the details on the leaves of plants such as cabbage completely fascinate me!
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{homemade gummy bears}
9 Octi have been making my own homemade gummy bears for a while now, and i have been meaning to write a post about it…
i have always loved fruit snacks, gummy bears, et al. however, the ingredient list always detoured me – even the natural ones are full of mostly sugar.
so, i did some research and realized that i could be making my own gummy fruit snacks! and not only that, but i could make them GOOD for me!
my curiosity was piqued when i started looking for a clean source of gelatin to help with collagen production and joint support.
…which i don’t have pictured here because i typically transfer everything i buy into a glass jar… {no shame in my game}…
anyway, i wanted to incorporate gelatin into my diet and that’s when i got super stoked about the idea of making my own gummies! so i found these silicon molds on amazon {along with the gelatin} and looked up a few recipes to get me started.
as usual, i like to keep things as simple as possible. some recipes call for honey or a sweetener, but i like to avoid added sugar where i can {so i can guiltlessly enjoy a candy bar from time-to-time}.
so – here is my very simple {2-ingredient!} homemade gummy fruit snack recipe – which yields about 200 gummies and the ratio can be adjusted accordingly :
- 1 cup fruit juice {i usually opt for concord grape}
- 3 tablespoons gelatin powder
you could add in some honey or agave for sweetness, but i find the concord grape juice to be sweet enough on its own.
sometimes i’ll add in some elderberry syrup for additional health benefits during the cold-season months. Continue reading
{simple (rainbow) pasta salad}
22 Sep
as you probably know by now, i like to eat with the seasons as much as i possibly can. i enjoy it for lots of reasons. i always look forward to eating whatever vegetables or fruit are best during that particular time of year… and it makes me appreciate them more.
that said, i often struggle with “transitional” times of year – such as the month of september. i find myself unsure about what to wear, what to eat, when to go to sleep. it’s kind of funny but it’s true. {this also applies in the month of may.}
anyway, because i find september to be a transitional month, i also find myself eating transitional foods. i made that term up, but my point is that i’m not ready to start eating soups and squash, but i’m also done with light foods like salads and such. during this transitional time, i usually prepare foods that can be enjoyed hot or cold. and pasta salad is one of those dishes i could enjoy every day during transitional months.
i also really love orzo and i don’t use it often enough.
i whipped up this simple {rainbow} pasta salad and made a huge batch to take to work for lunches.
it’s so easy and so i thought i’d share the recipe… even though i didn’t measure anything, as per usual… but it’s so simple – just chop and toss!
————————————
simple pasta salad :
- cooked orzo
- diced summer sausage
- chopped tomatoes
- sliced olives {black & green}
- diced red onion
- diced banana pepper
- diced green pepper
- diced cucumber
- roasted garlic
- crumbled parmigiano reggiano
homemade dressing :
- olive oil
- apple cider vinegar
- spices :
- oregano
- sage
- parsley
- comfrey
- basil
- dill
- tarragon
- garlic
- onion
- salt
- pepper
- bit o’ parm reg
i like to serve mine at room temperature and i sprinkle crumbled italian breadsticks on top…
SO GOOD!
{meatless monday : a flavourful riced cauliflower dish}
9 Juli made this delicious riced cauliflower one-pot make-ahead meal for lunch last week and it was so yummy, i just had to share the recipe! i love experimenting with random things in the fridge!
i’ve been really into using riced cauliflower as a replacement for grains and it does a wonderful job as an understudy. 😉
riced cauliflower has a great texture and maintains it well during the cooking process. i’ve purchased it both fresh and frozen and they both seem to hold up just fine.
i made this dish as i was trying to use up some leftover ingredients such as frozen asparagus from another recipe. i also had some frozen jalapeños that i grew last year and wanted to use.
so this is what i came up with {amounts are “ish”} :
- 16 oz. fresh riced cauliflower
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 1/2 cup sweet corn
- 1/2 cup diced asparagus {mine was frozen}
- 1 medium size jalapeño, diced {ribs and seeds removed}
- 2 tbsp hot sauce
- 1 tbsp cumin
- salt & pepper to taste
heat some butter or oil of choice on medium heat and toss in riced cauiflower. cook slowly until al dente. add in asparagus and jalapeño, cook until slightly tender then throw in black beans and corn and cook for another minute or so. sprinkle in hot sauce and spices and toss together. keeps well in the fridge for a few days. can be frozen for future consumption.
organic chicken or grass-fed ground beef makes a nice addition to this recipe. i made this one vegan because i like to eat vegan at least once a week… not for any particular reason other than keeping things in balance 😉
and i just-so-happen to love cumin! it’s one of my favourite spices… do you like cumin?
