Getting it Together on the Road: Savannah

The Southern US often gives me anxiety. Do you know it’s absolutely impossible in 2014 to find a coconut water in southern Virginia? That’s not the kind of place I want to call home. Savannah, however, is different.

I’ve been going to Savannah on a semi-regular basis since I was a little girl. One branch of my family had the wits to get out of the north so I have traveled to the Paris of the South for weddings, races, vacations and of course – time spent visiting my family. Savannah has all the charm of the south while still being a part of the 21st century.

Below are some of my highlights of Savannah.  If you ever need more suggestions, feel free to e-mail me, tweet me, send me a note via carrier pigeon.

Shop
Savannah actually has a great shopping scene. When I get married, I’m going to decorate my entire house with stuff from Paris Market. Paris Market is filled with finds from flea markets and estate sales from – you guessed it – Paris, as well as the rest of the world with different cities and countries being represented at any given time. Currently the store is filled with finds from Egypt and India.

Upstairs at Paris Market

Downstairs at Paris Market.

Dying for this to be what my house looks like.

Besides Paris Market, Broughton Street also has Anthropologie, Kate Spade and Marc by Marc Jacobs outposts, just to name a few. If you want to find something a little more local with a smaller price tag, stop by Red Clover, whose offerings channel Francesca’s Collections, albeit with an even smaller price tag.

Eat
Savannah has options for just about every appetite. Go for complete gluttony at Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House, where you wait in line for a lunch of meatloaf or fried chicken, plus over twenty different side dishes and desserts, all eaten family style. I’ve done it once, many years ago, which was enough.

If you want to have a cute and quirky brunch with your girlfriends, I suggest Soho South Cafe. They have all the American-bistro classics from salads to sandwiches to quiche, with mismatched tables to boot. If you have to wait for a table, their bar area is super cute, too.

The bar at Soho South Cafe.

House Mixed Salad at Soho South Cafe, complete with added chicken and avocado (of course).

I’m also obsessed with Your Pie, the Chipotle of the pizza world. Read more about my obsession with Your Pie.

If you’re still hungry, I also suggest getting the falafel at Zunzis or grabbing a coffee at Gallery Espresso, conveniently a block from Red Clover.

Play
Obviously, being a beach babe, my seriously favorite thing to do in Savannah is go to Tybee Island. The drive is beautiful, the beach is clean, and there are a ton of cool shops and restaurants on Tybee.

Beach is better.

There’s always a race going on in Savannah –  or go for a loop around Isle of Hope for some stunning views, old plantation houses and an abundance of Spanish moss. Frosythe Park is also a mile around, so you can do loops around there and it affords some great people-watching. On Saturdays there is a Farmers’ Market there as well.

Drink
The Bohemian Hotel has a cool roof-top bar. The crowd is kind of older, but if you’re a girl, that means someone will probably buy you a drink.

With my cousin Jaime at the Bohemian Hotel in Savannah. Champs on champs.

I’m also a fan of Abe’s on Lincoln, mainly because there are Lincoln Logs. It’s super dive-y but also super fun.

Clearly not the most flattering photo of me ever, but I should have been an architect.

Chat with me:
What’s one of your favorite cities to visit? When you’re traveling, which do you love most – shop, eat, play or drink?

What I Ate Wednesday: Nicaraguan Eats [2]

I’m a terrible blogger. I never remember to photograph my food. I think it’s a muscle memory you have to train. Or it’s because I’m lackadaisical in most things I do. I wish I could be a more serious person. Did you know the Spanish word for “almost” is “Casi”? I think this blog name was meant to be.

I’m writing this at 6:30 a.m. since I woke up for a run and it’s pouring the rain. I wanted to share a few more of the things I ate while in Nicaragua. I still am having a little white rice PTSD – I saw a container in the fridge at work yesterday and almost had a panic attack, but other than that, I’m already ready to be back there, waking up early to surf, not waking up early to push back a run because I’m being a baby and don’t feel like running in the rain.

This isn’t a whole day of eats – just random things I photographed that you’ll probably see again if I ever bother to do a recap. (I will, I promise – getting serious over here).

Smoothie Bowl from Buddha’s Garden

Smoothie Bowl at Buddha’s Garden.

