Strawberry Fields Forever Whole Wheat Pancakes

As the light streamed through my window this morning, through the slivering cracks of the blinds, I knew that today was going to be filled with much appreciation and lovely food.

It took me a while to fully awake from my sweet dreams of my friends and I skipping through a shower of sprinklers in my backyard. Clad in our best swimsuits, me in my lavender and blue bandeau bikini and my friends in their halter tops, their triangle swimwear, and flip flops, I was having a glorious time.

My gang and I have a special name for the group: the Unholy Trinity plus one. We're a gang of squabbling, awkward, special girls. We are loud, wild, free-spirited, and the bee's knees. 

I'm more than blessed to have them. I fantasize us riding along somewhere in the heart of the US in a bubble-gum pink Chevrolet convertible, yapping about whatever. I imagine always keeping in touch, even if I'm halfway across the world tasting some exotic jasmine tea. 

I'm celebrating Easter without them this year. We always dye Easter eggs, no matter how old we become. One best friend is swimming in the Maldives. Lucky ducky! One day we'll travel 'round the world together.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I really love them, my Unholy Trinity friends. And the next time we're all together again, then these pancakes will be first on the list to make!

Late last night, around 22:30 on the hour, I felt this overwhelming surge to create something creamy and dreamy and decadent. After scouring the web and redesigning my blog (FOR THE LAST TIME) and adding a Pin It Button (which you should totally do, pin some of my recipes please!), I created some strawberry fairy cakes in pancake form. 

It's safe to say that I like to use a lot of different filters for my pictures. 

After much deliberation and listening to some good 'ol Enya songs to get my creative mind working, I decided I'd create another one of my own pancake stack.

A dash of cinnamon here, some baking powder there and a hearty scoop of white whole wheat flour, and you're off to the races!

Be prepared for a delicate and creamy, uber fluffy stack which makes eleven 6" pancakes! In these pictures, I only used six and froze the other five for later. (or tomorrow- depends how antsy I get for pancakes!)

HEALTHY WW STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER PANCAKES:

*1/3 C of oat flour (either buy it store-bought or save money and blitz oatmeal up in a blender)

*1/2 C of white whole wheat flour (I used Trader Joe's)

*1/2 C of any non-dairy milk mixed with a T of lemon juice for a vegan buttermilk

*diced strawberries mixed with honey or agave

*2 tsp. baking powder and cinnamon each

*vanilla extract, about 1 tsp. 

*1 mashed banana 

*1 flax egg for a vegan substitute, or just use one egg

*2 T plain Greek yogurt (or use coconut yogurt for a non-dairy sub)

DIRECTIONS:

1. make your flax egg and buttermilk and store them in the fridge for about 5-10 minutes to thicken up

2. mash the banana (it better be spotty dotty and super ripe with black spots all over it fora  natural sweetener)

3. stire the banana with the flours, baking powder, yogurt and milk

4. whisk in the flax egg and the other ingredients 

5. flip your pancakes and top with tons of fruit, nuts, and nut butters with some pure maple syrup! ENJOY!

Love, Alli 

other amazing recipes:

Coconut Cashew Ice Cream with Strawberries

Wild Blueberry and Cinnamon Mylkshake Pancakes

Not Too Sure, Answers to Everything, & the Warmest Cookie Latte for a White Christmas!

Since my last post, I've been thinking about how insightful I've become over the last few months: I'm not really feeling too pressured to be fit the exact measurements I always thought I had to meet. Today I realized that it's okay to not know.

I usually have an answer for everything. For example…..
Why do you feel sad/unhappy today?
~I'm anxious, and I need to remind myself that my size or looks don't define me. Sometimes, I have unhappy days where all I think about is myself, but I'm trying not to think about myself so much.

Why are you angry at other people? What did they do to you?
~I think I'm angry at everyone right now because I'm mostly angry at myself. I feel like all of my faults have been turned onto other people and now it's their fault that I'm mad, but it's really not.

But when asked how I feel about everything in this moment, I don't know.

It's okay that I don't know. I don't have to feel every minute and every answer to my hypothetical questions. I'm not even sure I know what I'm typing.

