Mint Chocolate (Green) Protein Smoothie

Now that it's getting hot here in the deep south, I've been craving cooler foods. But after an intense gym sesh something light is not what I want! So today I awkward-walked (my legs guys, my legs!) into the kitchen and searched the refrigerator for something to fulfill my cooling yet filling craving after the gym. The solution? Chocolate + peppermint. A classic combination usually found in desserts and sweets, but now being made to work for you to refuel your body with the good stuff! Yeah!!

The results were less appealing looking than I'd hoped for, but let me promise you that one sip and you'll be in Andes Candies peppermint heaven.

Mint Chocolate (Green) Protein Smoothie

• 2 Frozen Bananas
• 3 Cups Fresh Spinach (Packed)
• Handfull of Fresh Mint Leaves
• 1/2 tsp Spirulina 
• 1/2 tsp Wheatgrass Powder
• 1 Tbsp Flax Meal
• 2 Tbsp Chia Seeds
• 2 Tbsp Cacao Nibs (add these later if you want them to be "chips")
• 3 Tbsp Cacao Powder
• 1/2 tsp Pure Peppermint Extract
• 1/2 Cup Chocolate Coconut Water
• 1/2 Cup Vanilla Coconut Milk (or preferred non-dairy milk)
• 1 Cup Ice

Place all ingredients into your blender and go to town! If you prefer more a a mint chocolate chip smoothie, add the cacao nibs after everything else has been blended and pulse a couple times.

Enjoy!

xx

Erin

Springtime Power Yoga Playlist

Hello lovelies! It's almost the weekend, meaning there's more time for the things we love like yoga. It has been busy around here recently with travel and big career moves (exciting stuff), but one thing we like to keep steady around here is a yoga practice.

We all know studio classes can be expensive, and practicing at home can be a great way to enjoy yoga without breaking the bank. All you need is a basic understanding of the poses, a yoga mat, perhaps a YouTube video or two, and some great music!

                                                   Photo By: Soumya Sidana, 2014
                                                                           A little throwback to life at the beach.


This 1 hour playlist starts out slow, to work your way into your practice. Followed by some upbeat tunes to get your groove going, finally winding down for a 5-10 minutes Savasana. I love to start with the 6 movements of the spine, followed by a flowing practice that incorporates longer and longer holds, ending in Savasana (palms up, eyes closed).

Enjoy! xx

Vanilla Chai Spice Almond Oatmeal Smoothie

I don't know about you, but I love a nice chai latte. But warmer weather is coming and it's time for something chilled. This chai smoothie is creamy, full of flavor, and satisfying without tons of extra sugar or caffein. Feel free to play around with the recipe and add other things you might like in your smoothie, including protein powder, cacao powder, chia seeds, yogurt, or perhaps another type of fruit that you like with chai. If you do want it to be a chai tea smoothie try adding some black tea!

The oatmeal adds a nice richness to the smoothie and keeps you full for longer. A high-power blender like a Vitamix or Ninja works best to make the oatmeal smooth. But don't worry if you don't have a high-powered blender, just let your blender run for a longer time!


Let me know how you made this smoothie your own!

Vanilla Chai Spice Almond Oatmeal Smoothie

• 2 Frozen Bananas
• 2 Giant Spoonfuls of Almond Butter
• 2-4 tsp. Chai Spice*
• 1 tsp. Maca Powder
• 2 Tbsp. Flax Seed
• 1/2-3/4 Cup Rolled Oats
• 1/2 Cup Vanilla Coconut Milk
• 1/2 Cup Almond Milk
• 1/2-1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• Honey (To Taste)
• 3/4-1 Cup Ice

Place all ingredients in a blender in order and run until smooth. Drizzle the top with more honey if desired. 

*Chai Spice can often be found in the bulk spice section. If it's unavailable near you try this recipe (Inspired by Fox In the Kitchen):

• 2 tsp. Ground Cardamom
• 2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Ground Cloves
• 1 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
• 1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
• 1 tsp. Ground Allspice 
• 1 tsp. Ground Ginger

Protein Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie

I'll admit I've been a bit remiss in posting with moving to the "big city" and all that. It's strange getting settled into a new place, and some semblance of a normal life is finally starting to form. What that means yet, I'm not quite sure. But I started Kayla Itsines's Bikini Body Guide (lovingly nicknamed "BBG") a few weeks ago, which makes for a nice start to getting stronger after my spinal injury nearly 1 year ago. It's been a slow road, but two of my friends have joined in on this fitness journey along with all the support from the online community. It's beautiful, really!

While I'm not a big proponent of calorie counting, I am a big fan of clean eating. But sometimes after a challenging workout or stressful day, you just want to dive into a big bowl of chocolaty goodness! Guys I cannot begin to tell you how much I love, love, love Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Seriously. This smoothie will help cure your dessert and chocolate cravings (perhaps those Reese's cravings if you're like me), while packing in the protein at the same time!

Protein Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie

The smoothie in the picture is a double serving if you've got a monster chocolate craving or are sharing with a friend. The recipe below is for a single-sized smoothie.

• 3 Frozen Bananas
• 3/4 Cup Unsweetened Vanilla Flavored Non-Dairy Milk (Coconut, Almond, etc.)
• 4 Tbsp. Raw Cacao Powder
• 1/3 Cup Creamy Natural Peanut Butter
• 1 Serving Vegan Protein Powder (Chocolate or Vanilla flavored is best, check package for serving size)
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Throw all ingredients into high speed blender until thick and smooth. Pour into glass and enjoy!

My Favorite Green Smoothie (For People Who Are Not Fans of Green Smoothies)

It seems that everyone is writing about their favorite green smoothie concoctions. Some claim to be "ultimate" or "life altering," but there's none of that here. This is a basic green smoothie for those of us who aren't really the biggest fan of adding every kind of greens ever found into our drinks. In fact, I've always been more of a fruit-only smoothie kinda gal, so this is my "how-I-learned-to-love-green-smoothies" smoothie.