I was Skyping with my #WCW, Davida, last night and told her about the smoothie bowl I ate at the new raw foods cafe in San Juan Del Sur, Buddha’s Garden. Her reply? “Of course you would find the only raw foods bar in Nicaragua.” This smoothie bowl was made with a papaya base, then topped with mango, banana, watermelon, chia seeds and raw granola. I love how not-sweet the raw granola was. Do I now need a dehydrator? The answer is no.

Fish Taco from Bad Ass Eats

Fish taco from Bad Ass Eats.

You can’t go to a beach town without a fish taco, even if fish tacos aren’t really native to Nicaragua (still Mexican, but readily available at every beach stand and just about every place in town). This was super messy. It’s crazy windy in San Juan Del Sur (offshore winds from Lake Nicaragua, hence why the surfing is so good) and whatever creama sauce was on it was everywhere. Then I also felt the need to dump a random hot sauce on the counter into it. The tortilla was a  homemade corn tortilla and was so good. BUT – the fish tacos my dad and I made from “It’s All Good” still are the best fish tacos I’ve ever had. Is that blasphemy?

Lobster from Cloud Farm

Lobster… with the dreaded white rice.

As I said before, my meals were included in my lodging. The next to last night included lobster. I don’t even know where you find lobsters in Nicaragua, aren’t they a cold water creature crustacean? It was delicious and was in some red veggie sauce. The green thing is some sort of squash (though I wish it were kabocha squash) and the thing that isn’t rice is mashed potatoes. I’m just not into mashed potatoes/white potatoes in general… They’re both just bland to me. I was kind of hungry after I ate this since it was a few slices of squash and one lobster tail so I ended up making a salad with a random cucumber and tomato I found with balsamic vinegar and this delicious smoked cheese.

Steak and Chicken Kebobs from El Colibri

Beef and chicken kebabs at El Colibri.

I had spoke with a few people who had visited San Juan Del Sur, including Abby from All Dolled Up, who told me about the sangria at local Mediterranean restaurant, El Colibri. We went on their second to last night – their lease was up and the owners of the building wanted to start their own restaurant there. Since Nicaragua’s only food to speak of is rice, beans and plantains, I felt zero guilt about eating a cuisine I could get at home. Everything looked amazing – they had Spanish meatballs, steak with vodka bacon sauce, gnocchi (how I miss you, gnocchi) – but I went with chicken and steak kabobs (I love all things grilled, especially grilled veggies) and they were nice enough to swap polenta (weird polenta craving) for the potatoes.

Although I love eating while traveling, I’m also a creature of habit and truly love making my own meals because I love cooking, so coming home is always a little bit of a relief for me – I no longer have to forage for food out in the world and instead can throw random stuff in a bowl and eat it. I’ve also been eating mustard on everything since I didn’t have mustard for a week and I’m currently OBSESSED.

I’m linking up with Jenn from Peas and Crayons for What I Ate Wednesday.

 

Chat with me: What food/condiment are you currently obsessed with? Do you like eating out/eating at home more? What’s the best thing you’ve ever ate traveling?

Superfood Smoothie Bowl

Did you ever notice how every food is now a “superfood”? Also most foods are now also detox foods. People need to slow their roll with putting food into categories.

Anyway, I know I owe you about a million two travel recaps along with a ton of other stuff I want to share, but I haven’t had the chance to create a recipe for a couple weeks and this takes a lot less brain effort to write then something I have to go fact-check.

Nicaragua was amazing. I’ll recap fully soon, I promise. Of course the first place I made my dad stop after he picked me up from the airport (at 11 p.m.) was the grocery store to buy spinach. I had been feeling pretty gross my whole trip and couldn’t wait to start eating super clean again.

I just felt like I ate so much when I really didn’t. I was just eating differently than normal (trying to eat for energy – surfing is hard work!) and I start to feel weird when I’m not eating a ton of veggies and protein. After Tuesday, I made the exec decision I was no longer going to eat white rice… I don’t love it, my body doesn’t love it, I might as well spend the calories somewhere else and eat something satisfying.