I know that I feel happy, but then afraid at the same time. I'm afraid of looking back and never moving forward. The past is apart of me. But I am not my past; I am my future. Many months ago I was my past, but that was my future. My future now is ahead of me, somewhere where I'll be wiser and more lively instead of just someone with a past that she'll never let go of.

And so for now, I don't know. I don't know if I'm supposed to feel relieved or frightened; Maybe both. What I've learned over the past few months is that it's okay to no know for sure. Nobody has the exact answers to everything and who really could? Even if I did have an answer now, I bet you all that it would change in my dysmorphed, colorful world of confusion and amazement. You don't have to feel or know in the exact moment to be wise.

It's 60 degrees and the end of December. I've finally accepted that we are not having a white Christmas here in Salt Lake. Oh well, maybe there will be a white Christmas actually. I'm not too positive on that one though. 

Christmas drinks at Starbucks are always so yummy and super festive! They're too overrated for me though. I wanted something eggnogy, fresh, minty, creamy, warm and milky- so I created the perfect Cookie Latte one night a few nights ago whilst sleep-drinking. (I was super tired and practically sleeping) 

The crazy amounts of sugar and odd processed crap the legendary Starbucks drinks has to offer just…. didn't appeal to me. Apparently there's no real pumpkin in their pumpkin spice lattes. How shameful and appalling, really!

My wintery concoction turned out fab I'd say! IT'S ALSO SUPER EASY TO MAKE! It's perfect with the slight buttery taste the pb gives and the vanilla makes a warm drink. At the end, with the dark chocolate 88% chunks, they melt and are irresistibly sweet and yummy in your mouth!! Ahhh….

COOKIE CHOCOLATE WHITE CHRISTMAS LATTE:

 *1/2 C of almond milk + 1/4 C of canned full-fat coconut milk (I like to use Trader Joe's or Thai Kitchen)

*1 tsp. of honey, pure bourbon vanilla extract, and coconut sugar each

*1.5 tsp. of creamy natural peanut butter

*1 small square of at least 88% dark chocolate, chopped into tiny pieces. 

I don't recommend using cacao nibs because they don't melt the way that super dark chocolate does

DIRECTIONS:

***The best way is to make on the stovetop, I posted the way to do it in the microwave on instagram, but since then, I think that the stovetop way works better to break up peanut butter chunks and to melt everything in***

1. In a small sauce pan, stir the almond and coconut milk and coconut sugar together on medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes until nice and frothy.

2. add in the honey, vanilla, and melt your peanut butter in the microwave so you can stir it better. Stir until well combined- 3-4 minutes.

3. pour into a white Christmas mug and stir in the dark chocolate chunks! Enjoy!!

Xxx, Alli

Peace Within, over 1300 Pageviews on VBK, & Christmas Banana "Ice-Cream"!!

The lighting is perfect: it's almost a gloomy day, dark and misty but the air is dry and silvery. Perfect time to post.

I've not had hardly any time at all to post, I just barely had to get a new phone because I dropped my old 5c on my friend's toe and it dropped and the screen literally faded to dark purple. What the heck? This past week was the last week of school before a whole 2 weeks of break! (I just adore Christmas and New Year's break!!) 

Anyway, in this post, I'm going to share my thoughts and feelings on how I've changed over the past couple of months, and how my change has been a good effect on me and my surroundings.

My mental health has improved quite a bit. Even though it may seem so sparkly and like I'm so joyful all the time, I'm not. I'm a real person with real feelings that I don't always brush off. What I've learned over the past couple of months is that my body is often in a war with itself. For now, I'm finding some unity within. 

Most days, my body image is alright. Some days though, I feel lonely and miserable, withdrawn and isolated. With these real feelings, I mask them into a false feeling I like to call 'fat'. I feel fat on those days. Here's something I've learned: you cannot simply feel fat, you must be calling yourself fat because of unwanted feelings you don't feel like coping or coming to terms with. This isn't for everybody, but I hear this a lot. 