The maca powder has a distinct sweet taste, and may take some getting used to if you've never had it before. Maca is wonderful because it contains vitamins B, C, and E, and also has calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and amino acids. Maca is also thought to help boost energy, clear common skin issues, relieve menstrual symptoms, and help balance mood. This being said, the only real difference I have personally noted is a boost in energy and find it great for helping me to recover from a workout.

The other gem in this smoothie are chia seeds. I love putting these in everything! They're a great source of fiber, protein, and omega-3s, as well as calcium, manganese, magnisum, phosphorous, and a few of the B vitamins.

My Favorite Green Smoothie

This recipe should make around 16oz:

• 1 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
• 1/2-1 frozen banana 
• 1 cup frozen peaches
• 1 cup frozen pineapple
• Lots and lots of spinach (3-4 big handfulls)
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds (or as many as you want)
• 1 Tbsp maca powder*

Put all ingredients into a blender until smooth. 

Pour out and enjoy! Let me know if you have any favorite smoothies or how you switched this one up to make it your own!

*Do not use maca if you are pregnant or nursing. 

Rest Stop Yoga

It's that time of year again! That time when we gather with friends and loved ones to make merry and enjoy delicious (hopefully plant based) food. It's also that time where we may spend hours upon hours sitting in the car traveling to see those friends and loved ones. Sitting for such an extended period of time can be uncomfortable, and even more so if you have a back injury or are recovering from one (like me). In anticipation of driving long distances for the holidays, I have put together a simple pose sequence to help you unwind during those quick rest stops! Sometimes we forget our yoga mat (or just can't squeeze it in the car) and rest stops aren't always the cleanest thing, so you don't have to get one (or touch) the ground for these.

I recently started an Instagram to accompany this blog and post more day-to-day inspiration and healthy living tips. Take a look, and if you like what you see give me a follow! @obxyogagirl

Rest Stop Yoga for Long Car Rides

Forward Bend - 2 Variations

Variation 1: If you have back problems or aren't feeling that flexible, use your car to support your forward fold. Start with your feet a comfortable distance apart, facing your car. Inhale deeply. As you exhale,
fold forward at your hips, keeping your back straight, using your car to support yourself. If your hamstring feel tight, bend your knees slightly, putting more weight into your hands. Begin to lengthen your exhales a little more than your inhales, relaxing further into the pose with each exhale. Stay here for five long breaths.

Variation 2: Start with your feet a comfortable distance apart. Inhale deeply. As you exhale, gently fold your chest towards your legs. If your hamstrings feel tight, bend your knees and rest your torso on your thighs. Begin to lengthen your exhales a little more than your inhales, relaxing further into the pose with each exhale. Stay here for five long breaths.

Figure 4 - 2 Variations

Stand with your feet hips width apart, facing your car. Bend your knees slightly, as if sitting in a chair. Bring your right ankle up to rest on your left leg, just above the knee. Ensure your right foot is flexed. Inhale, As you exhale, begin to hinge your torso forward to open your hip. If you need support for balance support your hands on your car, or bring them to prayer. Stay here for five long breaths. Repeat on the opposite side

Side Bend - 2 Variations

Variation 1: If your back is bothering you, side bending deeply is not recommended. To still get a stretch through the side body, you can do a modified side bend. Stand with feet together (or at a comfortable distance), and support yourself with one hand on your car. With an inhale, reach straight up, finding space between your ribs without needing to bend the spine. As you exhale, relax slightly, reaching up once more on the inhale. Remain here for five breaths. Repeat on opposite side.

Variation 2: Begin in Mountain pose. On an inhale sweep your hands overhead. Ground through the feet and hips. Interlace your fingers or grab your left wrist with your right hands, reach to the right while lengthening through the left side body. Lengthen slightly with each inhale. Hold for five deep breaths. Repeat on opposite side.

Twist

Caution: If you have back pain or injury you may want to let this pass unless it has been cleared with your doctor, chiropractor, or physical therapist. 

Stand facing your car with your feet grounded, shoulder-width apart. Place left hand on your car, and your right hand on your hip. Inhale. Exhale gently as you twist from your waist to the right, and look back over your right shoulder. Check in with your feet and hips to ensure they're still facing your car. Inhale back to the center. As your exhale twist to the left and repeat. Move through this sequence for six breaths.

Supported Back Bend

Caution: I do not recommend backbending with a spinal injury unless you have been cleared by your doctor, chiropractor, or physical therapist. After my injury backbending was not possible and this photo is months after my slow recovery began. 

Stand in Mountain pose, feet hips width apart. Rest your hands on the small of your back, fingers pointing up or down based on your preference. Lean back,, keeping your hips in line with your knees (try not to press them forward). Remember to stand tall, reaching your chest towards the sky and lean back. Hold for five breaths, and slowly bring yourself back to Mountain pose.

Happy travels!

Unexpectedly Refreshing Bubblegum Green Smoothie

While traveling on the road blender access has been limited and I have been missing my smoothies. Does this happen to anyone else? If only my blender came with a car adapter...wishful thinking. But now we've reached sunny (and HOT!) California and have acquired a blender. It seems to have a mind of its own though, and will randomly send the top flying spraying the kitchen with beautiful smoothie creations! Yikes! But how wonderful to be able to make smoothies to combat the California heat. 

In the search for the perfect smoothies sometimes you end up with completely unexpected flavors. In this case spinach, lemon, and banana created a refreshing smoothie with an interesting hint of bubblegum flavor. It sounds a little disgusting I know, and at first I wasn't even sure it was something I wanted to keep drinking as I despise the flavor of bubblegum. But after the initial surprise it turned out to be a perfectly refreshing drink to accompany breakfast! Plus if you have kids it's a great way to sneak greens into their diet.