Sunday morning, I woke up pretty hungry from not eating anything substantial on Saturday (the Managua and Houston airports both lack healthy options and plane food is probably just injected with sodium). I also knew I needed vegetables stat. I had a smoothie bowl at this cool raw foods cafe in San Juan del Sur and decided to just Cassie-fy it. I was a little cold after breakfast but I suddenly had a ton of energy and felt like myself again. Oh, and did I mention it was delicious?

Superfood Smoothie Bowl

Start your day the tropical way with a smoothie bowl.

What you’ll need:
Smoothie Bowl
2 huge handfuls spinach
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup ice
1/2 cup coconut water
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/4 cup raw rolled oats
1/4 avocado

Topping
1/2 banana
1/4 cup blueberries
2 tbsp Purely Elizabeth Blueberry Hemp Granola
1 tbsp hemp seeds
1 tbsp shredded coconut

What to do:
Put all smoothie bowl ingredients into your Vitamix blender and blend until smooth. It should be a little thicker than a normal smoothie and not flow out of the container – you should have to use a spatula to get it all out.
Put smoothie into a bowl (duh). Add toppings and try not to get a brain freeze as you dig in (this is coming from experience).

Look at that green goodness.

Smoothie bowl is ready for its close-up.

Superfood Smoothie Bowl Nutrition Facts

Chat with me:
What do you eat when you need to get back on track? Are you as obsessed with vegetables as I am?

What I Ate Wednesday: Nicaraguan Eats

Incase you missed it, I’m currently at surf camp with Chicabrava in Nicaragua (as part of my “actually achieve something as a 25 year old plan“). As part of the camp, they provide all of your meals, which is super cool because I’m staying on a farm and 90% of the food they make is from the farm (there’s nothing like fresh eggs). I thought I would share a little bit of what I’m eating, but I’m a terrible blogger so I always forget to take photos.

Sorry for the crappy iPhone photos (per usual) and being totally unedited – WiFi here is a bad sitch.

Nicaraguan Breakfast: Plantains, Rice and Beans + Eggs

Also un-pictured was fresh fruit (watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple) and coffee.

I honestly hope I never see rice again after this week and it’s only the end of day 3, but I always forget how delicious plantains are. I ended up adding a little Wild Friends chocolate sunflower almond butter to the plantains for some healthy fats.

Nicaraguan Lunch: Huge Salad

These veggies and eggs all came from the farm.

This salad was a Godsend – I seriously always miss eating a ton of veggies when I’m traveling. The hardboiled eggs were so good because they were from the farm. Also look how crazy that avocado is. On the side I had a little rice with pesto sauce.

Nicaraguan Snacks: Pico de Gallo, Guacamole and Seviche

 

This seviche may have changed my life.

We took a super awesome catamaran tour that involved snacks – homemade pico de gallo, gauc and seviche. I literally will never have pico and seviche that delicious again in my life – mainly because that fish was probably swimming this morning. I would do bad things for that seviche recipe.

Also snacked on but unpictured have been a Quest bar, almonds, a Kind granola bar and a half (chocolate chip and maple pumpkin seed), a melted Kind bar and these Peter Rabbits Organics fruit and vegetable squeezes. Surfing seriously makes you hungry.

I also bought these protein bars from a local company, Grace and Honey. I have chocolate berry chia seed and they were AMAZING.

Curry in a hurry.

I seriously had been craving curry so this was amazing – lots of veggies and chicken. I of course also had some rice (ugh but whatever).

I’m linking up with Jen from Peas and Crayons for today’s post. Thanks for hosting!

Chat with me:
What’s the best thing you’ve eaten this week? What food are you so over right now?

Getting it Together Thursdays: Collect Moments, Not Things

What do you remember more – that amazing Spring Break trip you took with your girlfriends in college or the sweater you bought last week? If you’re anything like me, you don’t realize you own two-thirds of the things in your wardrobe, so it’s probably the trip.

I love to travel. I was bitten by the travel bug at an early age. I am very lucky and blessed that my family puts importance on spending time together doing things rather than buying things – while most people asked for a new MacBook for high school graduation, I schlepped my two-year old laptop to college and instead, asked for a trip to Europe. The laptop I eventually did have to purchase a week into school now lays forgotten and unused in my basement, but I still fondly remember visiting Versailles with my grandmother just about every day.

