A Description of Right Now

Owyhee desert. Far up the dirt road.
Forest and Greg nearby. We’re all still, on a blanket – blue, green and white stripes.
Sun, then clouds, then sun again. It’s bright, it’s warm, it’s powerful. The clouds fluffy white and the sky a brilliant blue.
The colors I see in front of me – golden, yellow, green and stone. A majestic peak and face of a mountain staring, unflinchingly, back at me.
The wind blows, but not strong. Desert grasses dance, my hair blows loose.
The sound of the wind, Forest panting, birds chirping every now and then.
I sit, I lay, I write, I think. This is right here, right now.

That was an entry in my journal from May 2, 2020, that I called ‘A Description of Right Now.’ Greg, Forest and I spent 8+ hours in the spot that you see in the photo above. We hiked around a good bit, but much of our day was spent right there. At one point I was journaling and found myself thinking a lot about the future and past, and realized that I needed to come into the present. I decided to turn the page, and write a description of right now. I tried not to think about it too much, I just wrote, and then took the photos above.

It worked well, and I am now so glad that I have those words and photos. ‘A description of right now’ just might become a thing for me :).

Oat and Chia Breakfast Bowl

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This has been my quarantine breakfast and I thought I’d share it with you today! I’m going to tell you exactly how I make my oat and chia breakfast bowl and then different ideas for topping and extras, so that you can make this too, using what you have on hand.

Oats: I use either old fashioned rolled oats or steel cut oats for this recipe. Sometimes I make just one serving for Greg and I for breakfast, and sometimes I make this in bulk, and just reheat for breakfast each morning.

Chia seeds: so, why add chia seeds instead of just using oats? I usually like to keep my recipes on the simple end, using whole every day ingredients that most people have on hand. While chia seeds may seem like an unnecessary ingredient, I find them to be a ‘worth it’ ingredient to keep on hand in my kitchen. Just one tablespoon of these tiny seeds added to my morning oats gives me an extra 3 grams of protein, 5 grams of dietary fiber and 3 grams of healthy fats. That one tablespoon packs a nutritional punch and helps me to feel more satisfied, keeps me full longer, and provides healthy fuel for my body. I recommend adding the chia seeds, but you could totally make this breakfast bowl without the chia seeds.

Cooking liquid: I use water or coconut milk or a combination of both. Use any type of milk that you like, or just water.

Toppings: I have been using chopped apple, cinnamon, peanut butter, hemp seeds and flax seeds. I highly recommend that combination, as it is both delicious and nutrient dense, but if you don’t like or don’t have some of those things, here are some other ideas to try: any fresh fruit (berries would be great in the summer, bananas would also be good), almond butter, chopped nuts (almonds, pecans or walnuts would be so good), dried fruit (cranberries, raisins or apricots would be great), coconut. One other thing to note is that I do not sweeten my oat and chia bowl in any way. If you like things to be a bit sweet, I would recommend a drizzle of honey or pure maple syrup on top.

Soaking the grains: one thing that I do before cooking these oats, or any grain, is soak them. This step is totally optional – you could definitely make this without soaking the oats and chia seeds – but here’s a bit of information on why and how I soak before cooking. I love getting nutrition info and inspiration from Sarah at My New Roots, and according to Sarah, soaking grains before cooking them helps them to be a more health-supportive food and source of energy. Soaking them helps with nutrient absorption and ease of digestion. Check out this post on her Instagram for more details on the how and why of soaking grains. Below, I’ll describe how I soak the oats and chia seeds for this recipe.

Oat and Chia Breakfast Bowl

Oats, seeds, peanut butter and apples combine to make a warming, comforting, and nourishing breakfast bowl!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword breakfast, gluten free, healthy, oatmeal, vegan

Ingredients

1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup cooking liquid, water or milk of choice
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1-2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 apple, chopped
1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
1 tablespoon ground flax seed

Instructions

OPTIONAL: put oats and chia seeds in a jar or container, cover in water and soak for 30 minutes to overnight.
Drain oat and chia mixture and rinse well. Add oats and chia seeds to a pot over medium heat. Cover with water and bring to a light boil. Turn heat down and simmer until oats are soft and have absorbed all water. Add water and continue cooking until desired thickness/texture.
OPTIONAL: I like turning off the heat, putting a lid on the pot and letting the oats sit covered for 5-10 minutes. This makes them creamier.
Add oats to a bowl and top with peanut butter, chopped apple, cinnamon, hemp seeds and flax seeds.

Recipe Notes

The amounts listed above will make one generous breakfast bowl. Double, triple, etc. as needed.

This breakfast bowl is so customizable based on what you have/what you like. Try using other fruit, seeds, nut butters, etc.

Use What You Have Granola

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Here’s another use what you have recipe for you – use what you have granola! This granola is crunchy, nutty and just the right amount of sweet. It pairs well with yogurt, fruit, milk or just munching on it as is.

