GF with sorghum/tapioca/xanthan and dairyfree with rice milk and coconut milk "whipped cream" (which failed miserably!). 

scrambled eggs//sriracha___fried potatoes//ketchup

how to make Ashley's "French" sangria: slice strawberries, peaches, and apples. put in the bottom of a pitcher. cover with a good amount of red burgundy wine (cheap/good). add a good helping of bacardi rum and good orange triple sec (the good stuff!). stir. add sugar to taste. let sit overnight and taste to adjust sugar again. it should be sweeter since the fruit absorbs most of the alcohol. eat all the fruit in the pitcher if you want to have a drunken night!

vegan gluten free chocolate cake layered with cream cheese frosting, strawberries, and blueberries from Bay Naturals Store in Myrtle Beach

 my new (favorite) dress. I love purple!

headed to the beach with beer and a backpack

my two favorite people in the entire world. hands down.

 best friend of 8 years and going strong! (especially here)

on the slingshot!

herrrp time on my part.

getting ready for a day at the fair!

vegan glutenfree chocolate raspberry cupcakes + cosmopolitans = real life stuff

grilled old bay (self-caught) mahi mahi, chicken apple sausage + kale quinoa, and asian pan fried vegetables

the asian pan-fried vegetables were to die for. made by Daniel

suggestive? yes.

finally conquered another breakfast favorite! the easiest, quickest french toast. I used rice milk and gluten-free bread for substitutions. 

I also finally tried lump crab! lump crab remoulade with avocado, herb vinaigrette and cherry tomatoes at Aspen Grille in Myrtle Beach, SC.

(736) home sweet home

things have been pretty mellow here. school starts in 2 weeks and some days. I go to the beach Sunday! ready for a vacation and also for school to start!

nothing I love more than a simple meal, hard cider, and a dear friend. I am always willing to trade dinner for drinks. always. 

makings for the first soup I'll make

delicious lentil soup for two topped off with fresh lemon juice

one of the best friends in my life. pretty much a brother to me

breakfast for Ashley and I: dill scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, strawberries, toast, and juice boxes

delicious two-toned squash. sauteed this with onions and served with buttered pasta

orange colored tomato, red onion + balsamic vinegar salad

first time making (perfect) hard-boiled eggs resulted in dill egg salad

oven baked vegan nachos

finally tried this wine! suits me just fine

//1. spiced chickpea zucchini saute
//2. quick lentil soup for one
//3. breakfast nachos