My friends often ask how I have money to travel so much – the simple answer is that I am really cautious about where my money goes: I pack my lunch everyday for work rather than buying it, I make my coffee instead of stopping at Starbucks for a latte every morning, I live at home (I know, this isn’t something to necessarily be proud of at 25, but I save so much money) and delete those sales e-mails. Think before you buy – do you really love it? If not, don’t buy it. That money could go to something more meaningful.

Maybe you don’t have the travel bug – you can still collect moments with your friends and family. Each birthday and holiday, I try to buy my friends and family something that requires us to spend time together. I bought my grandmother a spa package this Christmas, took Friend Emily (who seriously I have to have guest post about her Green Trekker) out to brunch and a mani/pedi for her birthday and bought tickets to a concert for Angela for all her hard work over the summer.

In college, I drove a beat-up Ford Taurus (because I was a terrible driver, it was purchased for me in perfect condition) and all I wanted was a new car. After a summer trip to Italy, my dad told me “I was going to buy you a new car this summer, but I decided the memories you would make in Italy would be worth more”. Think about that next time before you spend money – will you remember what you buy or will you remember that trip or event you are saving money for?

Chat with me:
Do you collect moments or things? (It’s okay to collect both :))

How to Roast the Perfect Kabocha Squash

Confession time: I had no idea what a kabocha squash was until I started reading HLB blogs. I probably had eaten one in a curry at some point and never realized it.

I forgot how much I loved winter squash until this past year. I’ve always been a fan of summer squash – but winter squash? They were shaped funny and how the hell are you supposed to cut one open? Then everywhere I looked there was a kabocha squash recipe – kabocha donuts, kabocha soup, kabocha pancakes, roasted kabocha. I couldn’t escape it so I had to find one to see what the buzz was about.

I finally found one little kabocha at Whole Foods in September. My first attempt at roasting it turned into me nearly slicing my hand off trying to cut it open – then drizzling it with agave and cinnamon. I started picking at it straight from the oven – and I was hooked.

Then, in true Pittsburgh form, kabocha was no where to be found. Angela and I even went to City Market in Columbus trying to find them from the farmers, but no luck. I even Googled “where to buy kabocha squash in Pittsburgh” – nothing.  If you know me, you know I don’t give up that easily.

Finally, after four or five different desperate Google searches, a Yelp review popped up of a Japanese market in Squirrel Hill. “Only place to find kabocha squash, or Japanese squash” some helpful Yelp-er told me. That person is a saint. If I knew where they lived, I would send them an Edible Arrangement*.

I didn’t go to this particular market right away. I was afraid of being disappointed. One day, my friend Jamie followed me to the mall, and I noticed an “Oriental Market” in the North Hills. I immediately turned and was the only white girl in there. No one knew what I was doing. I did, though. I headed straight to the produce section, and low and behold, sweet, sweet kabochas, I snagged two huges ones and gifted one to Angela since she had never experienced the delight it had to offer.

Then a few months passed (okay, maybe a month) and I didn’t head back out that way. I suddenly decided to stop by the Japanese market in the aforementioned Yelp review. They had one little kabocha. I asked the shopkeeper if he had more. “How many do you want?” I told him all that he had. He brought me out a box of four kabocha squashes.

Squash of my labor.

If there’s a run on kabocha squashes in Pittsburgh – I know why and I know who reads my blog in Pittsburgh and I’m going to be really pissed if I can’t find one. (Okay, I’ll help you out – the Korean market in Shadyside by the Laundromat also has them.)

Moral of the story: if you can’t find kabocha squash, head to an Asian grocer. They always come through.

How to Roast the Perfect Kabocha Squash

Roast kabocha squash.

What you’ll need:
Kabocha squash
Coconut oil, either melted or spray (don’t get on me, I don’t care, it’s from TJ’s and the only ingredient is coconut oil so I’m assuming it’s more or less totally natural)
Cinnamon 

What to do:
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Wash squash thoroughly because you can, and should, eat the skin.

Put squash in microwave on high for 3 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with coconut oil.
Cut squash in half and scoop out the strings and seeds.
Once squash is cleaned out, cut in strips or wedges (I prefer strips).

