Lately I have been traveling back and forth a lot from university to visit my family back home, so I thought I would share what I ate today on my drive back to school.

Breakfast

Since I don't have a kitchen at school, I took FULL advantage and made chocolate chip banana oat pancakes--so YUMMY. I always miss making pancakes when I'm away, so pretty much this entire weekend I ate these for breakfast, but I'm not complaining!

Ingredients
1 cup oats
1 cup almond milk
1/2 ripe banana
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp coconut oil
a few dark chocolate chips

Instructions
In a blender, blend the oats, almond milk, banana, baking powder, and vanilla until it becomes a smooth batter
Let sit for 3-5 minutes to thicken up a bit
Heat a frying pan on a low heat and grease with a bit of coconut oil
Once the batter has thickened up, pour batter and sprinkle on a few chocolate chips
Let cook until bubbles form around the edges and flip to cook the other side
Serve with maple syrup or any other toppings you like!

*tip: to avoid burning the chocolate chips, using a fork, gently cover with batter

Lunch

I find pancakes pretty filling so I did not end up eating lunch until probably around 3:00pm. On my way out of town I stopped by Rooted Juicery & Kitchen and picked up a superfood smoothie and my all time favorite snack to get there--banana power bites!

Dinner

Before I left to drive back to school this morning I prepped the 'cheese' sauce from Niomi Smart's Macaroni 'Cheese' recipe in her cookbook, 'Eat Smart'. So DELICIOUS! I could honestly eat this everyday. All of the ingredients are super great and I like prepping a big batch of it to keep in the fridge for a bit to have with pasta and broccoli when I need a break from the everyday dining hall and school market options. 

Late Night Snack

I ended up feeling pretty peckish later in the evening, so I had half of a brownie bar that I picked up earlier from Rooted Juicery and some vanilla nice cream I had in my freezer. I topped it all off with a little bit (okay, maybe more like a lot--I just couldn't help myself!) of chocolate sauce!

Claire

xx

Rooted Juicery & Kitchen

'Eat Smart' -- Niomi Smart

There is no better food combination than peanut butter, banana, and chocolate--so good.

Ingredients

1 cup medjool dates, pitted

1/4 cup raw cashews, unsalted

2 tbsp raw pecans, unsalted

2 tbsp raw almond, unsalted

1 tbsp raw almond butter

1 1/4 tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tbsp chia seeds

1 tbsp hemp seeds

a pinch of himalayan pink salt

Instructions

In a food processor, blend the nuts until finely chopped

Add in the dates, almond butter, cacao powder, chia seeds, and hemp seeds and process until well combined

Roll the mixture into little bite-sized balls (I made 13)

Optional: roll balls in cacao nibs and/or cacao powder, or any other toppings you'd like!

Store in the fridge

Lately these 'get baked with me' posts have not involved any actual baking--get raw with me? I have been really enjoying experimenting with raw treats as the weather has gotten nicer, well that, and I'm a TERRIBLE baker! Raw treats just tend to turn out better for me!

Claire
xx

As soon as I saw Purely Elizabeth's sample sale Instagram for these functional granola bars I immediately had to order them. I have never really been a huge fan of bars, but the idea of adding superfood mushrooms into a granola bar caught my attention--that and I am obsessed with Purely Elizabeth's ancient grain granola already! 

Mushrooms?--I know it sounds kind of strange, but upon reading about the mushrooms used and all of their different benefits, it's actually GENIUS. They have benefits ranging from energy and insurance to digestion and immunity and more! There are five different functional granola bars--immunity, refresh, shine, energy, and mind--in classic nut butter, coconut, dark chocolate, and fruity flavors. 

The sample sale is sadly over, but they will be coming out this summer, which is super exciting because I am definitely going to be needing more of these! What could be better than granola bars with a purpose, great ingredients, that taste amazing too?