Unexpectedly Refreshing Bubblegum Green Smoothie

• 10oz of Organic Soy Milk (or more if your blender needs extra liquid to process)
• 1/2 Frozen Banana
• 1/4 Lemon, including peel
• 1 cup Frozen Pineapple
• Handful of Spinach
• Chia Seeds

Put all ingredients into a blender, mix well, and enjoy! Add ice to the mix if you desire. Yours may or may not be as green as mine depending on how much spinach you decide to include.

Don't forget to keep your smoothie plastic free! I'm a big fan of mason jars and my Glass Dharma straw.

Roadtripping While Veg - An Intro (Plus Trail Mix Recipe)

I recently stumbled across a Vegetarian Times article titled "Ultimate Veg Travel Guide". I was excited for my favorite veg magazine to have an article on the topic as I am about to drive (yes drive) across the United States, literally coast-to-coast. Was I ever disappointed when it mostly turned out to be one big advertisement! You can check out this article here. While it has a few good tips, it's nothing someone who has traveled more than a few hours in a vehicle or taken an airplane wouldn't already know. I travel for work and often take food with me so as not to inconvenience my hosts and to save time after working 12+ hours. This requires some forethought and preparation, and often most of my luggage ends up being food.


The latest travel endeavor is a cross-country trip where kitchen facilities are few and far between, and the words "vegetarian" and "vegan" are unfathomable in many areas. Why wouldn't you want butter or cheese on your pizza?! This being said, I've decided to start compiling some of the best vegetarian/vegan traveling tips from my personal experience. Hopefully they'll be of use to you too!

Road Snacks:

To me, having healthy snacks handy is a must for those on-the-road-and-there-isn't-a-rest-stop-for-58-miles snack attacks. I like having a mix of proteins, carbs, and salts, with a couple sweet treats thrown in. One of my favorite snacks recently has been kale chips. While I've attempted to make these tasty morsels in the past, they never seem to be as delicious as the ones I buy locally from Kitchen Ahimsa. They have amazing vegan, gluten-free, and raw kale chips in addicting flavors like spicy chipolte, Thai curry, and cheesy pizza. Seriously check them out here. Gushing about wonderful local businesses aside, here are some other car-friendly snack ideas:

• Nuts
• Granola bars/Lara Bars
• Granola (Naughty But Nice chocolate granola is a personal favorite)
• Fruit (bananas, peaches, pears, apples, anything that won't spoil too quickly without cold)
• Kale chips
• A dairy-free dark chocolate bar
• Trail mix (check out the bottom of this post for my recipe)
• Dark chocolate espresso beans (for when you need your caffeine fix without needing a rest room stop)
• Baby carrots & hummus 
• Multigrain crackers & peanut butter 

Travel Food:

Traveling with prepared food is one of the best and most difficult things to do as a vegetarian/vegan. Most often is requires you carry a cooler and means you have a day of cooking before leaving on your journey. But your body will thank you during your traveling when you have good, healthy food to eat and aren't resorting to eating sides and salads (aka lettuce with tomato and carrots if you're lucky) with balsamic at restaurants. One of my favorite dishes to travel with is curry. It's very easy to make and can be frozen to create ice packs for your cooler. Plus when you arrive at your destination, exhausted, it requires minimal prep outside of cooking rice and defrosting the curry itself.

However, if you're concerned about liquids leaking in your vehicle (understandable), try to keep to dry foods like quiona dishes and noodles with veggies and spices. Personally I'm a big fan of wraps. If you're concerned about the white flour in the tortillas, look for varieties like multi-grain, flax, spinach, sun-dried tomato, and organic corn for a gluten free option. Wraps can be filled with all kinds of versatile fillings and don't take up much space. They are also great to freeze if you make a large batch.

Here are a few of my personal favorites for travel-friendly food:

• Baked blueberry oatmeal
• Tofu scramble
• Vegan fajitas
• Quiona & veggie bowls
• Black bean casserole
• Overnight oats in mason jars
• Vegan muffins
• Homemade healthy oatmeal cookies (this recipe is vegan, oil-free, gluten-free, and has no added sugar)
• Curry
• Chia Pudding

Supplementals:

When traveling there a few other things I love to pack in order to stay healthy and energized. Pick and choose what best suits your needs and your trip.

• Non-dairy milk (for oatmeal, granola, smoothies, chia pudding)
• Chia seeds
• Nuts
• Bulk rice
• Flax meal
• Maca powder
• Lentils
• Oats (rolled or steel-cut)

Don't forget to pick up some fresh fruit and veggies at any local roadside stands you may pass.

Hope you enjoyed my starter-tips to making traveling when veggie and found a couple of helpful tidbits! Check out my trail mix recipe below!

Erin's Totally Awesome Road Trip Trail Mix

This trail mix will satisfy your crunchy, salty, sweet, and spicy cravings! I found all of these items in the bulk section. This is a great option because you can buy just as much as you want to put in your trail mix (I like a lot of chocolate, cranberries, and cashews!).

• Cashews
• Almonds (raw or flavored)
• Peanuts
• Pistachios (you can purchase these with or without the shell. Generally with the shell on is cheaper, but will require more work for you)
• Hemp seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Tamari-spiced pumpkin seeds (I find these at the local co-op)
• Vegan chocolate chips (or carob chips for less sweetness)
• Dried cranberries
• Dried sour cherries
• Dried unsulfered mango, cut into chunks
• Dried whole figs of various types (4-6 of each)
• Cacao energy chunks, sliced into bite-size (I've only seen this at Whole Foods, but you may be able to find something similar. Just be sure to check the ingredients for dairy products and honey)

1. Place desired amount of each ingredient in a big container with a lid and shake it till everything is mixed. 
2. ENJOY and safe travels!

