stuff 'n things {no. 3}

// Coconut oil. Finally. Found it. EEEEEEEEEYYYOO.

// I'm so weird. On Mondays, I typically ease into the week {my excuse for doing hardly any school.} and then jam on Fridays. It makes me feel good. 

// Made healthy brownies last night. Ate three this morning. Living the life. 

// You're gonna think I'm crazy- which may or may not be true- when I say this… I stayed up late last night, for three freaking hours untangling yarn. YES. THREE HOURS. That's one 8th of my day. Spent untangling yarn because goshdangit, knots are not okay with me. It was during those strenuous hours that I started questioning my sanity or my lack there of. Told you. Crazy. 

// Due to the yarn-untangling extravaganza, I woke up this morning really under-slept. Exhibit A) I grabbed my sunglasses instead of my prescription glasses and then nearly ran into a wall. Whoa, that was weird. 

//  I'd like to strongly suggest making pancakes in your sweatpants and chowing down while watching Friends tomorrow morn. Happy weekend! 

Links 'n stuff. 

// whole wheat apple & orange marmalade cake.
// galette with berries- GOR.GEOUS.
// brown butter baked doughnuts.
// mini strawberry galettes.
// maple walnut steel cut oatmeal with yogurt, peaches, and chia seeds. Love oatmeal!
// chocolate chip layer cake.
// pumpkin chocolate ice cream sandwiches for the awkward transition from summer to fall. .
// chocolate baked doughnuts. 
// these double dark chocolate cookies look perfect for coffee-dunking. AMEN.
// strawberry pistachio no bake tarts. So beautiful!

salted dark chocolate almond coconut oil cookies

 So the other day while grocery shopping, my brother made this weird face as we trotted on by the health food section {i.e. a little 3 foot shelf full of gluten free flours, molasses, and xylitol. that's aboooout all. } and exclaimed with a questionable tone, "COOOOOconut oil?" I was all like "WHAAAA FOOOO!" I've been wanting to use coconut oil for um ever since I saw it making appearances in healthy recipes all over the interwebulars. So when my brosophegus spotted it I totally freaked out. Likeeeeeeeeee full on freaked. Did a little jig? Sang a little bit? Made a fool out of myself in front of the entire population of the grocery store? Why yes. Indeed I did. No shame.

Immediately my mind went all the places. Cookies. Muffins. Blondies. Cake. Where the heck am I supposed to start experimenting? There's no telling when I'll quit. Or if I ever will.  After discovering that replacing butter with coconut oil seriously didn't change the flavor or texture of cookies, there's no turning back now. I've gone to the dark side. Errr actually, the light side! These cookies kinda blew my mind. Ya know when you try to healthify cookie recipes and use yogurt or banana instead of butter? Things don't go right. Things get cakey and weird and not like how cookies should be. Cookies that are more like muffins are just not okay. BUUU-HUUUUUT. No butter here. And no muffin-y cookies. Mind bloooooooooown.I've been really wanting something to dunk in my morning cup of coffee and pretty sure these cookies couldn't be any better for the job. Nothing wrong with starting out the day with some chocolate! The fact that they're healthy and actually taste like normal cookies makes me super excited. No guilt and no surprise breakouts due to dairy!! 

salted dark chocolate almond coconut oil cookies

1/2 c. coconut oil
1/2 c. dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. wholewheat flour
1 c. oat four
1/2 c. quick cooking oats
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. dark chocolate chunks/chips
1/2 c. raw almonds, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease/line a baking sheet; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk coconut oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Mix in flours, oats, salt, and baking powder. Stir until just combined. Fold in almonds and chocolate chunks. Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before removing to a wire rack. Recipe yields about 15 cookies.

mini peanut butter banana bread pancakes

For some reason, I'm really really really craving SUMMER. Actually, no not some reason. I have a few. For one, it's getting sunny and warm and bright in good 'ol Nam. And to me, that means SUMMER. With my school, I feel like I'm totally running out of steam and kinda half-butting it, if ya know what I mean. I don't really have any consistent time off since the school schedule here is kinda wonky. And since I have no life, it's kinda like I have nothing else better to do. But I'm really feeling like I need a break. A 3 month one. PLEASE. The only solution? SUMMER. I also want to stuff my face with only corn, strawberries, popsicles, and avocado. Dear, SUMMER, I want you. 

