crispy peanut butter cups // toasted coconut

Peanut Butter Cups are one of Justin's most favorite candies. He can polish off a bag without thinking twice. Peanut Butter Cups are super easy to make, for an added twist I included some of his favorite chocolate crisp cereal and toasted coconut.

I was able to enjoy a total of one peanut butter cup - the rest were gone within 2 days of making this batch.

The perfect little sweet treat for New Years Eve.

The Holidays // DIY sugar salt scrub

Merry Christmas!

This post can either be considered right on time or a day too late - anyway you look at it there is always next year or another holiday to celebrate. 

Today I am sharing with you a super easy, yet adorable and thoughtful sugar salt scrub that smells good enough to eat and makes your skin soooooooo friggin' soft.

The Holidays // cookie box

Cookie Boxes, hands down is my most favorite part of Christmas. I love coming up with a new assortment each year, anything goes from cookies, to truffles to little dessert bars + bites. I always inlcude a combination of homemade and semi homemade treats. Think chocolate dipped Oreos with sprinkles, chocolate dipped apricots with pistachios, white chocolate peppermint cookies.

All these goodies are tucked into a cute little box with a homemade tag tied up with ribbon. I love passing out my tower of cookie boxes to friends and family. 

It is a simple little gift given with lots of love.

Today, I am sharing with you my favorite Holiday Cookies + Treats.

(simply click directly on each recipe title to be brought to the blog post)

Enjoy!

The Holidays // edible gifts

Each year I make it a point to pick a handful of gifts that are from the Kitchen. People love food- eating it, giving it and receiving it. Food + Drink make people happy- a food hug from your favorite person is the best kind of hug.

Today I am sharing with you a few of my all time favorite gifts from the kitchen. I hope you have a chance to share some Kitchen love with your friends + family this Holiday Season!

(click on the recipe title to be direct to the recipe page)

The Holidays // a plant based menu

One of my favorite things about the Holidays is the Menu planning. I mean, duh, this is a food blog and all- of course food would take center stage!

Not only do I love developing a menu where all the courses flow and compliment one another, I love designing the table. It makes our everyday table feel a little more special.

Flowers or herbs, greenery, votives and printed menus always make an appearance. 

The Holidays // a DIY christmas village

How cute are these little houses! The best part is you don't even need to be crafty to make a little village of your own like the one you see here. A little bit of paint, a few paint brushes, pretty ribbon and a handful of pre made wooden bird houses flipped around.

Add a few faux trees and twinkle lights and you have a custom DIY Christmas Village!

pumpkin granola // pistachio + coconut

Before November is up Imma going to squeeze one last pumpkin recipe in before we are hit with the onslaught of all things Christmas.

A recipe over thanksgiving only called for a bit of pumpkin puree- I found myself with leftover puree and decided to put it to good use. First with this granola and second with an awesome pot of soup which I posted over on instagram.

pumpkin pie muffins // coconut + brown sugar

This recipe was originally suppose to be something completely different but I procrastinated and cherry season came and went. But, I am pretty happy I dragged my feet- if I didn't I am not sure these muffins would have ever come to be. 

These muffins in my book are perfect- everything a muffin should be. Sweet, but not overly so, big and fluffy with the perfect muffin top.

spicy pumpkin soup // pepitas + white beans

I would eat soup everyday if Justin wasn't around- especially this time of year. Fall SCREAMS " It's soup seasoooooon, pull out your sweaters, wellies and leggings and cozy on up with a hot bowl of soup weather" alongside of course all things pumpkin. This recipe combines both my Fall loves - soup season + pumpkin. 

coconut cranberry bread // coffee glaze

Every year for as long as I can remember my Aunt Nancy makes Cranberry Bread for Thanksgiving, Christmas + Easter, her cranberry bread is the anchor among the cream cheese filled celery sticks and olives that serve as our pre dinner snack  alongside bowls of "crack your own" nuts and cashews. For 20 years I thought her cranberry bread was homemade......people, I was deceived. Our entire family was deceived, our beloved cranberry bread was from a box. I was heartbroken.

When Paradise Meadow brand by Decas Cranberry Products, Inc reached out to see if I would like to bake with their new Julienne cooking + Baking Cranberries  I jumped at the chance. I thought, move over boxed cranberry bread, there's a new bread in town ready to take over the Holidays.

heirloom tomato tartines // handmade pesto

Swooooooshhhhhhh...that was August flying by - I mean really, August with all its beauty this year seemed not to want to stay very long. This Summer has absolutely flown by - this recipe today was actually suppose to be shared with you in August, as I type this I find myself suddenly thrown into the month of September- does anyone else feel this way?

