Tag Archives: berries

May 14, 2013

Tropical Trail Mix & Traveling Snacks

Before I left for Indio last month, I knew that I would need to bring some snacks with me. I’m glad that I planned ahead, because our team was stuck without breakfast for the first few days we were out there. Yikes! With this post I’ll give you some tips on what to bring with you when your options are limited.

Of course, there are a crazy amount of vegan snack bars that you can choose from, when you need to hold yourself over. I love bringing a couple in my purse when I’m flying, to replace the typical “pretzel or nuts” choices. My bars of choice are Vbars, PureFit bars (which are a lot like Power Bars) and usually Clif bars (only because they are everywhere). The good thing about these types of snacks is that they are small and easy to fit in luggage/bags.

If you have a little more room to bring stuff with you, say you’re driving to a family member’s house or something like that, I would highly suggest making foods that really only need a bit of hot water added to them. Take for example, my Portable Oatmeal Breakfast. You can pack three day’s worth of breakfast into one large jar! Plus, it’s easily customizable to your preferences.

But, what I ended up making for this trip was downright awesome. It took some time because I dehydrated most of the fruits at under 118ºF, but that’s not something that you need to do. Here we have a mix of mango, banana, tart berries and coconut roasted almonds. Crunchy, chewing and filling it’s all you want from a trail mix. Next time, I’m making a massive batch of this and adding it to granola and yogurt for breakfast, it sounds so good!

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March 28, 2013

A Trio of Brunch Beverages

So, it’s Thursday evening where I’m at, which means that tomorrow is Friday and that we are almost to the weekend (YAY!). Now, this weekend is going to be busy for many people; visiting family and friends, doing Easter activities, etc. This is the post that gets you through all that, or at least gives you something to celebrate the end of the weekend with.

For as long as I remember, mimosas have been my mom’s choice of brunch beverage, which totally fits the bill of what a morning drink should be. My dad? Bloody Marys. Believe me, I’ve become a pro at making them; and now that I have vegan Worcestershire sauce, it’s all good! But, I think it’s time to switch things up a bit. Time for some refreshing beverages, where the alcohol is optional but a very welcome addition. 

Maybe next time, I’ll try my hand at doing a more savory drink; but at this moment in time, I’m feeling the sweet breakfast drink, even if subtly so. The cool combination of cucumber, mint and melon make that juice perfect for waking up. Just take it outside and enjoy in some sun (if it’s sunny where you are), or bring it to your computer desk and look at picture of the beach and transport yourself away. Perhaps a soundtrack of waves crashing would help? ;)

Okay, so one of these isn’t really something that you can drink over and over- I’m looking at you beer float- but hey, go for it! I see it as more of a dessert for the end of the brunch. You can easily make this non-alcoholic by using a suitable Strawberry Soda, and if you can’t find a Strawberry Ale, a wine cooler or malt beverage of the strawberry variety would suffice. 

The Blueberry Thai Basil, is really a mojito made over; but, the only thing that remains the same is the use of lime juice and rum. I’ve made this drink fresh and light with sparkling water, seasonal produce and a touch of agave. This is the sophisticated drink of the bunch, so serve it to someone fancy. If that person doesn’t drink, then just leave out the booze! It tastes just as good without.

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June 6, 2012

Peanut Butter & Jelly Oatmeal

Another month, and it’s already started off super busy. I’m beginning to see a theme here! While tomorrow I have a catch up post, of the more personal kind (which I mostly never do), today I have a simple breakfast recipe that you will absolutely love. It has all of the nostalgic flavors of homemade school lunches, but with a different texture and a comforting warmth about it.

With ingredients that are incredibly easy to attain, you can make this oatmeal breakfast in minutes. In fact, right after I made the first batch I told my mother about it, she was intrigued so I whipped up another serving in no time at all. The verdict? This breakfast is a winner in our books!