Vegan Baked Blueberry Oatmeal

If you're like me and love food and breakfast, but mornings are not your time of day, you've found the right recipe! I'm a huge fan of overnight oats, but sometimes all I want is a hot breakfast to start the day. This baked blueberry oatmeal is 100x better than the instant packets that are full of preservatives and in my personal experience, often not dairy-free.

If you have a busy life or travel for work, this recipe is perfect. Prep takes me maybe 15 minutes if I'm feeling extra lazy or am tired from a long day. This hearty, fruity oatmeal stores and reheats well, so if I have a busy week coming up I'll make a large pan and pack a bunch of smaller containers for the week ahead. This keeps me from being tempted to grab a packaged breakfast or binge on sweets later in the day. Plus it tastes like starting the day out with a treat!

This oatmeal bake is full of fruity goodness that adds a touch of sweetness, but not too much. The type of non-dairy milk, nuts, and fruit can all be interchanged. Why not try out blueberries one time and raspberries the next? Maybe you have pecans on hand instead of sliced almonds, go ahead and experiment! The recipe below is for a triple batch, which will fill a 9x13 (2" tall) glass baking pan perfectly. I will also post the single batch measurements at the bottom of this post for a 8x8 pan.

Vegan breakfast will never be the same.

Again, this is a triple batch!

And.....GO!

Vegan Baked Blueberry Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds, divided in half
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup maple syrup (agave can be used, but it doesn't have the same flavor)
• 3 cups vanilla coconut milk (or any desired non-dairy milk)
• 3 flax eggs (link in first step of instructions)
• 6 tbsp. Earth Balance, melted and cooled slightly
• 3 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4-6 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
• 3 cups blueberries (or fruit of choice), divided in half

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
2. Make a flax egg and place it in the refrigerator for around 20 min. The best way I found to make a flax egg was from Bonzai Aphrodite. But as I've stated, I'm lazy so I do use pre-ground flax meal and have yet to notice much of a difference from fresh ground flax.
3. Grease your 9x13 baking pan and spread the sliced bananas in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish. Top with half the blueberries.
4. In a large bowl, combine the oats, half the sliced almonds, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a heat-proof measuring cup, combine the maple syrup, non-dairy milk, flax egg, butter, and vanilla.
5. Sprinkle the dry oat mixture over the bananas & blueberries in an even layer. Pour the liquid ingredients evenly over the nuts.
6. Sprinkle the remaining sliced almonds and blueberries over the top. bake for 35-40 min, until the top is browned and oats have set. Allow to cool for 10 min before serving.

This recipe was adapted from both Heidi Swanson's "Super Natural Every Day" and Leah Short's blog, "So How's It Taste?"

❀

Refreshing Green Juice

While there are many debates over the benefits of juicing, I have found personally that my body loves fresh pressed juices! I have more energy, can stay more focused, and it gives me something tasty to drink that I know will be doing something good for my body.

There have been a few (okay maybe more than a few) really terrible juicing experiments that resulted in wishing I'd just cooked the vegetables. This juice was not one of them. It's the first one I made in 2014 and have continued to make throughout the year! It's refreshing and has a great flavor from the combination of both fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

It has ginger which is great for aiding digesting and adding a little kick in with the sweetness of the oranges and apples. Spinach is packed with iron, and parsley is well-loved for having anti-inflammatory properties.

Recipe:

Place all ingredients through a juicer in the order below, mix and enjoy! 

• Ginger (1/2 thumb size)
• Parsley (a handful)
• Spinach (2 packed cups)
• Orange (1 small)
• Lemon (1/2)
• Apples (3 small)
• Cucumber (1/2)

Serve in a mason jar and use a Glass Dharma straw to stay plastic free!

Welcome!

Welcome everyone!

This is me, Erin, here to share with you my personal guide to how I learned to love life again through yoga, vegetarianism (complete with plenty of desserts!), photography, and travel. I am certified yoga teacher, semi-professional photographer, and self-proclaimed lazy cook, whose job in the film industry keeps her on the road. In fact, I'm about to set off across the country for work in a coast-to-coast drive that is sure to be the experience of a lifetime!

My first time ever trying Navasana while flying. 

Only made it half way there, but practice makes perfect!

I just did a total redesign of this blog in 2014, so please keep checking back for updates. Originally my thought had been to create a completely new blog with a catchier title, but then I thought "Why?" I don't want to write this blog and share what I have learned to become popular or well known. I want to share what I have learned so maybe others who have faced the same challenges can find a helping hand.

I have left the old blog posts up because those were the words, sorrows, and thoughts of someone who was finding a way to deal with diagnosed depression. I left them so those of you who also feel that way know you are not alone and that things do get better. The world still overwhelms me today, I still get sad. We are all human after all. But I learned to accept myself slowly through the processes of yoga, and through yoga I learned how to better care for myself and thereby begin to share love and kindness with others.

These days I like to take pictures of my fresh pressed juices (all the recipes will be shared of course!), make green smoothies, eat plant-based food and enjoy the simple things in life. Whether you're new to yoga, new to vegetarianism or veganism, are trying out Meatless Monday, or simply found your way here because you like photographs and adventure, WELCOME!

Namaste!
Erin

Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Pie

Okay, so this definitely isn't a food blog. It's not even a dessert blog. As in the most I think I've ever posted in the realm of food is talking about Starbucks.

But since getting to my new university I've made a lot of friends who are vegan, not just vegetarian. For those of you unaware, vegan means that you consume no animal products or byproducts. No dairy, eggs, fish, etc. That includes chocolate chips that contain milk fat. Do you know how hard it is to find chocolate chips that don't have milk fat?! If you still don't understand what I'm saying, just visit Wikipedia.