Line on baking sheet and spray lightly with coconut oil.
Sprinkle cinnamon on squash.

Bake for 40 minutes, turning halfway through. Don’t be lazy – it seriously makes a difference. Kabocha squash is the one place I don’t get lazy.

The stuff dreams are made of.

Chat with me:
What food do you love but you can’t find? Do you love kabocha squash? Has anyone ever sent you an Edible Arrangement? (I’ve never gotten one, if anyone would like to send me one please contact me for my info.)

*Edible Arrangements did not sponsor this post, but if they are reading this and would like to send me an Edible Arrangement to review, feel free.

Getting it Together on the Road – Preparing for Travel to a Third World Country

While you’re reading this, I’m probably getting my butt kicked by some waves in Nicaragua. The WiFi situation is not good (i.e., third world country Internet) so sorry for my laziness/lack of photos. Also now you know why I’m not commenting on your blog. I’ll be back soon, I promise!

Can I even say Third World country? Is that politically correct? I think it’s developing nation but whatever, I majored in fashion, not poly sci. This post isn’t about how to act in a Third World country – act like a normal, respectable human being and be compassionate, duh – but rather, how to prepare so you can have an awesome, stress free trip and maximize your time doing cool things, not dying of food poisoning or getting Tom Hanks-ed at the terminal when you don’t have a visa.

I recently joked to my father while packing for Nicaragua that I couldn’t remember at what point in my life that I traveled somewhere so unprepared that it caused me such post traumatic stress disorder that I grossly over-pack every time I leave the house, let alone the country.

In college, I studied abroad in Hong Kong for 6 months, which is clearly not a third world country – it’s much cleaner and more advanced technologically than the US in many places. I literally had no idea what to expect especially since I didn’t even know where it was on the map (nerd alert: coming from a girl who competed at the State Geography Bee numerous times). So what did I do? I thought about every country in Southeast Asia I would potentially visit while there and prepared accordingly.

• Check what vaccines you need.

Me five years ago in the Mekong River Delta, not dying of malaria because I was prepared.

If bugs are bad where you are going (so, basically everywhere in Central/South America, Africa, or Asia), and you can get anti-malarial pills, do it. Something in them definitely helps keep bugs away. Also use a bug repellent with 40% DEET. I don’t care about the chemicals, I care about scratching myself to death in my sleep and how I look with shorts on.

Make sure you get booster shots. One polio shot in the US as a child is good, but in places where it hasn’t been eradicated, it’s probably a good idea to get it. Same with hepatitis A – you can get it from contaminated food/water, and last I checked, kidney transplants aren’t fun.

If you’re going to South America or Africa, you’ll need a yellow fever shot. You can also get a typhoid shot for Central/South America and Africa. Five years ago I was able to take pills for typhoid, but allegedly according to my doctor now it’s shot-only.

• Find out if you need a visa.

This should be self-explanatory – see if you need a visa in any of the countries you are traveling in. If you’re a US citizen, it’s more likely you’ll need one than your foreign pals. Take visa photos (you can get them taken at any pharmacy) for any country where you get a visa upon-arrival.

Always make sure you have at least 1-2 completely blank pages in your passport as well as at least 6 months’ validation left. If you’re traveling and about to run out, you can stop by the American Embassy (you usually have to make an appointment) and get more pages added.

• Pack snacks.

I know, I live in fear of being hungry. I pack snacks for the drive to work basically at this point in my life. You never know what the food options are going to be where you’re going – I kind of remember one Sunday in Italy where everything was closed, including the grocery store, and I was literally about to eat my arm I was so hungry. I only kind of remember because we finally found an open bar and a bottle of wine on an empty stomach with our new 80 year old friend Rocco really did me in.

I’m also a complete psychopath and pack oatmeal, nut butter packets, Kind bars, chia seeds and protein powder with me whenever I go anywhere. Then I know I at least have some nutrients in the form of fiber, protein and healthy fats. My family actually packed a suitcase full of American food for me every time they came to Hong Kong (then took back a suitcase full of crap I was over).

• Get currency before you leave.

Third world countries are great at ripping you off with fees and awful exchange rates. Some countries I’ve visited, like Cambodia, take American money – but it has to be in PRISTINE condition because counterfeiting is rampant. If you give your bank enough notice, they can order any currency for you for free – you just pay the exchange rate.