Functional Granola Bars

Meet the Mushrooms

Ancient Grain Granola

Lately I have been binge watching some of Amelia Liana's old videos/vlogs--she is so hilarious and fun to watch! (She also has amazing style!) And while being weird watching old videos, I came across the Healthy Caramel Slices recipe that she adopted from the Hippy Lane app. They were so easy to make and, although mine don't look nearly as beautiful as hers, SO delicious!

Ingredients

Layer 1 (base)

1 1/2 cups raw, unsalted cashews

2 tbsp desiccated coconut

7 medjool dates, pitted

2 1/2 tbsp brown rice syrup

Layer 2 (caramel)

7 medjool dates, pitted

1/4 cup coconut oil, solid

1/2 cup almond butter

1/4 cup brown rice syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Layer 3 (chocolate)

1/3 cup cacao powder

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1/4 cup maple syrup

Instructions

In a food processor, or blender, add in all of the ingredients for base layer and blend until fine

Pour into a lined baking tray and spread evenly

Place in the freezer while making the second layer

Add all of the caramel layer ingredients into the food processor and pulse until a thick paste forms

Remove the baking tray from the freezer and spread the caramel layer evenly on top of the base layer

Put back into the freezer while making the top layer

Add all of the chocolate layer ingredients into the food processor and blend

Spread the chocolate layer evenly on top of the other layers

Press raw nuts or freeze dried fruit into the top layer (optional--I topped mine with chopped pecans)

Freeze for about 30 minutes and cut into little squares

Store in the fridge!

*I altered the recipe just a little bit to cater to what I had on hand and what I prefer taste-wise.

Claire

xx

Amelia Liana (YouTube)

Amelia Liana (Blog)

What better way to start off my special day than with a stack of chocolate chip buckwheat pancakes--YUM! These are my absolute favorite to make on special occasions (mainly because I'm too lazy too) and before long runs. They are super filling, give me plenty of energy and taste INCREDIBLE!

Ingredients

1/2 cup buckwheat pancake mix

1/2 cup unsweetened original almond milk

1/2 ripe banana

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

dark chocolate chips

Instructions

On a low heat, heat a frying pan and grease with coconut oil

In a blender, blend the pancake mix, almond milk, banana, baking powder, and vanilla until smooth

Pour desired amount of batter onto the pan and add a few chocolate chips, using a fork to cover with the batter

Cook for about 1-2 minutes, or until bubbles form around the edges, and flip, cooking for another 1-2 minutes

Repeat until all pancakes are cooked--I made 4 small pancakes

Drizzle with maple syrup, or any other toppings!

Since it was my birthday, I decided why not go out to lunch? I hardly ever eat lunch out, but today was my birthday and I managed to squeeze in a 10 mile run, so a meal I didn't have to take time to make sounded perfect!

I ended up going to a new place where I live, Crazy Bowls & Wraps, with my mother and it was delicious! There were plenty of plant-based options, it was super filling, and the food came pretty fast--basically everything I could want from a quick lunch spot. I went for a teriyaki bowl with mixed veggies, organic quinoa, spicy teriyaki on the side, and, instead of a protein, avocado. 

Around 4pm I got a bit peckish, but didn't want to spoil dinner, so I chopped up a large honey crisp apple and had a cheeky little peppermint patty from Rooted Juicery!

Tonight I went to Bones' Burgers for a vegan burger with sweet potato fries! They have some of the BEST sweet potato fries, with a little bit of a kick! I LOVE spicy sweet potato fries--the sweet and spicy complement each other so well and they just taste like heaven! Bones' does a homemade ketchup that has a bit of a smoky flavor, which goes amazing with the burger, and I always ask for regular ketchup as well for the fries--SO GOOD. The vegan burger itself is AMAZING. It is made with all locally sourced ingredients that are in season at the moment, giving it a unique flavor every time!

I was pretty full from my dinner, but it was my birthday so I went for a sweet treat anyway! Last week I made blondie brownies, so I heated up one of those, scooped a bit of vanilla on the side, and drizzled it with chocolate fondue! Let's just say I went into a massive food coma, but it was well worth it!

