I’m baaaaack after a semi-relaxing weekend and a busy start to the week. You know how it goes. But I’ve got a major countdown going on until Thanksgiving break…only 23 days until no school for a week and a couple days! Yeah, that’s 23 days total, including weekends. Where has the semester gone? There’s only 5 1/2 weeks left, not counting finals week. Not that I’m complaining though. I’m in desperate need of a break!
This week’s edition of everyone’s favorite party features what I ate on Monday, along with a few extra pics from the weekend. I’ve been taking more fashion photos lately so enjoy those!
Can I pull off the hippie look?
Sometimes I think I could almost be a hippie. Vegan? Check. Liberal leaning? Yup. Long hair? Of course. Love of boho fashion? Sure. I don’t do the whole drug thing or ‘natural’ hygiene habits (I like my showers and trips to the salon, thankyouverymuch) but I think I could fit in with the hippie crowd just fine. Plus I have a newfound love for their headbands. I just think they add a cute touch to almost any outfit. But are sparkles considered hippie?
Or maybe I’m more of a hipster, writing a paper in Starbucks…
I spent a few hours on Sunday at my favorite FoCo Starbucks. Not because I love coffee so much (though I do) but because I had a paper to write and I thought I’d be less distracted at ‘bucks. Well, turns out that a change of scenery did me good. I was able to finish the paper, enjoy a tall Americano with sugar-free hazelnut and do some people watching while jamming out to Pandora. It was a great, productive afternoon.
First socca pizza = success flavor-wise, but not so pretty.
I finally invested in some garbanzo flour (it was only $2.50 at Sprouts…score!) so I could try out the blogger fave, socca. And I’ve gotta say, it makes a great gluten-free grain-free sub for pizza crust. However, I’m warning you–don’t taste test the socca batter before you cook it. The flavor reminded me of when I used to get bloody noses, it was so metallic-y. But once cooked (I did the skillet method) it tastes great. Especially if you mix it with plenty of spices.
Saturday’s errands outfit: navy striped crop tee (Hollister), dark wash jeggings (American Eagle), silver bangles (American Eagle).
I’ve been wearing flip-flops, tees and shorts on a regular basis…and yes, it is October. I know some of you may have already gotten snow, but this is why I love Colorado. Our weather is so unpredictable this time of year, but it can definitely be summer-like into October. Sadly this streak is coming to an end soon–snow is in the forecast for tomorrow into the weekend 😦
Breakfast
Monday breakfast: pumpkin vanilla protein pudding. Topped with pomegranate seeds and maple pecans.
Like I said, it’s been warm enough here even in the mornings to not want warm breakfasts quite yet. I still have to do smoothies and protein puddings so I don’t overheat. But I still want my meals to be fall-inspired, so Monday’s breakfast fulfilled both requirements. Pomegranate tastes awesome with pumpkin and pecans and maple. It’s like all the flavors of fall in one bowl.
Lunch
Lunch plates for the indecisive girl. Coconut oil roasted brussels sprouts (with organic ketchup), coconut flour microwave muffin crumbles, sweet stuffed acorn squash, peanut flour paste, almond butter, Alter Eco mint chocolate bar.
I haven’t been doing snackplates as much lately but I have been doing them for lunches! One of my go-tos is a coconut flour microwave muffin. It’s so simple to make, just add some coconut flour (1 or 2 tbsp), baking powder, salt/stevia and almond milk to a microwave safe bowl and let it cook for a minute or so. It turns out really crumbly, but totally voluminous and cake like. It’s crazy that a grain free flour turns out like a tasty muffin, but it just does. And I love it!
A side of pomegranate seeds and my phone.
I realize the seeds are called arils, but I don’t like that word. Seeds sounds better. I can’t believe how obsessed I am with these little guys. They were so worth almost staining my skin and every surface of my kitchen 😉
Monday’s outfit: navy pullover sweatshirt (Gilly Hicks), brown woven leather belt (Abercrombie), burgundy twill shorts (Abercrombie).
