Obsessed

Only 3 hours ago, I was a complete iPhone virgin. Now? I’m head-over-heels obsessed.

I’ve already set up an Instagram account, synced my Twitter, and downloaded the WordPress app. In other words, now I have no excuse not to say hello to all of you lovely people.

If you’re interested in hearing more from me, please follow my Twitter (@kabochavore) and Instagram feed (@kabochavore). Check out what yummy things I’m cooking up here!

Back in Action & Ready to Go

Oh hello there, lovely people! How are you today?

After a longer than expected hiatus, I’m back and ready to blog it up. I’ve been so busy with work and college prep that I wasn’t sure I would be able to dedicate the amount of energy I wanted to my little part of the internet and to you, my lovely readers. I thank you all for your continued support and love. Thanks to Twitter, I’ve seen a few new faces popping up around Kabochavore, and I couldn’t be more excited about it. Welcome!

I have lots of new projects in the works, including writing for One Green Planet (check it out here) and hopefully launching my own little bakery business on campus. I look forward to sharing my college journey with you, as well as continuing to improve the blogging that you have all come to know. New posts will include more delicious recipes, how-to posts on food and life, and anything that inspires me (and hopefully you, too). I’m pumped, and I hope you are, too!

Although I’m ready to start blogging regularly again, I do have one slight problem. I host Kabochavore.com through WordPress, which has a set amount of memory. Unfortunately, I have almost reached my max! Are there any bloggers or web geniuses out there that can give me some advice? I don’t know if I should switch to a new platform (such as self-hosting on Bluehost, Dream host, etc.) or just buy more memory here. What’s your take?

 

Now that you know what I’ve been up to, I’d love to hear from you. How’s your summer been? What foods are you currently making you salivate? Where do you draw your inspiration from? 

 

Love. Encouragement. Bliss.

Mandiee

15 Years

After 15 years of late night study sessions, giggles with friends, and insightful discussions with teachers, I am finally saying goodbye to my school and second home.

Class of 2012, it’s been amazing. Next stop, California!

Happy Graduation 2012 to me and my greatest supporter + friend, my mom.

I’ve been savoring every moment and simply living life. Once I get back from California for college orientation, you can bet I’ll be back here for a recap and a return to normal blogging. But for now, I could not be happier just loving everything around me.

Wild Blueberry Lemon Muffins

You know what they say, you never forget how to ride a bike…

…err, I mean, bake. I’ve been making my usual staples time and time again (apple nutmeg muffins, I’m looking at you!), but this weekend I finally got back into the kitchen to experiment. I made vanilla donuts, two types of reduced-sugar and -fat frostings, gluten-free + vegan donuts, and wild blueberry muffins.

I just couldn’t help myself! Even though just the thought of turning the oven on the summer heat makes me sweat, the breeze that flowed through my kitchen made the rising temperaturse much more bearable. There’s just nothing like a warm summer breeze, sweet fresh blueberries, and good company. After all, part of the fun of baking is sharing with the ones you love.

Welcome back to you, summer! I see many more fresh salads, sweet berries, and tantalizing treats to come.

Wild Blueberry and Lemon Muffins

• 1 cup flour
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
•  3/4 cup wild blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1-1/2 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer + 2 TBS warm water, whisked together
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 2 TBS Earth Balance or coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp lemon extract (optional)
• zest from 1 lemon + extra for garnish
• oats (for garnish)

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. 
2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and wild blueberries. 
3. In another bowl, combine prepared egg replacer, sugar, almond milk, earth balance/coconut oil, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lemon zest. 
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. 
5. Evenly distribute batter into 6 muffin cups. (If you have a 12-cup muffin tin, you can easily double the batter or fill half of the tin with water instead of batter to ensure even baking.) 
6. Sprinkle oats and extra lemon zest on each muffin, if desired. 
7. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into each muffin comes out clean. 
8. Cool on a wire-rack. Enjoy with freshly squeezed lemonade. 

In the Dark

Yesterday, the day I usually photograph my What I Ate Wednesday eats, my house lost power. It was a complete shock because the weather was not very hot (which is usually the cause of power outages thanks to the numerous air conditions running). Consequently, I was unable to document my eats as usual. No power meant no oven, no microwave, no lights. It was time to get creative.

I must have been wearing a pair of crabby pants because the minor inconvenience made me quite irritable and grouchy. I was a complete grump—I’ll own up to it. Fortunately, I used it as a learning experience. Instead of giving into myself and just going to sleep early, I stayed up late (as usual) and tried to find things to do. Sure, cooking was a challenge by candle light and flashlight, but reading was actually enjoyable. I very rarely read without any other stimulation (music, lights, tv, etc.), and by the end I found myself more relaxed than ever. Surprisingly, all my anxieties were gone.

Once I realized that I really had no immediate need for electricity and could get along just fine, I wondered what was really bothering me. It came down to this:

1. Fear. I am very routien-oriented and fear any kind of deviation. Although I did not need power to survive, not having it made me feel off balance and fear the unknown. Ultimately, I was afraid that a bigger problem was at hand. I felt unsafe and powerless.
2. Hunger. Truth be told, my blood sugar was low, and I needed food FAST. Usually I can keep my hunger-induced grouchiness under control (relatively), but not yesterday.

The first reason, fear, was difficult to remedy. By reading quietly, I finally relaxed. However, I know that the problem is much deeper. I’m a work in progress! Luckily, the second problem was much easier to solve. Here’s some of the eats that the camera caught before the power went out:

Vegan + Gluten-Free Strawberry Scones (made with avocado instead of butter/earth balance)

Roasted Asparagus and Tomato Salad with Chickpeas, Basil, and Tomato Sauce (Nooch sprinkles on top!)

Vegan Ceasar Salad (Made with Raw Avocado Dressing)

Blacked Tofu with Crispy Kale, Roasted Red Pepper and Asparagus, and Eggplant Fries

In the end, I’m almost glad the power went out. It gave me a chance to relax completely and served as a learning experience. In the end, I’m just thankful to have power in the first place. I now realize that I often take this precious gift for granted.

What do you like to cook when the power’s out? What’s one thing you’re thankful for today?

Have a lovely day!

Mandiee