So I think you get my gist, I really want summer. What does this have to do with pancakes? Nothing. I just wanted to tell someone about my problems, know what I mean, jelly bean? Sorry I called you jelly bean. I do know for a fact, however, that whatever my problem… Pancakes will solve it. And so will peanut butter. Aside from the obvious chocolate and peanut butter {or my personal favorite: peanut butter and spoon.}, banana and peanut butter are basically soul mates- destined for great things. Like my pie hole. Errr pancake hole. These pancakes are super simple, and taste like banana bread! Peanut butter banana bread that is. Oh also I should mention. I'm totally that weirdo who really strongly dislikes my pancakes sweet. I like them really plain SO there's no added sweetener in this recipe aside from the natural sweetness that the mashed bananas bring. If you're not too fond of the idea, add in a tablespoon or two of honey, maple syrup, stevia, or sugar.

mini peanut butter banana bread pancakes

2 eggs

1/2 c. mashed banana {about 2 small bananas}

3 tbsp. plain yogurt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. creamy peanut butter

1/4 c. oat flour

2 tbsp. wholewheat flour 

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. baking powder

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients until combined. Place a greased frying pan over high heat. Scoop batter by two-tablespooonfuls onto greased pan. Let cook for about 2 minutes and flip to the other side until golden brown. Serve warm with extra peanut butter, sliced banana, or maple syrup. 

stuff 'n things {no.2}

// I was super duper shmooper excited when I saw a sign in town a couple weeks ago advertising a farmers market the first Friday of every month. This morning, I decided to walk into town and check it out, only to find about 5 tents selling biltong and pastries that didn't look all too appetizing… Honestly, I'm not surprised one iota. No fresh produce. So on the way home, I meandered my way into the grocery store to pick up some fruit. So happy strawberries are in season now!!!

// Ok, so I may or may not have forgotten to add to this post throughout the week. Hence why this week's is so short. My apologies. {P.S. Do you guys even like the idea of these weekly posts? Let me know, puhhleeeeeezzeeeee.}

// Oh, so here's a weird little factoid fooo yooo noggin. While I was listening to the radio in the kitchen the other day {American radio!! There's an app ferr dat.}, they were doing a little thing, asking callers if all these name brands in food were actually real people or made up for marketing. DID YOU KNOW BETTY CROCKER ISN'T A REAL PERSON? How sad is that! Maybe not sad to you, but when I hear of Betty Crocker, I think of a cute little old grandma in the kitchen, wearing a vintage apron, and baking up a pecan pie. Turns out… SHE DOESN'T EXIST. This is a sad, sad world we're living in.

// I probably eat salads in some way, shape, or form for at least one meal a day. This week, I noticed the veggie drawer was overflowing with the good stuff. I made a salad that would last me a couple meals out of shredded red cabbage, shredded carrot and cucumber, spinach, green bell peppers, and avocado. I took out the big tub and ate leftovers for lunch mixed with homemade hummus and chicken. SO GOOD. My brother stared at me with enlarged eyeballs and said "You're eating ALL of that?" Why yes, little brother. This girl loves her veggies.

// the other day, I was just thinking how thankful I am that I can run here. Pretty sure if we lived in almost any other country in Africa, it wouldn't be safe enough for a white chick to go prancing around on her own. Running is my therapy {aside from baking and eating. funny how they balance each other out… ha.}, and it's my thing I do to get out of the house and have some "me time". Some days I'd lose my mind without it.

Around the interwebs… 
// these brownie ice cream sandwiches. I couldn't tear eyeballs away from the computer screen. 

// chocolate almond butter cups. Hubba hubba. 

// Well whoa. These cookie dough millionaire bars.

// 'Sup brown butter lobster bacon crispy kale fontina pasta. 'Nuff said.

// brown butter cream cheese apple cake. Every single word of that makes me drool a little more.

// these banana nut waffles are calling me. I can hear it.

// skinny gluten free double chocolate fudge banana muffins. They're healthy which obviously means you can eat the whole batch! *happy dance*

// Cherry Buttermilk Pancakes with Chocolate Drizzle and Sea Salt… All I want in this life is pancakes. Amen.

// sweet potato, ginger, and chocolate chip muffins. YERRRRM.

// I need these homemade chocolate fudge poptarts in my face. Now. 

banana carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

Sometimes {like errrytime} I sit down to write a post, I blank out completely and my post turns into a bunch of random, all over the place, blurbs of the weirdness that is my brain. I then twirl into thoughts of self-doubt. Like why the heck am I a blogger? I may have a freakish love affair with food, but I can't write for the love of all things holy. Isn't that what bloggers, uhh… Do? So here I am, yet again with a lack of words. Sometimes I think out beforehand what I'm going to write in a post, but the second my fingers hit the keys, "Phewwww." Those witty words leave me and I'm left with nothing. Right now is one of those times. I'm trying to think of things to TELL YOU. Still nothing. 