I have been making this granola weekly for years, using this same basic ratio and method. Every batch is slightly different based on what I have at the time. Rather than give a strict recipe (although for those who like a recipe, I give one below), I thought I’d provide the basic ratio of ingredients and method that I use. Here’s the ratio of ingredients:

4 cups nuts
1 cup seeds
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup sweetener
1/4 cup fat
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the nuts, get to 4 cups using any of the following: cashews, almonds, pecans, walnuts, peanuts, macadamia nuts. I almost always use cashews and almonds but have used every nut listed above in different amounts.

For the seeds, get to 1 cup using any of the following: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds. I almost always use pumpkin seeds but have used all seeds listed above.

For the coconut, I prefer unsweetened dried coconut but realize that a lot of people keep sweetened coconut on hand. I have never used sweetened coconut, but imagine that it would work just fine.

For the sweetener, I recommend either pure maple syrup or honey. I use both all of the time. I would recommend using a wet sweetener rather than dry like sugar because the wetness helps the granola come together.

For the fat, I prefer using coconut oil (at room temperature), but have used butter many times as well. You could also do a neutral avocado or olive oil.

Using 1/2 teaspoon of salt does give this a sweet/salty flavor, which I love. If you don’t like sweet/salty, I would recommend scaling the salt back to 1/4 teaspoon. I have also added up to 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon for a slightly different flavor.

The method: Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and process until well combined. The mixture should be wet and slightly sticky. Spread evenly onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and smooth down with the back of a spoon. Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes or until lightly brown. The granola is delicious when it’s fresh out of the oven and still warm, but I like to let the granola cool completely and then break it into clusters. It will be crumbly if not cooled completely. I prefer to store this in the refrigerator.

One thing to note: if you are low on nuts, seeds, or coconut and cannot get to the amounts listed above, you can substitute rolled oats for any of the ingredients. Sometimes I am completely out of seeds or low on nuts, so I make up for it by using rolled oats instead.

Use What You Have Granola

Crunchy, nutty, and just the right amount of sweet!

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword breakfast, granola, healthy, recipe

Ingredients

4 cups nuts (any combination of almonds, pecans, cashews, peanuts, macademia nuts, walnuts, etc.)
1 cup seeds (any combination of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds)
1 cup unsweetened dried coconut
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and process until well combined. The mixture should be wet and slightly sticky.
Spread evenly onto the baking sheet and smooth down with the back of a spoon.
Bake for 18-22 minutes or until lightly browned.
The granola is delicious when it’s fresh out of the oven and still warm, but I like to let the granola cool completely and then break it into clusters. It will be crumbly if not cooled completely.

Enjoy!

Use What You Have Quesadillas

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I’m going to try to keep it brief today, because the real point of logging on here and making a post is to share this use what you have quesadilla meal idea. But since it’s been a while, I thought I’d say hi! The last that I posted, Greg and I had just arrived in Boise. It’s hard to believe, but it’s been over six months since we’ve been here now. We’ve been keeping busy with working, adventuring, dreaming, learning and figuring things out. Like many people right now, we haven’t worked in several weeks. I’ve felt compelled to share some meal ideas on here, and while I can find 100 reasons to not share this post, here I am sharing it anyway :). For at least the time being, expect to see some simple meal ideas making their way here, as well as possibly to my Instagram.

This isn’t a recipe, just a meal idea that helps to use up leftovers and could probably result in some pretty epic flavor combinations. The day that I took these photos, we used up almost all random leftovers from the fridge. The leftovers were from several different meals, and were definitely not common quesadilla ingredients. We used red beans, quinoa, roasted onions and peppers, roasted potatoes and a hemp dressing/sauce, similar to this one from my site.

You most likely don’t need instructions on how to make a quesadilla, but in case you need some inspiration, here’s my method for use what you have quesadillas. Pull out any and all leftovers from your fridge – veggies, proteins, grains, sauces, cheese, etc. I like to warm each ingredient just a bit before assembling the quesadillas. You’ll need some tortillas as well. Place your tortilla in a large skillet over medium heat. Layer your leftovers onto half of the tortilla in a way that makes sense to you. I like to put dry ingredients, like grains, on the bottom followed by protein, veggies, sauce and then cheese. Fold the tortilla in half and then place a small but heavy plate on top of the tortilla. Depending on the size of your tortilla and skillet, you can cook multiple quesadillas at once. Cook until the tortilla is crispy and then carefully flip it to cook the other side. Cook until crispy and then enjoy!

May this post serve as some kitchen inspiration for you! I would love to know if it did, and what awesome quesadilla combinations came from your leftovers? Share in the comments below!

City of Trees

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It’s been awhile since I’ve published anything here, but I’ve received a lot of requests about life updates, and I thought that this would be a good way to share what’s new.

Greg and I are officially residents of Idaho! While the journey to here and now started long ago, I am going to start with 3 weeks ago – the end of September. My last day of work was September 19, and that was also the day that Greg and I left for a short vacation with my family to Burlington, VT. We drove to Albany, NY on the 19th and then to Burlington on the 20th. We had awesome weather and an amazing time – highlights included biking and walking to everywhere we went, the Burlington Farmers’ Market, August First, Citizen Cider, The Skinny Pancake, biking the Island Line Trail and exploring Red Rocks Park.

