Kale Smoothie for Ladies

I'm not going to lie... sometimes it's hard to be a lady. Sometimes there are days when mood swings get the best of you and you become an emotional mess. An emotional mess for absolutely no reason except that, well, you're a lady.

On days like this it's best to stay away from your kitchen. On days like this don't attempt to create a new veggie burger recipe; chances are very high that the recipe that worked so well in your mind won't work out in reality. And then it's just awkward when your male roommate walks in on you crying on the kitchen floor. Not that this has happened to me or anything...

If you do decide to venture into your kitchen, I advise you keep it simple. Throw some frozen bananas into a blender and blend it up with some kale. Toss in some maca powder to correct those hormonal imbalances and add some raw cacao powder for good measure -- unless, you don't like chocolate? And then be sure to enjoy this soothing, fiber-filled smoothie curled up in a snuggie while watching your favorite romantic comedy.

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Dreamsicle Smoothie

If you think it's hard to be a food blogger, I promise you that it's harder to live with one.  We food bloggers are a rare breed of creativity and crazy in the kitchen, but those that love us and have to put up with us on a daily basis are really the ones that deserve the credit.  This post is dedicated to all the significant others of food bloggers who have ever had to hear these words... probably repeatedly.

Don't eat that!  That's not for you, that's for the blog.

Don't touch that!  I haven't taken a picture yet!

No, I can't right now.  I have ten minutes of light left and I need to get these pictures taken.

Get out of the kitchen, I'm blogging.  Take the cats.

Can you edit this for me?  No, you can't wait until you finish that level on your video game.

Not yet.  I have to tweet, facebook, post this on foodgawker, tastespotting, finding vegan, healthy aperature, and.... I'll be there in a minute honey.

Thank you dear partner for all your patience and support.  I think it might be time to celebrate you.  How about a dreamsicle smoothie?

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Raw Sprouted Buckwheat Granola

My cats are peculiar creatures.  One minute they will be trying to kill each other and the next minute they will be grooming one another and snuggling.  One of them is never more than two feet away from a human presence while the other one is never more than two feet away from his food bowl. One of them loves laying in the middle of the living room and being an inconvenience to anyone trying to walk.  The other one?  Oh, he's probably hiding in the towel drawer in the kitchen while on his mission to cover ever single one of my clean towels with cat hair.  Mission accomplished, kitty.

One of my cats is also a plastic bag licker. Do you know what I am talking about?  He is absolutely obsessed with licking plastic bags.  It has given me even more motivation to make sure that we cut down on our plastic bag usage.

Last week his licking became a new phenomenon.  I brought home some DVDs from the library and he pushed through the stack and licked every single one.  After observing this, my other cat decided to do the same thing.  And now, anytime a DVD enters the house, both of my cats will have a licking war over it.  If you have recently checked out DaVinci Code, Charlie's Angels, or Modern Family from the Seattle Public Library, you have probably touched my cats' saliva.  I am so, so sorry.

Earlier this week I pulled out my dehydrator from the cupboard that it's been sitting in since we moved into our apartment almost two years ago. Luckily my cats didn't lick it.  But they sure did hate the sound of it.  Well, until they realized that the top was warm and would be the perfect place to take a nap.  Take note: you don't need two crazy cats, plastic bags, or DVDs to make this granola, but you will need a dehydrator.
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Homemade Nut Milk

Homemade nut milk is all the rage right now.  Not only is it tastier and fresher than storebought nut milk, but it's healthier (less preservatives and sweeteners!) and more economical if you get your nuts from the bulk aisle.  I really love that you get to control the texture and flavor of the milk and create a version that's uniquely all your own!

Here's what you need to know about making your own raw nut milk.  You need 1 part nuts to 4 parts water.  (Since conventional almonds tend to have a lot of pesticides, if making almond milk I would highly recommend choosing organic if possible.)  To begin, you will need:

• 1 cup nuts
• 4 cups water
• a blender (I used my Vitamix)
• a cheesecloth or nut milk bag for straining (if you desire a smoother milk)
• extra goodies for adding flavor or sweetness, if desired

That's it!  It's so simple.  Now, let's get started.

1. Begin by soaking your nuts in some water for about 8 - 12 hours.  
2. Drain water and rinse the nuts.  
3. Add nuts and 4 cups of water to blender.  Blend for about a minute.  
4. If you want a smoother milk, strain the milk using a cheesecloth or nut milk bag.  Put the cheesecloth or nut milk bag inside a clean jar (hold it in place with a rubber band around the rim if needed) and pour the blender of milk into the cloth to strain.
5. Keep the milk in a jar in your fridge and it will last for up to 4 days.

If you'd like to add some sweetness or other flavor, experiment with adding dates, vanilla, cinnamon, agave, or nutmeg.  To use dates, once you have strained the milk, put it back in the blender and blend until smooth and creamy.  Enjoy!

Also, if you strained your milk, save your nut pulp and use it in oatmeal, smoothies, baked goods, or raw dips!