a few new favorite recipes

Hello! Thank you to everyone who commented on my last post! It's nice to know you all are happy i am back to blogging! :) 

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, maybe too much considering i haven't been able to sleep past 4-5 am, which is really annoying...I think this is due to my mind running crazy with stress about all sorts of things. I've been applying to a bunch of schools to transfer to for the fall, so that's been very stressful, but I'm almost done and when I'm all done i hope my mind can relax and start to feel more at ease.

This week i really want to start meditating before bed and listen to some relaxation tapes that my mom gave me. I need to learn to let my mind relax and trust that life will take care of itself...easier said than done, right? But so many people keep telling me that i need to meditate! Does anyone practice meditation, do you find it helpful or have any advice for me? 

Anyway, this avocado kale pesto i made the other day for lunch was so delicious! I've been obsessed with kale lately as well as nutritional yeast! Nutritional yeast is like my favorite thing, it's seriously so good, i may even like it more than cheese ^_^ and it's full of protein and complex B-vitamins. The recipe for the pesto i came up with is very simple! I had it on sprouted grain sesame bread with a cracked egg, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted tomato and roasted onion.

Avocado kale pesto (1-2 servings) 

1 cup chopped & steamed kale

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 small avocado

1/4 cup fresh basil 

1/4 tsp. ground tumeric 

1 tsp crushed garlic

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

  * steam the kale, then pulse all the ingredients in a food processor until well combined, and serve with anything you'd like.                        

Overnight buckwheat breakfast bowl (serves 1) 

1/4 cup buckwheat groats soaked over night in 1/2 cup water

3/4 cup vanilla almond milk

2 tbsp chia seeds

1/2 tsp. cinnamon 
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 ripe banana

+ toppings of choice (nuts, nut butter, shredded coconut, chocolate, dried fruit...)  

Oatmeal can become old and as some of you know from my previous blog, i am a self proclaimed "oatmeal addict" though oatmeal is just so versatile and something i actually don't get tired of. However, it's always nice to experiment and switch things up! So, the other morning i made overnight buckwheat from this recipe!

This was my first time trying buckwheat groats, i loved the crunchy texture and nutty flavor of these little groats and they kinda have a "pop" to them...definitely a new favorite grain! Buckwheat groats are naturally gluten free too, and contain a great amount of protein and interestingly enough they are a fruit seed related to rhubarb!? 

I can't wait to make this again later in the week, and perfectly convenient for mornings when i am out the door early for a class.

~ Now, to prepare this recipe the night before i let 1/4 cup raw buckwheat groats soak in 1/2 cup water. Then in a separate bowl i made a chia pudding in 3/4 cup almond milk with 2 tbsp chia seeds, half a ripe banana mixed in, a splash of vanilla extract and a few dashes of cinnamon, i gave that a good stir and put both covered in the fridge until the morning.

In the morning the water will be absorbed from the buckwheat and will be expanded in size and the chia pudding will be thick. Next i rinsed the buckwheat and put that in the oven on 250º spread out on a baking sheet, i let that toast up until the buckwheat was dry and toasty! (about 20 minutes or so)

Once the buckwheat is done combine with the chia pudding!

~ To my bowl I added some dried raw mulberries mixed in, raw almond butter and chopped pistachios-mixed it all up! So many nice textures and ingredients going on in this breakfast. very energizing as well + packed with great nutrients. 

~ Oooh and when i get my food dehydrator that i ordered later on this week, i will be making some of these raw recipes! --- buckwheat cereal and raw granola, kale chips, raw crackers, crispies, and dehydrated fruits! ha ha, should be quite the adventure! :) 

xo