I also have anxiety. Anxiety is merciless. My anxiety is not me, but I like to hide behind the shadow it creates. I usually fret over small flaws and details in my everyday life, whether it be me consuming food with a lower nutritional value than I'd like, or not moving around enough. 

Butterflies eat away at my gut. My eyes aren't my eyes anymore- they're some dark, shadow's eyes that have no depth with specks of panic. My hair becomes brittle and thin, and my hands turn eggplant purple; My hands become cold. There's also a constant ring inside my head- I'm not crazy, but guilt likes to bottle up inside my gut and come up to my head to explode. I think the guilt likes to trick me into thinking that I'm worth less than how much I really am.

When I feel like this, I am quick to recognize that I've sank to the bottom of a murky pool with sharp edges and weeds swimming around. Today I swam and pulled myself up to the surface of the pool; I am okay. 

The past few months have been mostly lived in peace. I like the word peace, it reminds me of a beautiful river streaming freely; I'd like to live in that river forever. The plan for the next couple of months is to renew peace within my body for good. Maybe my body and I can be friends. Think of your body as a house: you wouldn't try to burn it down, so why would you try to damage your body in order to even make it look like something unrealistic? 

For today, my body is at peace. It might not be tomorrow or the next day, but for today, that's enough.

On the other (less emotional) hand, VBK had reached over 1300 page views! What a pleasant surprise! Thanks to everyone who has read my blog. I'm blushing right now <3

Today I'm sharing with you guys a new favorite banana "ice-cream" recipe! You all know the drill- freeze some spotty-dotty bananas and whip 'em up to create an ice cream like texture. 

The right blend of citrus and matcha green-tea flavor along with berries really gives a pop-tart taste and smells just like Christmas should. Tip*: if you freeze the bananas and let them thaw for 10-15 minutes, then you'll make the blending process easier on your blender or food processor. 

HEALTHY CHRISTMAS CHEERY ICE'CREAM:

*2 frozen, spotty dotty ripe bananas, sliced

*1/3 C of any plant-based milk(s) (for this I used half coconut and half almond)

*1 tsp. each of matcha green-tea powder, pure vanilla extract, orange zest, and honey

*1/2 C of frozen mixed berries

*1/3 of a frozen acai berry packet

*2 ice cubes

*sprinkle of excitement for Christmas (coconut sugar)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Start whipping up your bananas with the plant-based milk(s), frozen berries and acai packet, and ice cubes. After, you should stir the stuff

2. Add in the rest of the ingredients and whip up some more. When you're finished whipping and stirring, then scoop the yumminess into a colorful Christmas bowl and let sit in the freezer for approx. 30 min. to an hour to harden and thicken up for the perfect ice-cream/frozen sorbet like texture. 

3. Sprinkle some coconut sugar on and enjoy by the fireplace! Actually, please don't. The whole thing will melt profusely. Stay cozy though!

***NOTE: Please take into account that I am posting something said very personal. If you are in any way triggered by this, then please notify me. I'm trying to, as I said, find some peace within and this is my journal. Xxx, Alli <3***

Seattle, sippin' fruit and juice, and lots of laughs!

                                                               Whether it's in Utah,

or Seattle, 

green smoothies make up at least 25% of my diet. I'm not going to tell you that they refresh my mind or that they let my inner organic shine through. Green smoothies make me happier-inside and out! I'm not sure what it is, but something about green makes me want to eat it and makes me not want to at the same time. You can literally make any kind of green smoothie taste good, no matter what shade of green! (I personally like lime green best, like the Seattle picture one) 

   In July, I took a trip to Seattle with my cousin Sarena and we went alone on a plane to see our dear aunt, Ching. Auntie Ching is a flight attendant who travels many places! She gets to explore Paris, Amsterdam, Alaska, and many more places that I cannot think of at the moment. Us three girlies had the time of our lives! AC (short for Aunt Ching) was so kind and lovely to have us. She really was the star of our trip with her great wit! We probably pulled muscles in our tummies from laughing so much.

                                         We went to Pike's Market and sampled the tastiest treats!

AC took us to her nail person and we brought her some lovely flowers from Pike's market!