Also – tell your bank you’re leaving or they’ll cut off your card.

• Don’t flaunt your wealth.

Leave the good jewelry at home. I don’t care if you feel naked without your [insert jewelry here]. So do I, but I’d rather feel naked for a week or two rather than never see it again. There’s pickpockets everywhere, even in Pittsburgh, I’m sure, but you don’t want someone to cut off your wrist for your diamond tennis bracelet. Also it just makes you feel guilty. This tip is also especially good for Europe, especially Southern Europe. A gypsy once stole my grandmother’s wallet when we were in Barcelona (still hasn’t turned me off from My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding).

Chat with me:
Have you ever traveled to a Third World country? How did you prepare? Would you ever want to visit one?

Salted Caramel Chia Pudding

Chia seeds are having a real moment. I personally love chia seeds, mainly because I have a fear of not getting enough omega-3s or fiber, and also a tablespoon of them can turn 1/2 cup of oatmeal into like 3 cups of oatmeal if you do it right. (Okay, maybe 2. Just add double the water). If you want to learn more about chia seeds (and seeds in general), Davida at The Healthy Maven had a great round-up of all thing seed.

Yes, if you live under the superfood rock, chia seeds are what makes chia pets. Also most things you should eat are plants so I don’t know why that scares you. Chia seeds also make pudding, without all the milk and sugar and crap JELL-O sticks in theirs (sorry, Bill Cosby). I’ve been seeing chia pudding everywhere and started craving it. I had a failed pumpkin chia pudding recipe… and then decided I wanted salted caramel pudding. I’ve been craving caramel pudding since I saw it on a post on Running with Spoons, but unfortunately caramel pudding does not exist in the US (or at least not in the greater Pittsburgh metro area grocery stores).

Even though this recipe looks time intensive, it seriously takes five minutes total. It’s kind of an overnight plus the whole next day sitting around waiting time, so start it before you go to bed (soaking the dates and almonds) then blend it all before you go to work/school/have a fulfilling life that doesn’t involve either of those (and then I’m extra jealous of your life and the fact you will be enjoying this delicious chia pudding). Make it for your next dinner party because it’s vegan, gluten free, paleo, raw – whatever, everyone can eat it unless they’re allergic to almonds.

Salted Caramel Chia Pudding
Serves Four

Topped with a little cocoa powder because life is short.

What you’ll need:
1 cup almond milk, separated into 1/2
1/4 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup dates, pitted
3 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt (or normal sea salt)

What to do:
Put almonds and dates in a small container and cover with water. Let sit overnight.
The next morning, drain water from almonds and dates.
Put almonds, dates, 1/2 cup almond milk and lemon juice into blender or food processor and combine until a liquid and no small parts remain.
Put chia seeds in a container. Poor almond-date-almond milk mixture over chia seeds. Add remaining 1/2 cup almond milk. Cover and shake to combine.
Let mixture sit at least 4 hours, or until chia seeds absorb all the liquid.
Top pudding with sea salt and enjoy.

Eat it by itself or use on oatmeal, yogurt, fruit or squash.

Salted Caramel Chia Pudding Nutrition Facts

Chat with me:
What’s your favorite superfood? How do you like to eat it?

Please, Eat a D**n Salad (and Giveaway Winners!)

First off, I wasn’t even going to post today but it’s Angela‘s birthday so basically this post is homage to her. If I had never met Angela, this blog wouldn’t be in existence because she gave me the courage to start my blog and write about things I wanted to write about, not what I thought I should write about (hence why I never post about clothes anymore – I do that enough at work!). Ang, thanks for making me a better person you beautiful girl, you.

Look at those tans!

Back on track: If you know me, or even know of me, as a person, you should know that I love green things. And by green things I mean vegetables. I truly, truly haven’t met a vegetable that I haven’t liked (other than white potatoes, ew). I know it’s probably super obnoxious to people who can go days without consuming a vegetable, but I honestly just like them. A lot. I grew up eating a ton of veggies, I dabbled in vegetarianism in high school and college – I’m that person who chooses what she’s eating based on sides rather than the main course.

