A Few Things I'm Loving Lately + Two Summer Recipes

This long Memorial Day weekend has been just lovely, spending time with friends and eating good vegan food. It's super hot in the city so running was a challenge today but I did it and followed it with an awesome strength workout. So while I savor this long weekend and reflect on just how lucky I am and how beautiful this life is, I want to share a few more things I'm loving lately!! Oh and be on the lookout for my next recipe, cauliflower mac and cheese. Oh yeah!


1. Decluttering: I changed my closets and drawers from winter to summer clothes, packing away all winter clothes, donating some summer clothes and shoes and making more room in my bedroom. It looks and feels fabulous! My closet is clean, things are neatly packed away and it looks simplified. I can find clothes easily and the little space I have in my apartment is maximized. It always feels good to clean and give stuff away. I take my clothes to the nearby farmers market and donate it.

2. Chia seed pudding before a run: these little seeds are packed with fiber, omegas and healthy fat and they give me awesome energy for a run. I make the pudding the night before so I can get up and just hydrate, get dressed and eat. I top it with fruit and a little maple syrup. I have a ton of chia recipes on my blog but here is a new one:

1/4 cup of chia seeds
3/4 cup of non dairy milk
2 tbsp of maple syrup
1 banana
1 mango
1 tbsp of peanut butter (optional)

Combine the milk and chia seeds in a bowl and mix well. Make sure all the chia seeds are covered with milk and not floating on top. Add the maple syrup and keep mixing. Store in the fridge overnight or for a few hours. Add the mango and bananas pieces when you are ready to eat and the peanut butter for some extra healthy fat. Yum yum, I love this breakfast, it's cooling and with fresh, homemade milk and peanut butter, it's raw. This is a perfect summer breakfast!

3. My last post about what I like lately included coffee but I'm trying to lay off of it...mainly because iced coffee is expensive but also because I don't really need coffee. Lately, when I want a creamy, cold, iced coffee drink, I make a chocolate banana smoothie that satisfies my craving and makes me forget about the coffee. So refreshing and delish, a perfect dessert in place of ice cream or a perfect post workout meal. I made one today after my hot run; sitting in the ac sipping this smoothie was pure bliss. Smoothies: what I'm loving lately even more than I normally do!

2-3 frozen bananas
2 heaping spoonfuls of cocoa powder
16 ounces of nondairy milk (less if you want it thick)

Blend well until a creamy soft serve or a more liquidy smoothie. Enjoy!

4. Running buddies: I joined two groups on facebook all about the marathon and being a vegan runner and it's been so much awesome support. I prefer to run and train by myself, I just put my earbuds in and go but having people to bounce thoughts off of or to ask advice is incredible. I'm a nervous runner so I need to vent often, especially since I'm coming off an achilles injury. I love running in this city and having a really supportive running community is important.

I could go on and on but these are the few things in life that are making me happy this week. I'm working on a creamy cauliflower mac and cheese recipe; it's actually done but I need to buy more pasta so I can take pictures. Whole wheat pasta did not photograph well and I'm a stickler for good photos ;) Stay tuned!!!! Follow me on Facebook!

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