I don’t wear my glasses often in public (I usually wear contacts) but some days they’re just necessary. Like when one of your contacts is seriously bothering your eye and you realize that it’s illegal for you to drive without contacts or glasses. I can’t believe how bad my vision has gotten since I first got contacts/glasses 4 years ago. I hope I can eventually get laser surgery, but it’s kinda scary too…
Afternoon Snack
Yes, I like weirdly green food. Mint chocolate buckwheat waffle made with kale, topped with mint kale infused protein frosting.
I love love love homemade waffles, in case you couldn’t already tell. My waffle maker is my most-loved kitchen appliance for sure, it gets used almost every day whether for breakfast or a snack. I prefer making my own because ones from the store don’t taste that great, they aren’t as healthy and with homemade ones I can add in only the ingredients that I want and make them whatever crazy flavors I’d like! Plus they’re almost as convenient as store bought, so why not?
Dinner
Sepia-ified nachos. Sweet potato multigrain chips topped with 1/4 vegan Mexican chipotle seitan sausage, coconut oil-sauteed plantain slices, guacamole, crispy kale and nooch.
I love healthy nachos for a quick and easy dinner. The best part is, they’re totally customizable. Monday night’s version included delicious plantain slices, my favorite vegan sausage (it’s so spicyyyy and I love that it’s made with simple ingredients), pan-crisped kale and fresh guac. My nacho base is always Late July multigrain chips, which are great because they’re healthier than the typical chips, gluten free and packed with chia and flax seeds. So nachos can definitely be considered a ‘health food’…well, if you use the right ingredients 😛
Nighttime Snack
My latest favorite nighttime snack: chocolate peanut butter protein microwave cake, made with raw chocolate protein powder, peanut flour, almond milk, baking soda and topped with almond butter and vegan mousse.
I have a strange addiction to microwave protein cakes lately. They’re just so foolproof and you can make them almost any flavor. And they just call for toppings, dontcha think?! I recommend coconut milk ice cream, coconut whipped cream or almond butter!
Do you prefer making some things from scratch, or buying them? Have you ever tried socca or pomegranate?
almostveggirlie 
Such a great WIAW post! This is my first time visiting you, and I’m glad I did! I loved reading all the detailed descriptions of what you ate. I definitely love love socca! It’s so filling and healthy. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by! I’ll be sure to check out your blog now 🙂
I love your green waffle!
Me too! It’s so green 😉
I love making things from scratch. It’s more fulfilling. You look cute! I love the headband. Hippie headbands are awesome and I don’t care if sparkles count or not because sparkles are awesome. I am jealous of your food. Having a meal plan sucks. 😛
Ugh I feel ya on the meal plan. I felt so bad for wasting most of mine last year but I just could not do another year of the same boring food!
Awe hunnie, you are adorable! Love the hippie inspired look!!
Thanks girl!!!
I keep hearng about socca. I need to try it!
You do! It’s soooo good and incredibly easy to make.
I much prefer making things from scratch rather than buying them. Then I get to look the batter in the bowl 🙂
And I adore indecisive plates. Seriously. They are the bomb because you get the best from both (or multiple) worlds! 😀
Haha exactly, the best part of making anything is eating the batter 😉
LOVE the looks of that waffle and nighttime snack, they sound delicious!! 😀 And HECK YES to pomegranate– I wish it was in season all year long!
I know, I’m gonna be so sad when pomegranates are gone for the year! Guess that means we’ve just gotta stock up while they’re still around!
I’ve had pomagranite but no socca, sorry. That waffle looks pretty delicious, I kinda wish I had a waffle maker now!
My waffle maker is seriously the best kitchen appliance I own. I know that it only makes waffles but I make them so often that it’s totally worth it!
those mint waffles look yummy! Recipe?!
Yes! I can actually give you one right now here in the comments because it’s incredibly simple to make.
Just take 1/4 cup of whatever flour you like (I used buckwheat, it always turns out fluffy and thick) and mix with half a teaspoon or so of baking powder, sweetener to taste and chocolate chips if you want them. And then in a blender you mix half a cup of almond milk with peppermint extract and a handful of chopped kale until smooth. Then you just pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined and a little thick and then pour onto your waffle maker!
i really want to try garbanzo flour, I have heard such great things about it
It’s really good, and I got mine pretty cheaply, under $3 for a specialty flour is a great price! I really want to try making falafels with it.