Claire

xx

Arrowhead Mills Organic Buckwheat Pancake & Waffle Mix

Enjoy Life Dairy-Free Dark Chocolate Chips

Crazy Bowls & Wraps

Rooted Juicery & Kitchen

Bones' Burgers

Blondies Recipe

Coconut Bliss Vanilla Island Ice Cream

Trader Joe's Chocolate Fondue

Today's 'what I eat in a day' is full of easy recipes I make in my dorm with just a microwave!

Breakfast

For breakfast during the week I almost always have oatmeal. It's so easy and super filling so it gets me through my long studio classes! I pretty much always make my superfood oatmeal because it is so tasty and it is a good way to get in a lot of good nutrients first thing in the morning!

Lunch

I eat a pretty late breakfast while I'm at school because I always try to schedule my classes for the early afternoon so that I have mornings to workout, do some yoga, or just get myself organized for the day because there is no way that is happening after class...

I tend to not have the largest lunch so today I made a green smoothie bowl. I recently brought my blender to school with me and ever since then life has been amazing! Until I brought it with me I would have a huge fruit bowl everyday--but to be honest that gets old real fast because of the limited fruit selection at the market.

Ingredients

2 large handfuls of spinach

1 frozen banana

1/2 cup mixed berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries)

1 tsp acai powder

1 tsp matcha powder

Toppings

1/2 fresh ripe banana

2 tbsp granola

1 1/2 tsp hemp seeds

1 1/2 tsp chia seeds

1 1/2 tsp raw cacao nibs

a sprinkle of raw pumpkin seeds

Dinner

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato

1/4 cup cooked brown rice

a few handfuls of spinach

2 cups raw broccoli

red onion

bell peppers--red, yellow, and green

1/4 cup black beans

paprika

cayenne

turmeric

Trader Joe's everyday seasoning

1/2 avocado

Instructions

Peel and cut the sweet potato. Season with paprika, cayenne, turmeric, and everyday seasoning and microwave for 10-12 minutes, stirring around every few minutes to make sure it cooks evenly

While the potatoes cook, chop up the veggies

Remove the potatoes and stir in all of the veggies--minus the spinach--the black beans, and brown rice and microwave for about 2-3 minutes, or until the broccoli looks cooked

Stir in the raw spinach and top with sliced avocado and even a little more seasoning!

*I get already cooked brown rice from the dining hall

Since I had a super later dinner I just went for a little treat--some raw vegan chocolates from Rooted Juicery & Kitchen! My mother was kind enough to send me some of their chocolatey goodies for a late Valentine's--so yummy! They got a little messy in the mail, but they are to die for!

Claire

xx

Superfood Oatmeal Recipe

Navitas Naturals Acai Powder

Navitas Naturals Maca Powder

Purely Elizabeth Ancient Grain Granola

Rooted Juicery & Kitchen

For the longest time I thought I HATED oatmeal. I didn't like the texture, I found it boring, and just honestly just completely avoided it. BUT, a few months ago I decided I would just give it a try. I mean why not? I needed something super filling to get me through 3 hour studios and oatmeal seemed like the perfect thing to make!

In order to enjoy eating oatmeal, I tried so many pre-pagaged ones--I know not the best--and even tried different types of oats and some recipes, but nothing gave me the texture I was looking for. I ended up chucking pretty much every superfood, nut and seed, spice, and type of oats that I had into a mug, poured some almond milk and water on it, microwaved it, and the result was complete PERFECTION--well almost. It took a bit of tweaking, but eventually I created my full-proof oatmeal full of healthy fats and protein!

I usually just eyeball what I put in, but I tried my best to get measurements that were close to how much of everything ends up going in!