So I made cake. It calms me and makes me feel better inside. Gives me something to do with my hands. And later gives me something to do with my legs 'cuz cake is pretty much the reason I started running. It's no doubt, baking is my therapy. I go into the kitchen and I typically crank up my music, nearly blowing the speakers as I combine ingredients in a fruit bowl with a table fork. But when I made this cake, I decided I needed nothing but peace, quiet, and cake. Nothing to listen to. Just time to think about what I was doing, slowly adding flour to the batter, sprinkling in a dash or ten of cinnamon, and enjoying every swish of the whisk.

I'm really craving fall-ish, homey foods despite the 80 degree weather we've got going on in our neck of the woods. Carrot cake is considered homey right? I think it is. It's one of my ultimate comfort foods for me and brings back memories of when I was little, sitting in a corner booth at Baker's Square with my grandma, enjoying a slice of the fluffy cake and sweet, creamy frosting with the little piped carrot on top. Although I haven't tasted that cake in years, this one turned out kinda similar which surprised me but made me happy nonetheless. It's really dense, yet fluffy and I hate to say it, but I made it semi-healthy-ish. I used wholewheat flour, yogurt, and banana. But what it lacks in buttery, calorie-loaded richness, it makes up for with the frosting. YOU GUYS. I may or may not have eaten it with a spoon. The fact that it made a really large bowl of frosting, enough to have leftovers, didn't help the situation either. Knowing there's a little plastic container or this frosting in the fridge is a little bit frightening. But I guess if that's actually a problem, my life could be worse.

banana carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

cake:

1/2 c. mashed banana

1/3 c. shredded carrot

2 eggs

1/2 c. plain yogurt

1/4 c. granulated sugar

3/4 c. dark brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

frosting:

3/4 c. plain cream cheese

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 c. powdered sugar

1/4 c. milk

2 tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease a round cake pan; set aside. In a large bowl, combine banana, shredded carrot, eggs, and yogurt. Whisk in sugars and vanilla until thick and creamy. Add flour, cinnamon, and baking powder and stir until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown. While cake is cooling, prepare frosting, adding more milk or powdered sugar as needed. Once cake is completely cooled, spread frosting evenly on top. Store refrigerated in an airtight container or wrapped in tin foil. 

toasted coconut banana smoothie

The temperatures are rising, and all I want is smoothies. Fresh, cold, icy, refreshing smoothies. Green smoothies, chocolate smoothies, strawberry smoothies, ALL THE SMOOTHIES! I could probably have one for every meal and would totally be a happy camper. 

I've recently become obsessed with toasted coconut. OBSESSED, I tell you. It's crunchy, crispy greatness has been adorning my breakfasts lately and I just can't get enough. You can't get shredded coconut around these parts other than "desiccated coconut" that's basically like snow. 

BLEHHHH. Def not as pretty as these big, chunky flakes I found at a grocery store when we were out of town awhile back. I got a big 'ol bag and it's almost gone. I sad. 

This smoothie is so simple and refreshing. Nothing fancy going on. Just a few bananas, coconut that's been lightly toasted under the broiler, some light coconut milk, ice cubes, and a little dash of cinnamon and vanilla extract for added flavor. Then ya throw it all into a blender and blend it up until all smooth, creamy, and luscious. 

I not only topped the smoothie OFF with the toasted coconut, but it also found its way into the blender. Coconut errrywherrrrrr. It gives the smoothie a little funkalicious texture that I absolutely adore. I also love when the shredded coconut that gets sprinkle atop the smoothie freezes and becomes extra crunchy. 

I'm a crunch freak. Crunch-a-holic. Crunch-o-maniac. Crunch-a-la-don. Sorry,  I'll stop before this gets weird. Errrr… Yah. 

What I'm trying to say is… You need this in your life. 

Have it for breakfast. Have it for a snack. HAVE IT FOR LUNCH! Been there, done that. I won't judge. 

toasted coconut banana smoothie

1/3 c. coconut flakes

2 bananas 

2 c. ice cubes

1/2 c. light coconut milk

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Spread coconut onto a lined cookie sheet. Place under your broiler for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown; set aside. Place all ingredients {save a tablespoon or so of the coconut for topping if desired} in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into two small glasses or one large glass and top with remaining toasted coconut. Serve immediately. 

stuff 'n things {no. 1}

Hi friends! I've decided to hop on the "weekly list blog post" train, albeit quite late {as per usual.}, but better late than never. Ya know how I be. This is obviously a really trendy week for me because I also just painted my little toesies pink ombre. Feeling ready to conquer the world. So there's that.