Not to fear, at least in this part of the country, heirloom tomatoes are still gracing the tables of farmers markets and stands - in all of their glorious juicy goodness. You know you picked the bets of the best when you bite into a freshly salted heirloom tomato and you are covered in tomato juice with a bit running down your chin. So messy, but so good.

farmers market soup

My Mom and I dropped in to our local Thursday Market and veggies were aplenty along with fresh ciabatta bread and vegan cashew ice cream from Rock Salt Creamery; sooooo freakin' good.

 I absolutely adore this time of year (although Fall still has my heart) - aside from growing my own veggies which just didn't happen this year, local markets are the next best thing. This past Saturday was rainy and cold, but I was up and figured I would pop down to our Saturday Market to see who braved the weather, I wasn't dissapointed and came home with another overflowing bag of early summer goodness.

blueberry jam // preserving summer

The first preserving session of the season happened this past weekend and it was awesome. We have this little blueberry stand down the road from us, Murphy's Blueberries and we stock up anytime we see pints of blueberries displayed in the little blue cart on the side of the road. Mrs. Murphy is exactly how I pictured her to be, the cutest little old lady that sports a house dress and apron who goes to Church on Sunday's. with Mr. Murphy. They have the best blueberries and raspberries in town, and now that Justin and I are settled into our new home I actually have time for preserving this year! 

There is nothing better than opening up a jar of homemade jam in the dead of winter. 

Summer Breakfast in Bed with Boll & Branch

 Is there anything more relaxing than lounging in bed and having a lazy Sunday morning reading and starting the day off slow? The answer is yes. Breakfast in Bed is what I'm talking about. It is even better when someone else makes you breakfast and delivers it up to you like the Queen or King  you are. I remember making my Mom breakfast in bed on Mothers Day growing up and thought is was the most special thing my Sister and I could do for her.

chocolate peanut butter protein bars

Justin and I have made a stronger effort these past couple of month's to be a little more aware of what we are putting into our bodies. It is easy to get lazy and shrug off exercise or to rely on vegan convenience foods for lunch and dinner. We know what healthy choices we should be making but we don't always. It was time for us to drag ourselves out of our current routine and create a new one. We have started to become more active each day, Justin set up a pretty awesome home workout area for us in the basement and I have made a more concerted effort to avoid as many vegan convenience foods as possible - circling back to a more whole foods plant based approached.

We also have abstained from drinking - Justin for over a month as a bit of a reset and myself, I am still sticking with it- just an occasional drink on a special occasion (I mean come on, I couldn't miss out on my amazing Sangria for book club!). These little changes and tweaks have given both of us more energy, better nights sleep and overall in a better mood.

one pot lemony garlic pasta // nooch + veggies

This dinner is so easy, it has been our go to dinner at least once a week on nights we have no inspiration to make anything else. It is the perfect dinner to use up an abundance of veggies staring back at you in the fridge or a great way to put your first CSA box to use. The easiest clean up too - one pan and your are done!

chocolate chip coconut muffins // almond flour + walnuts

It is finally feeling like Summer here in New Hampshire and I'm loving it! Aside from the massive amounts of black flies, mosquitoes and ticks it has been pretty awesome spending as much time outside as we possibly can. Our morning hikes have turned into a hiking and swatting session with creatively made head gear about  half way through the hike with whatever piece of clothing we can bear to lose. I am pretty certain we are going to invest in those crazy screened in hats or learn to outrun the bugs. Hopefully this bug season will be short lived - fingers + toes crossed!

chickpea salad sammie // shallots + celery

I love sammies - they are so quick, easy and depending on how you make them super satisfying. Justin and I have been on a chickpea salad sammie quick and thought I would share with you our go to recipe. Direct quote from Justin // "I don't know how you did it but these taste just like chicken salad sandwiches" .....which I think is kind of skewed since we haven't had chicken in over 12 years- but really these have all the same flavors and textures as the chicken salad sammies we can remember - just better, cause' you know they don't have chicken in them.

red curry soup // rice noodles + coconut

This type of meal is all me- Justin would not touch this with a 10' pole. For some reason he has an aversion to coconut milk in anything other than curry.

I am a sucker for rice noodles in any which way you want to serve them up // I love them in soups, a stir fry and spring rolls. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH.

strawberry chia turnovers // tahini maple drizzle

Who wouldn't want to know how to make pastries in under 30 minutes? 

These are so stupid easy to make - simple ingredients with semi impressive results with little effort.

