Hi friends! 

My move-in date is quickly approaching, and there are so many recipes I want to whip up in the kitchen before it's back to things I can prep weekends in advance & microwave back at school (or there's also the dreaded cafeteria food + transfer meal options). 

I'm not sure that I would call myself a foodie, necessarily, but I love food with artful presentation and even better taste. Through some fellow bloggers and also pinterest, I've found three recipes I am itching to try before I lose access to my home kitchen. 

1 // These dark chocolate peanut butter cups look to die for! They're also vegan, so the guilt of over-processed and unnecessary ingredients is also kicked to the curb! (Plus, I think the dark chocolate would cut some of the over-sweetness I sometimes find comes along with PB cups.)

2 // This recipe is a little more timely, but something I really want to make in big batches so I can easily throw it in my snapwear and bring it to work when I'm too rushed to make something. I absolutely love the sofrita bowls from chipotle, and I can honestly say I don't miss eating their meat at all. The seasoning of the sofrita tofu actually tastes better to me. I think this recipe would be awesome for those who like to meal prep for multiple dinners at a time, as it makes 4-6 servings! 

3 // Zucchini may not seem like a super appealing vegetable to some, but there are so many things you can do with zucchini! I've had it grilled, made into bread, and also had it fried before, but the one thing I've been wanting to try is zucchini pizza boats. I like the simplicity of this recipe, though I think I would want to turn mine into margherita zucchini pizza boats (because honestly, margherita pizza is the best, hands down). 

Happy cooking!

Paleo Made Simple(r)

Hi friends! 

I recently mentioned that I want to move towards a more paleo based appetite, but I found myself at a bit of a loss as to where to start. Thank goodness for pinterest, though! I found some really helpful guides as to what exactly is considered paleo, and got so excited that I wanted to share them with you!

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I also loved this guide, which gives you steps to going paleo, as well as this blogger's post about paleo lunches that are easy for on the go (which I frequently am in the summertime)!

I can't make promises that I'll perfectly go paleo (milk will be a hard one for me to let go of!), but I am a firm believer that small steps lead to big actions. In doing this, I hope to just live a better lifestyle where I'm fueling my body with better nutrients and getting more energy in return.

Let me know if this switch is something you'd like to hear more about in the future!

Simple Acai Bowl

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As I was scrolling through Pinterest, I came across this recipe and I just knew that I had to share it with all of you! Smoothie bowls are one of my absolute favorites during the summer and I love how easy they are to blend up!

What drew me to this particular recipe was the fact that it is an acai bowl! Acai are a super fruit that I fell in love with while working at my summer job, and they are perfect for smoothie bowls because they are both sweet and tart- clearly the best of both worlds! I especially like this recipe because it is super simple. I had honestly never thought to use frozen acai juice as the basis of my smoothies, as we had always had the smoothie packs at work! I am itching for school to be out for summer now because this bowl looks deliciously perfect for after my morning runs! 

Have you ever tried making an acai bowl?

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LMJ

Smooth(ie) Days Ahead: My favorite smoothie recipe

Even though summer is winding down to its end, smoothies have become an all year round type of drink for me, so I thought I would share with you my all time favorite, go-to smoothie recipe.

You could use any kind of blender, but I prefer to use my magic bullet. It gives the perfect consistency, and also a perfect serving size. 

What you'll need: 

One banana (It's okay if it's a bit over-ripe) 

Frozen berries 

Juice of your choice (Orange based juices work best) 

Ice

I will typically put in anywhere from 1/2 a cup to a full cup of berries, depending on the day.

As far as ice goes, I often can't fit a whole cup of ice in my blender, so a 2-3 pieces work for my magic bullet. If you're using an actual blender I would recommend about 4-5 pieces of ice 

Dice up your bananas and add those in first, then do your ice, layer of berries, and do about a half a cup of the juice of your choice. Blend to a smooth consistency & enjoy!