Anyhow, my group of friends gets together a few times a month for a potluck and I am the dessert-bringer because I can't cook. But by golly can I bake. So I happened across a recipe for Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Pie. I know. It sounds divine, and let me promise you it is. I found it on the Healthy, Happy, Life blog by Kathy Patalsky, but wasn't really crazy about the crust included. For those new to vegan baking (date one and you will learn quickly, I promise), Earth Balance vegan margarine is quite oily, and I wasn't crazy about just mixing it with graham crackers. So I added a little brown sugar and no...just no. It failed horribly.  So I decided on using a chocolate peanut butter crust from "Jen's 'Best Godd****d Chocolate Pie You Will Ever Eat" (please excuse the language, I didn't name the pie!) from Please Don't Feed the Bears! (A Vegan Cookbook). Even if you're not vegan (which I'm not) I recommend buying it because everything is super simple and cheap to make, and it's delicious!

The three things you'll need are:
1 Batch of Mousse
1 Pie Crust (store bought is suitable, but I highly recommend the one below)
Chocolate Shell Coating (2 Tbsp Chocolate Chips + 1 Tbsp of Coconut Oil melted together)

Okay! So start out by making this pie crust and letting it cool:

CRUST:
(1) 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flower (unbleached all purpose works well too)
      1/4 cup Dutch cocoa
      1/4 tsp baking soda
(2) 1/2 cup brown sugar or Sucanat
      1/4 cup vegan margarine
      2 Tbsp peanut butter
(3) 1/2 Tbsp vanilla
      1 Tbsp water

Mix together (1) in a small bowl. Mix (2) together really well in a big bowl, then add (1). Now add in (3). It's easiest to mix this all up with you (clean) hands. Just get in there and mash it all up until it's of a gooey ball consistency.

Then press into a big, oiled pie plate (not one of them dinky ones) until up to the edges of the pie plate is filled. Flute the edges (make them wavy) for a fancy effect, then pop it in the oven at 375º for 8-10 minutes. Let it cool completely before filling it full of [mousse].

MOUSSE:
While your pie crust cools, make one batch of Kathy's Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse.

Pour mousse into cooled pie crust.

CHOCOLATE SHELL (from Healthy, Happy, Life):
Melt together the 2 Tbsp Chocolate Chips + 1 Tbsp of Coconut Oil in a double burner (You may want to make more of this depending on the size of your pie. This was not enough for my 10" pie plate). Then gently pour the melted chocolate/coconut liquid over the pie. Swirl the liquid gently into the mousse, creating a design of your choosing.

Place pie in the freezer for 20-30 minutes to quickly chill. Then transfer to fridge. Chill until ready to serve - usually takes at least an hour to fully firm.

Serve with a swirl of vegan soy whip or Homemade Coconut Whip.


And there you go! Enjoy the joy that is a piece of delicious animal product-free pie!

Peace,
Elina

Tie-Dyes & Finger Paints

Okay, so it turns out that it will be more than 5 weeks till my big transition. There were no summer classes for me to take since I already have so much academic credit. But ultimately that's alright I suppose. It means I'll probably have a later graduation, but it also means that I'll be home for the summer to work and assist my parents. It also means that I could pick up a ticket to see The Script in concert, as well as tickets to go see the Rockstar Mayhem Festival with my Dad. Having summer off from classes is one of those great catch 22s of life. But that doesn't mean that I don't have things to work on for the next academic year! I've already registered for the earliest orientation since you can't sign up for classes until you attend one. That will be in a little over 4 1/2 weeks here. I've also submitted my deposit for housing and made notifications of my housing preferences, which aren't 100% guaranteed as a "new" (transfer) student. But that is how such things work! I'm just hoping the classes I need are going to have enough seats left that I can snag one. This weekend will also mean working on my application for the honors program at my new school. I don't know if they'll let me in as a second-semester junior, but it's always worth a try! The application is free except for the investment of my time, so the worst they can do is tell me no. At least I'll have tried.

For once I'm actually really excited to go to school. Not that I don't think it will still be academically difficult, but this just feels right. I'm not fighting an uphill battle from day one as it has been at my current university. Rather everyone is very nice and very willing to help, and take the time to help without making me feel ridiculously pressured or guilty for taking up their time. And that part has just been so wonderful within itself. I don't know if it's the beach culture, or what. But if the most hassle I've dealt with so far (trying to get someone to transfer me through to the right department. Which I really technically didn't/don't have access to yet as a new student.) *knocks on wood* is the most I'll experience for a while, well that'd be pretty darn wonderful. I don't think life should be so difficult. I feel like if you are feeling as if life shouldn't be so damn hard, then you're probably not on the right path. It's not easy to face, and it's not easy to make the decision to change. But once you do it's quite a freeing feeling.

Today was one of those lazy, but busy days. I dropped off a paper assignment after pulling an all-nighter, picked up some official records, got coffee, and mailed a package (can't wait to hear from my friend once she gets it!). Then I walked up to an event the campus social justice ministry was holding. I got to be back in elementary school again! They had watermelon, popsicles, and an undeterminable flavor of red & purple drink as the snacks. And the "artsy stuff" was the best. As in I tie-dyed 4 shirts and finger painted! I made one of the shirts for mom and one in my new school colors!!! Or at least as best I could by pouring dyes of different colors together until I achieved the right hue. Then tonight my community had a huge pasta dinner, along with fruit, chicken wings, and ice cream sundays! This was in conjunction with a screening of The Social Network on a big inflatable screen in the quad. Overall a good night despite the cold.