Perfect to make in a pinch for Brunch or Mothers Day.

They could be a lifesaver one day.

za'atar hummus // kalamata + garlic

Justin and I plow through so much hummus in a week it is kind of embarrassing - it is our snack of choice and I love adding it to my veggie wraps. 

Hummus is also our go to if we are heading to a party or on a road trip and it is something our friends always have on hand for us too. 

I mean you can't really go wrong with hummus, am I right?

loaded hash brown waffles // Mastro Co.

Weekend breakfasts are the best.  When we are not having pancakes we are most definitely having breakfast sandwiches. Alongside our breakfast sandwiches we always have some form of breakfast potato. Justin loves to tell me about how his Mom would always use their waffle maker for sandwiches and pie pockets - then he proceeds to ask me why I don't use my waffle iron for more than just waffles- that got me thinking. Justin loves shredded potato hash browns and I am more of a home-fry girl with peppers and onions, this is the perfect combination of the two. And the perfect way to put my waffle iron to use for more than just waffles.

nightly rituals // relaxing before bedtime

I love routine, I love rituals - they keep me grounded. 

Every morning I make our bed, each night it is impossible for me to go to bed with the dishes in the sink, dirty counter tops or an un-vacuumed floor. I actually get really anxious, to the point I can't relax until the above tasks are completed. It's the same with clutter, clutter and I do not get along but that is a story for another day.

white chia pudding // cacao nibs + macadamia

Chia pudding - you either love it or hate it. The texture can be off putting to some, it took a long time for me to welcome re-hydrated chia seeds with open arms. They totally weirded me out, truth is stayed away from them before I even tasted them - no thank you. That was up until a few months ago when I started to add them to my overnight oats - it was truly love at first bite. I never looked back.

chocolate chip cookies // dates + almond flour

Chocolate chip cookies are the number one dessert request in our house - hands down they are Justin's favorite cookie. He would have no problem eating cookies for breakfast, lunch and dinner....come to think of it he sometimes does. Years ago, when we first started dating he bought me a Kitchen Aide Stand Mixer under the one condition that I bake him chocolate chip cookies once a week. I didn't quite live up to that promise, it's more like once a month, sometimes every other week in the Fall + Winter months.

smoked tofu sammie // a grilled sandwich

These past few months I have felt restless and anxious. I can't pinpoint exactly why- do you ever feel that way? You know that feeling when you know you should be doing something, anything but you just can't figure out what that something is. I think that biggest reason I feel this way is the whole move this past Summer - I just want things to even out, to be able to have the whole house in one piece would be great too.  And I want a puppy, I really, really want a puppy. Which will happen, probably this Summer...I think my Friends + Family are a little disappointed that puppy isn't a code word for baby.

So for now I am making delicious sammies so I don't have to think about the house, puppies or babies.

It is a really good distraction, I totally got lost in this sandwich. Then I started thinking about puppies, and puppy names and got distracted again.

banana cacao nib smoothie // pb + chia

Hands down this is one of my favorite smoothies- simple ingredients that taste like dessert. Over the years I have found myself craving ingredients that I once turned my nose up on or just generally disliked. I remember the very first time I made Vegan Mac n' Cheese (before we even became vegan) with nooch and ended up throwing the entire batch away // we thought it was the worst thing ever. Now I put nooch in or on just about everything. The first time I tried Cacao Nibs I legit spit them out and Chia seeds looked too weird when re hydrated for me to even try them.

Now, I love them all // I actually crave them. 

So morale of the story, don't ever give up on an ingredient, you never know when that moment might be when you fall in love with a long hated ingredient for the first time.

warm farro salad // sweet potato + chickpeas

I've had this recipe in my Que and on my mind since last winter, it isn't until now that I actually got around to making it. I'm kinda sad I didn't make it sooner, It really was worth the wait.

Farro is one of those grains that I don't use often enough. Every time I use farro in a recipe I think to myself this is so good why don't I cook with farro more often...then it gets pushed back into the dark corner of the pantry forgotten until another year has passed.

maple coconut granola // flax + sunflower seeds

I love, love, love granola. Granola is so stupid easy to make at home and takes no time at all. The granola I am sharing with you today is pretty unfussy - I love the maple-ly coco-nutty undertones throughout the granola.

vanilla almond smoothie // cinnamon + dates

I am keeping my smoothie game strong this year by switching it up with new to me combinations. This smoothie is super easy to make and is great after a workout or when you want a little something sweet after dinner, and of course you could totally enjoy this at breakfast.

peanut butter cheesecake // chocolate drizzle

Can we just stop and take a moment to drool over this cheesecake- is it not gorgeous or what!