{happy (belated) asparagus season!}
18 Juni’ve been getting my fill of delicious organic asparagus!
it is a marvelous food to eat in spring because it is very cleansing to the body and blood. asparagus is also in season during the spring, which just further proves how awesome and intelligent nature is! 🙂
i like to enjoy asparagus raw or lightly sautéed in grass-fed butter with a dash of himalayan pink salt and black pepper. sometimes i like to add it to risotto with wild mushrooms. when i lived in the mountains years ago, i had a lot of fun foraging for asparagus because it grows wild on the western slope of colorado. pretty cool, huh?!
a tip for keeping asparagus : treat it like fresh-cut flowers. keep the ends trimmed and leave them in a little water in the fridge until ready to use.
do you love asparagus? how do you like to prepare yours?
{i am a ritualist}
12 Junwhat can i say?! … i am a creature of habit.
i believe i have always been this way, but i don’t believe i have always lived this way…
over the last couple of years i have been particularly adamant about creating a healthy routine in my life… i have found myself purposefully setting intentions of a grounding “ritual” in my daily life from which i could draw strength.
at the very core of those routines and rituals is my desire for overall well-being.
i’m talking about wellness – inside and out – a sense of harmony… and i do believe that all starts within.
the more within myself i look, the more i realize that i absolutely THRIVE in routine. i believe part of that is because i recognize that all living things are in routine… and all living things exist by “obeying” certain laws of nature, many of which we as human beings are more removed from than i would prefer. nature is cyclical, and it is {for the most part} pretty predictable… therefore, nature also thrives in routine.
think about it…
all that to say, the more in touch with nature i’ve become, the more i’ve realized that i am as much a part of nature as nature itself. my body thrives in rhythm and routine, just as nature does.
one of the things i have been wanting to adopt as part of my healthy routine was including a daily vitamin supplement. although i generally eat a very well-balanced healthy diet, i’ve frequently struggled with finding a vitamin supplement that fit my desire for harmony and also fit my standards for well-being… which, i admit, are pretty high. 😉
and so it is with great enthusiasm that i say – I FOUND THAT!
which brings me to my purpose for creating this blogpost… my new best friend :
my ritual vitamins.
these wonderful vitamins came into my life serendipitously… as do most things that are “meant to be.” 🙂
as i said, i had already set the intent of finding a vitamin to add to my daily routine that would give me what i was looking for… an extension of my already healthy lifestyle choices, and SIMPLICITY.
what i love most about ritual is their simplicity. they have taken the guesswork out for us. instead of stuffing a tablet with unnecessary fillers and/or many of the nutrients that come from an already healthy diet, they’ve only included the 9 nutrients that most women lack or are deficient in… basically, it does what i have always believed a vitamin supplement should do… supplement, or as they say – “fill in the gaps”…
the 9 essential nutrients in ritual are :
- vitamin K2
- vitamin D3
- vitamin B12
- boron
- iron
- vitamin E
- magnesium
- folate
- omega-3
so, instead of buying upwards of 4 or 5 bottles of different supplements, many of which include unnecessary fillers, you get all you need in 2 daily capsules. part of the allure for me is that it truly epitomizes the concept of “less is more.”
another reason i love ritual is the transparency – literally and figuratively speaking. the capsules are literally see-through… and the company is transparent by allowing the consumer to trace the source of each ingredient on their website.
ritual vitamins are made for women. they are non-gmo, vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, and the company was founded by a woman. these vitamins are designed specifically for women. for one dollar a day, you can invest in your health by supporting an outstanding company that is truly revolutionizing the vitamin industry. plus, you get bioavailable nutrients that help you look and feel your best.
i have chosen to be an ambassador for this incredible brand because i believe in their mission and i am an advocate for voting with your dollars, as in putting your money where it matters. the $30 a month investment is one that provides a wealth of health.
please visit this link to start your ritual today : food and foto loves ritual
and stay tuned for my personal review on how this vitamin supplement has affected my overall well-being.
i am audrey michelle
• foodie • fotographer • storyteller • blogger • • minimalist • astrologer • gardener • lover •
i am a minimalist
i am a ritualist
f&f on your boards