Ingredients

1/2 cup instant rolled oats

1 tbsp instant steel cut oats

1 tbsp mixed nuts, crushed

1 tbsp walnuts, crushed

1 tsp chia seeds

1/2 tsp raw hemp seeds

1/2 tsp raw cacao nibs

1/2 tsp raw sunflower seeds

1 tsp raw pumpkin seeds

1 tsp raw cacao powder

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2 cup water

*Sometimes I add more water after cooking to get it to the consistency I like!

Instructions

1. Add all of the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix to coat everything in the cacao powder and cinnamon

2. Add in the almond milk and water

3. Let sit for 10-20 minutes, sometimes I'll even leave it for an hour while I have my coffee or even overnight, to soak

4. Add more water if needed and microwave on high for 3-3 1/2 minutes, stopping and stirring to make sure it doesn't overflow

I end up making this recipe probably most days of the week since it keeps me satisfied enough to get through all my classes and it's amazing to have as a pre- or post-workout meal!

Claire

xx

Okay, so technically there is no baking involved....but let's get baked anyway!

For breakfast I love starting out my morning with a smoothie bowl and a black coffee. Today I decided to make my smoothie bowl a bit more special and make it an acai bowl. Smoothie bowls are a go-to breakfast for me when I have time to make them because they are super filling and full of great ingredients. I usually don't measure or anything, I just chuck all of the ingredients into a blender and hope it turns out well!

Smoothie

handful of kale

handful of spinach

1 packet of frozen acai

a few chunks of frozen banana

frozen strawberries

frozen blueberries

a sprinkle of flax seed

Toppings

half a banana

granola

chia seeds

hemp seeds
pumpkin seeds

cacao nibs

Bagels are one of my favorite things and I am really picky about bagels, not gonna lie. I love fresh, fluffy, New York style bagels. I usually pick up a dozen bagels from Bruegger's every so often and freeze them for days like today where a bagel is the perfect quick lunch option. Today I used a plain bagel and just popped it in the toaster until it was nice and golden brown. Then I spread some Kite Hill almond cream cheese, my absolute favorite cream cheese substitute, on top and it was ready to eat!

For a snack I had my favorite kind of apple, a honey crisp apple! I really like chopping up apples quite thinly so that they become a nice snack food that I can munch on for a bit while working on either school work when I'm in school or since I am currently home for the holidays, watching a little TV on my laptop.

For dinner I had some leftovers from the night before, a quick quinoa dish with sweet potatoes. My mother made me this for Thanksgiving this year, since no one else in my family is vegan, and ever since it has become one of my favorite dishes. It wasn't the most Thanksgiving-y dish because of the spicy flavors, but it worked well for my first plant based Thanksgiving! And it does't hurt that I now have this amazing meal idea to enjoy on a regular basis.

Quinoa

1 cup tricolor quinoa

1 can black beans

1 tsp coconut oil

2 tbsp red onion

1 tbsp jalapeno

2 tbsp red bell pepper

2 cups vegetable broth

1 pinch of salt

1 pinch of ground pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp chili powder

Sweet Potatoes

2 medium sweet potatoes

1 tbsp hot Hungarian paprika

Instructions

1. For the sweet potatoes, preheat oven to 375 F and line a baking tray

2. Chop them into little cubes, about 1 inch, and season with paprika

3. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until cooked, shuffling them around every so often to make sure they don't burn on one side

4. For the quinoa, finely chop the red onion, jalapeño, and red pepper

5. Heat a saucepan on a low heat and add a little bit of coconut oil

6. Sauté the chopped veggies until lightly browned

7. Add 2 cups vegetable broth, the quinoa, and black beans

8. Add in the salt, pepper, and spices

9. Let cook for about 15-20 minutes

10. Once everything has cooked, layer the quinoa in a serving dish and cover the top with the sweet potato cubes

11. Serve on a bed of spinach

Purely Elizabeth Ancient Grain Granola

Kite Hill Cream Cheese Style Spread

Bruegger's Authentic New York Style Bagels
Nada Moo Lotta Mint Chip Ice Cream
Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Recipe