But tonight, I feel so bad for one of the gal's in my dorm. She's going through things so similar to what I went through around this time last year. I know how much it hurts and I can see it on her face. And it makes me wonder if that's how I looked, or was I well practiced enough at hiding it by then? When I look back at photos of myself I can see it in a couple of them, but not many. I wish there was something more I could offer than tea, chocolate, a lent ear, or words on a page. But there's really not. This isn't something that other people can help you deal with all that much. The solution has to come from within, and that timeframe is different for everyone. I've just started working to that solution. It's taken so long because I was convinced that if I said enough times that I was fine, that I was long gone and moved on, that I'd really start to believe it. But that's not true. I hope beyond hopes that she can start her self-healing much, much earlier than I did. Because it's not an easy process. It's not one to be taken lightly, or without its setbacks. And if we don't start to help ourselves, it can hurt our relationships with other people, as I have learned. And that can make things even more difficult. Hopefully for all of us the rapidly approaching semester's end will bring renewal and changes for the better in life.

You Can't Slow Down, So You'd Better Hold On

It amazing how much is going to change in the next 5 weeks. 5 weeks! That's just over one month, and around 14 days from when I'm done with this university. To think that I never have to return to this place again unless I want to is huge. To think that I'm undergoing another massive transition in much less than one year is starting to freak me out. Not freak me out in a bad way, but not in a good way either, I think. It just shows how quickly life can change, and it doesn't have to be from something massive like getting married, having a kid, or loosing a loved one.

In 5 weeks I will be on a new path in life, I will have a different zip code, I will be at the opposite end of the state from where I normally reside. It will be an area that I don't know the history of, I don't know the local lore or stories. It will only be 8 miles further from home than my school now, but that 8 miles equates to an extra 1/2 hour of driving. And considering that I'll already be at the beach...my mom and I figure I won't be home as much. I also feel as if this summer I will still need to secure a job. And if not for payment, at least an internship.

It's just amazing to me that this is all happening so fast. The waiting since the end of January was a very slow process. But come April 1st everything has kicked into high gear. It's time to plan out where I'll live, how I'll get there (will Mom come to help me move, or will I be on my own again?), what I'll take with me (will there be room for my surfboard?!!), what classes I'll take, and there's always talk of how life is going to be different.

I keep looking around here as I walk to classes and go about my campus life, and I think about what I'm giving up. The prestige of going to a university that only admits 10% of its applicants (and even less for transfer), the countless resources that are simply there for us (I mean, how many schools can say they have their own hospital system? On campus. Yeah), and the quirks of the "hippy city" down the road. But then I think of what else I am "giving up". I will no longer have the pressure to complete my degree in a set amount of time with the fear of not being able to finish. While I will still strive to do well for myself, I will not feel the constant weight of a top-ranked academic institution pressing down on my shoulders every time I go to study or complete an assignment. I will no longer be trapped on campus, relying on the city bus to get my car. I will not be stuck in a "city" (I got my definition of "city" redefined with a weekend visit to Chicago last fall), but will instead be able to find refuge in the vast expanse that is the Atlantic Ocean, the end of the earth you could say. And while I will be giving up good things here - the friends I've made, the little local co-op grocery, my hard-wood floored dorm room, lol! - I will be gaining so much by simply redefining my track in life. Happiness, is what life is all about. Being fulfilled in what you choose to do. You don't have to earn a ton of money. As long as you can survive, if you are happy, that is worth so much in this world.

Then I think of the struggles I will face, and overcome, one more time. I'll have to register later for classes - thereby not always getting 1st pick, I'll have to learn a new campus, a new social scene, and a new town. I don't know anyone in the area (although my Mom tells me my godfather - whom I've never met - lives in the area) so I'll be starting fresh. But I suppose I look like I fit in there. When I visited I had people ask me for directions, and some locals even though I was coming in to work at the restaurant I went to eat dinner at! I also know I won't be alone (as it says over on the right hand side of this page). My family is there to support me, as are my friends new and old. Also, from the experience so far, I have a very, very helpful university administration. Everyone's always so nice that I almost start crying dealing with them because it's just such a relief. There are still your typical snags as with any big system, but there hasn't been the same ridiculous runaround that I've gotten here. This makes the whole thing so much less stressful, I can't even tell you!

Today I received an email about orientation, and the other night I was preparing everything for my housing application. It makes it all so real. It seems like yesterday this was just an idea, it was just yesterday I was freaking out before Christmas because I didn't want to let my parents expectations down by not coming back here. And I almost didn't. But tuition was already paid, and there was no way I would throw away that much money. Instead, when I got back I vowed to get help, and I did. Although academically it was still a struggle, I (slowly) found that the rest of life did not have to be. If something isn't right, if it's causing you that much distress, you obviously need to change it. And that realization, that decision within itself can be so intensely difficult that you don't even know how you'll just get through that part. But once you do, once you make a decision, then you can move forward with the planing. And that part's never so hard when there's specific steps you must go through. But you can't do it alone. Campus Health is there for a reason. Sometimes just admitting that you need to go there can be really hard, because none of us want to admit that there's something we can't do ourselves. But simply making an appointment, that's the 1st step. That's when you start to realize that maybe you can get everything under control. So I urge you, that if you're having a hard time, if you feel like life shouldn't be this much of a struggle, go get help. There's nothing to be ashamed of in it. CHS is there for that reason. Besides, you paid for it, you may as well take advantage of the resources. Because one thing is for certain, it certainly can't hurt you.

So, I have to give much thanks to Iliana for helping me through the first part of this semester. I could have never done it without her. And once I leave this school, though I'll never see her again, I'll always remember her. Even if she was just doing her job.

5 weeks. Are you ready? I'm ready. Or at least I'm pretty sure I'm ready! This is so crazy!!! Go world!