One Year Ago: Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna Rolls

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Peanut Butter & Jelly Oatmeal
Author: 
Recipe type: Breakfast, entrée
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 1
 

A delicious and easy recipe that encapsulates the nostalgia of homemade lunches, but for breakfast!
Ingredients
  • ½ Cup Rolled Oats
  • ½ Cup Water
  • ¼ Cup Non-Dairy Milk
  • ½ Cup Mixed Berries, (I used Diced Strawberries and Blackberries)
  • 1½ Tbsp. Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 1 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
  • ¼ tsp. Vanilla Extract
  • Small Pinch of Salt

Instructions
  1. Place the rolled oats, water and non-dairy milk into a small pot over medium heat. Once the water starts to boil, turn it down to low-medium heat.
  2. Stir the rest of the ingredients into the oat mixture and keep stirring until the oatmeal is to your desired consistency (thin or thicker).
  3. Garnish with a bit of peanut butter and an extra berry to be fancy! ;)

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Do you have any fruits or spices that are your favorite for oatmeal?

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March 12, 2012

Zebra Berry Crepes

I won’t get into the details of this past weekend at Expo West, because I’ll have an entire post dedicated to it later this week. Long story short, it was insane and I can’t wait to tell you all about the new products and companies that I met and tried out. But, before Jill and I were swept up in all of the madness, we started out our first day with a delicious breakfast of crepes!

I had never made crepes before, so I needed some assistance from a recipe. I was able to find a highly rated vegan crepe recipe at All Recipes and I followed the directions nearly to a T. They turned out great, but I thought that they were a little too oily; so, instead of using a 1/4 cup of Earth Balance I would suggest using closer to 2 tbsp. of coconut oil. Because I was sort of short on time I didn’t chill the batter for 2 hours, instead I put it in the freezer for roughly 30 minutes.

Even with this being my first crepe-making experience, they turned out really good; I think that Jill agrees with me. ;) I would recommend following the recipe for the crepes that I linked to, but I will give you the details for all of the other pieces to this wonderful breakfast.

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Zebra Berry Crepes (Filling & Sauces)
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Recipe type: Sauce
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 4
 

Great sauces to fill and top your berry crepes with. A rich chocolate sauce paired with a creamy vanilla cashew cream and fresh berries. Yum!
Ingredients
  • ¾ Cup Raw Cashews, Soaked 2 Hours
  • ⅓ Cup Water
  • 1 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
  • ¼ tsp. Vanilla
  • ¼ tsp. Ground Cinnamon
  • Pinch of Sea Salt
  • ⅓ Cup Vegan Chocolate Chips
  • 2 Tbsp. Unsweetened Coconut Milk
  • ½ tsp. Coconut Oil
  • 1½ Cups Fresh Blueberries
  • 1½ Cups Fresh Raspberries

Instructions
  1. In a high-speed blender or food processor blend together the soaked cashews, water, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt. Place to the side or in the refrigerator while you make the chocolate sauce.
  2. Using the double boiler technique, with a water-filled pot and empty bowl, melt the chocolate chips down.
  3. Once the chips are starting to melt, introduce the coconut milk and oil into the mixture and stir until they are fully combined and have a sauce-like consistency. Let it cool for a couple of minutes.
  4. When your crepe wraps are done cooking in the pan, put about a tbsp. or so of the cashew cream in the center, top with berries and close them.
  5. Each serving is two per-person, so plate them accordingly; then drizzle the cashew cream and chocolate sauce over the top. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

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Now, I’m not scared to make these again in the future! Plus, I have a little something extra for you. Because it was just the two of us eating this breakfast, we had some crepe “wraps” left. I found a very good solution for this and turned it into a dessert. Just place the crepes on top of small, oven-safe bowl that are coated with a thin layer of oil and bake them at 400°F for 10 minutes or until they start to brown and get crispy. Fill them with fruit and extra cashew cream/chocolate sauce and you have a delicious treat that you could serve for breakfast or dessert!

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