I originally made what I lovingly referred to as a “basic b***h shamrock shake” (because come on, what food/healthy living/lifestyle blog/anything with print doesn’t have a shamrock shake redux somewhere in the past 16 days?) for Davida’s Green Food Link-Up but like, I couldn’t be that girl (sorry if you were that girl). Then I made my mint chocolate chip overnight oats and my life was basically changed.

Today, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I wanted to showcase some green recipes I’ve either tried and loved or want to try because I think I’ll love them. In my honor today, I’m asking you to eat a salad, and if not a salad, please just eat something green that is natural and not from food dye. I swear it won’t kill you.

Hidden Greens Vanilla Almond Muffiins by Nutty for Life

Green Silver Dollar Banana Pancakes by The Healthy Maven

 

Matcha Green Tea Muffins by One Ingredient Chef

Grilled Guacamole by Lauren’s Latest

Raw Thin Mint Green Tea Ice Cream Cake by The Veggie Nook

Oh, and without further ado… here are some people who #gotlucky thanks to random.org number selection! If you won, please e-mail me your full name and mailing address to cpisone@gmail.com!

Chat with me:
What did you do for St. Patrick’s Day this year? What is your favorite green food?

Mint Chocolate Chip Overnight Oats and a Giveaway

As usual, I’m behind the times on green recipes. Since my birthday falls 10 days before St. Patrick’s Day, clearly I have other priorities in March.

I had actually been craving a shamrock basic b***h shake (i.e. a mint flavored smoothie in my world) but when I made it I just felt… basic and unoriginal. Maybe I’ll still post it because it was pretty good but whatever. (Has anyone seen the nutrition facts on a real Shamrock Shake? Ew. Just ew. I saw them while looking one up to show Davida what they were).

Then it came to me – mint chocolate chip overnight oats. I remembered I had Peppermint NuStevia and had yet to try that flavor. I actually originally made this with just mint and it wasn’t minty enough. True peppermint extract scares me because of a peppermint extract overdose incident (if a recipe calls for 1/8 tsp of peppermint don’t increase it) so I was glad to have a little dropper that held me accountable.

This oatmeal was amazing. So good I had to text Angela to tell her. Honestly it’s vaguely scary looking – I’m kind of self-conscious about how my food looks anyway (#foodbloggerprobs) and I was really self-conscious of this guy. But whatever, get festive and make a jar now – they’ll probably be great hangover food on the 18th. (Off topic: for a while, a kale smoothie was my go-to hangover cure.) Plus – they’re gluten free and vegan!

Mint Chocolate Chip Overnight Oats

Sorry these photos are dark – natural light is no joke.

What you’ll need:
2 cups spinach
½ large banana
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tbsp cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 sprig fresh mint
5 drops peppermint NuNatuals Stevia
1 tbsp unsweetened carob chips

What to do:
Put spinach, banana, almond milk, cacao powder, fresh mint, and peppermint stevia in your blender and blend until smooth.
Put oats and chia seeds in a jar and shake to combine.
Pour blender mixture into jar.
Add carob chips to jar mixture.
Shake well to combine.
Refrigerate overnight. Top with Greek yogurt or additional carob chips! Try not to be self-conscious of your breakfast.

Don’t let the color scare you.

Mint Chocolate Chip Overnight Oats Nutrition Facts

Now you can #getlucky and win a NuStevia prize pack that includes the peppermint, cherry vanilla and lemon flavors! I’m giving away four prize packs and this is open WORLDWIDE. You’ll also get some NuStevia packets for sweetening on the go. If you don’t think you’re lucky, you can score 15% off your purchase with BLG0614 on nunaturals.com.

Now for the not so lucky part… I am not currently self-hosting and the free version of WordPress has some serious limitations, so you have to enter by going to the Rafflecopter page. I hope this doesn’t deter you from entering. Feel free to leave me a comment or shoot me an e-mail if you have any problems entering and I’ll help you out. This giveaway ends at 12:00 a.m. on Monday, March 17th so enter now!

The giveaway is sponsored by NuNaturals but all opinions and recipe creations are my own. I was not paid for this post.

Chat with me:
What was your most memorable (or least memorable… haha) St. Patrick’s Day ever?