Foodie Fridays: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake

Going with the pumpkin kick I've been on this week, I spent some time in the kitchen yesterday making this delicious pumpkin chocolate chip cake from Two Peas and Their Pod. I made a few substitutions here and there (partially for health reason and partially because I forgot the butter I needed in my apartment fridge..), but it ended up turning out great!

Foodie Fridays: 5 Healthy Salad Recipes

This summer hasn't exactly been the healthiest of summers. If I'm being honest, there's been far too much wine (lol kidding there's no such thing...) and too many carbs. I attribute most of it to the fact that the last thing I feel like doing is spending money on expensive healthy food. Chopping up vegetables and lettuce for salad just doesn't appeal to me when you can cook spinach tortellini in four minutes. But chopping up salad will save me from burning my arm yet again (I'm going on five burn marks on my right arm). Plus, I haven't gained the freshman 15 yet and now that I'm a senior I really can't sink to that level. But the real bottom line is, ovens and I just don't get along. I can wholeheartedly say I wish I was kidding.

Anyone feel me?

Anyway, recently I've just been feeling so blah. Not "blah" as in like uninspired or I hate my life or anything, but "blah" like UGH WHERE ARE ALL THE NUTRIENTS I WAS GETTING WHEN I WAS LIVING AT HOME AND NOT WORRYING ABOUT HOW MUCH HEALTHY FOOD COST BECAUSE MY MOM BOUGHT IT? New goal for this year: learn to cook without burning myself because I'm seriously starting to hate pasta (the only thing I can cook). But in the meantime, I'll be turning to an easy, healthy alternative that for the most part does not require an oven. Salad. Yay! While salad doesn't always require cooking, it does require preparation. And I find preparation annoying. But I suppose it's time I get over it. So...

I give you, dear friends, delicious salad recipes that I might will actually eat

1. International Quinoa Salad via Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

2. Avocado Strawberry Spinach Salad w/ Poppyseed Dressing via gimme some oven

3. Apple, Pecan, and Goat Cheese Quinoa Salad via greens & chocolate

4. Healthy Kale & Pomegranate Salad via Best Recipe Box

5. Healthy Chicken Chickpea Chopped Salad via Ambitious Kitchen

So here's my game plan:

It's the start of August. My funds are slowly starting to get back in order after an extremely expensive June (remember how I went to Mexico?). Time to start living like a real life grown up and prepping food for the week. Time to start figuring out how to properly use an oven in a manner that does not result in me burning myself. 

Final goal: Prep lunch salads for the week (Mon.-Fri.) each Sunday. #imhealthyduh

What's your fave go-to salad? Let me know in the comments below, as of today I'm on the hunt for new recipes :)

Side note: How come no one tells us how adulthood is simultaneously awesome and absolutely horrible??

xoxo

Foodie Fridays: My Go-To Breakfast

I don't know what happened in the past three months, but my love for avocado really hit me. I seriously question how I ever lived without it... Still can't eat it plain, but give it to me on a sandwich, with tomato, I don't even care. Add a dash of salt and some pepper and I'm good to go.

Photo from Melina Hammer Photography

Anyway, my friends are starting to make fun of me for how much avocado I eat. I mean, it was on my turkey burger Wednesday night and I had it with my dinner last night. Basically, it's an addiction and now I'm set on getting you addicted too! (At least it's healthy, right?!)

Foodie Fridays: "Ice Cream" Sandwiches

The other day I was Pinteresting (obviously) and came across this really yummy looking recipe. I love strawberries and graham crackers so this healthy alternative to your ice cream sandwich seemed like the perfect thing to make!

I was making these after dinner with my friend Steph (who took the photos.. thank you!), so that explains the wine. It's not an actual part of the recipe, although it is encouraged. Wine is always encouraged.

Super simple & yummy:

You'll need:

- 1/4 cup strawberries (diced)

- 1/2 cup cool whip

- 6 full crackers (makes 3 full sandwiches)

Foodie Fridays: Quinoa Obsession

Oh my good grief. I don't know how I ever lived without it. The "weird little grain" (as my mom likes to call it) has become one of my go-tos. Especially when I'm cooking for myself! Which has been happening a little more often than I like for it to... but as I'm moving out in less than a month then I suppose I better get used to it.

When my mom went to Paris, I was 1) dog-sitting, and 2) my dad and brother know how to cook burgers and steak, that's about it-- neither of which I'm a huge fan of-- so I had to fend for myself basically. I've been trying to lay off the red meat lately since it makes me feel so slow and sluggish, and as an alternate source of protein I thought I'd give quinoa a try.

Best decision I ever made. I've whipped up three equally tasty quinoa meals since the first one I made (which pathetically took me two hours...), and I'm so in love with all of them I couldn't not share them with you!