Dessert is suppose to be showstopping, that is part of the fun of making dessert- that and tasting delicious.

Peanut Butter + Chocolate // enough said.

a book review: a plantiful table // sweet potato pie + giveaway!

Does anyone else read their cookbooks like a novel or am I the only one?

The Plantiful Table has been one of the Cookbooks of 2015 that I have been waiting for - when the opportunity to review the book was presented I jumped at the opportunity. I have been following Drea's blog for a couple of years now and fell in love with her approach on feeding Marlowe and how her family treated meal time and food in general.

Globe In // a Kitchen Box Review

Over the years I have had my fair share of subscriptions boxes varying from vegan foods, designer clothing to a box full of doggy toys + treats for our Pup Anna. Some of these subscriptions have come and gone, I am currently in love with Happy Mail from A Beautiful Mess, there is nothing better than recieving a package curated just for you in the mail // it's like Christmas year round!

When Globe In contacted me to try one of their Subscriptions is was an easy YEAH, of course I will! After all, their mission and message was pretty fantastic: Support artisans and farmers from all walks of life with an emphasis on people in the developing world.

book review: Super Foods 24/7 // bonus recipe + giveaway!

Within the past couple of years we have seen a major upswing in creative vegan cookbooks on the market that totally hold their own and are finding a home on vegan and non vegan's bookshelves across the country. It has been amazing to witness veganism becoming more accepted and mainstream, it is no longer viewed as a hippie crunchie diet full of beans, sprouts and tofu - which of course I love all those things but way back the word vegan had a stigma attached to it.

Super Foods 24/7 offers up a variety of accessible, non intimidating and creative recipes that evolve around vegan super foods- let me just tell you, this book is pretty amazing.

coconut cacao nib oatmeal // date sugar + chia

One look at my instagram feed and it is totally obvious that I am a fan of breakfast. 

Breakfast is just so much fun! Everything from smoothies to tofu scrambles, pancakes and cinnamon rolls always have a place on my breakfast table.

During the winter months I crave a warm hearty breakfast. Oatmeal is one of my many go to winter breakfasts. 

A warm, filling and easy way to start the day on a good note.

chocolate chia smoothie // avocado + cinnamon

I'm a goal-setter, a list maker and definitely find myself relating the type A's. Rather than setting "resolutions" at the start of the new year I like to create a Life List. This habit started years ago, a girlfriend of mine hosted a Life List Party at the start of the year. The idea was two sided; goals for the upcoming year on one side, on the other, long term goals and aspirations. 

Some of my past lists have included creating a blog, become debt free by the time I turned 30,  purchase a home, learn to can from the garden, start a book club, become a more active participant within the community. Throughout the year I reference my list and cross of the goals that have been achieved. Looking through past lists to see what long term goals have actuated and revisit those that have fizzled is pretty therapeutic too.

turning leftovers into soup // red lentil, rice + sweet potato soup

Most of us at one time or another have run into the dreaded leftovers that don't quite constitute as a full fledged "meal". Am I right?

Often times when making curry or a stir fry I always have a cup or so of rice leftover with no actual curry or stir fry to speak of. Or I will randomly have a cup of mashed squash or sweet potato sitting in in the fridge. 

I really make an effort not to waste food, when I have little odds and ends leftover from a meal I pop them in a container and store them in the fridge. During the winter month's these leftovers are most often used as  base for a weekend soup.

best of 2015!

My friends- Happy New Year!

2015 was a good year.
Lots of change and redirection of energy which left this little blog of mine a bit neglected the latter half of the year.

2016 will bring continued house renovations to our new home- this has become quite the project and where most of my energy has been directed the past 6 month's // I'd love to know if any of you would be interested in us sharing our process + progress on the blog.

Between putting our old home on the market, selling it in one day and closing on a new home within the same month that needed some TLC and our personal touch you could say my focus has been anywhere but the blog. 

This new year will also introduce a partnership with NOW Foods which I am really excited for as they are a brand I stand behind 110% and will be a source of new inspiration for upcoming blog posts.

 I am also super excited to be working on another Photography Project with the Experiment in 2016 for an upcoming vegan cookbook.

2016 also marks the 6th Anniversary of SMBP and I couldn't be more appreciative of the friendships and opportunities that have been made through SMBP.

Here's to a happy, healthy, successful and productive 2016!

I leave you with with SMBP's Best of 2015 // there some good ones in here!