To be morally honest, we spent most of our time there eating! I didn't mind that.

We at least bought 8 pounds of blueberries at this one blueberry farm. They were big and fresh, juicy and sweet, and probably perfect for a hangover for anyone who needs them, haha! XD

 Every morning for breakie, we slurped on some smoothies. AC had just bought a new Ninja Blender, so every night and morning was a blast of fun creating lots of smoothie recipes. I always took a green smoothie that was filled with lots of greens! At the Pike Market, greens were literally around every corner.

YASSSSSSS

   Anywho, the asian stores we went to had so many exotic fruits to behold and try. There was jack-fruit, pitaya/dragon fruit, lots of lychee (I kind of…. ate a whole bag myself! oops), berries that were insanely sweet, and even durian was there. Oh and the pineapple was good too, mmmm. Of course we had to experiment smoothie recipes, so below is the recipe we all came up with:

SEATTLE'S GREEN MONSTER DRINK-WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 

*2 celery stalks- cubed

*2-6 oz. of freshly squeezed orange juice

*1/2 a granny smith green apple 

*10-12 green grapes 

*3/4 of an asian pear

*about 5 strawberries (LEAVE THE STEMS ON. IT IS ADDED NUTRITION)

*1 whole cubed and diced cucumber- peeled

*a handful of both spinach and kale

BLEND IT ALL UP AND ENJOY! I SUGGEST YOU DRINK THIS BY A BEAUTIFUL HYDRENGEA BUSH LIKE I DID.

AT-THE-TOP-OF-THE-PAGE GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE-WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

*2 oz. each of almond milk and coconut milk (I used Trader Joe's) 

*1 tsp. each of date sugar, hemp seeds, and maple extract

*4 oz. of frozen pineapple and raspberries

*3 ice cubes

*HUGE handful of baby spinach (Yeah, baby! XD)

*1/4 each of a Fuji apple and a very huge and juicy orange

BLEND IT ALL UP AND THERE YOU GO HAVE A NICE DAY XD

Friends, going bananas, and lemon poppyseed pancakes!

 
   These girls plus a very wonderful friend from London, are some of my very favorite friends right now. I love making new friends out of nowhere and I find that my expectations towards how people should act are decreasing, as I have learned that everyone is different and nobody can read my mind. I used to fret when somebody would not smile back at me or if somebody accidentally commented something stupid on a very sensitive topic. I would fear for our friendship if someone would not text back in 24 hours. I used to, and I would worry about silly little things, but I have realized that the world does not revolve around me. Nobody can read your mind. Without asking or telling them, no one can know what you want them to say and do. YOU must do it for them. You must reach out and stop waiting for others to reach out to you. If you don't reach out, then you just might miss out on some great life experiences and friendships that could've been great life experiences and friendships.
   You might be surprised when I tell you this, but I was a very shy and timid little girl a couple years ago. I would not raise my hand in class when I had a question in fear of a wrong answer/dumb question. My little voice was my shield against the dark and bloody world. My very small and quiet voice was because I didn't want to be heard. I would try to talk and make great conversation with a new 'loud' and 'booming' voice, and you probably could have heard my loud voice booming with confidence at very rare moments- even though I really had none most of the time. I spent years following people around being ignored and used because I was (and still am) very gullible, and my sweet figure looked like I could've been easily shoved around. I had no real friends who actually knew me because I would not let them know me.
   I expected people to pry deep into my heart and find some gold and silver. When that didn't work I decided I would do it for them. I let others see the real me, not the superficial happy person mask I always put on. I became a real person with real friends; I took my mask off. I became a bright light in a dark world, and you can too! You can either choose to hide behind superficial masks, or choose to take off your mask and reveal the real you. THAT is how you make friends. The girls in the picture above cannot see through me anymore because I am real and whole. I cannot show up to school half of me and half of somebody else- because I am a whole. You must be 100% you and nobody else. Sorry, but even 75% does not cut it, sweetie.

