Vanilla Cashew-Almond Milk (gluten free, vegan)

I will admit to being a little late in jumping on this bandwagon, as I am with many things in life. But I am so, so glad I started making my own nut milk a couple of months ago. It was always just one of those things that I avoided for no real reason; I assumed it would be too time consuming, too expensive, too… hard. How wrong I was. If you have ten minutes, a handful of nuts, and some fabric – you can make nut milk.

Pumpkin Pecan Freezer Oatmeal Cups (gluten free, vegan)

On my off-days from the gym, I usually make a smoothie and drink it on the way to work, but if I’m hauling ass and lifting weights at 6am, you can be sure I want something a little more substantial. And since I’m even more pressed for time than usual on those mornings, I need something that can be prepared quickly. As promised, I’m going to be sharing with you as many of my on-the-go breakfast solutions as I have to offer, and this is one you won’t want to miss out on!

Jungle Nut Butter (gluten free, vegan)

I feel like we need to have a chat about nut butters. I may or may not need some kind of nutty intervention, as I am dangerously addicted to this stuff. I put it on oatmeal, I slather it on apples, and I *gasp* eat it by the spoonful. I keep a little container in my desk at work and eat a bite whenever a sugar craving comes along. Chocolate still wins sometimes (okay, more than sometimes), but usually a bite of this keeps me satisfied.

Almond butter has always tasted more like dessert than food to me, even when there’s no sugar added, but this stuff… this stuff is is nuts. You will not believe there’s no sugar, and you will definitely not be able to stop yourself – and that’s okay!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins + Date Puree Tutorial (gluten free)

Have you ever had one of those mornings where nothing seems to go the way you had planned? As if, rather than you waking up on the wrong side of the bed, the rest of the cosmos did? I had just such a morning a couple of weeks ago. I woke up looking forward to having a leisurely morning; I was going to work in the evening, which means I could wake up late, linger over coffee and breakfast, and test out a pumpkin muffin recipe, all without breaking a sweat trying to rush out the door. Such was the plan, anyway. Instead, I woke up to the sound of running water and Conor’s poor step-mom in a state of panic. The massive fish tank in the basement was somehow, steadily, leaking out of the bottom, and a large puddle of water had already accrued on the floor. I could just imagine the poor fish watching helplessly as they sink to their doom.

How to: Pumpkin Puree (gluten free, vegan)

Summer is officially over, and while it would be oh-so-easy to lament the shortening of the days and the lengthening of my sleeves (and hemlines), I prefer to celebrate the treasures of the season. I love being able to throw on a cute dress and a pair of flats and be out of the door in 5 minutes, don’t get me wrong, but there is something so wonderful about getting to pull out your chunky knit sweaters, wool tights, and leather boots. It’s so much easier to look stylish when the weather cools down, since layering always makes an outfit more interesting and requires more creativity.