Peace,

Elina

So Much Hate For The Ones We Love

I was wondering today, when does love turn to hate, and hate to love? It's a thin, blurred line. Both involve a lot of the same elements. We love with intensity and passion, and we can hate with the same. Both love and hate can cause us grievous harm emotionally, mentally, and even physically. So this is the question I pose. When does love become so intense that it turns to hate, and when does hate become too much to bear and turn to love? Do you think it is possible to love someone with intensity and fire, yet curse them in the same breath with the exact same intensity and fire?

These are questions that not even my philosophical musings have been able to bring forth an even relatively abstract answer for. It is simply too complex for me to fathom. Yet at the same time it's a question that plagues me on a regular basis. It's a frustrating and foggy concept. It prompts pages of writing on identical subjects in various forms, which ultimately only runs in circles. Perhaps one day I will be able to separate the love from the hate, and the hate from the love. To let one or the other go. But for now I must settle for the total complexity of this never ending cobweb of contradicting, yet near indistinguishable, forces.

"You don't wanna hurt me,

But see how deep the bullet lies.

Unaware that I'm tearing you asunder.

There a thunder in our hearts, baby.

So much hate for the ones we love?

Tell me, we both matter, don't we"

~ Placebo

Running Up That Hill

So Much Better Than Revenge

I was wondering today if every single one of us, despite out beliefs or values, has a little tiny, ittsy part of us that gets some kind of conceited satisfaction, some malicious glee, out of seeing someone we really don't like have something happen to them. You know those girls, the ones who rule the high school just by being bitches, who find it gratifying when someone makes a fool of themselves? Yeah, I'm talking about that little voice. Don't tell me you don't have it. That high-school princess who always gets revenge. It's the same one that makes nerds get their revenge. Now, I'm not talking like, life-altering thing happening to your "tormenter" here. I'm talking about tiny thing that are mildly humiliating, but ultimately harmless in the long run.

Because Lord knows that no matter how much I keep that voice caged up (because I mean,

come on, no one wants to actually be a vindictive bitch), it still snickers and points a finger when someone who has wronged me finds karma. I'm also not speaking about personally dishing out karma as much as we'd like to. I'm talking about being patient and waiting for the universe to bite that someone on the ass. And you know what? As long as it's not brutally harmful, it's amusing! It really is. It's the same kind of funny as we get from watching Family Guy or The Simpsons...in a way. Because as much as we may long to hurt this person in the same way they have hurt us, karma usually deals out things that are infinitely better than you could have thought of. And it doesn't require any work on your part! You just sit back and watch the train wreck unfold. It's much, much more satisfying, and significantly more amusing.

Whether it's that "mean girl" in high school who falls on her bum tripping on her sky-high heels, that boy who stole your girl who gets his ego deflated, or that girl who stole your guy gains a lot of weight, or that snobby coworker who gets told off by your boss, we all have someone like this in our life. And I think that if there was a chance we could get "revenge" without getting in trouble, we'd all do it. It's human nature. We're get angry, we get jealous, we hurt. These aren't pleasant feelings and in order to be rid of them, we'd have to be rid of the source. But that's not always possible of course. That's why when we want to pull that girl's hair, put laxative in that coworker's coffee, or key that guy's car, we don't (or shouldn't). Because by taking the high road, you know karma will be on your side. So not only do you get to be the bigger person, but you get to reap the reward of karma doing its duty.

"Now go stand in the corner and think about what you did..."

It's My Life...How Do You Want To Be Forgotten?

I'm so sick of people questioning what I'm actually going to do with my degree after college! Looking at me with doubt, like I'm going crazy. So what if I want to leave a top-rated, world-renound institution for something lesser? So what? How is it going to affect your life? What is this drastic change in my life going to do to you?! This decision isn't about you. It's about me. Me and my personal happiness. So what if I don't know what I'll do? So what if I end up being just barely able to get by if I love my profession? You have no right to judge me for that. We only get a little while on this Earth and my time is getting closer to one-quarted passed every day. I'm not going to waste my life fighting against the world, being angry at everything around me. It's just not worth it. Life is too damn short! So mind your own business and keep out of mine. It doesn't affect you! I'm not going to run the nation or cure cancer, so why do you care? I'm not going to be a screw up like you so you can justify your mediocre existence. Because in a world of billions I sure won't be remembered, but neither will you. Don't drag me down into your misery so you don't feel alone. Find someone else. I'm above that. Yes, maybe I am giving up the opportunity of a lifetime in the definition of succeeding in a capitalistic society. But it's not worth my happy. It's not worth giving up my love of life. Stop trying to impose your own faults and failures on others to vindicate your own. I'm not yours, you don't get a say. Find someone else to put down. You're an adult. Stop being a bully. Grow up and be a better example in life for those who need you most. You're so busy judging you can't even see how much you've screwed up the people who love you most. So yeah, maybe I won't be successful monetarily. But you know what? People like me. I have steady friends. I try to make other people's lives better, even if I only encounter them for 5 minutes. Maybe it's time you tried something new. Maybe then, you could be great too.

A Great Way to Be Forgotten

This is my life

Who are you to judge?

I don't do drugs

I don't start wars

Maybe I'm giving it all up

Letting opportunity pass by

Maybe I'll just be poor

But just maybe I'll be great

So what

If the future is uncertain?

If I don't know what to do?

If I'm not well known?

It's not your life I'll ruin

It's just me, myself, and I

I'm not a World Leader

I won't be remembered

No one in the future

Will know my name

But that's okay

I'm just here for now

Life's too short

It's just a blink

To live in despair

Let's live for today

Tomorrow's a new day

I won't be remembered

I'm not a superstar

But maybe I'm still great

And before you judge

Just remember this

It's not just me

You'll be forgotten too

____________________________________________________

This photo is my own all around. My own shoe too.

