Mango Lassi

Alright, first blog post about food in a while.  I will try to do two each day, but that might not happen so don't get your hopes up.  I know you all (can I even say that if pretty much nobody reads this?) are just pumped for my new blog posts.

Ok, so a mango lassi.  I love these and I always get them at the farmer's market.  It is a mango smoothie with cardamom and it's delicious.

Super easy to make and healthy for a pre-meal snack, because let's be honest, it's most definitely not filling enough for a meal.

Ingredients:
-frozen mango
-splash of milk
-2 cardamom pods broken and ground (it would probably be a lot easier to just buy pre-ground cardamom)

Put the ingredients in a blender and blend away!  Then enjoy.

Also, I have been making a conscious effort to eat slower because I realize that I literally inhale my food and don't really take the time to savor the flavor.  I'm also making a bigger effort to get through all my shows before school starts so I don't start school behind.  

My neglected blog

I have been MIA for quite some time.  You know me though, pretty busy watching TV, eating food and stressing about school coming soon.. but I am back!  Over the next few days, if I am not too busy catching up on all the shows I've missed (Kardashians), I will be posting plenty of new recipes I have tried.  So, this was just a warning that more posts will be coming soon.  Unfortunately, this post has no food.  But, here is a funny pun:

(Justin/Case = just in case)

Banana ice cream

I made banana ice cream.  I know most people call this "nana" ice cream, but I refuse to call it that.  It's a stupid name and what some people call their grandma.  So, no, I did not make "nana" ice cream, I made banana ice cream.

Ingredients:

Frozens bananas (as many as you like)

vanilla (optional)

all the toppings you want

Now that we got that out of the way, here's how to make it.  You take bananas, however many you want, I used two, cut them up into bite sized pieces and freeze them for at least a couple of hours.  The riper the banana the better.  Then, once they are frozen, take them out and put them in a food processor and pulse away until it is nice and creamy.  

Super easy and super good!  I topped mine with some homemade almond butter, but you can go as crazy as you like with the toppings.  

Almond Butter

While I continue to binge watch Scandal on Netflix (I've gotten through two and a half seasons in about 4 days), I also continue to eat.  I loved my homemade peanut butter I made the other day.  It's been delicious on bananas, oatmeal or spoons.  It's so good that I've decided to experiment a little with nut butters.  I'm going crazy now with almond butter.  It's made the same way as the peanut butter, so it really doesn't take much skill.  

Ingredients:
Almonds (as much as you like, but enough so that the food processor has enough to puree)

Take some almonds, put them on a single layer on a baking dish, place them in a 350 oven for about 15-20 minutes.  Make sure to toss them around a little while they are baking.  Then, once they are nice and toasty (you should be able to smell them at this point), pull them out and put them in a food processor and blend them up until it's nice and smooth.  You might have to scrape the sides down a few times.  It takes a while, it first becomes like a bread crumbs but just keep blending and you'll get there.  It would also make a great gift, just a small jar of homemade almond butter.  Or, you can just enjoy it yourself, which is what I do obviously.

Tofu "fries"

I love tofu!  I know people hate people who say that, but I'm being completely honest.  I like it plain, sautéed, with sauce, well, it's obviously better with sauce.  This is a delicious, easy and most importantly healthy snack.

Ingredients:
Tofu
Oil (just to spray the tofu, not necessary)

Preheat oven to 350.  Meanwhile cut the tofu into strips.  Gently press a paper towel on the tofu to soak up any liquid you can.  Lay the strips on a baking sheet, making sure the tofu is not touching each other.  Spray the tofu with a little oil and pop it in the oven for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes flip the tofu over and cook the other side for about 15 minutes or until the tofu crisps up a little and the sides are golden brown and delicious.

I served mine with a little sweet chili sauce on the side and it was absolutely delicious!  You could also cut and bake the tofu into cubes to toss in salads or for an easier way to eat them on the go.

Now, go enjoy your tofu fries with a little TV on the side!

It's oats, for breakfast!

Alright, so I already posted about my oatmeal before, but I thought I might as well post again.  I think the picture is prettier this time too.  Oatmeal is super easy to make and a really healthy and filling breakfast.  I use my rice cooker, but you can do it on the stove too.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup oats
1 cup water (or 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup milk)
whatever toppings you want to add

Rice cooker instructions:
Put the oats and water in the rice cooker and turn it on.

Stovetop:
Put water in a pot on stove and when the water starts boiling pour in the oatmeal and stir.  Then, turn the heat down and cook a little longer until the oats are exactly how you like 'em.

Then top with whatever you want.  I used dried cranberries, almonds, blueberries (sorry mom for taking a few of yours, needed them for the picture) an raspberries, of course a little brown sugar too.

I've been watching Scandal and I liked it at the beginning, but it is getting kind of old. I was really into Dexter and I highly suggest it if you haven't seen it!

Also, if you don't already, follow my instagram @theresnotvinmydormroom for all the latest photos of ma food!  Enjoy!

Homemade Peanut Butter

It's been a while since I have posted anything.  I really have no excuse except I'm incredibly busy finishing a season of Scandal a day (that is not a lie, by the way, I watched a whole season in one day and I'm almost done with the second).  I've been really into food instagrams and was inspired to make my own peanut butter, which is incredibly easy.  I think you're supposed to roast the peanuts first but I didn't and it turned out fine.  I used pre-salted peanuts.  If you roast them first, just lay peanuts on a tray and put them in the oven for like 30 minutes or until the oils have started oozing.  Then place the peanuts in a food processor and blend it up until it is nice and smooth.  It's absolutely delicious!  Also, check out my new instagram where I will post only food photos: @theresnotvinmydormroom

On another note, Kim Kardashian's wedding was a couple weeks ago and from the photos I saw, it was absolutely over the top and beautiful!