The idea for stuff 'n things was born out of my scattered-all-over-the-place-girl-brain, a mad love of making lists, and because I totally adore reading posts like this from other bloggers. Maybe you feel the same way about little 'ol me, I don't know. Or maybe you just care about brownies.

I'm hoping to have these little posts going up on a semi-regular basis {or probably when I feel the instant need to list of things of little significance.} and filled to the brim with whatever I think you need to know A-S-A-PLEEASE {Uncle Si. Anybody get that?} - photos, snippets of my life, and links to things that caught my eye across the interwebs. So here goes!

// Stay strong. Love this promise! ^^^

// This week was the first week of school for most of you earthlings, but since I'm not sticking to any particular school schedule {the one and only positive side of having no life. ha.}, this week is no different than any other. Everyone is talking about back-to-school shopping, and when I started tenth in July, my back-to-school shopping consisted of getting a shiny new pack of pencils and a couple of green spiral notebooks from the grocery store.

// And that's all I have to say. 'Cuz school, ick.

// Summer is revving its engines over here, and the temperatures are getting hoooot. My friend and I went out on Monday for the first ice cream of the season. It was satisfying despite the typical play-dough-ey undertones going on. Oh 'Frica, how you perplex me.

// I ate popcorn for lunch today. It's a good day; the sun's a-shining and the corn's a-popping.

// Umm, I'm never limiting myself in the diet department ever again as long as I shall live. Because thanks to that raw dealio, all I want is CARBS. Carbs carbs carbs carboooooos. Holy moly backfire, much?

// As far as my workouts go, I'm kinda all over the place. One week all I wanna do is yoga. One week pilates. One week running. I'd be lying if I said I don't get bored super fast. This also explains the fact that I change my music approximately every 46 seconds. I've been running so much the last two weeks and it's felt so great! I used to go early in the morning before school, but lately I prefer evening.

// Now that pumpkin season is sneaking upon us {not here. but in the blogosphere}, I'm trying to think of a few recipes to make with the few cans of pumpkin we have stashed in the deep abyss of our "american cupboard." My mom likes to keep them all to herself, so I have to be wise with the can or two I'm allotted. Pancakes? Cookies? Muffins? Bars? Pie? OATMEAL? Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.

// When we were in the States, I used to go biking ALL the time. You better believe I had a pink and white Schwinn, basket and all. I miss that thing and haven't biked in the last year and a half. My brothers got bikes, so I've totally been taking them for rides. I don't care if they're like half the size I need. It feels good to move. And my buns are 'a burnnin'. Glamorous.

In case you've missed some goings-on around here… 

// Loaded multigrain muffins.  // Fudgey double chocolate brownies with peanut butter cookies 'n cream frosting. // Raw banana & toasted coconut brownie pie.  // wholewheat banana zucchini muffins. 

Around the interwebs… 

// this CAKE. Gorgeous. Not to mention BROWNED BUTTER.

// I'm totally digging this pumpkin pie spice white chocolate caramel corn. Just yes. 

// Ice cream cakes remind me of summer pool parties with family when I was younger. Love this Cookie 'N Cream version!

// I love how she thinks. CAKE FOR BREAKFAAAAAHST. 

// These PB&J granola bars! Totally wanting one or five. 

// Coconut English Muffins- HEYOOOOO. 

// Basically adoring these brownies. Such puuuuurdy colaaaaarrrs.

// This warm lentil salad with cherries, pistachios, and goat cheese. MMM. 

// Homemade cookie crisp cereal! And it's gluten-free and dairy-free! SCORE!

// Summer cobb salad with green goddess dressing. 

// I'm super duper wanting cake. 

// 13 Food & Drink Pinterest Users You Should Follow… As if I don't follow enough already. HA. 

// Pink. Ruffle. Cake. AHH, the cuteness!

// This is one lemony cake. And I lemony love it. 

// Just discovered this fantastic blog. 

// chocolate peanut butter nutella oreo cookies. PUHHLEEEASE.

// Hi, my name is Sophie and I have a mad addiction to granola. Thanks for listening.

// Hello, apple cinnamon sheet cake with cream cheese frosting. I don't care if this African sun is a million trillion degrees. I wan this in meh bellehhh.

// These chewy chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies made with coconut oil. Good gracious, LOOK AT THE OOEY GOOEY GREATNESS.

// So far, I've loved every single post Ashley has shared since she started breakfast Fridays. This week's summer fruit with lime sugar + mint? AMAZAAAZING. 

// Seriously salivating. 

// Dying over these oatmeal chocolate chip cookie pancakes. I love you, Izy.

// Oh my lanta. Peanut butter cup heath bar browned butter cookies. No words- just drool.

{I apologize for the bonk-a-tonk amount of links. Couldn't help myself.}