The Setting of Dawn

The Setting of Dawn

Just one month

It's all you have

It's time to leave

I cannot stay

I hope you know

I hope you see

This one's not you

It's all on me

I'll take the anger

By God please yell

I'll take the pain

I'll take the blame

I know it hurts

But time will tell

That you may live

In peace as well

It's just one month

But you can't see

This time is all

That's left of me

Down by the water

The blood red sky

It sets to west

The darkening time

As day sinks down

Your heart will break

Into the darkness

These steps I'll take

You will not forget

In memory to stay

Forever in your veins

Fading through the days

I hope you know

I hope you see

This one's not you

It's all on me

I'll take the anger

By God please yell

I'll take the pain

I'll take the blame

I know it hurts

But time will show

That you will live

Once more as well

Spring Break Time!!

It's spring break! It's exciting! It's busy, it's fun it's disheartening, and it's almost over. I've done almost nothing I set out to accomplish over spring break. That's not good considering the amount of homework I have to do. Granted, this is not nearly as much as it could (or rather should) have been.

The week of midterms I had to face the harsh reality of my first time ever failing a test, a class. This is something I never had to face before. Heck, before coming to my university I never really had to face getting less than an "A" on an exam or paper. As can be imagined, I was crushed. It was like someone pushed me down then laughed in my face. I legitimately studied for five days for that midterm, and with a terrible result. Now, it's not an excuse, but ever since my run-in with the PowerKite my memory's been more off than ever. But after it all, I had my freaking out moment, and then picked myself up and went to work on my options. Sadly due to the many requirements and restrictions of my university they were not many. In order to best accommodate for future plans I chose to drop down to being a part-time student. This is only however, because in order to drop the class I was failing, I had to be part-time. Also unfortunately it meant I had to carry 8 credits or less. In other words, to drop one class, I had to choose another to loose as well. While this was in no way my ideal or preferred choice, it will ultimately benefit me in the long run...I hope.

Transferring as an upperclassman to this school has been nothing but difficult. It's been roadblock, after roadblock, after roadblock. And after this decision, coupled with the inability to change my major, I won't be able to come back in the fall. Or I could, but then I just couldn't graduate in the 8 semester limit. So right now I have an application in to another university in the system and am anxiously waiting to hear back. There were some mixups regarding some transcripts so I'm hoping that everything is getting reviewed alright now. It's all so nerve wracking! And while there are things that I will miss about my current institution, as I listed them none were academic. I realize that I went there simply for the prestige. However, as my mother told me, if I got in here and I got into another school, and didn't go to the one I'm at now then I would always of wondered how it would have worked out. So now I know. It's simply not the place for me. Not academically, I was doing just fine except for that one class, but rather that it is not the place for me to live, breathe, and succeed as myself. It's time to move on. Growth and change, they're the natural orders of life.

Recently, as I haven't been doing my homework like I should, I've gotten into the ABC Family TV show Pretty Little Liars. Can anyone say hooked? The music, the twists, the gossip, the clothes, the beautiful people!! It's just all to much fun! So deliciously scandalous. Plus it's a great way to discover more new music. But now I've found it and there's just 2 new episodes left this season. Jeeze. I think I'll be hitting the library to get the book series to tie me over till the new season!

Luckily there's a few more things to get excited for this semester! Next week Keith Harkin will be playing an acoustic show at a club just a few hours away!! So that means that I'll be getting my (somewhat) trusty GPS and driving west to see the show. It's gonna be great craic as long as they allow under 21! Then later that week Keith & Emmet are going to be at my PBS station for the promo. My Mom was awesome enough to include a ticket to the M&G that they're having before the pledge drive. I was going to volunteer, but Mom was really quick on the draw in getting a ticket! So that should be pretty awesome to get to meet the "new guy" since he's practically my age. And the new guy of course. :) And of course with all this Irishness who could possibly forget that we're just one week from St. Patrick's Day!! The Irish pub down the street from my university will certainly be having the party of the night. Then later in the semester I have a ticket to see Kina Grannis just down the road from my school. She's a lovely singer/songwriter from California. Check out her music below. Not too long after that Iron & Wine is playing a couple hours away and I've a ticket for that. If you haven't heard of any of the aforementioned people above, you must go and give them a listen. Yes, right now. I mean it. Go!

Remember without music there would be no life, and without life there would be no music.

As always,

Peace,

Elina

Enjoy the photo, there's just no place like home.

And an all-time favorite by Iron & Wine:

Let the Rain Pour

It's amazing what only a few days can do to you. 48 hours, 2,880 minutes, 172,800 seconds. I was so optimistic in my last post. Now this time next week I'll be headed home for spring break. But let's see how much this school can break my spirit first. As if it's not difficult enough to be stuck here on an average day, it's even worse when it rains. It's cold, everything is drenched, and do not think this is a clean rain. Instead when it rains it traps car exhaust in the mist, the sewers stink, and the streets run with foamy, gray water.

My first midterm yesterday did not go well, despite studying for 4 days prior. Nor did the essay I just got handed back today. A seemingly simple assignment. And as for spring break, it's not truly a break. I have just about as much homework to do over break as I do in a normal week, if not more. If my university gets its reputation from trying to crush the life out of their students, then I can see why it holds its accolades. I wish though, as if I felt any of this knowledge is actually going to be applicable in the real world. But as of right now, I feel as if it is not. Many of my classes are repetitive, and for the love of God when am I going to need to know the difference between Intergovernmental and Intragovernmental? I thought I wanted to work in International Relations. Be able to travel and get paid for it, foster agreements and such. But I do believe that I was incorrect. There are so many other ways to travel and get paid, and with such cooler jobs than my major can get me.

But alas, now I must go and compose an essay for the intro core class of my major! I've only put it off till the day before it's due at noon.

Always be sure the decisions that you are making are truly for yourselves.

Peace,

Elina