She's Back!

Hey there! How are you? Does anyone else feel like Decemeber completely snuck up on them? I was shocked when I realized we're almost half-way through! Where did the time go?

I feel like there is so much holiday spirit just waiting to spring out of me. I am already super excited about Christmas, but feel like I am looking ahead rather than just enjoying the preparation in the moment right now. Maybe that is because I haven't really had the time to "prepare" for the holiday season yet. My uncle and grandmother are going to work on decorating the house this weekend while I work on homework. Go figure. However, I think my homework wouldn't mind waiting just a few minutes for me while I sneak away to help out. After all, there are Christmas carols to be sung, stockings to be hung, and cookies to be baked!

...And in my case, beautiful winter pears to be eaten! Nanny bought me a pear after I had the most random craving for one a few days ago. It was the perfect treat after my yoga practice (which felt so amazing after being unable to practice for a week.) Turns out now I'm hooked!

How are you preparing for the holidays? Or, if you already celebrated, what did you do and how do you continue to stay joyful during the cold days of winter? 


While I may be ready to start celebrating, my food choices haven't exactly reflected typical heavy holiday fare. In fact, my appetite has been a bit strange since that nasty bug. However, I know I must be better because my body has been screaming for veggies like no other. I must just be filing up the quota I missed when I was carbing it up! Never fear, VeggieGirl is back in action to save the day!

[Crispy tofu cubes, eggplant fries, steamed sugar snap peas, and roasted kabocha slices with spicy mustard and tomato paste (thinned with water) for dipping]

I do love my veggies... especially when they are dip-able! For as much as I enjoy fancy silverware (I love my little spoons!), there is just something so fun and child-like about finger foods and dip. Also, snack plates are the perfect answer to indecisiveness. They are definitely the ultimate answer to how to clean out the fridge fast.

With lots of things to use that had been sitting in my refrigerator waiting for me to get better, I've found that reinvention is key to an exciting diet. It is especially important when you are cooking for one. I usually like to make single serving meals so that I have more options on what I want to eat instead of being tied down to leftovers. However, that usually leaves me with some random ingredients that I don't know what to do with. Lately roasting them together in the oven has been a quick and simple remedy. However, since I already had roasted beets, I decided to take this idea a step further by making baked veggie chips.

And thus the beet chips were born. Perfectly roasty toasty!

Oh, and speaking of roasting, have you tried roasted chickpeas before? They are absolutely delicious! Seriously. Fan. Freaking. Tastic. They are simple to make, yummy, and super-duper nutritious. Not to mention their crunchy texture and protein punch make them a great anytime-snack.

While I love eating roasted chickpeas as-is, on the off chance I am able to restrain myself last long enough, they become the perfect salad topper. Almost like chickpea croutons perhaps?

I really just can't get enough of chickpeas between roasted chickpea salads, squashetti, and curried chickpeas with parsnips. And who could forget my kabocha pizzas with broccoli and chickpeas? This combination seriously never gets old.

 Do you know what else also never gets old? I'll give you one hint:

Chocolate brownie oats...

And this...

With that, I'm off to dig in. I feel like I've ended so many posts on an about-to-eat devour-kabocha note, but I just gotta keep it real. The tummy likes what the tummy likes (carmalized, no doubt)!

How do you stay creative with extra ingredients? And are you a chickpea fan? What's your favorite way to enjoy this tasty legume?

Have a lovely day!

xox,
Mandiee