   Any-who, lettuce get on with the lemon-poppyseed pancake recipe because I know you will all love it! These pancakes are fluffy, tart and sweet, and oh-so-good! You only need a few ingredients to make this stack of heaven, so lettuce begin!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
*4 egg whites from the carton (I used Kirkland)
*1 cold, spotty-dotty banana
*3 oz. of old-fashioned rolled oatmeal (I used Trader Joe's)
*3 Tbs. of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1 tsp. of poppy seeds
*1/2  tsp. each of coconut sugar, vanilla bean extract, and baking powder
*2 Tbs. of any plant-based milk (I used almond milk from Trader Joe's)

HOW TO MAKE: 
1. Blend the oats, banana, and egg whites in your blender/food processor (I used my Blendtec)
2. Pour all of your ingredients into a big bowl and stir until the batter is thick and creamy. Pour about 2 oz. of the batter onto a preheated stove at medium-medium low heat.
3. Now you should have really fluffy and light pancakes! You can top them with whatever you'd like. You could use: sliced fruit, pure maple syrup, agave nectar, kisses, nuts, cacao nibs, soy/coconut milk yogurt (for vegans, or even for anybody!), greek yogurt, love, and any nut butters you desire. Happy eating!

                                                                    LOVE you all!

 

Peachy Pear and Plum Maple Banana Ice Cream (vegan, gluten free, vegetarian)

          Ahh yes. These are the wondrous days where I get to cozy up with a warm blanket and drink packs of yogi tea and eat pumpkin-spiced everything! I was at Trader Joe's last Sunday and I noticed that there was pumpkin everything! There was pumpkin cornbread, butter (that stuff is quite divine), granola, breads, pie pumpkins, pie, and even….. wait for it…. PUMPKIN BODY BUTTER!! Oh my goodness gracious-the body butter is the best stuff I've ever  slathered on! It has a perfect autumn aroma and a crisp pumpkin scent that adds sparkle to it. Anywho, am I making your tongue watery? I cannot wait to shower you guys with pumpkin recipes that are perfect for fall.

   Another fruit that is very compatible with the season are peaches! My favorite peaches in particular are Hale peaches; They are huge babies. A couple weekends ago, I went to the Sandy farmer's market with my grammy, my little twin-sisters Audrie and Arissa, and my adorable cousin Madi (Go check out her blog! It is http://madiriye.blogspot.com ). It was so fun walking around and piling wooden crates sky-high with the juiciest and most delectable peaches we'd ever seen. You can never have too many peaches, am I right? Pears were also abundant as I tried more samples than I should have. 

        Crisp fruits and veg are my favorite things to eat during this chilly season of black cats and ugly witches.

This recipe for Peachy Pear and Plum Maple Banana Ice Cream will literally melt you away. Blend it up and put in the freezer, eat it in a mason jar and jump outside into the pumpkin colored leaves, or even catch up on ANTM whilst snuggling up to a heat-blankie. Needless to say, Autumn has officially arrived and so lettuce make the best of it. 

What you will need:

*2 small or 1 very large super squishy and spotty-dotty FROZEN banana(s)

*1/2 frozen D'anjou pear and large Black Velvet plum

*1-2 very ripe and juicy Hale peaches or 3 small peaches

*1/2 tsp. each coconut sugar and vanilla bean extract (I use TJ for both) 

*4 oz. any plant based milk you desire (I use Almond Breeze almond milk)

*5 ice cubes

*either 1 tbs. pure maple syrup or 1 tsp. maple extract (I used the extract)

**OPTIONAL: 1 scant tsp. lucuma or maca powder

How to make this beauty: 

1. With your Blendtec blender(what I use)/food processor/vitamix, put in all of the ingredients except the coconut sugar and peaches. press the ice-cream or frozen yogurt button for 50 sec.

2. Add in the last two ingredients and pulse. You should have a really creamy and smooth ice-cream like texture.

3. Top with any ingredients you would like. You could use: coconut sugar, sliced nuts, granola, grawnola, maple syrup, agave, more delectable fruit such as apples or slice pears, pumpkin seeds, or even some carob sauce. My carob sauce recipe will be up with the next post.

4. ENJOY ;D