*Note: all photos in this post are unedited, straight from my phone 🙂

We drove from Burlington back to Adams County on the 23rd, and then the 24th and 25th were focused solely on packing. We had done a lot of cleaning out prior to the 24th but had nothing actually packed. Those two days consisted of packing all of our belongings from the time we woke up to the time we went to sleep. At the end of the day on the 25th, everything we were taking to Idaho was in one room of our house.

We moved our stuff across the country with UPack. You load all of your stuff into a moving cube, and it is shipped across the country for you. We chose to load and unload our stuff at the trucking terminal rather than at our house because it was the cheaper option. So the 26th was dedicated to loading our UPack. With the help of Greg’s stepdad, we loaded the belongings from the room pictured above into a moving cube. I had some serious doubts about fitting everything in, but we somehow managed to fit nearly everything. Just a few small things had to stay behind. Once we were done, we closed and locked the doors and said goodbye to our stuff for more than a week. The next time we saw it would be in Boise!

After our UPack was loaded, we had 5 days left in Pennsylvania and those were filled with visits and taking care of last minute things. We wanted to get to bed early on the 1st, the day before we left, but that didn’t happen and that was okay. We were up at 4 a.m. on the day we left, the 2nd, and we pulled out of our driveway while it was still dark, at 5:45 a.m. The stars were so bright and clear on the morning that we left, and I sat on our back deck with Forest one last time before we left that morning.

Our first day of driving was our longest, 12 hours of drive time. We drove from Aspers, PA to East Moline, IL. We drove through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois on day one. East Moline is right on the border of Illinois and Iowa – right along the Mississippi River. We arrived at our AirBnb at around 6:30 p.m., settled in with Ivy and Forest and then ate delicious Mexican take-out from a spot we found once we got there – Adolphs. The drive went by pretty quickly on day one, even though it was the least scenic and longest day. We had packed our coffee, breakfast and lunch for each day in a cooler in the car, which worked out so well and enabled our stops to be super quick.

Anyone who had talked with me before the move knows that I was nervous about how Forest and Ivy would do in the car. Traditionally, Forest doesn’t settle down during car rides and Ivy just doesn’t do them, so to put them in a completely packed up car for 12 hours had me a bit nervous. Well – not only did it go better than expected, it actually went incredibly well! Ivy actually seemed to enjoy it, so much so that we joked that we would take him for rides just for fun from now on. And Forest was such a trooper for being cooped up for so long. We could not have been happier with how they did. 🙂

Day two was another early day – we were all packed up and on the road by 5:45 a.m. We drove from East Moline to Cheyenne, WY. The drive was again not that scenic until we reached western Nebraska. The landscape became beautiful in western Nebraska which was a welcome sight. We arrived in Cheyenne at around 5:30 p.m. Our AirBnb was about 10 minutes outside of the city of Cheyenne and we had the most gorgeous view of the sunset. We got Forest and Ivy settled into the space, and then Greg and I drove into the town to pick up Thai takeout. The town was adorable and I would like to visit again someday for sure.

Day three was our final day! We were on the road again at 5:45 a.m., but with a quick stop for hot coffee for our drive. We had packed cold brew in our cooler, but with temperatures in the 30’s in Cheyenne when we left, we were craving some hot coffee to start our trip. The sunrise and drive through Wyoming was incredible. We took so many photos and videos out the window and could not stop commenting on how gorgeous the scenery was. Wyoming is a beautiful state, and it just got better and better as we drove through northern Utah.

We were so excited when we crossed into Idaho and the drive from the border to Boise seemed like it took forever just because we were so ready to get there. We drove through some pretty heavy rain in southern Idaho, but we were greeted by a beautifully sunny day when we pulled into our apartment complex at about 5:30 p.m.

Not only did we not see our apartment before moving in, we had never been to Idaho at all. We knew that the moment we first saw our apartment would be exciting, and it was, and it was also a super pleasant surprise. We are so grateful that we loved the space as soon as we saw it.

We arrived in Boise on Friday, October 4, and wouldn’t be unpacking our UPack until Monday, so we had a pretty empty apartment for the first few days. Once Monday came, Greg and I were up super early to get to our UPack, drive our stuff to our apartment and haul everything up the three flights of stairs. It was a long day and we were spent at the end of it, but we were so happy to have our stuff and be able to start making our apartment our home.

We’ve been in Boise – the City of Trees – for a week now and we are absolutely loving it. We love our apartment and it’s location within the city, and the city itself is amazing. We are able to get on our bikes at our apartment and go anywhere we need to go. We’ve been hiking, mountain biking, gone to farmers’ markets, coffee shops, a brewery and all of the grocery stores. All of that is bike-able or walk-able from out apartment and I love that lifestyle. Boise has a paved commuter trail that runs the entire way around the city and we are ale to hop on that right from our apartment complex – either on our bikes or with Forest for a walk. The scenery is incredible every where you look.