Wow that is a good price, I need to get into it
Haha, yes, you can totally pull off the hippie look!
I love having a pb snack at bedtime, too. The high fat content keeps me full until breakfast, especially if I did a metabolism -reving working earlier in the day.
Yes, fats at night are key to staying satisfied! Now I don’t fear the fats so much at nighttime!
I swear that Starbucks is like the perfect place to get work done. I go there to do a lot of my blogging or on the days where I’m able to work from home, and I always seem to be so productive. Or maybe it’s just the caffeine 😆 And I used to make a lot of my things from scratch, but lately I just haven’t had the time or motivation, really… I just try to choose the healthier store-bought options.
I can definitely attribute some of my productivity to caffeine, it really works wonders! I actually do the store-bought thing a lot too because sometimes the things I make from scratch don’t turn out quite right but my favorites from the store always taste great!
Your green waffles look so cool! I totally go for colorful food,it tastes ten times more delicious simply because it doesn’t look as boring,haha 😀
And hey,you’re a really pretty {almost} hippie! 😉 Super cute!
Awww thanks girl! Agreed on the colorful food thing, that must be why I love orange foods so much 😛
You look great in the pictures and the hippie look suits you well! As for sparkles I’m sure hippies in 2012 are allowed to wear them :).
I’m so with you on vision getting worse after having worn glasses/contacts for years. The eyes seem to get dependent on them and work less well on their own, don’t you think? On the other hand, though, who know how they’d have done without “help”.
Yeah, I’ve always wondered if my vision would be as bad as it is today if I hadn’t gotten my glasses and contacts when I did. But then again, it’s always better to be able to see well, even with assistance!
I definitely prefer to make things from scratch–veggie burgers, oatmeal, burritos, hummus, guacamole, crackers, etc…Though there are definitely some prepackaged products I love as well, such as Maranatha almond butter, several types of chips, and a few others. And I love making socca “pizza,” though I agree that the batter tastes rather nasty:P But it is so simple, and great for those who are gluten-intolerant. Nachos make a great meal or snack; I had some raw nachos during the summer at a food festival in Washington state, and they were AMAZING!!!! I really need to make some waffles soon; we have a waffle maker, but I have yet to tackle a vegan and gluten free waffle recipe (too much gluten tends to bother my stomach). But your green waffle looks delicious:)
I’m so jealous that you’ve had raw nachos before! I had my first restaurant raw meal earlier this month, enchiladas, and they were so good that I really want another raw meal soon!
I actually make all my waffles gluten free because I feel better with gluten free grains. I usually use buckwheat flour and the waffles turn out perfect every time!
Love all your meals they look amazing! I’ve been dying to try Socca too since I’ve been seeing it on so many blogs!
It’s so good, you should get some garbanzo flour and try it out! And you won’t believe how easy it is to make!
I love pomegranate! And I need a waffle maker 🙂 Monday’s breakfast combo sounds delicious! But the hippie thing? Hmm, I doubt they’d be too okay with all the Abercrombie/Hollister/American Eagle (but it’s so not worth giving those up – I love them, too)! I don’t think hippies are very preppy…hipster could probably work, though! I like the sparkly headband – a lot. Glitter = happiness.
Haha yep, not giving up my favorite stores! And glitter is also a must-have!
That’s uh… one big lunch ya got there! …. er…. lol.
That headband looks so cute! I don’t wear em cause they hurt my head, haha 😛
Thanks! Haha this one wasn’t too bad but a lot of them hurt my head too. What I do for fashion 😉
I honestly think you are one of the only people who can pull of the hippie look – you look really pretty! I like 🙂
Mmm those mint chocolate buckwheat waffles sound SO good. My roomie made me cinnamon buckwheat waffles and they were great
Awww thank you 😀
Um, yum, I think I need to make those cinnamon buckwheat waffles soon! And I need a great roomie like yours who will cook for me sometimes!